A robo advisor is suitable for people who work with minimum expenditure of time your money Cheap want to create. The robo advisors in Germany offer their investment service for small minimum investments. In this guide, you will learn what makes a "robot“ indicates when a robo advisor is worthwhile for you and what you should pay attention to when comparing and testing robo advisors.

Numerous robo advisors in comparison - the big robo advisor test overview

The central promises of the providers are

1. Cheap investment
2. Strict adherence to objective investment rules
3. Simple operation with just a few mouse clicks

The philosophy of robo advisors

The 3 points mentioned should bring out the maximum return for the saver. Currently, the market for roboadvisors has become confusing due to the large number of providers (> 30 pieces). The Robo Advisor comparison helps you to compare the providers better and to make the cost structures transparent. You will also find out recommendations from the Robo Advisor test. Further information about it for whom a robo advisor is suitable is. Finally, I will give other tips on what you otherwise should still pay attention to in the provider jungle of robo advisors.

Short on time? Jump here straight to my conclusion on the subject of Robo Advisor tests and comparisons.

How a robo advisor works and what it does

Robo advisors in Germany carry out extensive investment tasks for investors. To do this, first ask what level of risk the customer is willing to take. The software then suggests a suitable investment. The investor can then make changes if desired. The saver then releases the system for technical implementation.

Determine risk type

After opening your Robo advisor accounts you must first answer questions about your risk appetite. What loss can you withstand, eg during a downturn? Based on this information and taking your financial background into account, the advisor acts – in your interest. Typically, a questionnaire to determine your risk type includes just over ten questions.

Choosing asset classes

After the robo advisor has determined your risk type, it prepares a proposal on which asset classes the money will be allocated. Asset classes are, for example, stocks, bonds, commodities or real estate. To develop the proposal, the robo advisor uses the rules of capital market theory. Put simply, capital market theory states that the risk and return of an investment are always related. The more risk an investor is willing to take, the more return he can get. Risk and reward are two sides of the same coin. A higher proportion of equities is therefore suitable for investors who are willing to take risks – these bring a higher return than bonds, but at the same time the values also fluctuate significantly more (fluctuation = risk).

implementation of the strategy

The Robo Advisor has now developed a strategy that suits you. Now it's time for the finishing touches: Do you still want changes to the strategy or should the investment be implemented directly? As soon as the customer agrees to the allocation of his money to the asset classes, the robot takes care of the implementation: First, a custody account is opened in the name of the investor and then stocked with the corresponding ETFs. ETFs are cheap funds that can contain bonds, stocks, real estate or commodities. In order to comply with the desired proportions of asset classes (also asset allocation called), it is necessary to regularly buy or sell ETFs due to their fluctuations in value. This process will also rebalancing and also carried out fully automatically without the investor having to do anything.  

Robo Advisor - great performance for little money?

Especially for people who are not yet familiar with ETFs, depots and especially familiar with the risk and performance of different asset classes, robo advisors offer great added value. The automated process relieves the investor of a lot of work and there are usually no large and expensive mistakes. Most robo advisors invest in low-cost ETFs. The fees of the ETFs are between 0.1 - 0.4 percent per year. There is an additional fee for the robo-advisor investment service. Still make it good providers keep the total costs under 1 percent of the investment sum per year. Due to the strong competition, further future cost reductions can be expected.

Quirion: The provider has canceled its management fee for an investment. You can invest up to 10,000 euros for free via the robo advisor.

The Robo Advisor Test shows: A Robo Advisor is too boring for stock market professionals

Whether a Robo Advisor is suitable for people who already know a lot about investing is questionable in my view. This group of people often already owns a low-cost securities account and likes to use it extensively for trades. By not using a Robo Advisor, some fees can be saved. However, you as an investor must be so good that these fees are not "worth it" for you. Therefore, also consider that the losses due to errors can be many times higher than the saved fee.

However, robo advisors are very suitable for beginners

For people who are not yet finding their way through the financial jungle: It is better to do something that is not perfect than to succumb to perfectionism and ultimately not get to the implementation at all. With a cheap robo advisor, you can check off the subject of investing for the time being. You are doing significantly better than the majority of German investors. According to a recent study, more than percent were dissatisfied. See also: Disadvantages of robo advisors.

6 out of 10 German investors in 2019 were dissatisfied with the development of their investments

Survey on the financial provision of the German population 2019/2020. Source Statista link

Easy-to-use robo advisors can be particularly useful for people who don't venture into stocks and securities themselves. For a small fee you receive a risk-adjusted investment.

