Tap to Pay at the weekly market and farm shop in Switzerland: Accept payments with your smartphone

Tap to Pay turns an NFC-enabled smartphone into a card terminal – without any additional hardware. For market traders and farm shops in Switzerland, this is an attractive middle-ground solution: more affordable than a physical terminal, yet more versatile than a standalone TWINT QR sticker. Customers hold their debit or credit card, their iPhone or their Apple Watch against the Comerciante's smartphone – the payment is completed in seconds.

This guide explains how Tap to Pay works, which smartphones and operating systems are supported, how much it costs, and which sales scenarios in direct marketing it is suitable for.

1. What is Tap to Pay and how does it work?

Tap to Pay (also known as SoftPOS) uses the NFC chip in the smartphone to accept contactless card payments. The smartphone takes on the role of the Lector de tarjetas. The Comerciante enters the amount in an app, the customer holds their card or smartphone against the device, and the payment is authorised via the mobile network. The process takes 3–5 seconds – faster than counting cash and giving change.

Technically, the following happens: Payment data is transmitted via NFC (Near Field Communication, range approx. 3–5 cm) from the customer's payment method to the smartphone. The app forwards the encrypted data to the payment provider, who authorises the transaction. The Comerciante receives confirmation on screen, and the customer can receive an electronic receipt via email or SMS.

2. Requirements: Which smartphones and operating systems are supported

In Switzerland, Tap to Pay is available in two variants, depending on the operating system and payment provider:

Android (e.g. Payrexx Tap to Pay)

Operating system: Android 8.1 or higher. Hardware: NFC-enabled smartphone with Google Mobile Services. Special feature: Payrexx Tap to Pay supports both contactless cards and TWINT directly in the app. The smartphone must feature a secure device configuration (Trusted Execution Environment) – most current Android devices meet this requirement. No separate terminal, no hardware purchase required.

iPhone (Apple Tap to Pay)

Operating system: Latest iOS version. Hardware: iPhone XS or newer. Special feature: Apple Tap to Pay has been available in Switzerland since March 2025 – however, not directly via Payrexx, but through partners such as SumUp, Worldline, Stripe, Nexi, Adyen and Mollie. TWINT is not supported on the iPhone. For TWINT, you will additionally need a QR sticker or an Android device.

3. Setting up Tap to Pay: Step by step for weekly markets and farm shops

The setup is intentionally kept simple and usually takes less than 15 minutes. Taking Payrexx Tap to Pay (Android) as an example: First, create or log into a Payrexx account – the free InStore plan is sufficient to get started. Second, download the Payrexx Tap to Pay app from the Google Play Store. Third, connect the app to the Payrexx account. Fourth, enter the amount and choose the payment method (card or TWINT). Fifth, the customer holds their card or smartphone against your device. Sixth, transaction confirmed – appears immediately in the Payrexx Dashboard.

For Apple Tap to Pay on the iPhone: You need a compatible app from a supported payment provider (e.g. SumUp, Worldline). Install the app, create an account with the provider, and activate Tap to Pay in the settings. The procedure for the customer is identical: hold the card or wallet against the iPhone.

4. Which payment methods your customers can use via Tap to Pay

Tap to Pay accepts all contactless payment methods: Visa Debit and Debit Mastercard (the new Swiss debit cards that replaced Maestro), Visa and Mastercard credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. With Payrexx Tap to Pay (Android), TWINT is added – the customer can choose directly in the app between card payment and TWINT payment.

What Tap to Pay does not accept: cards with Chip and PIN without contactless functionality (older cards that must be inserted), cash, and – on the iPhone – no TWINT. For higher amounts (over EUR 80 with some cards), a PIN entry may be required – this is done directly on the smartphone screen.

5. Tap to Pay vs. card terminal vs. TWINT QR: What suits direct marketing?

For many market traders, Tap to Pay is the ideal entry point: no purchase, no rental agreement, yet card payment. Anyone who regularly attends markets and requires a robust setup with a receipt printer is better off choosing a physical terminal. And the TWINT QR sticker remains useful as a free complement to all three options.

6. Costs: What Tap to Pay costs per transaction at the weekly market or farm shop

Tap to Pay itself incurs no additional device fee – you use your own smartphone. Transaction fees apply and vary depending on the provider. Payrexx Tap to Pay applies the same fees as the physical terminal – in the InStore plan (EUR 0) 1.65% + EUR 0.15 for cards and 1.30% for TWINT, and with the Better Fees add-on (EUR 9/month) the rates listed in the table:

With SumUp (without subscription), debit cards cost 1.50% and credit cards 2.50% – without a fixed fee per transaction. On a EUR 15 purchase via debit card: SumUp EUR 0.23, Payrexx EUR 0.29. Via credit card: SumUp EUR 0.38, Payrexx EUR 0.34. The differences are minimal for small amounts. The decisive factors are whether you need TWINT (only Payrexx on Android) and which smartphone you use (iPhone only via SumUp/Worldline etc.).

7. Practical tips: Battery, reception, hygiene and speed during fresh sales

Battery

Tap to Pay consumes more battery than normal phone calls because NFC, mobile data, and the display are active simultaneously. For a market day (6–10 hours), plan for a full charge plus a power bank. Tip: Turn off unnecessary apps and notifications to save battery.

Mobile reception

Tap to Pay requires an internet connection for every transaction. At most Swiss weekly markets, mobile reception is sufficient. At mountain markets or very remote farm shops, it can be limited. Test the reception before first use.

Hygiene and speed

A major advantage over cash: contactless payment is touch-free. The customer does not touch your smartphone – they hold their card or phone at a distance of 3–5 cm. This is hygienic, fast, and practical when you are weighing vegetables or wrapping flowers at the same time.

Workflow at the market stall

Typical workflow: You weigh the goods and state the price. Then you pick up the smartphone, type the amount into the app, and say "Please tap your card". The customer taps their card or smartphone, and the payment is confirmed with a beep. Duration: under 10 seconds. Tip: Place the smartphone on a raised, stable stand at your stall – this leaves both hands free for the produce.

8. Checklist: Tap to Pay for your weekly market, farm shop, or seasonal sales stall

• Check your smartphone: NFC present? Android 8.1+ or iPhone XS+? Battery capacity for a market day?

• Decide: Do you need TWINT? If yes, choose Payrexx Tap to Pay (Android). If no, you also have iPhone options (SumUp, Worldline).

• Una cuenta create with the payment provider and install the app – takes approx. 15 minutes.

• Carry out a test payment: Ask someone to pay with a contactless card. Check reception and speed.

• Pack a power bank – a reserve is advisable for a full market day.

• Put up a TWINT QR sticker as a supplement – for customers who want to pay directly via the TWINT app.

• Clearly display price tags – customers must know the amount before you enter it.

• Display card symbols at the stall (Visa, Mastercard, contactless symbol) – indicates that you accept card payments.

• Store the smartphone in a weather-protected place – under the stall roof, never in direct sunlight or in the rain.

If you have an Android smartphone and want to accept TWINT, cards and mobile wallets via a single app, Payrexx Tap to Pay offers a solution without any hardware purchase. The app is included in the free InStore plan; with the Better Fees add-on (EUR 9/month), transaction fees are 0.95% + EUR 0.15 (debit) or 1.25% + EUR 0.15 (credit). All payments appear in the same Dashboard as online payments, QR Pay and POS terminal transactions. More at payrexx.com/products/tap-to-pay.