Comparison of Swiss online payment providers for 2025

Note: This is the 2025 version. The current edition for 2026 can be found here.

1. Online Payments: Theory for Understanding

To accept payments in an online shop, Comerciantes require two contracts:

1. 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 Comerciantes (also Comerciantes) can work directly with a PSP. This provides them with all the desired payment methods, integration systems, and e-commerce tools, and also ensures they 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, Comerciantes also need an acquiring contract with an acquirer – unless the PSP itself takes on this role as a payment facilitator (cf. Chapter 1.3).

How a payment service provider (PSP) works

1.2 What is an acquirer and an acquiring contract?

An acquirer (also called acquiring bank ) is a financial institution that processes credit and debit card payments for Comerciantes. In order for an online shop to accept such payments, it needs an acquiring 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 Comerciantes by acting as a link between them and the acquirer (cf. Figure 2). The payment facilitator can sign the acquiring contract on behalf of the acquirer. Comerciantes, in turn, conclude their contract directly with the payment facilitator and therefore do not require a separate acquiring contract with an acquirer.

The payment facilitator thus 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 are not explained in detail in this article for the sake of simplicity.

2. How to choose the right provider?

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

• Which payment methods should be offered? A diverse range of payment methods increases customer satisfaction and conversion rate. Comerciantes should therefore check which payment methods their customers prefer. Not all providers support the same payment methods – the selection 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 facilitated by pre-built plugins¹. For well-known systems such as shopify or woocommerce, most providers offer ready-made plugins for easy integration. For custom-developed shops, some providers offer flexible API solutions.

• Which tools are needed? The features of a payment service provider should align with the shop's requirements. 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 are the costs? In addition to transaction fees, any monthly fixed costs, setup fees, and additional costs for specific features should also be considered. 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 businesses or international customers benefit from fast and cost-effective alternatives such as instant payments. 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 to offer 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 Comerciantes to avoid unnecessary expenses.

Furthermore, it is advisable to choose a provider that also acts as an acquirer or payment facilitator. This gives Comerciantes 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 features of individual payment service providers

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

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

To better assess customer satisfaction and service quality, the table also includes the Google ratings of all providers.

Feature matrix of the various 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 EUR 20,000 and one with EUR 100,000.

For the calculation, the cheapest offers of the individual payment service providers for the corresponding trading turnover were selected in each case. The pricing information is taken from the websites of the respective Payment Service Providers¹. Any setup fees are not included in the chart.

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

The following cost analysis shows the monthly fees for smaller online shops with a trading turnover of EUR 20,000 with 200 credit card transactions per month. The average value of a transaction is therefore EUR 100 per purchase.

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

A small online shop benefits from the lowest fees with Payrexx, closely followed by PostFinance. With costs of EUR 790, PayPal is the most expensive option for online shops with this volume. The price difference between Payrexx and PayPal is EUR 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 exclusive discounts for startups and non-profit organisations: 30 per cent for startups 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 EUR 100,000 per month

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

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

With monthly costs of EUR 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 EUR 2,371, which represents a saving of over 60 per cent.

No calculation was carried out for large online shops with a turnover of over EUR 100,000 per month. This is because many payment service providers offer individual special conditions for larger customers – including Datatrans, Payrexx, Stripe, walle, 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 Comerciantes 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 popular shop systems, such as woocommerce and shopify. Furthermore, the platform offers a range of practical e-commerce tools that are particularly attractive to smaller online Comerciantes without their own online shop. Also included are innovative POS and SoftPOS solutions for local trade, as well as universal QR code payment stickers, which can be used not only with TWINT but with all desired payment methods.

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

5.1.1 Pricing overview of Payrexx

¹The free subscription from Payrexx does not include plugins and API connection.

5.1.2 Additional remarks

Thanks to its comprehensive offering, Payrexx provides an attractive solution away from the large, often expensive providers. The Swiss company stands out for its flexibility, personal support, and specialisation in SME Comerciantes. In this way, Payrexx sets itself apart from global mass solutions. To register with this provider, Comerciantes require a valid photo ID, a document confirming their address, and, if applicable, the commercial register entry. Those who register by 4 pm are verified on the 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 means of payment (PostFinance Pay, TWINT, as well as Visa and Mastercard) and also provides various free shop plugins for integration into popular shop systems.