Active versus passive robo advisors

After the portfolio has been set up, it is a question of effective management and averting possible risks. This is what is meant by the term risk management. A distinction is made between the active and passive approach. On the one hand there are active robo advisors such as the German market leader scalable capital, on the other hand there are passive advisors such as Growney (Review Growney) . Read more about active versus passive fund providers here.

Active investment means constant reallocation according to what is happening on the capital markets

At a active investment the portfolio is reallocated accordingly in the event of risks or opportunities that the fund manager sees. The aim is to limit losses and to install security mechanisms that limit fluctuations (volatility). To do this, assumptions must be made about possible scenarios and their probability of occurrence.

Passive robo advisors replicate a previously defined strategy

Other providers from the Robo Advisor comparison place the assets passive at. This means that you do not interfere with the strategy you set up at the beginning, but keep the division. It is also necessary to shift the positions a few times a year, since the asset classes rise or fall in value at different rates. For this it is necessary to buy values that have fallen in price and sell values that have risen. This usually represents a strong contradiction to human intuition, but is regularly evaluated as a superior approach. That's why mine are too recommended provider from the Robo Advisor comparison exclusively passive. Expert opinions play no part in this approach. A robo advisor can help to consistently follow this approach against intuition and to benefit from the resulting long-term increasing returns.

Investments with robo advisors are not immune to losses

Despite their strategic risk management, robo advisors do not offer any protection against normal market price losses in economically weaker times or markets. In the event of a downward movement on the stock exchanges, price changes are reflected in changed interest rates and consumer behavior. Even if the robo advisor takes over services such as buying and selling securities for you: Automated investment is not a protection against price losses and other investment risks. 

However, robo advisors help you adjust the risk-reward ratio to suit your circumstances. Provided, of course, that the risk questions are answered correctly when opening.

Basically, a good investment does not need much. A few broadly diversified ETFs with a cheap broker in connection with a nest egg in a call money account is basically all you need. However, such an investment means taking on a certain responsibility and also building up some knowledge, which in turn takes time. Especially for people who shy away from a robo advisor. In the graph below I have the cost of Active funds at branch banks, Robo Advisors, Passive ETF savers and advanced Investors who tend to seldom invest in individual quality stocks (for a trader who trades frequently, the fees are of course significantly higher). This places the fees from the Robo Advisor comparison into an overarching roadmap.

Investing on autopilot

A robo advisor is therefore primarily aimed at you if…

• You don't want to worry about your investments. Finally, the provider puts together a portfolio for you that suits your risk profile and takes care of the administration. See also: Benefits of robo advisors.
• Would like help with the following points (and want to achieve this in the most cost-effective way possible)
  • Determining your risk appetite
  • Compilation of a suitable asset allocation according to your risk profile
  • Technical implementation including regular rebalancing
  • Need support during stock market downturns. Note: Stock market downturns can lead to hasty selling decisions based on strong emotions, which is a real yield killer in the long run.

The providers charge an additional fee for this additional service, which usually amounts to between 0.2 % and 1 % per year. If the points mentioned are important to you, it makes sense to at least take a closer look at robo advisors. If you prefer to manage your money yourself, we recommend a simply structured portfolio of inexpensive ETFs.

The principles of a long-term successful investment are an asset allocation according to your risk profile and low annual costs. Contrary to what is often claimed and assumed, these are the main factors of a long-term successful investment. In the robo advisor comparison, these principles are followed by the cheap robo advisors Growney, Quirion and world invest very well implemented. If you choose one of the providers, the next step is to consistently stick to the strategy. This is how you remain successful in the long term.

Quirion*, Growney* and world invest* are all good providers that Finanztip also recommends

at Quirion* you can invest in ETFs from a monthly savings rate of 30 euros. In addition, Quirion was the test winner at Stiftung Warentest in August. An easy-to-use and cheap robo advisor with sufficient risk classes is also offered by Growney offered. A test report Growney do you think ...? Find here. If you already have more concrete ideas about your investment, the provider world invest Worth a look.

Quirion: Robo-Advisor with a passive investment approach in Germany

• Savings plans from 30 euros per quarter
• Test winner at Stiftung Warentest.
• Best quality judgment at the lowest costs.
• Promotion: Invest up to €10,000 free of charge.
• Focus on industrialized countries
• Promotion for new customers until January 31st, 2020: €30 savings rate for free

Growney: Robo advisor with a passive investment approach in Germany

• Simple opening with a simple questionnaire with 10 questions (see Review)
• Focus on industrialized countries and emerging markets
• According to €uro am Sonntag Best Robo Advisor 2019
• Five return, risk and tax-optimized ETF portfolios
• No minimum investment amount, no notice periods

Weltinvest: Supporting robo advisor for self-deciders in Germany

• Very low cost from only 0.49 % pa
• Low minimum investment starting at 500 euros
• Savings plan from 50 euros
• World Saving uses Vanguard ETFs.
• Due to the cooperative structure of the Vanguard Group, investor interests are always the focus

The recommendations are all implemented and cost-optimized through passive ETF portfolios. As a result, you cost the investor less than 1 percent in fees annually. Furthermore, the recommended providers take care of the technical implementation of the strategy.

