Pillar 3a account comparison: 107 Swiss providers ranked by interest rate

Who currently pays the highest pillar 3a interest rates?

As of 3 September 2026, the highest interest rate on a pillar 3a account is offered by Caisse d'Epargne d'Aubonne at 1.00 %. The offer is limited to the region. In second place comes Caisse d'Epargne de Nyon at 0.85 %, also with a regional restriction.

The best offer available throughout Switzerland comes from Pilla and Crédit Agricole next bank at 0.65 % each. Hypo Vorarlberg (Switzerland) offers the same rate but requires a minimum investment of CHF 50'000. They are followed by LibertyGreen (0.61 %) as well as Bank CIC (Switzerland) and Cornèrcard (0.60 % each).

Why the interest rate differences are so large

• Regional and cantonal banks pay more on average than the big bank UBS. They use pillar 3a money directly for mortgage lending in their catchment area.
• Pillar 3a apps such as VIAC, frankly or finpension don’t optimise for the account interest rate but for low fees on pillar 3a investment products. Their account is usually a place to park pillar 3a money.
• Insurers often offer pillar 3a accounts only as a supplement to a policy solution and pay interest cautiously.

Pillar 3a account, pillar 3a fund or insurance: what pays off for whom?

• Pillar 3a account: an interest-bearing savings account without price risk. The interest rate is guaranteed and the balance doesn’t fluctuate. At rates between 0.00 % and 1.00 %, the return usually stays below inflation.
• Pillar 3a fund: invests in securities, usually with an equity share of 20 % to 100 %. Higher return potential, but price fluctuations.
• Pillar 3a insurance policy: ties pension saving to death or disability cover. After deducting the risk premium and acquisition costs, the savings portion is often considerably smaller than at a bank or app, and the contract binds you for years. For pure pension saving, the bank solution is almost always cheaper.
• Rule of thumb: if you need the money in less than five years, for example to buy a home, the account is the safe choice. From an investment horizon of ten years, the account costs you return over the long term — then a look at the pillar 3a fund comparison is worthwhile.

New since 2026: catch-up contributions to pillar 3a

Since the 2026 tax year, missed pillar 3a contributions can be made up. If you paid in less than the maximum amount in a given year, you can close the gap later and deduct the amount from your taxable income in the year of the catch-up contribution.

The conditions:

• Only gaps from the 2025 contribution year count. Gaps from 2024 and earlier are lost for good.
• Retroactive for a maximum of ten years: a gap from 2025 can be closed until the end of 2035.
• The maximum amount of the current year must be used up first.
• Cap per catch-up contribution: CHF 7'258, also for the self-employed.
• You must have had income subject to AHV contributions in both the gap year and the year of the catch-up contribution.
• Only one catch-up contribution per gap year, in a single payment. No splitting is possible.
• The catch-up contribution must be requested from the pension foundation.

Compare yourself or get advice?

For many people it’s straightforward: compare, open an account, pay in. But there are more complex situations such as self-employment, divorce or early retirement. Then it pays to analyse your starting position and individual needs carefully.

At Evaluno’s partner finfinder.ch, you’ll find vetted financial advisers for all financial matters. Filter by topic, region and language and get in touch directly.