Accept cashless payments at a club event in Switzerland – QR code, terminal or smartphone?

Swiss associations can accept cashless payments at festivals and events, without expensive infrastructure or long-term contracts. The three most common methods are a printed QR code with a payment page (from zero francs hardware costs), Tap to Pay on a smartphone (from approx. 1.5–1.7 % transaction fee) and a mobile card terminal (from approx. 29 EUR device costs). Which option suits your association festival depends on the number of visitors, the average amount and the existing infrastructure.

This guide compares all three methods with concrete Swiss costs, shows you step-by-step how to get ready to go in 30 minutes, and explains how the billing afterwards flows cleanly into the association's accounting.

1. Why cashless payments make sense at association festivals

Payment behaviour in Switzerland has changed significantly. According to the Swiss Payment Monitor, the majority of the population prefers to pay cashless in everyday life – using debit cards, credit cards, TWINT or mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. At typical association festivals, however, cash still dominates in many places: visitors have to go to the ATM beforehand, helpers juggle with change, and the treasurer counts coins late in the evening.

For associations, there are three concrete advantages when they offer a digital payment option in addition to cash. Firstly, revenues increase because visitors still consume even without cash – experience shows 15–30 % higher average amounts for cashless payments. Secondly, the effort decreases: no organizing of change, no counting, no bank deposits. Thirdly, the association receives seamless digital accounting – helpful for the auditing body and the general assembly.

Important: Cashless does not mean cashless-only. Most associations do best with a hybrid model – continuing to accept cash, but additionally offering one or two digital payment options.

2. The three methods at a glance

For Swiss associations, three practical methods come into question for festivals. Each has its sweet spot – depending on budget, number of visitors and technical know-how.

2.1 QR code with payment page

A QR code leads the visitor to a mobile payment page where they choose their preferred means of payment – TWINT, credit card, PostFinance, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The association prints the QR code and sticks it to the stand, on the menu or next to the cash register. Hardware costs: zero. The only requirement: the visitor needs a smartphone.

There are two variants. With a QR code with a fixed amount (e.g. «Beer EUR 5» or «Bratwurst EUR 8»), the visitor only has to tap on «Pay». With a QR code with an open amount, the visitor enters the amount themselves – more flexible, but a bit slower at the stand.

The decisive difference to a pure TWINT-QR: A payment page accepts several payment methods. Visitors without TWINT – such as tourists, older guests or cross-border commuters – can still pay. Providers like Payrexx or other Swiss Payment Service Providers (PSP) offer such multi-payment-method QR codes.

2.2 Tap to Pay (Smartphone as a terminal)

Tap to Pay, also known as SoftPOS, turns an NFC-enabled smartphone into a card terminal. The helper enters the amount in the app, the visitor holds their card or smartphone to the device. Credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard), TWINT and mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay) are accepted. Additional hardware is not necessary – only the app on a compatible device.

Currently, several Swiss providers offer Tap-to-Pay solutions, including Payrexx (Android), SumUp and Worldline. The availability for iPhone depends on whether Apple has released the NFC interface in Switzerland for the respective provider – this is changing constantly. Check before the festival whether your device is compatible.

2.3 Mobile card terminal

A classic mobile card terminal (e.g. from SumUp, Worldline or via a PSP like Payrexx) accepts contactless and chip payments. The devices work via battery and mobile network (4G/SIM) or Bluetooth to the smartphone. For associations with high throughput – such as a festival catering team with several hundred guests – a terminal is often the most robust solution because it works independently of the helper's smartphone and operates reliably even with weak Wi-Fi.

Depending on the provider, device costs range between 29 and 399 EUR (purchase) or can be rented for individual events. Added to this are transaction fees of typically 1.3–1.7 % depending on the payment method and provider.

3. Comparison table: Which method suits your festival?

The following table compares the three methods based on the most important criteria for a typical Swiss association event.

Tip: The methods are not mutually exclusive. Many associations combine, for example, a printed QR code (for donations and spontaneous purchases) with Tap to Pay at the main stand (for quick throughput).

4. Costs in detail: What an association festival really costs

Associations are cost-sensitive – every franc counts. Therefore, here is a realistic example calculation for a typical village festival with 200 visitors, of whom 80 pay cashless, with an average amount of EUR 12 per transaction.

Note: The fees mentioned are guidelines for Swiss domestic transactions (as of 2026). The exact conditions depend on the provider, subscription model and payment method. TWINT transactions usually cost between 1.3 and 1.5 %, credit card payments are slightly higher. Check the current fees directly with the provider of your choice.

5. Ready to go in 30 minutes: Setup guide for your association festival

Have you decided on a method? Then follow this step-by-step guide – the process is similar regardless of the provider.