>> Why I and numerous scientists believe the passive approach is the right one <<

Robo advisor test and comparison in Germany: Quirion, Growney and Weltinvest

This section provides a more detailed introduction to the three providers.

Robo Advisor Test and Comparison: The passive ETF Robo Advisor Quirion

Quirion is a very cheap provider. Customers pay no administration fee for the Robo Advisor up to EUR 10,000. For amounts over 10,000 euros, a fee of 0.48 percent is paid. Added to this are the ETF fees of 0.22 percent. The ETFs costs are not deducted from the account, but are already included in the performance of the ETF. At the time the guide was created, Quirion was running a new customer campaign. Investors receive a free savings rate of €30.

Quirion is an old hand among the robo advisors in Germany

Quirion has existed since 2013, making it one of the oldest German robo-advisors. Quirion has been an independent AG since 2018. The parent company of the robo advisor is the oldest fee-based advisory bank in Germany - the Quirin Bank. The bank decided very early on to abolish commissions. Instead, transparent fees for the consulting services were set.

Quirion has 10 portfolios: there is something for every risk type!

The provider has 10 sample portfolios from defensive to aggressive. Depending on the outcome of the risk screening, Quirion proposes one of 10 portfolios to the investor. The provider relies on market weighting. Accordingly, countries with a high share of the world stock market are also represented accordingly in Quirion's portfolio. This makes the USA, with almost half of the portfolio cake, the largest country at Quirion. Europe follows with around 20 percent and the emerging countries with 14 percent. The shares are constantly adjusted to market developments. As a result, portfolios at Quirion are always broadly diversified and automatically reduce a country that is in decline.

Robo Advisor test and comparison: The passive ETF Robo Advisor Growney - Also suitable for absolute beginners

Also the provider Growney is one of the cheapest providers in the world with management fees between 0.39 percent and 0.99 percent Conditions comparison. The fees for the ETFs used are below 0.27 percent. The ETFs costs are not deducted from the account, but are already included in the performance of the ETF. Growney is particularly suitable for absolute beginners when it comes to investing. After all, the provider does not require any minimum amount and already offers savings plans from one euro.

Growney is a Berlin fintech founded in 2016

The Berlin provider has been on the market since 2016 and has tried to make the risk classification as easy as possible for the customer with 10 questions.

Growney offers 5 portfolios

Growney has five sample portfolios. The distribution of the three large markets USA, Europe and Asia (emerging countries) is about one third each. The provider has continuously updated the performance of the five portfolios since it was founded in 2016 for an investment of EUR 10,000 on its home page represent.

Robo advisor test and comparison: Weltinvest is the cheapest robo advisor in Germany

Weltinvest or Weltsparen assumes cost leadership. Although the provider also offers a smaller range of services than Quirion or growney. When it comes to risk classification, Weltsparen cannot offer any support and is therefore aimed at self-deciders who are already aware of their willingness to take risks. Compared to aircraft, Weltinvest is more in the easyjet or Ryanair league. Nevertheless, Weltsparen is recommendable from my point of view, since the provider implements the principles of a long-term successful investment well.

The Weltinvest portfolio is well diversified worldwide. The major markets are all represented.

In the equities sector, the provider weights the USA somewhat more heavily at a good 44 percent, while Europe and emerging countries each have a good 20 percent. For portfolios with a bond component, a Vanguard bond ETF is mixed in with safe government and corporate bonds. Weltinvest is part of Weltsparen, a platform for overnight and time deposits. The provider has been active on the market since September 2018. According to his own statements, he manages more than 100 million euros for a good 5,000 customers.

Weltinvest offers 4 portfolios

Weltsparen has 4 different sample portfolios. The provider is very cheap for a robo advisor and only charges 0.33 percent management fee. At a maximum of 0.17 percent, the ETFs used are also at the lower end of the ETF fees for broadly diversified portfolios. What is also nice about Weltsparen is that only funds from the cooperative vanguard group be used. This ensures that the interests of the investors are always the focus.

