CHF 10,000 to start plus CHF 500 a month in a global ETF could grow to about CHF 252,900 after 20 years at 6% a year. Pay 1.2% in fund fees instead of 0.2%, and the exact same plan ends CHF 30,341 lower. This ETF calculator shows you both numbers in francs, with Swiss stamp duty, broker fees and inflation built in.
How does this ETF calculator for Switzerland work?
Our ETF calculator simulates your plan month by month in CHF. Every month it invests your contribution, deducts broker fees and Swiss stamp duty from that purchase, lets the portfolio grow at your expected return, then subtracts the fund's TER. That's how ETF costs work in real life: the TER never shows up on an invoice, it quietly shrinks the fund's value every day.
The initial investment is your lump sum on day one. The monthly amount is your savings plan. Set the monthly amount to 0 if you only want to model a one-off investment, or the starting amount to 0 if you're starting from scratch.
Don't guess. Tap one of the historical presets (all in CHF, dividends included) or set your own rate with the slider. The next section explains which number is realistic.
Enter the ETF's TER and choose the stamp duty that applies: 0.15% for foreign-domiciled ETFs (most Irish or Luxembourg ETFs), 0.075% for Swiss ETFs. Under "Additional options" you can add broker fees, inflation, a yearly increase of your savings rate, and whether dividends are reinvested or paid out.
You get your final capital in nominal terms and in today's money, your total contributions, gains and costs, a chart, a fee comparison, three return scenarios and a year-by-year table you can download as CSV. "Share the results" copies a link to your exact scenario.
What's the formula behind an ETF savings plan?
For a lump sum, the formula is the classic compound interest formula: K = K₀ × (1 + r)ⁿ, where K₀ is your starting capital, r the yearly return and n the number of years. CHF 10,000 at 6% for 20 years gives 10,000 × 1.06²⁰ = CHF 32,071 before costs.
A savings plan adds a monthly contribution R, which compounds from the month it's invested. With a monthly rate m = (1 + r)^(1/12) − 1, the future value is R × ((1 + m)^(12n) − 1) / m × (1 + m). Costs then come off on top: the TER reduces the growth rate, while stamp duty and broker fees reduce every amount you invest.
- Total you pay in: CHF 130,000
- Final value after costs: CHF 252,888
- Of which gains: CHF 122,888
- Fees paid (TER + stamp duty): CHF 4,585
- In today's money at 1% inflation: CHF 207,253
If you'd rather see compounding on its own, without ETF costs, our compound interest calculator does exactly that.
What return is realistic for an ETF in Swiss francs?
Honest answer: it depends heavily on the period you look at, and on the currency. Most return figures you see online are in USD, and they overstate what a Swiss investor actually earned. Here are the historical averages behind the presets in the calculator, all measured in CHF with dividends reinvested:
| Preset | Return p.a. | Period | What CHF 10,000 + CHF 500/month becomes in 20 years* |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSCI World, last 10 years | 9.9% | 2016-2026 | CHF 411,400 |
| Swiss equities | 6.8% | 1900-2025 | CHF 278,846 |
| Balanced 60/40 (CH) | 6.0% | 1900-2025 | CHF 252,888 |
| MSCI World since 2001 | 4.0% | 2001-2026 | CHF 199,185 |
| Swiss government bonds | 3.9% | 1900-2025 | CHF 196,866 |
*With 0.20% TER and 0.15% stamp duty. Sources: MSCI (net returns in CHF, January 2026) and the Pictet study of Swiss equities and bonds (2026 edition).
Look at the spread: picking 4% or 9.9% changes the result by more than CHF 212,000. That's seven times the impact of paying 1.2% instead of 0.2% in fees. Your return assumption is the single biggest lever in any ETF calculator, which is exactly why you should never plan with the best-looking number.
Why the Swiss franc eats part of your MSCI World return
The MSCI World is about 72% US stocks, so a CHF investor carries dollar risk. In 2025, the index gained 16.9% in local currencies but only 4.5% in francs (price returns, MSCI factsheet, August 2026). Over the long run the franc has tended to appreciate, which is why the same index earned far less in CHF than in USD since 2001.
Currency-hedged share classes remove most of that effect. Since December 2000, the CHF-hedged MSCI World returned 3.5% a year versus 2.8% unhedged (price returns). Over the last 10 years it was the opposite: 8.5% hedged versus 9.0% unhedged. Hedging isn't free money, it's a different bet.
ETF savings plan or lump sum: which is better?
If you have the money today, investing it all at once has historically won more often than spreading it out. Vanguard's research across the US, UK and Australian markets found that a lump sum beat gradual investing in roughly two out of three periods, simply because markets rise more often than they fall.
But that's not the choice most people face. A savings plan exists because your salary arrives monthly. Investing CHF 500 the day it lands on your account is the lump sum strategy for money you didn't have yesterday. The real benefit is behavioural: an automatic plan keeps buying during crashes, when most people freeze.
Want both? Put the savings you already have to work now, then add a monthly plan on top. In the calculator, CHF 10,000 on its own grows to CHF 30,766 after 20 years at 6%. The CHF 500 monthly plan adds another CHF 222,122.
What does an ETF cost in Switzerland? TER, brokerage and stamp duty
Three costs hit a Swiss ETF investor. Here's how much each one takes from the default plan above over 20 years, ranked by impact:
- TER (fund costs): the big one. At 0.20% the plan pays CHF 4,390 in TER. At 1.2% the final value drops by CHF 30,341.
- Broker fees: a flat CHF 5 per monthly purchase costs CHF 1,205 in fees and leaves you CHF 2,236 poorer after lost growth.
