Mobile phone as a card terminal in Switzerland: Tap-to-Pay providers in comparison

Tap to Pay (also known as SoftPOS, Tap on Phone, or Tap on Mobile) transforms a conventional smartphone into a contactless card terminal. In Switzerland, Worldline, SumUp, and Payrexx offer the most important Tap to Pay solutions – with significant differences in fees, payment methods, and device support. TWINT acceptance is the key decision criterion in Switzerland.

This guide compares the relevant Tap to Pay providers for Swiss SMEs, self-employed professionals, and associations. You will find out what each solution costs, which payment methods are supported, whether your smartphone is compatible, and when a classic card terminal remains the better choice.

1. What is Tap to Pay – and how does the phone work as a card terminal?

Tap to Pay – also called SoftPOS (Software Point of Sale) in the industry – is a technology that uses the NFC chip of a smartphone to accept contactless card payments. Instead of buying or renting a separate card reader, the merchant installs an app on their smartphone, registers with the respective payment provider, and can immediately start accepting payments.

Payment works just like on a classic card terminal: customers hold their contactless debit or credit card, their smartphone with Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay or – particularly relevant in Switzerland – their TWINT app against the back of the merchant's smartphone. For amounts over CHF 80, a PIN entry is also required on the smartphone screen. The security standards correspond to those of classic terminals: PCI-certified encryption, tokenisation, and trusted execution environments (Trusted Execution Environment) protect card data.

Different providers use different product names for the same technology: Worldline calls its product "Tap on Mobile", SumUp and Payrexx use "Tap to Pay", Apple refers to the function as "Tap to Pay on iPhone", Visa uses the term "Tap to Phone", and Mastercard speaks of "Tap on Phone". They all refer to the same basic principle.

2. Which Tap to Pay providers are active in Switzerland?

Three providers dominate the Swiss market for Tap to Pay solutions. They differ in pricing models, payment methods, device support, and additional features.

Worldline Tap on Mobile

Worldline (formerly SIX Payment Services) is the established Swiss terminal operator and offers "Tap on Mobile", a SoftPOS solution without fixed costs. The product is aimed at small businesses and beginners. Worldline accepts debit and credit cards from Visa and Mastercard, TWINT, and mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay). Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) enables international customers to pay in their card currency. The app runs on Android devices (from Android 12) and recently also on iPhones (from iPhone XS). Up to five devices can be linked to one account. Payout is processed within 48 hours.

SumUp Tap to Pay

SumUp is an international payment service provider specialising in micro-businesses and self-employed professionals. With "Tap to Pay", SumUp offers a free app for iPhone (from XS) and Android (from Android 11). The pricing model works without contractual obligation and without monthly fixed costs – merchants pay exclusively per transaction. For companies with higher volumes, there is an optional subscription model ("Payments Plus") with reduced transaction fees. SumUp accepts Visa and Mastercard (debit and credit) as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay, but does not directly support TWINT or PostFinance payments.

Payrexx Tap to Pay

Payrexx is a Swiss payment service provider (PSP) based in Thun, which offers Tap to Pay as part of its overall system. The SoftPOS solution currently runs on compatible Android devices (from Android 8.1 with NFC). Payrexx accepts debit and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard), TWINT, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Unlike SumUp and Worldline, Tap to Pay with Payrexx is embedded in a broader ecosystem: merchants can manage on-site payments, online payments, payment links, QR Pay, and POS terminals through a single Dashboard. The fees correspond to the POS tariffs and do not depend on the selected subscription plan.

Other providers

In addition to the three main providers, myPOS (with "myPOS Glass" on iPhone and Android, active internationally) and Stripe (Tap to Pay via the Stripe Terminal API, developer-focused) are available in Switzerland. Both target specific audiences – myPOS for international merchants, Stripe for platforms and development teams – and play a minor role in the typical Swiss SME segment.

3. Fee comparison: What Tap to Pay costs in Switzerland

The fee structure of the three main Swiss providers differs fundamentally. Worldline works with a flat-rate model, SumUp differentiates between debit and credit cards, and Payrexx uses uniform POS tariffs.

Note: All fees apply to domestic transactions in Switzerland. Higher fees may apply for international cards or premium cards (e.g., American Express). For SumUp, the optional "Payments Plus" subscription costs CHF 29 per month and lowers the transaction fee to 0.99% for domestic debit and credit cards. For Payrexx, Tap to Pay is already available in the Free plan; Standard (CHF 19/mth.) and Premium (CHF 49/mth.) also offer API, plugins, and advanced features – the POS transaction fees remain identical.

