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Vorsorgedepot-Lotse or MLP: a neutral portal versus the academic finance adviser

Vorsorgedepot-Lotse: both paths at no extra cost — decide digitally yourself, or request independent advice. MLP is the best fit for People with a complex overall situation (a practice, company pension, property) who want a fully supported, all-in-one solution and accept the cost premium.

Published 21 July 2026 · Last verified 21 July 2026 · Next review 21 October 2026

  • 2 providers compared
  • Fact-checked
  • 31 sources disclosed

MLP is the most established advisory brand for academics: a genuine broker licence, 63 product partners, €65.9 billion in assets under advice, and its Altersvorsorgedepot page is already live. If you want a fully supported, all-in-one solution, there's real substance here. If instead you'd rather understand neutrally first what the AVD offers, without stepping into an advisory channel, it's better to start a level earlier, at a free portal with no product interest.

At a glance

  • VVorsorgedepot-Lotse Logo Vorsorgedepot-LotseFree, neutral knowledge and decision portal for the Altersvorsorgedepot: a subsidy calculator, an editorial team, a provider comparison and, on request, an introduction to independent advisers.Visit providerRead review
  • MMLP Logo MLPAn all-finance broker focused on academics: 2,136 advisers at 90 locations, around 596,000 family customers, a mix of commission and fee elements.Visit providerRead review
ProviderModelCost of the pathHuman adviceProduct independenceAVD offerAction
VVorsorgedepot-Lotse Logo Vorsorgedepot-LotseInfo portal + advisory accessSource€0SourceOn request, 1,000+ partnersSourceProvider-openSourceCalculator + comparison + knowledgeSourceVisit provider
MMLP Logo MLPBroker, advice-ledSourceCommission + fee modelsSourcePersonal, academic focusSource63 partners, curatedSourceProduct page live, advice-ledSourceVisit provider

Where Vorsorgedepot-Lotse makes the difference

  • Free instead of commission-funded: a calculator, comparison and knowledge with no fee model and no product interest; at MLP, the path leads into the advisory and sales channel.
  • The self-directed path too: we show the direct route to cheap neobroker accounts, which a sales network naturally doesn't offer.
  • Independent partner routing instead of a recommendation list: an introduction to professionally suited, independent advisers, paid on success and disclosed.
  • Criteria transparency: eight providers side by side with sourced facts per cell, instead of an in-house recommendation from curated lists.

Analysis

MLP stands apart from a traditional structured sales network: as an insurance broker with 63 product partners, the selection is formally broader than at a tied intermediary, and wealth management even has a fee-based model. The AVD page cleanly explains all three product variants and offers an advisory conversation directly. For doctors, lawyers or the self-employed with practice financing, a company pension and property, this all-round support can create real value.

The counter-argument: MLP is still a sales channel that earns on contracts signed. Finanzwende criticises the 1.2 percent wealth-management model for leaving the front-load fee (up to 5 percent) and VAT out of the headline figure; Stiftung Warentest has documented university outreach for years ("bait for academics") and a tendency toward product bundling. The open architecture is curated in practice: internal recommendation lists steer which of the 63 partners actually make it into the conversation.

Vorsorgedepot-Lotse plays a different role: a free, neutral preliminary step rather than a supported channel. A calculator, an account comparison and specialist articles build the basis on which you decide whether to open an account yourself or get advice; in the second case, we introduce independent advisers instead of an in-house sales channel. Both paths stay open, and neither costs extra.

How we evaluated

For these head-to-head comparisons, we examined both paths to the Altersvorsorgedepot: self-directed brokers and advice-led sales channels. For each provider, we evaluated the official pages plus independent sources (BaFin, Stiftung Warentest, Finanztip, Verbraucherzentrale, Finanzwende, annual reports); every figure carries a source and a retrieval date. The comparison follows fixed criteria, cell by cell with sourced facts; where a sourced value is missing, a dash appears. Vorsorgedepot-Lotse appears as its own option under the same rules, including its own weaknesses and an honest verdict on when the alternative is the better fit.

  • What does the path cost: usage, execution and later product or effective costs?
  • Is there human advice, and from whom: a tied sales channel or independent partners?
  • Is the recommendation independent of the product provider, or tied to a corporate group?
  • How concrete is the AVD offer: available, announced or still open?
  • How much digital self-determination do you retain?
  • Is it disclosed who earns what from the arrangement?

Common mistakes when choosing

  • Confusing advice with product sales: tied intermediaries may only recommend their partners' products.
  • Confusing free with costless: even without a visible fee, you pay via spreads or effective costs of sometimes 2 to 3 percent a year.
  • Treating AVD announcements as confirmed terms: binding product details only exist once certification is complete.
  • Sticking with the first provider out of convenience, instead of comparing terms.
  • Not starting at all for lack of advice: the most expensive mistake of all.

