Investing in securities like stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has become mainstream. In addition to conventional banks and stockbrokers, neobanks have also begun to include securities brokerage in their list of services. This moneyland.ch guide tells you what to pay attention to when using neobanks to invest.
What is a neobank?
A neobank is a bank that only offers its services on the Internet via a web portal and mobile app. That sets neobanks apart from conventional banks, which also offer in-person banking at branch offices in addition to online and mobile banking.
Several neobanks have become established in Switzerland in recent years, with their user-friendly interfaces and low fees being a key driver of consumer adoption. The moneyland.ch guide to neobanks provides detailed information and a comparison of different service providers.
Which neobanks offer stock brokerage services?
These Swiss neobanks let you buy, hold, and sell securities:
- Neon
- Yuh (Swissquote)
- Zak (Bank Cler)
Trading or asset management?
The Swiss neobank Alpian also provides securities investment services. But unlike the neobanks listed above, you cannot trade individual securities. Instead, you choose an entire investment portfolio based on your risk profile. So the investment service from Alpian is an online asset management service or robo advisor. Neon, Yuh, and Zak, on the other hand, let you trade individual stocks, ETFs, and some other assets.
Are there differences between the various neobanks?
The investment services from Neon, Yuh, and Zak differ from each other in terms of which securities you can invest in. Zak offers a fairly broad palette of securities with over 12,000 stocks, ETFs and mutual funds to choose from. Neon and Yuh, on the other hand, have much more limited selections that only include several hundred titles. The best-known Swiss stocks and ETFs are generally well covered. The most important stock indexes are generally represented, though the selection is often limited to just one ETF per index.
Zak also offers a wider range of services than Yuh and Neon. With Zak, you can choose between different stock exchanges, whereas this is not possible with Neon and Yuh. Zak also offers you the opportunity to register as a shareholder in the share register, allowing you to participate in general meetings and exercise your voting rights. Another unique feature is that Zak customers can receive personal advice at Bank Cler branches.
While Zak has the widest selection of securities and range of services, it is more expensive than Neon and Yuh. In addition to being the only one of the three to charge custody fees (0.25 percent per year), its minimum brokerage fee is also higher. The result is that Neon and Yuh are more affordable for many small investors.
It is worth noting that Zak also offers a premium Zak Plus package in addition to its standard package. The minimum brokerage fee of the premium account is half as high as that of the standard account. But Zak Plus has a package fee of 8 francs per month.
To show you how costs differ, moneyland.ch compared the neobank trading offers for four different investor profiles based on an investment term of one year. Yug takes first place across all four profiles, as shown in the graph below. However, it is important to understand that your actual costs depend on your personal investment profile. Depending on how you invest, it is possible that a different neobank could be cheaper for you.
Do neobanks offer investment-based savings plans?
Yuh and Neon – but not Zak – give you the option of using a savings plan to invest in securities. A savings plan lets you automatically invest your money at regular intervals. You do not pay an additional fee above the normal brokerage fees. For a small selection of securities, even the brokerage fees are waived when you invest in them as part of a savings plan, which makes the savings plans from Yuh and Neon quite attractive.
How are neobank investment services different from conventional stockbrokers?
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Neobank, conventional banks, and stockbrokers all help you invest in securities. But there are a number of important differences:
- The available assets: While conventional banks and stockbrokers give you access to millions of different securities, neobanks have only a very limited selection. In the case of Neon and Yuh, the choice is limited to just a few hundred, while Zak offers around 12,000 different titles. Neobanks primarily offer popular stocks and ETFs that are in high demand. The number of stock exchanges that you can trade on is also more limited.
- The available services: Conventional stockbrokers typically offer a broader range of services. This may include special order types like trailing stop orders and if done orders. But even with conventional stockbrokers, the exact services offered can vary broadly between service providers.
- The fees charged: Neobanks have relatively low fees, especially for small trades. The low minimum brokerage fees play an important role in this. Additionally, Neon and Yuh do not charge any custody fees – while the vast majority of conventional banks and stockbrokers do. But it is important to understand that depending on your personal investment profile, using a conventional stockbroker can also be cheaper. That is primarily the case if you invest larger amounts.
- The investment platform: Many neobanks only offer a mobile app. Conventional banks and stockbrokers typically offer both mobile apps and desktop or web-based trading platforms.
What are the advantages of using neobanks to invest?
Simplicity is the biggest advantage. You can begin investing using the same mobile app that you also use for your other banking. Typically, the apps from neobanks have separate areas for transactions, savings, and investing.
The way that fees are structured, with low minimum brokerage fees, is an advantage if you only invest a small amount of money per trade. Additionally, Yuh and Neon do not charge custody fees. These features make neobanks a suitable option for small investors and people who only invest occasionally.
Investment services from foreign neobanks
In addition to Swiss neobanks, there are also foreign neobanks that can be used to invest in securities. The British neobank Revolut is one example. You should be aware, though, that Revolut does not have a Swiss banking license and is not supervised by Swiss financial authority Finma (as per January 2026).
What are the disadvantages of investing with neobanks?
The limited choice of assets is the obvious disadvantage. That is particularly true for Neon and Yuh. The selection primarily includes standard titles. If you want to invest in less-widely-traded stocks or in other asset classes like bonds, neobanks will likely be a poor fit. The range of trading services offered is also small.
You should also be aware that neobanks are not necessarily the most affordable solution for your investment needs. If you invest larger amounts and make bigger trades, then using a conventional stockbroker can work out cheaper.
Who can benefit from using neobanks to invest?
A neobank may be the right trading and investment solution for you if:
- You invest small amounts: If your average trade is worth just a few hundred francs – or less – than using a neobank will likely be cheaper. However, the threshold above which it can be cheaper to use the cheapest conventional stockbrokers is as low as just 500 to 600 francs per trade.
- The securities you want are available: You are content to invest in the best-known international and Swiss stocks, and ETFs that replicate the best-known indexes. You should also be willing to accept a single choice of ETF per index. You are not interested in investing in asset classes like forex, futures, and options.
- You are content with a simple app: You have to be willing to manage your investments in a mobile app. You do not need the comprehensive trading platforms that conventional stockbrokers offer in addition to apps.
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