Calculation example: CHF 3,000 monthly turnover

Assumption: 100 transactions per month, 50% debit cards (CHF 1,500), 50% credit cards (CHF 1,500), exclusively Swiss cards.

The calculation example shows: With a monthly turnover of CHF 3,000, Payrexx is the cheapest with its POS tariffs, while Worldline is close behind. SumUp is the most expensive in the basic model, but becomes competitive with the subscription model – although according to SumUp, this only pays off from a monthly turnover of around CHF 4,700. With higher credit card shares, the difference to SumUp without a subscription becomes significantly larger.

4. Payment methods: Who accepts TWINT, PostFinance, and wallets?

Which payment methods a Tap to Pay provider supports is often more important in Switzerland than a pure fee comparison. TWINT is by far the most popular mobile payment method – around 5.5 million Swiss actively use the app. A Tap to Pay provider without TWINT excludes a significant part of the customer base.

The new PostFinance Card with Debit Mastercard functionality is accepted by all three providers – the transaction is processed as a Debit Mastercard. The old PostFinance Card without Debit Mastercard is not supported by any SoftPOS provider.

For Swiss merchants whose customers frequently pay with TWINT – such as at markets, in cafes, for mobile services, or at events – SumUp is out of the question as a sole solution. Worldline and Payrexx cover the entire Swiss payment spectrum.

5. iPhone, Android, or both? Device compatibility at a glance

Device support is a practical decision factor: anyone who exclusively uses an iPhone cannot use every provider.

Payrexx currently exclusively supports Android devices for Tap to Pay. Those who use an iPhone have the choice between Worldline and SumUp. However, Worldline requires at least Android 12, whereas SumUp works from Android 11 and Payrexx from Android 8.1 – an advantage for merchants with older devices.

6. Tap to Pay vs. card terminal: When is a smartphone enough?

Tap to Pay is not the best choice for every scenario. The technology is excellently suited for mobile, flexible, and occasional use – but reaches its limits with intensive, continuous operation or complex POS setups.

Tap to Pay is ideal for

• Mobile service providers: therapists, craftspeople, cleaning services, driving instructors

• Market stalls, food trucks and pop-up stores with changing locations

• Associations and events with temporary points of sale

• Delivery services that collect payments on-site from the customer

• Micro-businesses that only occasionally accept card payments

• Backup checkout during peak times in stationary retail

A classic card terminal is better if

• You run a stationary business with high transaction volumes (from approx. CHF 10,000/month)

• Multiple employees are collecting payments at the same time and require separate devices

• A printed checkout receipt is requested by customers

• The terminal needs to be permanently integrated into a POS system (Lightspeed, Orderbird, Ready2Order)

• Robustness and continuous operation are required – e.g., in shift operations in gastronomy

In practice, many Swiss SMEs combine both solutions: a classic terminal at the counter and Tap to Pay as a mobile addition for field use, deliveries, or peak times.

Checklist: Choosing the right Tap to Pay provider

• Check TWINT demand: Do your customers frequently pay with TWINT? If so, SumUp is ruled out as a sole solution.

• Check smartphone: Do you have an iPhone or an Android device? Not every provider supports both platforms.

• Calculate monthly turnover: Under CHF 3,000, a model without fixed costs pays off. For higher volumes, percentages become more important than monthly subscription costs.

• Estimate domestic debit/credit card share: A high credit card share makes SumUp without a subscription expensive (2.5%).

• Consider offline scenarios: Tap to Pay always needs an internet connection (4G or Wi-Fi). At locations with poor reception, a TWINT QR sticker is useful as a backup.

• Can compile online + offline? If you also use an online shop or payment links, a provider with an integrated Dashboard (e.g., Payrexx) is more practical than separate systems.

• Check contract term: All three main providers work without a minimum contract duration – you can switch at any time.

• Note payout period: Worldline pays outstanding amounts within 48 hours, SumUp in 1–2 business days. With Payrexx, the frequency can be chosen (daily or monthly).

• Use trial phase: Worldline, SumUp, and Payrexx offer free registration. Payrexx also offers a 30-day trial period.

For Swiss SMEs wanting to accept card payments, TWINT, and wallets via a single smartphone, Payrexx Tap to Pay offers a solution that can be set up without hardware and with no setup fees. The special feature compared to pure SoftPOS providers: Payrexx connects on-site payments with online payments, payment links, QR Pay, and POS terminals in a single Dashboard. Anyone who accepts payments today at a market stall via Tap to Pay and Tomorrow processes orders through their webshop keeps everything in one place. The 30-day free trial period enables a risk-free start.