Comparison of Swiss Online Payment Providers for 2025

Note: This is the 2025 version. You can find the current 2026 edition here.

1. Online Payments: Theory for Understanding

To accept payments in an online shop, merchants need two contracts:

1. Acceptance contract (acquiring contract): This is concluded with an acquirer (cf. Chapter 1.2).

2. Processing contract: This is concluded with a payment service provider (PSP) (cf. Chapter 1.1).

The following explains exactly what an acquirer and a payment service provider are and how they interact with the online shop.

1.1 What is a payment service provider?

A payment service provider (also Payment Service Provider or PSP) enables the technical integration of online payment methods such as Mastercard, TWINT, PostFinance and Apple Pay into an online shop. Instead of negotiating with each financial institution individually and integrating the payment methods separately into their shop, online merchants (also merchants) can work directly with a PSP. This gives them all the desired payment methods, integration systems and e-commerce tools, and they also meet the necessary security requirements.

The processing contract with the payment service provider regulates the technical processing of payments, i.e. the connection between the online shop, the payment service provider and the banks. In some cases, however, merchants also require an acceptance contract with an acquirer – unless the PSP takes on this role itself as a payment facilitator (cf. Chapter 1.3).

How a payment service provider (PSP) works

1.2 What is an acquirer and an acceptance contract?

An acquirer (also called acquiring bank) is a financial institution that processes credit and debit card payments for merchants. For an online shop to accept such payments, it needs an acceptance contract. This regulates the acceptance and processing of card payments and defines fees, security guidelines and chargeback processes. 

1.3 What is a payment facilitator?

A payment facilitator (also PF or collecting PSP) simplifies payment processing for merchants by acting as a link between them and the acquirer (cf. Figure 2). The payment facilitator can sign the acceptance contract on behalf of the acquirer. Merchants, in turn, conclude their contract directly with the payment facilitator and therefore do not require a separate acceptance contract with an acquirer.

The payment facilitator therefore makes it possible to integrate various payment methods from different acquirers into an online shop with just one contract – for example Visa, Mastercard, TWINT, PostFinance and Reka. 

How a payment facilitator (PF) works

In addition to these two basic models, there are other mixed forms, which for the sake of simplicity are not explained in detail in this article.

2. How do you choose the right provider?

Choosing the right provider depends on several factors. Merchants should ask themselves the following questions:

• Which payment methods should be offered? A diverse range of payment options increases customer satisfaction and conversion rate. Merchants should therefore check which payment methods their customers prefer. Not all providers support the same payment methods – the choice of the right provider is particularly crucial for regionally popular options such as TWINT or PostFinance Pay.

• Which shop system is used? The technical integration of a payment service provider can be made easier with ready-made plugins¹. For well-known systems such as shopify or woocommerce, most providers offer ready-made plugins for easy integration. For individually developed shops, some providers offer flexible API solutions.

• Which tools are needed? The functionalities of a payment service provider should match the requirements of the shop. While some providers offer specialised solutions for donation platforms or subscription-based business models, there are also all-in-one platforms that cover a wide range of business models.

• What costs are incurred? In addition to transaction fees, any monthly fixed costs, setup fees and additional costs for special features should also be taken into account. This helps to avoid unexpected costs.

• Which target group is being addressed? Depending on the customer base, different payment methods are relevant – young consumers often expect wallet solutions, while corporate or international customers benefit from fast and cost-effective alternatives such as instant payment. Instant payment (also Pay by Bank) enables direct bank transfers in real time and saves fees, especially in international payment transactions. Currently, Payrexx is the only provider in Switzerland that offers Pay by Bank.

In addition to these functional and security-relevant aspects, a simple and stable connection, a broad spectrum of payment methods and tools, reliable support and a cost-effective pricing model are particularly crucial for merchants in order to avoid unnecessary expenses.

Furthermore, it is advisable to choose a provider that also acts as an acquirer or payment facilitator. This way, merchants have a single point of contact for all payment processes.

¹Extensions for shop systems that enable the integration of payment service providers without programming.

3. Overview of the functions of the individual payment service providers

The following table shows which payment methods are supported by the individual providers. For a better overview, only the most common payment methods are taken into account. In addition, the table provides information on which providers offer plugins for common shop systems.

Some payment service providers also offer their own, usually very rudimentary shop systems with which a small online shop for products, vouchers, subscriptions or donations can be created without programming knowledge. Such solutions are listed in the table as “e-commerce tools”.

In order to better assess customer satisfaction and service quality, the table also contains the Google ratings of all providers.

