Tap to Pay at weekly markets and farm shops in Switzerland: Accept payments with your smartphone

Tap to Pay turns an NFC-enabled smartphone into a card terminal – without any additional hardware. For market stallholders and farm shops in Switzerland, this is an attractive middle-ground solution: cheaper than a physical terminal, yet more versatile than just a TWINT QR sticker. Customers hold their debit or credit card, their iPhone, or their Apple Watch near the merchant's smartphone – the payment is completed in seconds.

This guide explains how Tap to Pay works, which smartphones and operating systems are supported, what it costs, and which sales situations in direct marketing it is suitable for.

1. What is Tap to Pay and how does it work?

Tap to Pay (also known as SoftPOS) uses the NFC chip in your smartphone to accept contactless card payments. The smartphone takes on the role of the card reader. The merchant enters the amount in an app, the customer holds their card or smartphone near the device, and the payment is authorised via the mobile network. The process takes 3–5 seconds – faster than counting cash and giving change.

Technically, the following happens: The payment data is transmitted via NFC (Near Field Communication, range approx. 3–5 cm) from the customer's payment method to the smartphone. The app forwards the encrypted data to the payment provider, which authorises the transaction. The merchant receives a confirmation on the screen, and the customer can receive an electronic receipt via email or SMS.

2. Requirements: Which smartphones and operating systems are supported

In Switzerland, Tap to Pay is available in two variants, depending on the operating system and payment provider:

Android (e.g. Payrexx Tap to Pay)

Operating system: Android 8.1 or higher. Hardware: NFC-enabled smartphone with Google Mobile Services. Special feature: Payrexx Tap to Pay supports TWINT directly in the app alongside contactless cards. The smartphone must have a secure device configuration (Trusted Execution Environment) – most current Android devices meet this requirement. No separate terminal, no hardware purchase necessary.

iPhone (Apple Tap to Pay)

Operating system: Latest iOS version. Hardware: iPhone XS or newer. Special feature: Apple Tap to Pay has been available in Switzerland since March 2025 – however, not directly via Payrexx, but via partners such as SumUp, Worldline, Stripe, Nexi, Adyen, and Mollie. TWINT is not supported on the iPhone. For TWINT, you also need a QR sticker or an Android device.

3. Setting up Tap to Pay: Step by step for the weekly market and farm shop

The setup is intentionally kept simple and usually takes less than 15 minutes. Taking Payrexx Tap to Pay (Android) as an example: First, create a Payrexx account or log in – the free InStore plan is sufficient to get started. Second, download the Payrexx Tap to Pay app from the Google Play Store. Third, connect the app to your Payrexx account. Fourth, enter the amount and select the payment method (card or TWINT). Fifth, the customer holds their card or smartphone near your device. Sixth, transaction confirmed – appears immediately in the Payrexx Dashboard.

For Apple Tap to Pay on the iPhone: You need a compatible app from a supported payment provider (e.g. SumUp, Worldline). Install the app, create an account with the provider, and activate Tap to Pay in the settings. The process for the customer is identical: hold the card or wallet near the iPhone.

4. Which payment methods your customers can use via Tap to Pay

Tap to Pay accepts all contactless payment methods: Visa Debit and Debit Mastercard (the new Swiss debit cards that replaced Maestro), Visa and Mastercard credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. With Payrexx Tap to Pay (Android), TWINT is added – the customer can choose directly in the app between card payment and TWINT payment.

What Tap to Pay does not accept: cards with chip-and-PIN without contactless function (older cards that must be inserted), cash, and – on the iPhone – no TWINT. For higher amounts (over CHF 80 for some cards), a PIN entry may be required – this is done directly on the smartphone screen.

5. Tap to Pay vs. Card Terminal vs. TWINT QR: What suits direct marketing?

For many market stallholders, Tap to Pay is the ideal entry point: no purchase, no rental contract, yet you still accept card payments. Anyone who is regularly at markets and needs a robust setup with a receipt printer is better off with a physical terminal. And the TWINT QR sticker remains a sensible free addition for all three variants.

6. Costs: What Tap to Pay costs per transaction at the weekly market or farm shop

Tap to Pay itself incurs no additional device fees – you use your own smartphone. Transaction fees apply, which vary depending on the provider. Payrexx Tap to Pay has the same fees as the physical terminal – on the InStore plan (CHF 0) 1.65% + CHF 0.15 for cards and 1.30% for TWINT, with the Better Fees add-on (CHF 9/month) the rates in the table:

With SumUp (without subscription), debit cards cost 1.50% and credit cards 2.50% – without a fixed fee per transaction. On a CHF 15 purchase via debit card: SumUp CHF 0.23, Payrexx CHF 0.29. With credit card: SumUp CHF 0.38, Payrexx CHF 0.34. The differences are small for minor amounts. The deciding factors are whether you need TWINT (only Payrexx on Android) and which smartphone you use (iPhone only via SumUp/Worldline etc.).

7. Practical tips: Battery, reception, hygiene, and speed during fresh produce sales

Battery

Tap to Pay consumes more battery than making normal phone calls because NFC, cellular network, and screen are active simultaneously. Plan for a full charge plus a power bank for a market day (6–10 hours). Tip: Turn off unnecessary apps and notifications to save battery.

Cellular reception

Tap to Pay requires an internet connection for every transaction. Mobile phone reception is sufficient at most Swiss weekly markets. In mountain markets or very remote farm shops, it can be tight. Test reception before the first use.

Hygiene and speed

A major advantage over cash: contactless payment is touch-free. Customers do not touch your smartphone – they hold their card or phone at a distance of 3–5 cm. This is hygienic, fast, and practical when you are weighing vegetables or packing flowers at the same time.

Workflow at the market stall

Typical workflow: You weigh the goods and state the price. Then you take the smartphone in your hand, enter the amount into the app, and say "Please hold your card near the device". The customer holds their card or smartphone near it, and the payment is confirmed with a beep. Duration: under 10 seconds. Tip: Place the smartphone on a raised, stable shelf at the stall – that way you have both hands free for the goods.

8. Checklist: Tap to Pay for your weekly market, farm shop, or seasonal sales stall

• Check your smartphone: NFC available? Android 8.1+ or iPhone XS+? Battery capacity for a market day?

• Decide: Do you need TWINT? If so, choose Payrexx Tap to Pay (Android). If not, you also have iPhone options (SumUp, Worldline).

• Create an account with the payment provider and install the app – takes approx. 15 minutes.

• Conduct a test payment: Ask someone to pay with a contactless card. Check reception and speed.

• Pack a power bank – a backup is sensible for a full market day.

• Put up a TWINT QR sticker as a supplement – for customers who want to pay directly via the TWINT app.

• Attach price tags clearly – customers need to know the amount before you enter it.

• Display card logos at your stall (Visa, Mastercard, contactless symbol) – signals that you accept card payments.

• Keep your smartphone weatherproof – under the stall canopy, never in direct sunlight or in the rain.

If you have an Android smartphone and want to accept TWINT, cards, and mobile wallets via a single app, Payrexx Tap to Pay offers a solution without having to buy hardware. The app is included in the free InStore plan; with the Better Fees add-on (CHF 9/month), transaction fees are 0.95% + CHF 0.15 (debit) and 1.25% + CHF 0.15 (credit). All payments appear in the same Dashboard as online payments, QR-Pay, and POS terminal transactions. More at payrexx.com/products/tap-to-pay.