In this section I would like to cover three more topics when investing with robo advisors. That is the tax treatment of robo advisors, the security and the Protection of the investment with a roboadvisor and last but not least the opening process

Tax treatment of income from the Robo Advisor in Germany

It is worth reflecting briefly on the tax treatment of future income from the robo advisor. The income distributed by the robo counts as income from capital income. These are subject to the withholding tax of currently 25 %. However, there are allowances of 801 euros (singles) or 1602 euros (married couples) below which no tax is deducted. In general, only distributions are taxed, no capital gains. For small investors with low monthly incomes, it is worth having the tax office conduct a favorable test. In the more favorable test, the tax office determines the more favorable taxation of income from capital assets. The following rule of thumb helps to check whether the cheaper test could be worthwhile for you.

Process of opening an account with Robo Advisors in Germany

The process of opening an account is extremely easy and fully digitized for both growney and Quirion. To do this, follow the on-screen instructions. Finally, you still have to identify yourself, which is done through a short video call in which you have to show your ID

How safe are robo advisors in Germany?

When investing with robo advisors, you become a co-owner of numerous companies through securities. Since these companies are constantly being revalued on the stock exchange, the current price is constantly falling and rising. As with any stock investment, it is also essential with robo advisors not to follow the herd blindly, but to question the causes and reasons for the fluctuations. Under no circumstances should a long-term investment strategy based on your risk profile be thrown overboard immediately after the first fluctuations. The majority of the providers invest the money of the investors in a custody account with a German partner bank. This bank is monitored by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). In the event of bankruptcy of the robo advisor, the money is protected as the bank is independent of the robo advisor. Furthermore, securities in Germany are considered special assets of the partner bank. This means that the assets are protected even if the bank becomes insolvent.

In the case of Quirion, the fund balance is stored at the bank of the same founder Quirin. The provider Growney works with the Sutor Bank together. Weltinvest has teamed up with the major bank BNP Paribas allied, which is better known in Germany under its subsidiary Consorsbank.

A robo advisor comparison in Germany is worthwhile

Taking a closer look at the fees, services and returns offered by robo advisors is worthwhile. That's why the Robo Advisor comparison enables you to compare product details, advantages, security and performance data in a clear, quick and easy way. This makes it easy for you to find the right roboadvisor for you.

Robo Advisor Germany: What are the advantages?

A robo-advisor is the ideal solution if you don't want to worry about your investments. Finally introduces you the provider puts together a portfolio that suits your risk profile and takes care of the administration.

Another advantage of a robo advisor is the low minimum investment amounts and savings plan amounts. Savings plans can be concluded from as little as 1 euro (e.g. with Growney). Most robo advisors have a user-friendly software interface. The installation is possible with just a few mouse clicks. In addition, robo advisors have transparent cost structures, making it easy to see what costs to pay. If you are flirting with an active provider, another advantage of the robo advisor is its speed. Since they are fully automated, they can react immediately to market events and are therefore faster than human advisors.

And what are the disadvantages of investing with robo advisors in Germany?

A robo advisor is rather unsuitable for people who are well versed in the field of financial investments. This group of people often already owns one cheap depot and uses it gladly and extensively for trades. By not using a robo-advisor, you can save some fees. But also consider that the losses due to mistakes can be many times higher than the saved fee. In addition, it is often better to do something that is not perfect than to succumb to perfectionism and in the end not to be able to implement it at all.

Standardized investment decisions by robo advisors are too boring for some!

Robo advisors work according to an algorithm based on criteria previously defined by the investor. As a result, there are clear decisions as to whether to invest or not. Due to the standardized investment decisions of the program, a piece of the individuality of the investment is lost. After all, a highly efficient investment algorithm is not a chat with the bank advisor. In my opinion, however, this disadvantage is outweighed many times over by the significantly lower costs. Furthermore, it is important to keep an overview of the costs, especially with small investment amounts. The reason for this is that with most advisors, the percentage fee increases the smaller the investment amount. However, even for small amounts, the fee is well below the expected return. In the long term, investing with robo-advisors is worthwhile even for small deposit volumes and savings. But don't worry: All fees are clearly listed in the "Fees" tab in the comparison calculator.

Robo advisor review and comparison. Conclusion of the guide to robo advisors in Germany

Before testing and comparing, you should check if a robo advisor suits you. So here are my conclusions and a recommendation for investing with robo advisors.