Function matrix of the different payment service providers

4. Cost analysis

In this section, the monthly costs (subscription and transaction fees) for the different providers were calculated. The analysis is carried out for two exemplary online shops: one with a turnover of CHF 20,000 and one with CHF 100,000.

For the calculation, the cheapest offers of the individual payment service providers for the corresponding trade volume were selected. The price details come from the websites of the respective Payment Service Providers¹. Any setup fees are not taken into account in the diagram.

4.1 Online shop with a turnover of CHF 20,000 per month

The following cost analysis shows the monthly fees for smaller online shops with a trade volume of CHF 20,000 with 200 credit card transactions per month. The average value of a transaction is thus CHF 100 per purchase.

Monthly costs with a turnover of CHF 20,000 (excluding setup)

A small online shop benefits from the lowest fees with Payrexx, closely followed by PostFinance. With costs of CHF 790, PayPal is the most expensive for online shops with this volume. The price difference between Payrexx and PayPal is CHF 435. The costs of the cheapest payment service provider, Payrexx, are therefore more than 50 per cent lower than those of the most expensive.

In addition, Payrexx offers start-ups and non-profit organisations exclusive discounts: 30 per cent for start-ups and 50 per cent for non-profit organisations on all subscriptions.

¹With the offer from Datatrans, a separate acquiring contract must also be concluded. The costs for acquiring are therefore dependent on the choice of the acquirer). Therefore, a value of 1.7 per cent was assumed (average of all other providers).

4.2 Online shop with a turnover of CHF 100,000 per month

The next cost analysis shows the monthly fees for medium-sized online shops with a trade volume of CHF 100,000 and 1,000 credit card transactions per month. The average value of a transaction is thus CHF 100 per purchase.

Monthly costs with a turnover of CHF 100,000 (excluding setup)

With monthly costs of CHF 1,579, Payrexx is the cheapest provider for medium-sized online shops, followed by wallee. PayPal and Stripe are significantly more expensive than the others. The price difference between Payrexx and the most expensive provider is CHF 2,371, which corresponds to a saving of over 60 per cent.

No calculation was carried out for large online shops with a turnover of over CHF 100,000 per month. This is because many payment service providers offer individual special conditions for larger customers – including Datatrans, Payrexx, Stripe, wallee, Worldline and zahls.ch.

5. All payment service providers in detail

5.1 Payrexx

Payrexx is a Swiss omnichannel payment provider and facilitator that offers merchants a central platform to accept payment methods such as credit cards, TWINT, PostFinance Pay, Apple Pay and Google Pay – without separate contracts with acquirers.

The provider stands out for its easy setup and free plugins for integration into all common shop systems, such as woocommerce and shopify. Furthermore, the platform offers a range of practical e-commerce tools that are particularly attractive for smaller online merchants without their own online shop. Also included are innovative POS and SoftPOS solutions for on-site retail, as well as universal QR code payment stickers that can be used not only with TWINT but with all desired payment methods.

Payrexx convinces with low fees and discounts for start-ups and non-profit organisations. All features of Payrexx can be tested free of charge for 30 days. The average Google rating is 4 out of 5 stars with 144 reviews.

5.1.1 Price overview of Payrexx

¹The Free subscription of Payrexx does not include plugins and API connection.

5.1.2 Additional remarks

Thanks to its comprehensive offering, Payrexx offers an attractive solution away from the large, often expensive providers. The Swiss company stands out for its flexibility, personal support and specialisation in SME merchants. In this way, Payrexx sets itself apart from global mass solutions. To register with this provider, merchants need a valid photo ID, a document to confirm their address and, if applicable, their commercial register entry. Those who register by 4 pm will be verified on the very same day.

5.2 PostFinance

PostFinance offers a payment solution specifically tailored to the Swiss market and enables companies to accept payments quickly and securely. The provider includes all common payment methods (PostFinance Pay, TWINT as well as Visa and Mastercard) and also provides various free shop plugins for integration into well-known shop systems.

Particularly noteworthy is the direct connection to the Swiss banking system and high customer acceptance, making the provider particularly suitable for companies operating mainly domestically.

PostFinance also offers a free 30-day trial period in a simulation mode. The average Google rating is 2.4 out of 5 stars with 158 reviews.

5.2.1 Price overview of PostFinance

5.2.2 Additional remarks

To use PostFinance, the company must have its registered office in Switzerland or the Principality of Liechtenstein and have a business account with PostFinance or a credit card for billing fees. Billing is in Swiss francs, but payouts can also be made in foreign currencies depending on the acceptance partner.

