Tap to Pay (also known as SoftPOS) turns a conventional smartphone into a contactless card terminal. Swiss food truck operators and market traders can use it to accept credit and debit cards, TWINT and mobile wallets such as Apple Pay or Google Pay directly on their phone – without additional hardware. All you need is an NFC-capable Android or iOS device and the app of a supported payment service provider.

This guide shows you step by step how Tap to Pay works, which smartphones and providers are supported in Switzerland, what the solution costs and when a classic mobile terminal is still the better choice.

1. What is Tap to Pay and why is it made for food trucks and market stalls?

Tap to Pay – known in the industry as SoftPOS (Software Point of Sale) – refers to a technology that uses the NFC antenna of a smartphone to accept contactless payments. The smartphone fully replaces the traditional card terminal. The payer holds their card or own phone to the merchant's device, and the transaction is processed via a certified app and a Payment Service Provider (PSP).

For food trucks, market stalls and pop-up businesses, Tap to Pay solves several practical problems at once: there are no purchase costs for a terminal, the smartphone is always with you anyway, and setup usually takes less than an hour. Seasonal businesses that are only active for a few months a year benefit especially, because there are no fixed costs or minimum contract terms. Tap to Pay is also a reliable backup solution – for example if the conventional terminal fails.

In Switzerland, the technology has been widely available since spring 2025. Apple enabled Tap to Pay on iPhone in March 2025 for Switzerland, Android devices have supported the function for longer via apps from various providers. Swiss PSPs offering Tap to Pay include Payrexx, SumUp, Worldline, Stripe and Nexi.

2. How it works: smartphone instead of card reader – step by step

The process is almost identical with most providers and is completed in just a few steps:

Create and verify account: You register with the chosen payment provider, submit your company details and go through the regulatory review (Know Your Customer, KYC). With most providers, verification takes one to five working days – some, such as Payrexx, offer same-day review if documents are submitted by 4 p.m.

Download app: You install the provider's Tap-to-Pay app from the Google Play Store (Android) or the Apple App Store (iPhone) and sign in with your account.

Initiate payment: You enter the amount in the app, select the payment method (card or e.g. TWINT) and start the payment process.

Customer pays: Your customer holds their contactless card or smartphone (with Apple Pay, Google Pay etc.) to the back of your device. For amounts over CHF 80, PIN entry is shown directly on the smartphone screen.

Confirmation and receipt: The transaction is confirmed. Depending on the provider, you can send the receipt by SMS, e-mail or QR code.

The payout to your bank account takes place, depending on the provider, within 48 hours to five working days.

3. Requirements: which smartphones, operating systems and apps are supported?

Tap to Pay requires a smartphone with NFC (Near Field Communication). The exact requirements differ between iPhone and Android.

iPhone

Tap to Pay on iPhone requires at least an iPhone XS (2018) or newer. The device must have the latest iOS version installed and an internet connection. In Switzerland, providers such as SumUp, Worldline, Stripe, Adyen, Mollie, myPOS and Nexi currently support Apple's function.

Android

For Android devices, an NFC-capable smartphone or tablet with at least Android 11 is required. Google Play Services must be installed and up to date. Devices with root access or enabled developer options are usually blocked for security reasons. Most current models from Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus and Huawei are compatible.

Security and certification: is Tap to Pay on a smartphone secure enough?

Yes. Tap to Pay is subject to the same security standards as a conventional card terminal. The technology is certified to the CPoC standard (Contactless Payments on Commercial Off-the-Shelf Devices) of the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) and meets the requirements of the PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).

On iPhones, card data is processed in the so-called Secure Element – a dedicated security chip that is physically separated from the rest of the operating system. Apple does not store card numbers on the device or on its own servers. On Android devices, encryption and tokenisation ensure that sensitive card data is never stored or transmitted in plain text on the device. Instead of the real card number, a temporary token is used.

