Best Robo-Advisors for Expats in Germany in 2026: Full Comparison

Scalable Capital manages roughly 19 billion EUR in assets as of 2026, and it's the name most expats hear first when they ask a German colleague how to start investing. But Growney, Quirion, and Oskar all compete for the same hands-off investor, and picking wrong can cost you hundreds of euros a year in fees you didn't need to pay. On 7 October 2026, the Bundesbank's monthly report flagged that German household financial assets held in investment funds climbed again through mid-2026, a trend regulators partly credit to the growth of digital wealth managers that let newcomers skip the traditional Anlageberater (investment advisor) meeting entirely. That matters for you specifically: most robo-advisors in Germany were built with German-speaking, German-resident customers in mind, and the English support and tax handling vary a lot more between providers than the marketing pages let on.

What Is a Robo-Advisor and Why Expats in Germany Use Them

A robo-advisor builds and rebalances a diversified ETF portfolio for you based on a short risk questionnaire, then charges an annual management fee instead of a per-trade commission. You answer questions about your time horizon and risk tolerance, the algorithm assigns you a stock-to-bond split, and it rebalances automatically when markets drift. No stock picking, no German-language earnings calls to parse.

For expats, the appeal is less about the algorithm and more about what it replaces: a trip to a Sparkasse branch, a 45-minute Anlageberatung in German, and paperwork that assumes you already understand Abgeltungssteuer (the German capital gains tax) and the Freistellungsauftrag (tax exemption order). If you moved to Germany two years ago and still don't know which ETFs track the MSCI World versus the FTSE All-World, a robo-advisor removes that decision entirely. The tradeoff is that you're paying someone else, typically 0.25% to 0.75% a year, to make calls you could technically make yourself for free.

Scalable Capital vs Growney vs Quirion vs Oskar: Quick Comparison

Here's the at-a-glance version before you read the full reviews. Figures are as of October 2026 and you should confirm current numbers on each provider's pricing page before signing up, since these do shift.

Provider	Management Fee	Minimum Investment	English App/Support	Portfolio Style
Scalable Capital	0% to 0.75% depending on plan	1 EUR (savings plan)	Full English app, English support team	ETF portfolios, Prime/PRIME+ broker, active or passive robo
Growney	0.59% flat (plus ETF TER)	500 EUR lump sum or 25 EUR/month	Website partly English, onboarding mostly German	Flat-fee ETF-only portfolios, 5 risk tiers
Quirion	0.48% (standard), 0.0% for balances under 10,000 EUR on QUIRION	No minimum on monthly plan	Limited English, German-first	Passive ETF, sustainable option available
Oskar	0.75% to 1% (platform + fund costs)	25 EUR/month	German-only in most materials	Multi-asset, includes private equity sleeve

Scalable Capital Review: Fees, Portfolios, and English Support

Scalable Capital runs two different things that get lumped together: a self-directed broker (Scalable Broker) and an actual robo-advisor (Scalable Wealth, formerly Scalable Capital's Vermogensverwaltung). The broker side lets you run free ETF savings plans starting at 1 EUR, which is genuinely useful if you want to DIY. The robo side charges 0.75% a year on the managed wealth product as of October 2026, on top of the ETF's own TER (total expense ratio), and builds you a portfolio across 6 to 10 ETFs based on your risk profile.

The app is the real selling point for expats. It's available fully in English, from onboarding through tax documents, and the support team responds in English over chat within a few hours on weekdays. You verify your identity through a video call or ID-scan process that takes about 10 minutes, and you don't need a Schufa check to open an account since it's a brokerage account, not a loan product. If you're weighing this against a full brokerage setup, our guide to the Best Investment Platforms for Expats in Germany (2026 Guide) covers how Scalable stacks up against Trade Republic and others for self-directed investing.

Growney Review: Low-Cost ETF Portfolios for Expats

Growney charges a flat 0.59% annual fee regardless of your balance, which beats Scalable's managed tier and most of Oskar's pricing once you're investing more than a token amount. You pick from five risk levels, and Growney builds a portfolio from a fixed set of low-cost ETFs covering developed and emerging markets, bonds, and sometimes gold.

The minimum is 500 EUR for a lump sum, or 25 EUR a month if you'd rather start a savings plan. Onboarding happens online with video identification, no Schufa score required. The catch for expats is that Growney's marketing materials and some onboarding steps default to German. The dashboard itself switches to English once you're set up, but the initial contract documents and tax forms arrive auf Deutsch, so budget time for Google Translate or a German-speaking friend during signup.

Quirion and Oskar: Are They Worth It for Non-German Speakers?

Quirion stands out on price if you're under 10,000 EUR invested: its entry QUIRION tier is free of management fees below that threshold, rising to 0.48% above it. It also offers a dedicated sustainable portfolio option built from ESG-screened ETFs. But Quirion's app, support, and even its phone advisory line (included free with its premium tier) operate almost entirely in German. If you're not comfortable with financial German, you'll be leaning on a translator app during any advisor call.

Oskar takes a different approach, blending ETFs with a private equity sleeve aimed at longer-term investors, and charges more for it, typically 0.75% to 1% all-in as of 2026. Its minimum is a 25 EUR monthly plan, accessible without a Schufa check. English support is thin here too: the website has partial English pages but customer service defaults to German. For most expats without strong German skills, Quirion and Oskar are workable once you're set up, but the onboarding friction is real compared to Scalable Capital.

