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Vorsorgedepot-Lotse or Trade Republic: which path to the Altersvorsorgedepot suits you?

Vorsorgedepot-Lotse: both paths at no extra cost — decide digitally yourself, or request independent advice. Trade Republic is the best fit for People who confidently manage their own investment strategy and want the cheapest execution path.

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

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

With over 10 million customers, Trade Republic is Germany's best-known neobroker and one of the cheapest ways to run a securities account. But when it comes to whether the Altersvorsorgedepot is worth it for you, and which provider is the right one, an execution-only broker leaves you on your own by design. That's exactly the gap Vorsorgedepot-Lotse fills, without you having to give up Trade Republic's low-cost terms.

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
  • TTrade Republic Logo Trade RepublicFull-bank neobroker via app: shares, ETFs, bonds and crypto self-directed, 2,655 ETF savings plans from €1, with no investment advice.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
TTrade Republic Logo Trade RepublicExecution-only brokerSource€1/trade, €0 savings planSourceNone (24/7 service)SourceOwn platformSourceAdvertised, terms openSourceVisit provider

Where Vorsorgedepot-Lotse makes the difference

  • The human option: on request, we introduce you to an independent adviser from over 1,000 partners; Trade Republic is execution-only and offers no investment advice.
  • More information before you decide: a subsidy calculator modelling allowances and the Riester switch, plus over 100 specialist articles, where Trade Republic so far shows a campaign with no published AVD terms.
  • A neutral market view: we compare eight account providers on open criteria; the Trade Republic app naturally shows only its own offering.
  • No extra cost: comparing through us and then opening an account with Trade Republic costs exactly the same as going direct.

Analysis

The two offerings don't compete for the same job — they complement each other along the decision chain. Trade Republic is the execution layer: a full bank, €1 per trade, free ETF savings plans, app-first. The company is already advertising the Altersvorsorgedepot with its own campaign, but published terms don't exist yet. Anyone opening an account there has ideally already decided whether the AVD fits their situation, how much of their own contribution unlocks the full allowance, and whether switching from Riester makes sense.

That prior decision is exactly Vorsorgedepot-Lotse's job: the subsidy calculator models allowances, the tax benefit and the Riester switch, the provider comparison sets eight accounts side by side on disclosed criteria, and anyone who'd rather talk to a person gets introduced, on request, to a suitable independent adviser from a network of over 1,000 partners. That costs nothing extra: open your account with Trade Republic afterwards, and exactly the same terms apply as going direct.

An honest look at service is worth including too: Trade Republic built out human 24/7 support in 2026, but according to Stiftung Warentest it led the 2025 complaint statistics at BaFin and consumer bodies, mainly on reachability and account transfers. A service channel isn't investment advice, though: the broker neither can nor will give individual recommendations.

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

TTrade Republic Logo Trade Republic

Full-bank neobroker via app: shares, ETFs, bonds and crypto self-directed, 2,655 ETF savings plans from €1, with no investment advice.

  • ModelA pure self-directed broker with a full banking licence (BaFin and ECB); you make every investment decision yourself in the app.✓ verified
  • Cost of the path€1 per trade (plus a €2 direct-price option since July 2026), ETF savings plans with no execution fee, no account fee; ancillary costs such as crypto spreads apply separately.✓ verified
  • Human adviceNo investment advice; since 2026 there is round-the-clock human phone and chat support with over 1,000 agents, but for service questions only.✓ verified
  • Product independenceA large ETF universe (2,655 savings-plan ETFs), but naturally with no cross-market comparison: only the provider's own offering is shown.✓ verified
  • AVD offerTrade Republic is already advertising the Altersvorsorgedepot (the "Altersvorsorgedepot x football" campaign); concrete terms have not yet been published.✓ verified

The price-breaker among the self-directed paths, with a full banking licence and a large community.

Pros

  • Very low execution costs: €1 per trade, ETF savings plans with no execution fee
  • Full banking licence (BaFin and ECB), securities held as protected special assets
  • About 2 percent interest on uninvested cash, no cap, with human 24/7 support since 2026

Cons

  • No investment advice whatsoever: all the decision-making is on you
  • According to Stiftung Warentest, Trade Republic led the 2025 BaFin and vzbv complaint statistics (reachability, account transfers)
  • Ancillary costs outside the core offer: around 1.5 percent crypto spread, a 1 percent fee on card deposits
  • The Altersvorsorgedepot is advertised, but with no published terms yet

Best for: People who confidently manage their own investment strategy and want the cheapest execution path

Visit Trade Republic

Verdict

If you already know exactly what you want, open your account directly with Trade Republic and you'll do well with the €1 model. If you'd rather understand neutrally first what the Altersvorsorgedepot offers, which provider fits and whether advice makes sense, start at Vorsorgedepot-Lotse — you may well end up at Trade Republic anyway, just better informed and at no extra cost.

Frequently asked questions

Does Trade Republic offer advice on the Altersvorsorgedepot?

No. Trade Republic is an execution-only broker: 24/7 support helps with service questions, but may not give individual investment advice. Anyone who wants advice needs a separate route, for example the independent advisers Vorsorgedepot-Lotse introduces on request.

Does Trade Republic already have an Altersvorsorgedepot?

Trade Republic is already advertising the Altersvorsorgedepot with its own campaign, but there are no published terms or a product page with prices yet (as at July 2026). Scalable Capital and finanzen.net zero, among others, have already announced concrete terms.

Does the path via Vorsorgedepot-Lotse to Trade Republic cost extra?

No. Using Vorsorgedepot-Lotse is free, and if you later open an account, the provider's normal terms apply. Any compensation is paid by the provider or advisory partner, not by you.

Sources