5.3 Worldline

Worldline offers both acquirer and payment service provider services and therefore usually provides its offers in packages tailored to the respective use case. With the Worldline E-Commerce package, payments in the online shop can be accepted without monthly fixed costs.

As a global provider of payment solutions, Worldline stands out for its many years of experience and comprehensive services. Especially for larger companies, the provider offers a scalable solution with a wide choice of payment methods. In addition, Worldline has specialised in dynamic currency conversion so that foreign customers can easily pay in their own currency.

For easy integration, Worldline provides numerous free and paid plug-ins. In addition, larger companies benefit from additional services and extensive reporting tools. Worldline has an average Google rating of 2.9 out of 5 stars with a total of 589 reviews.

5.3.1 Price overview of Worldline

5.3.2 Additional remarks

Medium and larger companies as well as omnichannel solutions require an individual offer that cannot be ordered online. To find the right package, it is advisable to contact Worldline sales directly.

5.4 Datatrans (planet)

Datatrans is an established payment service provider that is particularly suitable for larger companies and those with a high transaction volume. The platform offers a wide range of payment methods as well as free and paid plugins for shop systems such as woocommerce, shopify and magento. Especially for companies with more complex requirements, Datatrans offers a tailored solution.

A key advantage of Datatrans is the direct connection to acquirers, which represents an efficient and reliable solution for companies with high transaction numbers. However, this also applies to smaller companies, for whom a separate contract with an acquirer can be more of an obstacle.

As soon as an acquirer contract exists, a test account can also be created with Datatrans. The average Google rating of this provider is 4.3 out of 5 stars from 22 reviews.

5.4.1 Price overview of Datatrans

5.4.2 Additional remarks

Since Datatrans is neither an acquirer nor a payment facilitator, merchants also need an acceptance contract with a separate acquirer. To include this factor, a fee of 1.7 per cent was used in this analysis. This is an assumed value based on the average of the other providers. However, the transaction fee may vary depending on the chosen acquirer.

5.5 PayPal

PayPal is a globally known, simple and standardised solution for online merchants. The provider enables payments to be accepted in different currencies and offers a high level of security, particularly for international transactions.

With over 400 million users and high acceptance, PayPal is particularly suitable for companies that want to target a large number of international customers. The platform supports a variety of payment methods, including credit cards, Apple Pay, Venmo and many more. PayPal also offers some free plugins for common e-commerce systems such as woocommerce, magento and Shopware. In addition, tools such as payment links, email invoicing and QR payments are available.

PayPal has an average Google rating of 1.8 out of 5 stars with a total of 618 reviews.

5.5.1 Price overview of PayPal

5.5.2 Additional remarks

Setting up PayPal is very simple. Merchants only need to provide their business information and commercial register number. Large companies can also apply for special conditions for a scalable solution with PayPal.

5.6 Stripe

Stripe is a well-known and flexible payment solution aimed particularly at developers who need highly customisable payment processing. The provider supports numerous payment methods, including credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and various regional payment methods. 

Stripe is suitable for both start-ups and larger companies with an international focus. The solution integrates seamlessly into common e-commerce platforms such as woocommerce and shopify. In addition to numerous free plugins, Stripe also offers paid extensions.

The provider has a Google rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars with 76 reviews.

5.6.1 Price overview of Stripe

5.6.2 Additional remarks

To implement Stripe, merchants should have developer knowledge. In addition, a valid photo ID and a commercial register number are required for verification. For large companies, Stripe also offers special conditions that can be requested from sales.

5.7 wallee

wallee is a Swiss omnichannel payment provider that enables merchants to process payments seamlessly across various sales channels. The platform supports a wide range of payment methods, including credit cards, mobile wallets and other local payment methods. In addition, wallee offers both free and paid plugins for various shop systems.

wallee offers API integration. The modular architecture also allows companies to choose only the functions they actually need. This flexibility makes this provider an excellent choice for medium to large companies with specific requirements for their payment solution.

Online merchants can test wallee extensively in the free test mode. The platform has been rated on Google with an average of 3.5 out of 5 stars with 112 reviews.

5.7.1 Price overview of wallee

5.7.2 Additional remarks

To use one of wallee's many integrations, merchants usually need to perform a few technical steps. This includes, for example, setting up a wallee plugin for their shop system or connecting directly via the API.