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

PostFinance also offers a free test phase of 30 days in a simulation mode. The average Google rating is 2.4 out of 5 stars based on 158 reviews.

5.2.1 Pricing overview of PostFinance

5.2.2 Additional remarks

To use PostFinance, the company must be based 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 is characterised by many years of experience and comprehensive services. Particularly 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, allowing foreign customers to pay easily in their own currency.

For easy integration, Worldline provides numerous free and paid plugins. Furthermore, larger companies benefit from additional services and comprehensive reporting tools. Worldline has an average Google rating of 2.9 out of 5 stars from a total of 589 reviews.

5.3.1 Pricing overview of Worldline

5.3.2 Additional remarks

Medium and larger companies as well as omnichannel solutions require a custom offer that cannot be ordered online. To find the right package, it is recommended 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 high transaction volumes. 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. Particularly 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 volumes. However, this also applies to smaller companies, for whom a separate contract with an acquirer may be more of an obstacle.

As soon as an acquirer contract is in place, 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 Pricing overview of Datatrans

5.4.2 Additional remarks

Since Datatrans is neither an acquirer nor a payment facilitator, Comerciantes also require an acquiring 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 derived from the average of the remaining 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 Comerciantes. The provider makes it possible to accept payments 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 wishing to appeal to 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 several free plugins for popular 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 based on a total of 618 reviews.

5.5.1 Pricing overview of PayPal

5.5.2 Additional remarks

Setting up PayPal is very simple. Comerciantes only need to provide their business information and company registration 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 require highly customizable 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 startups and larger companies with an international focus. The solution integrates easily with popular 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 based on 76 reviews.

5.6.1 Pricing overview of Stripe

5.6.2 Additional remarks

For the implementation of Stripe, Comerciantes should have developer skills. In addition, a valid photo ID and a company registration 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 Comerciantes 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 select only those features they truly need. This flexibility makes this provider an excellent choice for medium to large companies with specific payment solution requirements.

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

5.7.1 Pricing overview of wallee

5.7.2 Additional remarks

To use one of the many integrations of wallee, Comerciantes generally 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 through a unified platform. Here, Comerciantes 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 Comerciantes 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 popular 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 based on a total of 38 reviews.

5.8.1 Pricing overview of saldiaPay

5.8.2 Additional remarks

In addition to the broad range of integrated plugins and shop systems, saldiaPay offers many other webshop integrations upon request. Comerciantes require a photo ID for registration and, if available, the entry in the commercial register.

5.9 zahls.ch

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

In addition to classic payments, the zahls.ch offer 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 popular shop systems and scores with 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 Pricing overview of zahls.ch

5.9.2 Additional remarks

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

Conclusion: Which is the right payment service provider?

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

For young, digital businesses, 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 test phase.

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 for regional payment methods such as TWINT, PostFinance, Reka, etc. Here, Swiss providers like Payrexx, Datatrans, saldiaPay, or zahls.ch have an advantage. Those who have many international customers, on the other hand, benefit from global providers like PayPal or Stripe.

In terms of easy integration, PayPal, Payrexx, and zahls.ch are particularly convincing, while Stripe, Worldline, and Datatrans score with more customization options. Since setup with some providers involves a high degree of technical expertise, this point should also be considered when making a selection.

In summary, it is worth considering newer and lesser-known providers. These often offer attractive pricing and high-performance payment solutions, and can also better cater to the individual needs of Comerciantes. For small and medium-sized shops, Payrexx and wallee are a good choice, whereas for larger companies, an established provider may be more worthwhile. In terms of price, feature variety, 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
Means of payment: Datatrans, PayPal, Payrexx, PostFinance, Stripe, wallee, Worldline, saldiaPay, zahls.ch

Legal

We assume no liability whatsoever for the correctness, completeness, topicality, or quality of the data and information provided in this comparison article. In particular, it is important that online Comerciantes obtain information about 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. Likewise, we are 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