1. Check whether investing with a robo advisor is an option for you

First of all, you should pay attention to the investment strategy of the robo advisors. These can be found in the comparison calculator in the desktop view. In general, defensive or value-preserving strategies have a higher proportion of bonds. On the other hand, more opportunity-oriented and risky strategies have a higher proportion of equities. This means that in the stock market, opportunity and risk are just opposite sides of the same coin. More chances usually come with a higher risk of loss

2. I'm a complete novice when it comes to finance. Which robo advisor should I use

The cheap one is especially suitable for beginners Quirion. Here you can invest in ETFs from a monthly savings rate of 30 euros. In addition  Quirion test winner at Stiftung Warentest in August. An easy-to-use and cheap robo advisor with sufficient risk classes is also offered by Growney offered. Growney is also an ideal provider for beginners. The investment and setting up savings plans is already here from one euro possible. A test report Growney do you think ...? Find here. If you already have more concrete ideas about your investment, the provider world invest Worth a look. Unlike Quirion and Growney, Weltinvest requires you to assess your risk tolerance without tool support. But the provider is also a bit cheaper. I therefore like to compare Weltsparen with Ryanair among the robo advisors.

3. Are you convinced by the advantages of a robo advisor? Then let's get down to business: Compare the providers!

Compare with that comparison calculator on this page the providers with each other. Which costs arise? What returns has the product brought in in the past? What advantages does the provider offer? What is the minimum deposit amount? With Scalable Capital, for example, investors can become customers with a minimum investment of 10,000 euros. With Growney, on the other hand, there is even no minimum deposit, i.e. from just one euro.

4. Decide on a provider and open a deposit account with the partner bank

This step is also very easy, because the providers are all linked in the comparison calculator above.

5. That's it. Now put the Robo Advisor to work for you with a regular savings plan!

Relax with it. The stock market is a roller coaster ride. Don't let price losses discourage you. They offer a great opportunity to replenish your portfolio at a reduced price.

For whom a robo advisor is suitable and for whom not

Who is a robo advisor suitable for?

A robo-advisor is the ideal solution if you don't want to worry about your investments. Finally introduces you the provider puts together a portfolio that suits your risk profile and takes care of the administration. See also: Benefits of robo advisors.

Who is a robo advisor not suitable for?

A robo advisor is rather unsuitable for people who are well versed in the field of financial investments. This group of people often already owns one cheap depot and uses it gladly and extensively for trades. By not using a robo-advisor, you can save some fees. But also consider that the losses due to mistakes can be many times higher than the saved fee. In addition, it is often better to do something that is not perfect than to succumb to perfectionism and in the end not to be able to implement it at all. See also: Disadvantages of robo advisors.

Which robo advisors do you recommend?

Easy-to-use and cheap robo advisors with sufficient risk classes are used by Quirion or Growney are offered. You can find a test report for Growney here.

If you already have more concrete ideas about your investment, the provider world invest Worth a look. (Weltinvest is currently offering a bonus of up to 100 euros. Conditions for this on the provider side).

What is the minimum investment for robo advisors?

The minimum deposit depends on the provider. at Quirion it is 1,000 euros, at Growney can even be started with a minimum deposit of one euro. The savings plan rate is already starting at Growney one euro. At the provider world invest the investment is possible from a minimum amount of 500 euros. Other providers and their conditions are in the tabel listed for the Robo Advisor comparison

Robo advisors in Germany – answers at a glance

What is a robo advisor?

A robo advisor is a computer program that invests customers' money in securities (usually index funds, ETFs). You can find many of the popular roboadvisors in our cost comparison.

How is the process?

After opening your Robo advisor accounts you must first answer questions about your willingness to take risks. What is the worst loss you can handle? Based on this information and taking your financial background into account, the robo invests your money for you or just gives you suitable suggestions.

What are the next steps

After the Robo Advisor If you know about your financial situation and your risk profile, you do not have to do anything else. The algorithm manages the depot and takes care of buying and selling the securities.

What can a good robo advisor cost?

The robo advisor does a lot of the work for those who are less financially savvy. This service is not free. Still make it good providers keep the total costs under 1 percent of the investment sum per year. at Quirion Investors can invest the first 10,000 euros without any additional fee. The robo advisor does not cost any additional fees compared to ETFs. This makes the application a no-brainer for small investment sums under 10,000. Other providers and their conditions are in the tabel listed for the Robo Advisor comparison.

Robo advisor Germany test and comparison: More information

For more information, fees and links to the providers, click on the button that takes you directly to the Robo Advisor comparison.

Final note on the Robo Advisor test and comparison: This guide article on the topic of robo advisor comparison has been objectively researched and created independently. In order to be able to operate the website, some links to providers are remunerated under certain circumstances. Important to know: There are no extra costs for you!

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