VVorsorgedepot-Lotse Logo Vorsorgedepot-LotseProfile

Free, neutral knowledge and decision portal for the Altersvorsorgedepot: a subsidy calculator, an editorial team, a provider comparison and, on request, an introduction to independent advisers.

  • ModelA neutral information and decision portal on a referral-partner (Tippgeber) model: Vorsorgedepot-Lotse does not advise directly but, on request, arranges contact with independent, licensed advisers.✓ verified
  • Cost of the pathCompletely free to use, with no registration and no email required; the terms at the chosen account provider stay identical.✓ verified
  • Human adviceAccess to a network of over 1,000 independent advisers; the licensed partner conducts the advice, and we introduce the professionally suited contact.✓ verified
  • Product independenceNo product provider behind us: ratings follow disclosed criteria across all providers; commissions have no influence on the rating or ranking.✓ verified
  • AVD offerA subsidy calculator modelling allowances and the Riester switch, a continuously maintained account-provider comparison, and over 100 specialist articles on the Altersvorsorgedepot.✓ verified

both paths at no extra cost — decide digitally yourself, or request independent advice

Pros

  • Free to use with no sign-up, including the subsidy calculator and provider comparison
  • Cross-provider, criteria-based orientation instead of one provider's self-promotion
  • Both paths stay open: decide digitally yourself, or request advice from independent partners
  • No extra cost: the terms at your chosen account provider stay identical

Cons

  • No account of its own: opening and execution always happen at the chosen provider
  • No investment advice of its own: individual advice is handled by the licensed partner we introduce
  • Receives compensation on a successful introduction (disclosed, with no influence on the rating)

Best for: People who want to understand neutrally, before choosing an account, what the Altersvorsorgedepot would mean for them, and who want to keep both paths open

Visit Vorsorgedepot-Lotse

MMLP Logo MLP

An all-finance broker focused on academics: 2,136 advisers at 90 locations, around 596,000 family customers, a mix of commission and fee elements.

  • ModelAn insurance broker under § 34d (1) GewO with personal advice; the securities business runs via MLP Banking AG.✓ verified
  • Cost of the pathPaid via commissions; in wealth management, 1.2 percent a year plus VAT, with front-load fees of up to 5 percent added on top per Finanzwende.✓ verified
  • Human advice2,136 advisers at around 90 locations, specialising in academics and higher earners; advice is the central channel.✓ verified
  • Product independenceBroker status with 63 product partners; critics say the actual product selection runs via internal recommendation lists.✓ verified
  • AVD offerA dedicated Altersvorsorgedepot page explaining all three product variants and the allowance details; the AVD is positioned as an advised product within the commission channel.✓ verified

The most established advisory brand in the academic segment, already with its own AVD product page.

Pros

  • A genuine broker licence (§ 34d (1) GewO) with 63 product partners
  • Already live: its own Altersvorsorgedepot page with an advisory offer covering all three product variants
  • Economically stable: a twelfth consecutive record year, €65.9 billion in assets under advice
  • Fee-based elements in wealth management, which is rare in the sales-driven market

Cons

  • Its outreach to universities has been criticised for years (Stiftung Warentest: "bait for academics")
  • Cost transparency is disputed: per Finanzwende, the 1.2 percent wealth-management model doesn't include the front-load fee (up to 5 percent) or VAT in its headline figure
  • The open architecture is curated in practice (internal recommendation lists)
  • Historical criticism of product bundling (an average of six or more contracts per customer)

Best for: People with a complex overall situation (a practice, company pension, property) who want a fully supported, all-in-one solution and accept the cost premium

Visit MLP

Verdict

For academics with a complex overall situation who deliberately want a fully supported, single-house solution, MLP is a legitimate choice with genuine AVD expertise. If you'd rather build your decision basis neutrally, for free and with no channel tie-in, start at Vorsorgedepot-Lotse and bring in advice exactly when you need it, from an independent source.

Frequently asked questions

Is MLP independent?

As an insurance broker, MLP is formally broader than a tied intermediary and works with 63 product partners. In practice, critics say internal recommendation lists steer the selection, and the company earns on commissions and fees from the products it intermediates. It isn't independent in the sense of fee-only advice with no product interest.

What does MLP offer on the Altersvorsorgedepot?

MLP is one of the first advisory providers with its own AVD page live: all three product variants, allowances up to €540 a year, contributions up to €1,800, each with the offer to clarify how it fits into your personal retirement provision in an advisory conversation. Concrete product terms follow with certification.

Who does the MLP path suit, and who not?

It suits academics with a complex situation best, who want a long-term, fully supported, all-in-one solution and consciously accept the channel's costs. Anyone who just wants to use the Altersvorsorgedepot cheaply usually does much better with a direct account route; Vorsorgedepot-Lotse provides that neutral pre-check for free.

Sources