Broker comparison Switzerland: stocks, dividends and ETFs
The best broker depends on how you invest. Here's what matters for stocks, dividends and ETFs, and what the broker means for your tax return.
The providers at a glance
Listed alphabetically; the order is not a ranking. Figures based on provider websites and publicly available comparisons, as of September 2026, without guarantee. Verify every figure with the provider again before publishing.
| Provider | Custody fee | Stamp duty | Tax statement | ETF savings plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEGIRO | none | none | no Swiss tax statement, you compile the figures yourself | no |
| Interactive Brokers | none | none | via third-party provider, approx. CHF 50 | check with provider |
| Saxo Bank (Switzerland) | none | yes | free | yes (AutoInvest), no purchase fee |
| Swissquote | tiered, approx. CHF 80 to 200 per year | yes | chargeable, approx. CHF 85 | yes, from CHF 3 per execution |
The custody fee is often more important than the per-trade fee for small portfolios. Work out your own case: custody fee, brokerage, stamp duty and currency conversion added together. On stamp duty: Swiss brokers generally charge 0.075 percent on Swiss securities and 0.15 percent on foreign securities per transaction; foreign brokers don't charge it.
Short profiles
These assessments come from public comparisons and describe who a provider is often mentioned for. They are not a recommendation.
DEGIRO
Often mentioned for low order fees and no stamp duty. There are no US ETFs there, but European funds instead. It lacks a savings plan and a Swiss tax statement, so you compile the tax-return figures yourself.
Insert partner linkInteractive Brokers
Offers access to many markets and is often mentioned for low fees on US exchanges. For your tax return you need an external provider for the tax statement, which costs extra.
Insert partner linkWhat kind of investor are you?
You buy individual stocks
What matters is the fee per trade, the range of exchanges, and the cost of currency conversion. If you buy rarely and in large amounts, percentage-based costs matter most. For small amounts, minimum fees weigh heavily.
Interactive Brokers is often mentioned for access to many markets, Swissquote for a broad offering including Swiss stocks, and DEGIRO for low order fees. For the tax side, see Stocks and taxes.
You focus on dividends
The tax statement is decisive: it should show the gross dividend and the withholding or foreign tax deducted separately. Otherwise you'll compile the figures for the reclaim yourself.
For US stocks held at a Swiss bank, the additional US tax reclaim also applies, which you get back via DA-1. Check whether your broker provides the necessary documents.
You save regularly into ETFs
What matters is a savings plan, low costs on small amounts, and a good ETF selection. Also check whether the ETF has Swiss tax reporting, see ETFs and taxes.
For small amounts, beginner apps like Yuh or neon are often mentioned; for ETF savings plans, Saxo Bank with AutoInvest. From larger amounts, comparing a classic broker is worthwhile.
How to choose
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Clarify your investor type and amount
Anyone investing a small amount monthly feels the custody fee and minimum fee strongly. Anyone buying rarely and in bulk pays more attention to percentage-based costs.
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Calculate total costs
Add up custody fee, brokerage, stamp duty and currency conversion for a typical year. A provider with low brokerage can turn out more expensive with foreign currencies.
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Check the tax statement
Ask whether it's available electronically, what it costs, and how income and taxes are shown.
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Look at safety
Check whether the provider is regulated in Switzerland and how your deposits and securities are protected. Swiss banks are usually part of the deposit insurance scheme; different rules apply to foreign brokers.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start with a foreign broker as a beginner?
It's possible, but your tax return often becomes more work because the tax statement is missing or has to be bought externally. Factor in that effort.
Do I have to declare anything differently with a foreign broker?
No, the rules for holdings and income are the same. You just need the figures, and foreign brokers don't always provide them as a ready-made tax statement.
How often do fees change?
Regularly. Recent years have brought several price cuts and new models. Always check the provider's current price list before opening an account.
Where do I compare crypto providers?
On the separate page Crypto platforms compared, because different criteria matter there.
How this page is funded
The tax explainer pages on this site contain no partner links. Only the homepage and the comparison pages do. If you open an account through a "Go to provider" link, the provider may pay me a commission. That's why I maintain these pages. The tax information itself is unaffected by this.
Run the numbers on your portfolio Enter your positions and see the breakdown, income and a forecast.Further reading: Stocks in the tax return, ETFs in the tax return and Crypto platforms compared.