Swiss clubs can today collect membership fees digitally by sending a payment link (Paylink) by email instead of paper invoices. The member clicks the link, selects their preferred payment method – TWINT, credit card, PostFinance or QR invoice – and pays in a few seconds. The treasurer sees the payment immediately in the Dashboard and saves weeks of follow-up, reminders and bank reconciliation.

This guide compares four methods of collecting contributions – from the classic Excel list to club software with integrated payment – and shows you step by step how you implement the change in practice.

1. The problem: Why the classic contribution collection slows clubs down

In most Swiss clubs, the annual contribution collection still runs in the same pattern: The treasurer creates a member list in Excel, generates QR invoices, sends them by post or email as a PDF, and waits. After two weeks, half has paid. After four weeks, the treasurer writes payment reminders. After six weeks, dunning letters follow. In the end, 10–20 % of the members remain who only pay after personal contact.

The manual process costs the treasurer an estimated 15–25 hours per collection cycle in a club with 150–200 members. On top of that: The paper QR invoice offers the member only one payment route – bank transfer via e-banking. Anyone who prefers TWINT or a credit card has to enter the amount manually. That creates friction and delays the payment.

A payment link (also called Paylink) solves this problem. A Paylink is a URL that leads directly to a prefilled payment page. The member only has to choose a payment method and confirm. The treasurer sees the incoming payment in real time, without reconciling bank statements.

2. Four methods in comparison: From payment slip to digital contribution

Depending on club size, budget and technical know-how, different approaches come into question. The following table compares the four most common methods for collecting contributions in Swiss clubs.

Tip: The methods can be combined. Many clubs send the Paylink by email and enclose a printed QR invoice for members without an email address.

3. Method A: Payment link by email – the fastest way

The payment link is the biggest lever for most clubs. The treasurer creates a link at the Payment Service Provider (PSP) with the prefilled amount – e.g. "Membership fee 2026: CHF 120". The treasurer sends this link by email to all members. The member clicks, lands on the payment page, chooses TWINT, credit card, PostFinance Pay or Apple Pay and pays. Done.

At Swiss PSPs like Payrexx, HypiPay or Payworx, the payment link can be customised: member name, reference number, amount. This allows the treasurer to assign immediately which member has paid. Most providers also allow you to create a bulk link (same amount for everyone), which reduces the effort once again.

Practical example: gymnastics club with 200 members

A gymnastics club switches to payment links. Before: QR invoices by post, 6 weeks collection time, three reminder rounds. After: email with Paylink to all 200 members on 1 September. After 48 hours, 140 members have paid (70 %). After one week and an automatic reminder, there are 185 payments (92 %). The remaining 15 members receive a final email with a deadline. Total duration: 12 days instead of 6 weeks. Effort for the treasurer: around 2 hours instead of 20.

4. Method B: Recurring payments for monthly models

Clubs with monthly contributions – for example fitness, martial arts or dance clubs – benefit from recurring payments (Recurring Payments). The member authorises a charge once, after which the monthly contribution is debited automatically.

Technically, this works via credit card tokenisation: The member enters their card details once, the PSP stores a token (no card number) and debits the token monthly. Alternatively, some providers offer eBill integrations, in which the invoice appears directly in the member's e-banking and is paid automatically on request.

For the club, this means: zero manual effort per month, predictable cash flow and no arrears list. The treasurer only has to take care of cancellations and contribution changes. Providers such as Payrexx, Stripe or wallee support Recurring Payments in Switzerland.

5. Method C: QR invoice with online payment option

Not every club wants to (or can) fully switch to digital payment links. Some members – especially older ones – prefer the classic route via QR invoice by post. The good news: both can be combined.

Since October 2022, the QR invoice has been the standard payment slip in Switzerland and is defined by SIX (Swiss Payment Standards). The Swiss QR Code contains all payment information – recipient, IBAN, amount, reference. The member can scan the QR invoice in e-banking and pay.

Some club software providers such as ClubDesk or Webling complement the QR invoice with a TWINT payment option: The member scans the same QR code with the TWINT app and pays directly on mobile, instead of taking the detour via e-banking. The fees for TWINT payments via QR Pay Plus are about 2.5 % per transaction.

Alternatively, you can send the QR invoice by post and also include a payment link in the covering letter: "Do you prefer TWINT or credit card? Pay here: [Link]". That way you serve both target groups – analogue and digital – without double effort.

6. Costs at a glance: What digital contribution collection costs

The following example calculation shows the costs for a club with 200 members and an annual contribution of CHF 120 per person.

Conclusion of the calculation: The payment link saves postage and a lot of working time, but creates transaction fees. For clubs where the treasurer works on a voluntary basis and their time is valuable, the switch is almost always worthwhile from around 50 members. For clubs under 30 members, the manual QR invoice is often completely sufficient.

Note on the fees: TWINT transactions usually cost 1.3–1.5 %, credit card payments about 1.65 % + fixed amount. TWINT via RaiseNow/ClubDesk is about 2.5 % (QR Pay Plus). The fees are guideline values – check the current conditions with your provider of choice.

7. Step by step: How you switch the contribution collection

7.1 Preparation

Collect the email addresses of all members. In many clubs, 5–10 % of the addresses are missing – that is normal. For these members, you continue to send a QR invoice by post. Check whether your club has an IBAN club account (requirement with every PSP). Clarify in the board which contribution types should be digitalised: annual contribution, season fee, course fees.

7.2 Open PSP account

Open an account with a Swiss PSP that supports payment links. Providers such as Payrexx, HypiPay or Payworx offer free or basic subscriptions without monthly fixed costs. The KYC check (Know Your Customer) takes, depending on the provider, a few hours to several working days. You need: club statutes, board identification and IBAN.

7.3 Create and send payment links

Create a payment link for the membership fee in the PSP Dashboard. With most providers, you can enter the amount, a description ("Membership fee 2026") and a reference. If you have individual amounts (e.g. adults CHF 120, youths CHF 60), create a separate link for each category. Send the links by email – ideally with a short instruction: "Click the link, choose your payment method, pay in seconds."

7.4 Check incoming payments and follow up

In the PSP Dashboard you see in real time which payments have been received. After 5–7 days, send a friendly reminder to everyone who has not yet paid (most PSPs offer a filter function). After 14 days, send a final reminder with a deadline. Export the transaction list as CSV at the end and import it into your accounting.

8. Checklist: Collect membership fees digitally

• Email addresses of all members collected and updated

• Club account (IBAN) available at a Swiss bank

• PSP account opened and KYC check completed (allow 5–10 days)

• Payment link(s) created: amount, description, reference configured

• Test link sent to board member and test payment carried out

• Email template for contribution collection created (link, short instructions, deadline)

• Process defined for members without email (QR invoice by post)

• Reminder email after 7 days and dunning email after 14 days prepared

• Export function in the PSP tested (CSV for accounting)

• Board informed and change communicated at the next meeting

Payrexx offers for contribution collection an approach where payment links (Paylinks), mini webshop and QR Pay can be created from one account. Members pay by TWINT, credit card, PostFinance or QR invoice – all via the same link.

For clubs with monthly fees, Payrexx supports recurring payments. The free subscription has no monthly fixed costs; recognised non-profit organisations receive a 50 % discount on paid subscriptions.