How it works: Mobile payment for occupational and speech therapists during home visits and school therapy in Switzerland

Occupational and speech therapists who treat children at home or at school can accept payments directly on-site using the Payrexx Tap to Pay app on an Android smartphone – without a terminal, without a device, and without any detour. Payment links sent to parents via WhatsApp complement this setup for any situation where there is no direct contact.

This guide shows you the optimal payment workflow for home visits, school therapy sessions, and mobile occupational/speech therapy assignments – with verified fees and concrete backup scenarios.

1. Why home visits and school therapy pose unique challenges

Mobile occupational therapy and school speech therapy are common in Switzerland: therapists travel to schools, special education schools, daycares, or patients' homes. This creates a specific payment situation: parents are usually not on-site – they have dropped the child off at school or are waiting for the therapist at home. A terminal makes no sense since there is no one there to make the payment.

The solution is twofold: Tap to Pay on Android for those rare occasions when parents are on-site (e.g. home visits where the mother is at home), and Payment Links via WhatsApp for all other situations. The therapist briefs the parents with a message after the session and attaches the payment link directly.

2. Tap to Pay for home visits: step by step

Setup takes less than 15 minutes and works on any NFC-enabled Android smartphone (Android 8.1 or higher):

• Create a Payrexx account (free, Free plan is sufficient)

• Download the Payrexx Tap to Pay app from the Google Play Store

• Connect the app to your Payrexx account

• Activate payment methods: cards, TWINT, mobile wallets

• Perform a test payment using your own card

• During the home visit: enter the amount, and the parent holds their card or smartphone against the Android device

• The payment appears immediately in the Dashboard

Tap to Pay is available in all Payrexx plans, including Free. iPhone is not supported. Fees: debit card 0.95%+EUR 0.15, credit card 1.25%+EUR 0.15, TWINT 1.25%+EUR 0.00 (as of May 2026).

3. Payment Link for school therapy: the standard workflow

Parents are never present during school therapy. A Payment Link via WhatsApp is the only practical way. The recommended workflow is as follows:

• Conduct the session at the school

• After the session, send a brief WhatsApp to the parents: feedback on the session + payment link

• Create a payment link in the Payrexx Dashboard (amount, optional title e.g. 'Speech therapy 3 June')

• Copy the link into the WhatsApp message and send it

• The parent pays in the evening using TWINT, card, or wallet

• The payment is visible in the Dashboard

This combination – therapeutic update and payment link in a single message – is perceived by parents as professional and service-oriented. There are no separate reminders, no awkward payment moments, and no outstanding balances.

4. TWINT QR code as a silent backup

For situations where neither Tap to Pay nor Payment Link is practical – such as when a parent spontaneously waits at the school door and wishes to pay – we recommend keeping a laminated static TWINT QR code as a backup. The QR code is created once via Payrexx QR Pay, printed, and carried in the therapy bag. Fee: 1.25%+EUR 0.00 (QR Pay, as of May 2026). The parent simply scans the code, enters the amount, and confirms.

5. Internet connection during school visits

Schools often have poor or restricted guest Wi-Fi. Tap to Pay requires an internet connection on the therapist's Android device – utilizing your own mobile network (4G/5G) is the most reliable solution. The payment link can also be prepared without reception and sent as soon as the therapist has a signal again.

For rural schools with weak mobile networks: use the TWINT QR code as the primary solution. The payment process occurs on the parent's smartphone – the therapist does not need a stable connection for this. Simply check the incoming transaction in the Dashboard once you back in range.

6. Bookkeeping for mobile assignments

All transactions – whether via Tap to Pay, Payment Link, or QR Pay – appear in the same Payrexx Dashboard. For mobile assignments, we recommend using the following booking reference: school name or location + date. This allows you to analyze all school and home visits separately at the end of the month. CSV export for your accountant is possible at any time.

7. Checklist: Mobile payments for occupational/speech therapy home visits and school therapy

• Check your Android device: NFC-enabled, Android 8.1+

• Create a Payrexx account (Free plan is sufficient)

• Install the Payrexx Tap to Pay app from the Google Play Store

• Create, print, and laminate a TWINT QR code via QR Pay as a backup

• Prepare a WhatsApp template for parents: session feedback + payment link

• Check mobile data network coverage for your regular school locations

• Define a standard booking reference: school name/location + date

• Perform a test payment with your own card before the first assignment

Payrexx Tap to Pay and Payment Links are available in all plans, including Free – with no monthly fee and no hardware required. For mobile occupational and speech therapists, the free setup (Tap to Pay on Android + Payment Links + TWINT QR code) provides a complete payment system for under EUR 0 in fixed costs.