Who Should Skip German-First Providers

• New arrivals under 6 months in Germany: stick with English-first platforms until your German improves enough to read a Jahressteuerbescheinigung (annual tax certificate).
• Anyone without a tax advisor: you'll want English documentation if you're filing your own Steuererklarung (tax return).
• Short-term residents: if you might leave Germany within 2 to 3 years, prioritize providers with clear non-resident exit processes.

Robo-Advisor Fees in Germany Compared (as of October 2026)

The headline management fee is never the whole story. Every provider on this list also passes through the ETF's own TER, usually 0.12% to 0.25% depending on the fund mix, plus a small spread on currency conversion if the ETFs trade in USD. Here's a rough cost example on a 20,000 EUR portfolio held for one year:

• Scalable Wealth (managed): 0.75% management + ~0.18% TER = around 186 EUR a year.
• Growney: 0.59% flat + ~0.15% TER = around 148 EUR a year.
• Quirion (above 10,000 EUR): 0.48% + ~0.15% TER = around 126 EUR a year.
• Oskar: 0.75% to 1% + ~0.20% TER = around 190 to 240 EUR a year.

Hidden costs to watch for include withdrawal delays (some providers take 3 to 5 business days to settle a sell order before transferring cash) and rebalancing trade costs, which most flat-fee providers absorb but worth confirming on each provider's current fee schedule.

Tax Reporting for Robo-Advisor Accounts: What Expats Need to Know

Every one of these four providers deducts Vorabpauschale automatically if you hold German-domiciled or German-custody accumulating ETFs. This is an advance tax on unrealized fund gains, introduced in the 2018 Investmentsteuergesetz reform, and it gets charged early each year based on a base interest rate the Bundesfinanzministerium sets annually. You don't need to calculate it yourself. Scalable, Growney, Quirion, and Oskar all withhold it directly and issue a Jahressteuerbescheinigung each January showing exactly what was deducted.

If you file a Freistellungsauftrag with your provider, up to 1,000 EUR of capital gains and investment income per person is tax-free annually as of 2026 (double for jointly assessed married couples), and the broker applies this automatically before withholding the 25% Abgeltungssteuer plus Solidaritatszuschlag. For non-residents, or expats who leave Germany mid-year, reporting gets more complicated: you may owe exit reporting in your home country and should confirm with a tax advisor whether your Freistellungsauftrag still applies after deregistering your Anmeldung.

How to Choose the Right Robo-Advisor as an Expat in Germany

Start with your time horizon. If you're investing for a goal less than 5 years out, a robo-advisor's equity-heavy default portfolios probably aren't right for you regardless of provider, since you can't ride out a downturn. For anything 7+ years out, the fee differences matter more than the brand name.

1. No German and new to investing: choose Scalable Capital for the English-first experience, even if the managed fee runs slightly higher.
2. Comfortable with basic German and cost-sensitive: Growney's flat 0.59% beats Scalable's managed tier at most balances.
3. Balance under 10,000 EUR and willing to navigate German: Quirion's free entry tier is hard to beat on pure cost.
4. Want alternative assets alongside ETFs: Oskar is the only one offering a private equity sleeve, but you'll pay the highest fees for it.

None of these require a Schufa score, since they're investment accounts rather than credit products, which also makes them worth pairing with your banking setup. If you haven't settled on a bank yet, see Best Banks in Germany for Expats: Top Picks & Guide for 2026 for providers that connect cleanly to these platforms, and if your Schufa file is thin, our Credit Card for Expats in Germany: Best Picks Without Schufa guide covers the cards that don't need one either. Once your investing and banking are sorted, it's also worth checking whether your card is earning anything back: see Best Credit Card Rewards for Germany Expats 2026: Cashback & points for options that stack with a robo-advisor savings plan. And if a property purchase is further down your list, the fee logic here carries over directly to our Best Mortgage Providers for Expats in Germany: 2026 Guide.

FAQ

Are robo-advisors in Germany worth it for expats in 2026?

Yes, if you value English-language support and don't want to build your own ETF portfolio, but expect to pay 0.48% to 1% a year more than running a free Scalable Capital savings plan yourself.

Do I need to speak German to use Scalable Capital or Growney?

Scalable Capital's app and support run fully in English. Growney's dashboard is in English once you're onboarded, but some initial contract documents arrive in German.

How are robo-advisor investment gains taxed in Germany?

Gains are taxed at 25% Abgeltungssteuer plus Solidaritatszuschlag, with up to 1,000 EUR per person tax-free annually as of 2026 via a Freistellungsauftrag, and providers automatically deduct Vorabpauschale on accumulating ETFs each January.

What is the minimum investment for Growney, Quirion, or Oskar?

Growney starts at 500 EUR lump sum or 25 EUR/month, Quirion has no minimum on its monthly plan, and Oskar starts at 25 EUR/month.

Is Scalable Capital or Growney better for expats with no ETF experience?

Scalable Capital, because its fully English app and support team remove the language barrier that trips up most first-time investors during onboarding.

Can expats open a robo-advisor account in Germany without a Schufa score?

Yes. All four providers in this comparison open accounts via video identification without checking your Schufa score, since these are investment accounts, not credit products.