In-person payments for hairdressers and barbershops in Switzerland: How to set up card payments, TWINT and tips

Swiss hair salons and barbershops benefit from cashless payment solutions: TWINT is used by over 6 million people in Switzerland, and a large proportion of brick-and-mortar businesses already accept the payment app. For salons, this means: whoever does not offer a card terminal or TWINT loses potential walk-in customers and makes the tipping topic unnecessarily complicated. The right payment solution depends on sales volume, desired TWINT integration, and the question of whether appointment booking and payment should be linked.

This guide explains step by step which payment solutions are suitable for hair salons and barbershops in Switzerland, what they cost, and how you can properly set up tipping, appointment booking, and accounting.

1. Why Swiss customers want to pay cashlessly in hair salons

Payment habits in Switzerland have changed significantly in recent years. According to the Swiss Payment Monitor by the ZHAW, the debit card is the most frequently used payment method in brick-and-mortar retail, followed by cash and TWINT. For hairdressers and barbershops, this shift has three concrete impacts.

First: Customers simply expect to be able to pay cashlessly. A salon that only accepts cash no longer seems contemporary – especially to younger customers who consider debit cards, TWINT, or Apple Pay as standard. Second: TWINT has a particularly high penetration rate in Switzerland. In 2025, 901 million transactions were processed via TWINT, 65% of them in face-to-face business. Third: Cashless payment solves an everyday problem in the salon – tipping. When customers carry no cash, tips often fall by the wayside. A tipping function on the terminal or via the payment page makes it easy to leave a tip anyway.

Additionally: Salons wishing to introduce prepayment or no-show fees during online booking strictly require an electronic payment solution. Without card payment or TWINT, such models cannot be implemented.

2. Terminal, Tap to Pay, or QR code: Which solution suits the salon?

For hair salons and barbershops, four basic approaches come into consideration: a physical card terminal, Tap to Pay on a smartphone (iPhone or Android), a pure TWINT QR code, or a PSP-based QR code covering credit cards and further payment methods in addition to TWINT. Each variant has advantages and disadvantages depending on sales volume, technical setup, and desired payment methods.

Physical card terminal

A classic card terminal – for instance from Worldline (formerly SIX Payment Services), SumUp, or Payrexx – accepts debit cards, credit cards, and contactless payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay). Worldline and Payrexx terminals additionally support TWINT and PostFinance Card. SumUp terminals do not accept TWINT. Payrexx offers POS terminals (N910 Pro, Nexgo N6, Nexgo N86) with an integrated SIM card for EUR 25 per month rent – the devices work independently of a smartphone and require no Wi-Fi in the salon. For salons with regular card turnover starting from EUR 3,000 per month, a Worldline or Payrexx terminal is worthwhile due to lower transaction fees compared to SumUp.

Tap to Pay on iPhone or Android

Since March 2025, Tap to Pay on iPhone has also been available in Switzerland. The smartphone turns into a card terminal – without additional hardware. Providers like SumUp, Worldline, Stripe, and myPOS support the iPhone variant for debit and credit cards, as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay. On Android, several providers offer SoftPOS solutions, including Payrexx Tap to Pay: The app transforms any NFC-enabled Android smartphone into a card terminal and accepts TWINT, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay in addition to cards – an advantage over the iPhone variant, which does not support TWINT. The transaction fees for Payrexx Tap to Pay on the free InStore plan are 1.65% + EUR 0.15 per transaction (TWINT 1.30%), with no fixed monthly costs for the first device; with the Better Fees add-on (EUR 9/month), the terminal rates of 0.95% and 1.25% + EUR 0.15 apply. For sole proprietors and mobile hairdressers, Tap to Pay is a straightforward entry-level solution. Limitation: A stable internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data) is required.

TWINT QR code (static or dynamic)

A static TWINT QR code at the reception is the simplest variant: The customer scans the code with the TWINT app and enters the amount manually. Transaction fee: 1.3%. This solution is suitable as an addition to a terminal or as a standalone option for very small businesses. The disadvantage: Only customers with the TWINT app can pay – tourists or people without TWINT are excluded.

PSP-based QR code (e.g. Payrexx QR Pay)

An evolution of the pure TWINT QR code are QR codes generated via a Payment Service Provider. The principle: The QR code can be scanned both with the TWINT app and with a standard smartphone camera. In the second case, a payment page opens where the customer can choose between TWINT, credit card, PostFinance, Apple Pay, and other payment methods. This is particularly practical for salons with international clientele or walk-ins without TWINT. The QR code can be configured with an open, fixed, or minimum amount and placed as a poster or sticker at the reception desk. The salon does not need its own Wi-Fi for this – the internet connection runs via the customer's smartphone.

Comparison of payment solutions

Many salons combine two solutions: a card terminal or Tap to Pay for the main turnover and a QR code as an additional option. Salons wanting to cover all payment methods via a single QR code opt for a PSP-based QR code instead of pure TWINT QR.

