The short answer
- You choose an ETF, an amount and a date. The broker buys for you automatically.
- Most savings plans buy fractional units, so the whole amount is invested even if one unit costs more.
- You can pause, change or stop a plan, and sell your units whenever you like.
- Costs differ by broker. Some charge nothing per execution, others a fixed fee. Spreads apply either way.
- Each monthly purchase is its own tax lot. That matters for the Vorabpauschale.
Investing on autopilot
You don't have to find the perfect moment to invest a big amount. You invest a little every month instead. It works a lot like the standing order for your rent: set it, check it now and then, and let it do its thing.
- Pick an ETFCheck the index, costs and Acc/Dist on the factsheet.
- Set amount and dateFor example €200 on the 1st or 15th of each month.
- Broker buysUsually fractional units, at that day’s price.
- RepeatEvery month, until you change or pause it.
What €200 a month could become
Alex, a hypothetical investor, sets up a savings plan of €200 a month into a broad equity ETF and keeps it running for 20 years. Assuming an average return of 6% a year before a 0.2% fund cost, the plan could reach about €88,600, of which €48,000 is money Alex paid in. Real markets go up and down, so the actual path and result will be different.
Does the “cost-average effect” make you richer?
Because Alex invests the same euro amount every month, the €200 buys more units when the price is low and fewer when it is high. This is often called the cost-average effect. That's simple arithmetic. It doesn't guarantee a better result. In a market that mostly rises, a lump sum invested earlier usually ends up ahead, because it's invested for longer. The real advantage of a savings plan is more practical: you can start small, and you keep investing without trying to time the market.
Setting one up, step by step
- Open a Depot with a bank or broker that offers savings plans for the ETF you want. See What is a Depot?
- Find the ETF by its ISIN, the 12-character code on the factsheet. Similar names can belong to different share classes.
- Choose the amount and the date. Many brokers offer the 1st or the 15th of the month, some more dates.
- Choose the frequency. Monthly is common; some brokers also offer every two months or quarterly.
- Make sure the cash is there. The amount is taken from your cash account (Verrechnungskonto) on the execution date.
- Set up your Freistellungsauftrag if your broker withholds German tax, so your yearly allowance is used.
What each purchase costs you
| Cost | Who charges it | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Execution fee | Broker | €0 at some brokers, a fixed fee per purchase at others |
| Spread | Market / trading partner | The gap between buy and sell price on the execution day |
| Fund costs (TER) | Fund | Taken from the fund’s value every day |
| Account fee | Broker | Many online accounts charge none |
Among the providers we have verified, ING, flatex and Scalable Capital charge €0 per ETF savings plan execution. DKB charges €1.50 per execution, whatever the amount. comdirect and Consorsbank charge 1.5% of each instalment. On a €50 plan, €1.50 is 3% of each purchase. On €500 it is 0.3%. 345678 Compare current conditions in our Broker Comparison.
Want the nerdy details?The rules, the exact numbers and the edge cases. Open it whenever you're curious.- Does a savings plan change your taxes?
Does a savings plan change your taxes?
No. A savings plan doesn't change how Germany taxes your ETF. Gains are taxed when you sell, distributions when they are paid, and accumulating funds can trigger a yearly Vorabpauschale. Each purchase month counts separately: units bought in July only count for 6/12 of that year. 2 German brokers handle this for you. With a foreign broker you may need to declare it yourself. See How Germany taxes ETF gains and The Vorabpauschale explained.
Habits that cost savers money
Choosing an ETF only because it's on a broker's “free” list. Check the index, the costs and whether it accumulates or distributes.
Stopping the plan in a falling market. A savings plan is built for the long run. Selling after a fall turns a paper loss into a real one.
Forgetting the cash account. If the money isn't there on the execution day, the purchase may be skipped.
Tiny amounts with a fixed fee. A fixed fee per execution weighs much more on €25 than on €250.
Questions before you start
How much do I need to start?
Can I have several savings plans?
Yes. Many people combine two or three ETFs. More plans don't mean more diversification if the ETFs hold the same companies.
Is a savings plan the same as a Depot?
No. The Depot is the account that holds your units. The savings plan is the instruction to keep buying into it.
What happens when I leave Germany?
Your broker may restrict accounts for non-residents, and your taxes may change. Check before you move.
Your first plan, in one paragraph
Pick a broad ETF, check what each purchase costs at your broker and choose an amount you can keep paying in a bad month too. If your goal is long-term, let the plan keep running through the ups and downs.
Check yourself
Your plan invests €50 a month, but one ETF unit costs €110. What happens?
Video lesson · In the makingYour first ETF savings plan
Official sources
- Verbraucherzentrale Niedersachsen: In ETF investieren: so geht’s
- § 18 InvStG: Vorabpauschale, including the reduction in the year of purchase
- DKB: Broker fees: savings plan €1.50 per execution, minimum €25
- ING: Direkt-Depot price list extract (as of 10 February 2026)
- flatex: prices
- Scalable Capital: broker prices: savings plans from €1, €0 per execution (checked 20 October 2026)
- comdirect: price list valid from 15 July 2026: ETF savings plans 1.50% of the amount
- Consorsbank: price list: ETF savings plans 1.5% of each instalment
Last checked:
We explain how the German rules work in general. This isn't personal financial, tax or legal advice. Investments can lose value.