- Federal stamp duty: charged by Swiss banks and brokers on each purchase, 0.15% for foreign ETFs and 0.075% for Swiss ETFs (ESTV). Over 20 years it adds up to just CHF 195. Choosing a Swiss ETF to save half of it gains you about CHF 190.
For context, the 62 Pillar 3a funds we track on GetRates have a median TER of 0.76%, and the most expensive charge 1.27%. On the default plan, 0.76% instead of 0.20% costs you CHF 17,533. If your 3a is invested, compare 3a investment funds by fees before you compare them by past performance.
How are ETFs taxed in Switzerland?
The calculator shows pre-tax values, because taxes depend on your canton and income. The principles are the same everywhere in Switzerland:
- Wealth tax: your portfolio's value on December 31 is added to your taxable wealth.
- Dividends are income: distributions and the income an accumulating ETF reinvests are both taxed as income. Choosing "reinvested" doesn't avoid the tax.
- Capital gains are tax-free for private investors. Frequent traders who are classified as professional securities dealers are the exception.
- Withholding tax: the 35% Swiss withholding tax is reclaimable through your tax return. Inside an Irish ETF, US dividends lose 15% at fund level, which you can't reclaim.
Is an ETF savings plan for children worth it?
CHF 100 a month from birth to 18 adds up to CHF 21,600 in contributions. At 6% a year and a 0.20% TER, the calculator projects CHF 37,424. At a more cautious 4%, it's still CHF 30,764. That's a real head start for studies, a first apartment or a first 3a contribution.
Two practical points. Until 18, a child's wealth and investment income are added to the parents' tax return. And an 18-year horizon is long enough for equities, but plan to shift towards safer assets a few years before the money is needed.
Common mistakes with ETF calculators
A 9% or 10% USD figure isn't what a franc investor earned. Use CHF returns, and test your plan with the cautious preset too.
The difference between a Swiss and a foreign ETF's stamp duty is about CHF 190 over 20 years on our default plan. One percentage point of TER is worth over CHF 30,000. Optimise the TER first.
CHF 252,888 in 20 years buys what CHF 207,253 buys today at 1% inflation. Always look at the real value when you plan for a goal.
Your monthly contribution buys more units when prices are low. Pausing during a downturn locks in the worst part of the cycle and skips the cheapest purchases.
Methodology and assumptions
- Monthly simulation: contributions are invested at the start of each month. The expected return is converted to a monthly rate, and the TER is deducted monthly, pro rata.
- Purchase costs: broker fees (percentage and flat) and stamp duty are deducted from every purchase, including the initial investment. Selling costs and taxes aren't included.
- Real value: the nominal value is discounted by your inflation rate. The SNB treats inflation below 2% a year as price stability, so 1% is a middle-of-the-road default.
- Paid-out dividends: when you choose "paid out", the dividend yield is removed from the growth rate and paid out as cash, which no longer compounds. The default 1.5% matches the MSCI World's dividend yield in August 2026.
- Constant return: the calculator assumes the same return every year. Real markets swing, which is why the scenario block shows your plan at 2 points less and more.
- Data date: presets and cost data reviewed in September 2026. We update them once a year.
Our recommendation
Plan with the boring number. If your plan still works at 4% in francs, you're safe, and anything above that is a bonus. Then fix what you actually control: a broad index ETF with a TER under 0.25%, a broker without flat fees on small purchases, and an automatic monthly transfer the day your salary arrives. Keep three to six months of expenses in a savings account first, so you never have to sell ETFs in a crash to pay a bill.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ETF savings plan?
An ETF savings plan is an automatic investment of a fixed amount into one or more ETFs, usually every month. Your broker buys units (or fractions of units) for you, so you invest regularly without timing the market. Many Swiss banks and online brokers offer them, and the plan runs on its own once it's set up.
How much will CHF 500 a month in ETFs be worth in 20 years?
At 6% a year and a 0.20% TER, CHF 500 a month from zero grows to about CHF 222,122 after 20 years, from CHF 120,000 in contributions. Over 30 years, the same plan reaches about CHF 470,516. At 4% a year, expect noticeably less, so test both numbers in the calculator.
What return can I expect from an ETF in Switzerland?
Nobody knows the future, but history gives a range. In CHF with dividends, the MSCI World returned 4.0% a year since 2001 and 9.9% over the last 10 years. Swiss equities returned 6.8% a year since 1900. A 4% to 6% assumption is a reasonable planning range for a global equity ETF.
Which app is best for an ETF savings plan in Switzerland?
The best app is the one with the lowest total cost for your monthly amount. Compare three things: the fee per savings plan execution, custody fees, and the currency exchange margin when you buy ETFs listed in USD or EUR. For small monthly amounts, a free savings plan beats a low percentage commission.
Is a lump sum or a savings plan better for ETFs?
If you already have the money, a lump sum has historically performed better in about two out of three periods, because markets rise more often than they fall. A savings plan is the right tool for money you earn over time, and it makes it easier to keep investing through crashes.
Do I pay tax on ETF gains in Switzerland?
Private investors don't pay capital gains tax in Switzerland. You do pay income tax on dividends, including the dividends an accumulating ETF reinvests, and wealth tax on the portfolio's value. The 35% Swiss withholding tax on Swiss dividends is refunded through your tax return.
What is the Swiss stamp duty on ETFs?
The federal securities transfer tax is 0.15% of the transaction value for foreign-domiciled ETFs and 0.075% for Swiss ETFs, charged by Swiss banks and brokers on every purchase and sale. On a CHF 500 monthly plan, that's CHF 0.75 per purchase for a foreign ETF.