In addition, the same security mechanisms apply as with contactless payments at conventional terminals: amounts over CHF 80 require PIN entry (which takes place directly on the smartphone screen), and the payment networks (Visa, Mastercard) monitor transactions in real time for irregularities.

5. Speed in service: payment process under 5 seconds – practical test

In everyday food truck operations, every second counts, especially during the lunch rush. Tap to Pay performs well here: in practical tests, the pure payment process (from the moment the customer taps their card) takes between two and four seconds for contactless payments under CHF 80. For amounts over CHF 80, PIN entry is added, which extends the process to around eight to twelve seconds.

For comparison: a classic mobile terminal such as the SumUp Solo or a Worldline device takes similarly long for a contactless payment – the difference is in the range of one to two seconds and is hardly noticeable in practice. The real time advantage of Tap to Pay lies elsewhere: you do not have to charge, switch on or connect a separate device via Bluetooth. You enter the amount, the customer pays, done.

A relevant note for food truck operations: a stable mobile connection (4G/5G) is a prerequisite for the payment process. In areas with poor reception – for example at fairgrounds in rural regions – delays may occur. Some providers allow limited offline transactions that are synchronised later, but this is the exception.

6. Tap to Pay vs. mobile terminal: when is the smartphone enough, when do you need more?

Tap to Pay is not the right solution for every use case. The decision between a smartphone solution and a mobile terminal depends on the business model, transaction volume and accepted payment methods.

Comparison: Tap to Pay vs. mobile terminal

Tap to Pay is especially suitable if you are just starting out, are only on the road seasonally or need an additional device for peak times. If you process over CHF 1’000 per day, need to print receipts or regularly want to accept cards without NFC (for example older Maestro cards with chip), a mobile terminal is the more robust choice. Many merchants combine both: terminal as the main system, smartphone as backup.

7. Costs: no hardware, only transaction fees – what you really pay

The biggest cost advantage of Tap to Pay compared with a classic terminal lies in the eliminated hardware costs. You pay no purchase price, no rental, no maintenance contract. The costs are limited to transaction fees charged per accepted payment and – depending on the provider – a monthly subscription.

Cost comparison of selected providers (Switzerland, as of 2026)

* Stripe fees apply to in-person payments in Switzerland (Domestic). All information without guarantee, as of 2026.

An example makes the cost structure clear: on a market day, a food truck processes CHF 800 in card payments, spread across 50 transactions with an average amount of CHF 16. With a provider charging 1.65 % + CHF 0.15 per transaction (such as Payrexx), this results in total costs of around CHF 20.70 for the day. With SumUp at 1.5 % (debit), it would be CHF 12 – however without TWINT acceptance, which is a relevant sales factor in Switzerland.

For Swiss SMEs that want to accept cards as well as TWINT and PostFinance directly via smartphone, Payrexx Tap to Pay is one of the few solutions that combines all relevant Swiss payment methods in one app. Registration is possible via the free Free plan, verification takes place on the same day if all documents are complete. In addition, Payrexx Tap to Pay can be used on multiple devices with a single account – practical if you work with two cash registers at the market stall (first device free, each additional device CHF 4/month).

8. Checklist: set up Tap to Pay for your food truck or market stall

• Check whether your smartphone supports NFC (iPhone XS or newer or Android with NFC and at least Android 11).

• Update your operating system to the latest version (iOS or Android).

• Choose a payment provider that supports Tap to Pay in Switzerland and covers the payment methods your customers use (especially TWINT and debit cards).

• Create an account with the chosen provider and submit your company details for the KYC check (commercial register extract, ID card, IBAN).

• Download the Tap-to-Pay app from the official app store and connect it to your account.

• Test the payment process with your own card or a test purchase before going live.

• Make sure you have a stable mobile connection (4G/5G) at the location – test reception in advance.

• Clarify how you want to issue receipts (digital via SMS, e-mail or QR code).

• Decide whether you need a backup (second smartphone, mobile terminal, cash).

• Find out about your provider's payout rhythm (daily, weekly, monthly) and make sure the payout IBAN is stored correctly.