5.1 Setting up a QR code with a payment page

Register with a Swiss PSP that offers QR payment pages (e.g. Payrexx, Payrexx or similar). Create a separate QR code for each product or price category: «Beer EUR 5», «Bratwurst EUR 8», «Donation freely selectable». Download the QR codes as an image, print them in a sufficient size (at least 5 × 5 cm) on paper or cardboard and laminate them if necessary protect against rain and beer splashes. Position them clearly visible at the stand – ideally at eye level next to the price list. Before the festival, test with your own phone whether the scan works and the payment page loads correctly.

5.2 Setting up Tap to Pay

Install the app of your chosen provider on the Android smartphones of the helpers who are going to accept payments at the festival. Log in with the association's account. Test a trial payment with a real card (very small amount, e.g. EUR 1, and then cancel it). Ensure that every device has enough battery power – plan for power banks. Tip: Set up a reference system (e.g. «Stand A – Drinks», «Stand B – Grill») so that the transactions can be linked later.

5.3 Setting up a mobile card terminal

Order the terminal in good time – at least 5–10 working days before the festival. Charge the device completely and activate it according to the provider's instructions. Check the mobile network connection at the event venue (4G reception). If the area has poor coverage, choose a terminal with an offline mode that temporarily stores transactions and synchronises them later. Briefly instruct the helpers on how to use it – enter amount, hold card close, send receipt via SMS or email.

6. Billing and association accounting

After the festival, the treasurer wants to know: How much was received cashless, and how does the money flow to the association's account? For most Swiss PSPs, billing works as follows.

All cashless transactions appear in an online Dashboard or an app. There you can see for each payment: amount, payment method, time and, if applicable, a reference. The collected amounts are paid out to the association's IBAN account weekly or monthly, depending on the provider – minus transaction fees. You will receive a detailed payout overview via email or as a CSV export.

For the association's accounting, it is recommended to keep the payout overview as a receipt. If your association works with association software such as ClubDesk, Webling or KLARA, you can usually import the exported transaction data directly. This eliminates the need for manual typing and the cash report for the general assembly is finished faster.

Regarding tax: Income from association festivals is only tax-deductible for most Swiss associations if the association runs a commercial business or exceeds the turnover thresholds for value-added tax (currently EUR 100,000 annual turnover). For the typical association event with a few thousand francs in turnover, nothing changes tax-wise, regardless of whether payments are accepted in cash or card.

7. Practical examples: How other associations do it

Football tournament with festival catering

A regional football club organises a local tournament with 300 visitors. At the main stand (drinks and grill), two helpers use Tap to Pay on their smartphones. For the dessert counter, a printed QR code per product is sufficient. Result: Around 40 % of the payments are cashless, the association saves on change and counting late at night.

Music association concert with bar

A brass band organises an annual concert with 150 guests. At the entrance, a QR code hangs for voluntary donations («Support our association – amount freely selectable»). At the bar, there is a mobile card terminal because the throughput is high during the interval. The treasurer exports the transaction list the next day and books the income into the association's accounting.

Scout flea market and camp shop

A scout group runs a small stand with homemade products at the neighbourhood festival. Budget: practically zero. The solution: Three laminated QR codes («Large jar of jam EUR 7», «Small jar EUR 4», «Donation»). No terminal, no subscription, no fixed costs. For 50 sales and an average amount of EUR 6, the transaction fees total around EUR 6–8 – less than the costs for coin rolls and going to the bank.

8. Checklist: Accepting cashless payments at association festivals

• Method chosen: QR code, Tap to Pay, card terminal – or a combination?

• PSP account opened and verified (at least 5–10 days before the festival – plan for KYC check)

• Association account (IBAN) set up for payouts

• QR codes created, printed and laminated – checked with test scans

• Tap to Pay app installed on all helper smartphones and trial payment carried out

• Card terminal ordered, charged and mobile network connection tested at the event venue

• Power banks organised for smartphones and terminals

• Helpers instructed on operation (5-minute briefing is sufficient)

• Signage at the stand: «Cashless payment possible – TWINT, card, Apple Pay»

• After the festival: export transaction list, compare with cash receipts, store receipt for accounting

Payrexx offers an approach for associations that combines all three methods in one account: QR codes with a payment page (TWINT, credit card, PostFinance and wallets via a single QR code), Tap to Pay on Android smartphones as well as card terminals.

The free subscription has no monthly fixed costs – the association only pays transaction fees when payments are actually accepted. Recognised non-profit organisations receive a 50 % discount on paid subscriptions. All transactions flow into a Dashboard with an export function for the association's accounting.

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