3. Tipping on the card terminal: How the tipping function works in Switzerland

Tipping is customary in Swiss hair salons, but not self-evident. Since more and more customers pay cashlessly, the question arises: How does tipping work on the card terminal?

Preset tipping amounts

The most common solution is preset tipping options on the terminal display. Typical tiers: 5%, 10%, 15%, or a custom amount. For a haircut costing EUR 65, the customer would see, for example, “EUR 3.25 / EUR 6.50 / EUR 9.75 / Other amount”. The advantage: The customer does not have to calculate manually, and the tip is recorded directly with the payment.

Technical implementation

Whether the tipping feature is available depends on the provider and terminal model. Worldline offers the function on its newer Android terminals (e.g. Axium series), configurable via the merchant portal. With SumUp, the tipping function can be activated in the app. SoftPOS solutions like Payrexx Tap to Pay as well as Payrexx POS terminals also offer a configurable tipping function – the advantage: Whether via smartphone app or physical terminal, the salon can offer tipping options without additional configuration steps. For online payment pages – such as for appointment booking – a PSP can display a tip option directly on the payment page.

Tax treatment

Tips received via card terminal are part of the payment flow from an accounting perspective and must be booked correctly. In Switzerland, tips are generally wages subject to AHV contributions if passed on to employees (Art. 7 lit. c AHVV). Regarding VAT: Tips given voluntarily by the customer in addition to the agreed price are not subject to value-added tax under Art. 18 para. 2 lit. j MWSTG, provided they are clearly separated from the service price. In accounting, it is recommended to keep tips in a separate account (e.g. a liability account “Transitory Tips”).

4. Appointment booking and prepayment: Combining online booking with payment

Many hair salons now use an online booking tool – such as via their own website, Instagram, or Google. Linking booking with payment solves two common problems: no-shows (customers who do not turn up) and the administrative effort involved in payment reminders.

No-show fees and prepayment

To reduce no-shows, more and more salons require a credit card pre-authorisation or prepayment upon booking. A no-show fee of EUR 30–50 is typical, which is only charged if the appointment is not attended. Alternatively, the full amount or a deposit (e.g. 50%) can be collected upon booking. Implementation requires a Payment Service Provider (PSP) that enables credit card payments and ideally TWINT via a payment page.

Integration with booking systems

Booking systems like Treatwell, Shore, or Salonkee can be connected to a PSP via APIs. The workflow: The customer books an appointment online, is redirected to the payment page, pays via TWINT or credit card, and receives the booking confirmation only after successful payment. A PSP with Swiss payment methods ensures that TWINT, PostFinance, and credit cards are available – not just Visa and Mastercard.

5. Costs and fees: What hairdressers in Switzerland really pay

Total costs consist of purchase or rental fees, transaction fees, and any subscription fees. The following table shows a realistic comparison for a salon with EUR 5,000 card turnover per month.

Important: Effective fees depend on the payment mix. In a typical hair salon, the debit card share is higher than the credit card share, which lowers average costs. With Worldline, fees are also negotiable – merchants who can demonstrate an annual card turnover of over EUR 50,000 generally receive better conditions. With its “Payments Plus” subscription for EUR 29 per month, SumUp offers reduced fees (0.99% instead of 1.5% or 2.5%), which pays off starting from a few thousand francs in card turnover per month. Payrexx POS terminals with Better Fees and 0.95% for debit cards offer one of the lowest rates on the market and additionally cover TWINT and PostFinance under a single contract.

6. Accounting: Correctly recording card payments, TWINT, and cash turnover

A common mistake among hairdressers: The payout from SumUp or Worldline is booked directly as revenue. This is incorrect – revenue is the gross amount paid by the customer, not the amount paid out after deducting the transaction fee.

Correct booking using a transit account

The clean solution: A transit account (e.g. account 1090 “Card Payments Transit Account” in the SME chart of accounts). The booking process: Upon sale, the gross amount is booked as income (e.g. account 3400 Service Revenue), with the balancing entry to transit account 1090. Upon payout by the terminal provider, the bank account (1020) is debited, transit account 1090 is credited, and the difference is booked as an expense to account 6840 (Bank Charges/Card Commissions).

VAT treatment

Value-added tax is always calculated on the full gross amount – that is, on the price paid by the customer, not on the net amount paid out. Most salon businesses are subject to VAT, as the turnover threshold of EUR 100,000 per year (Art. 10 para. 2 MWSTG) is quickly reached in salon operations. Hairdressing services are subject to the standard rate of 8.1%.

Mixed payment methods

In practice, a salon has three to four payment channels: cash, card terminal, TWINT, and possibly online prepayments. Each channel should be maintained separately in the accounting system. For cash, a cash book (account 1000) is still recommended. Terminal revenues run through transit account 1090. TWINT payouts can be posted to a separate transit account (e.g. 1091) if payout schedules differ. Processing all payment channels through a single PSP simplifies accounting, as only one payout per settlement period appears in the bank account.