5.8 saldiaPay

saldiaPay is an innovative Swiss payment provider that enables online payments via a uniform platform. Here, merchants can accept payments via credit cards, TWINT, PostFinance and many other methods.

A unique feature of saldiaPay is the “saldiaApps” – integrations for diverse solutions such as accounting, online shops or logistics services. For merchants without their own webshop, saldiaPay also offers its own shop system “saldiaShop”, with which a webshop can be easily created.

saldiaPay also provides free plugins for well-known shop systems such as woocommerce and Shopware. All features of the platform can be tested free of charge for 30 days. saldiaPay has an average Google rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars with a total of 38 reviews.

5.8.1 Price overview of saldiaPay

5.8.2 Additional remarks

In addition to the wide range of integrated plugins and shop systems, saldiaPay offers many other webshop integrations on request. Merchants need a photo ID and, if available, their commercial register entry to register.

5.9 zahls.ch

zahls.ch is a Swiss payment provider characterized by particularly transparent and simple pricing. With zahls.ch, merchants can accept a wide range of payment methods, including TWINT, PostFinance and credit cards.

In addition to classic payments, zahls.ch's offering also includes e-commerce tools, such as an online terminal, payment links, digital invoices or a self-configurable payment page (small online shop). This payment provider also provides free plugins for the most well-known shop systems and scores with its simple setup and integration.

zahls.ch enjoys an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars, but has only been rated three times on Google.

5.9.1 Price overview of zahls.ch

5.9.2 Additional remarks

Using the integrated tools of zahls.ch, merchants can easily create their own online shop, or they can connect the provider directly to their existing online shop. For the verification process, a valid photo ID and, if available, the commercial register entry are required.

Conclusion: Which is the right payment provider?

Before online merchants decide on a payment provider, they should define the individual requirements of their online shop precisely. In addition to costs, the range of functions, supported shop systems and offered payment methods also play a decisive role.

For young, digital companies, Payrexx can be an interesting option. As an all-in-one payment solution, Payrexx offers broad support for all common shop systems and is also the cheapest provider for medium-sized online shops – followed by PostFinance and wallee. PayPal and Stripe, on the other hand, charge comparatively high transaction fees, while Datatrans incurs high monthly fixed costs. To find the best solution, every provider offers a free trial period.

Almost all providers offer plugins for popular shop systems such as woocommerce, Shopware or shopify. While the plugins are free with Payrexx, PostFinance, PayPal and Stripe, additional costs may apply with Worldline, Datatrans and wallee. With saldiaPay and zahls.ch, plugins are often available on request.

Another important point is the selection of payment methods. While all providers offer a wide range of payment options, the difference often lies in the support of regional payment methods such as TWINT, PostFinance, Reka and co. Here, Swiss providers such as Payrexx, Datatrans, saldiaPay or zahls.ch have an advantage. On the other hand, those who have many international customers benefit from global providers such as PayPal or Stripe.

Regarding easy integration, PayPal, Payrexx and zahls.ch are particularly convincing, while Stripe, Worldline and Datatrans score with more customisation options. Since setup with some providers involves a high degree of technical know-how, this point should also be considered when making a choice.

In summary, it is worth considering newer and lesser-known providers. These often offer attractive pricing and at the same time powerful payment solutions, and can also better respond to the individual needs of merchants. For small and medium-sized shops, Payrexx and wallee are a good choice, whereas for larger companies a well-established provider may be more worthwhile. In the areas of price, variety of functions and user-friendliness, Payrexx is clearly among the frontrunners.

Sources

Prices: Datatrans, PayPal, Payrexx, PostFinance, Stripe, wallee, Worldline, saldiaPay, zahls.ch
Plugins for shop systems: Datatrans, PayPal, Payrexx, PostFinance, Stripe, wallee, Worldline, saldiaPay, zahls.ch
Payment methods: Datatrans, PayPal, Payrexx, PostFinance, Stripe, wallee, Worldline, saldiaPay, zahls.ch

Legal Notice

We assume no liability whatsoever for the correctness, completeness, relevance or quality of the data and information provided in this comparison article. In particular, it is important that online merchants obtain information on prices and any additional costs directly from the respective providers. Some providers also have other unofficial offers and conditions that are not visible on the websites.

We expressly reserve the right to change the data provided in this comparison article or our entire offering at any time without separate notice. We are also entitled to supplement, delete or temporarily or permanently cease publication of this comparison article at any time.

As of: February 2025.

Contact information

Author: Melanie Frutiger, Payrexx AG
Email address: melanie.frutiger@payrexx.com