Swiss associations can collect payments cashlessly at festivals and events without expensive infrastructure or lengthy contracts. The three most common methods are a printed QR code with a payment page (from zero hardware costs), Tap to Pay on the smartphone (from approx. 1.5–1.7 % transaction fee) and a mobile card terminal (from approx. EUR 29 device costs). Which option suits your club event 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 you can be ready to start in 30 minutes, and explains how the accounting is then cleanly fed into the club accounts.

1. Why cashless payment at the club event makes sense

Payment behaviour in Switzerland has changed significantly. According to the Swiss Payment Monitor, most people prefer to pay cashlessly in everyday life – with a debit card, credit card, TWINT or mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. At a typical club event, however, cash still dominates in many places: visitors first have to go to the cash machine, helpers juggle change, and the treasurer counts coins late at night.

For clubs, there are three concrete advantages if they offer a digital payment option in addition to cash. First, revenue increases because visitors without cash still buy – in practice, average amounts are 15–30 % higher for cashless payments. Second, the effort is reduced: no organising change, no counting, no bank deposits. Third, the club receives complete digital accounting – helpful for the auditors and the general meeting.

Important: cashless does not mean cashless-only. Most clubs are best served by a hybrid model – continue to accept cash, but also offer one or two digital payment options.

2. The three methods at a glance

For Swiss clubs, three practical methods are available at the event. Each has its sweet spot – depending on budget, visitor numbers and technical know-how.

2.1 QR code with payment page

A QR code takes the visitor to a mobile payment page where they choose their preferred payment method – TWINT, credit card, PostFinance, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The club prints the QR code and sticks it to the stall, the menu or next to the cash desk. 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 «Sausage EUR 8»), the visitor only has to tap «Pay». With a QR code with a free amount, the visitor enters the amount themselves – more flexible, but a little slower at the stall.

The key difference from a pure TWINT QR: a payment page accepts several payment methods. Visitors without TWINT – for example tourists, older guests or cross-border commuters – can still pay. Providers such as Payrexx or other Swiss payment service providers (PSPs) offer such multi-payment-method QRs.

2.2 Tap to Pay (smartphone as terminal)

Tap to Pay, also known as SoftPOS, turns an NFC-capable 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. No additional hardware is required – just the app on a compatible device.

At present, several Swiss providers offer Tap to Pay solutions, including Payrexx (Android), SumUp and Worldline. Availability for iPhone depends on whether Apple has approved the NFC interface in Switzerland for the respective provider – this changes constantly. Check before the event whether your device is compatible.

2.3 Mobile card terminal

A classic mobile card terminal (e.g. from SumUp, Worldline or via a PSP such as Payrexx) accepts contactless and chip payments. The devices work on battery and mobile network (4G/SIM) or Bluetooth to the smartphone. For clubs with high throughput – for example a food and drink stall with several hundred guests – a terminal is often the most robust solution, because it works independently of the helper's smartphone and also works reliably with weak Wi‑Fi.

The device costs range depending on the provider between EUR 29 and 399 (purchase) or can be hired for individual events. In addition, there are transaction fees of typically 1.3–1.7 % depending on the payment method and provider.

3. Comparison table: Which method suits your event?

The following table compares the three methods on the basis of the most important criteria for a typical Swiss club event.

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

4. Costs in detail: What a club event really costs

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

Note: The fees mentioned are guideline values 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 in 30 minutes: setup guide for your club event

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

5.1 Set up QR code with payment page

Register with a Swiss PSP that offers QR payment pages (e.g. Payrexx, HypiPay or similar). Create a separate QR code for each product or price category: «Beer EUR 5», «Sausage EUR 8», «Donation freely selectable». Download the QR codes as an image, print them in sufficient size (at least 5 × 5 cm) on paper or card and laminate them if necessary to protect them from rain and beer splashes. Put them up clearly visible at the stall – ideally at eye level next to the price board. Test before the event with your own mobile phone whether the scan works and the payment page loads correctly.

5.2 Set up Tap to Pay

Install the app from your chosen provider on the Android smartphones of the helpers who are to take payments at the event. Log in with the club account. Test a trial payment with a real card (small amount, e.g. EUR 1, and then void it). Make sure that each device has enough battery – plan power banks. Tip: Set up a reference system (e.g. «Stand A – drinks», «Stand B – grill») so that the transactions can later be assigned.

5.3 Set up mobile card terminal

Order the terminal in good time – at least 5–10 working days before the event. Charge the device fully and activate it according to the provider's instructions. Check the mobile connection at the venue (4G reception). If the site is poorly covered, choose a terminal with offline mode that stores transactions temporarily and synchronises them later. Give the helpers a short introduction to how it works – enter the amount, hold the card up, send the receipt by SMS or email.

6. Settlement and club accounts

After the event, the treasurer wants to know: how much was taken cashlessly, and how does the money flow into the club account? With most Swiss PSPs, settlement 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 weekly or monthly into the club's IBAN account – less the transaction fees. You receive a detailed payout overview by email or as a CSV export.

For the club accounts, it is advisable to keep the payout overview as a receipt. If your club works with club software such as ClubDesk, Webling or KLARA, you can usually import the exported transaction data directly. This eliminates manual typing and the cash report for the general meeting is finished faster.

For tax purposes, income from club events is only taxable for most Swiss clubs if the club operates a commercial business or exceeds the turnover thresholds for VAT (currently EUR 100’000 annual turnover). For the typical club event with a few thousand francs turnover, nothing changes tax-wise, whether cash or cashlessly collected.

7. Practical examples: how other clubs do it

Football tournament with food and drink stall

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

Concert by a music club with bar

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

Scout flea market and camp shop

A scout troop runs a small stall with home-made 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. The transaction fees for 50 sales and an average amount of EUR 6 are around EUR 6–8 in total – less than the cost of coin rolls and a trip to the bank.

8. Checklist: collecting cashlessly at the club event

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

• PSP account opened and verified (at least 5–10 days before the event – allow for KYC checks)

• Club account (IBAN) stored for payouts

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

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

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

• Power banks organised for smartphones and terminals

• Helpers instructed in how to use it (a 5-minute briefing is enough)

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

• After the event: export transaction list, reconcile with cash income, file receipt for accounting

Payrexx offers clubs an approach that combines all three methods in one account: QR codes with 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 club only pays transaction fees when payments are actually taken. Recognised non-profit organisations receive 50 % discount on paid subscriptions. All transactions flow into a Dashboard with export function for the club accounts.