Swiss clubs can now collect membership fees digitally by sending a payment link (Paylink) by email instead of paper invoices. The member clicks the link, selects their preferred payment method – TWINT, credit card, PostFinance or QR invoice – and pays within seconds. The treasurer sees the payment immediately in the Dashboard and saves weeks of follow-ups, reminders and bank reconciliation.

This guide compares four methods of fee collection – from the classic Excel list to club software with integrated payment – and shows you step by step how to implement the switch in practice.

1. The problem: Why classic fee collection slows clubs down

In most Swiss clubs, annual fee collection still runs on the same pattern: the treasurer creates a member list in Excel, generates QR invoices, sends them by post or email as PDF and waits. After two weeks, half have paid. After four weeks, the treasurer writes payment reminders. After six weeks, dunning notices follow. In the end, 10–20 % of members remain who only pay after personal contact.

The manual process costs the treasurer an estimated 15–25 hours per collection cycle for a club with 150–200 members. In addition: the paper QR invoice offers the member only one payment route – bank transfer via e-banking. Anyone who prefers TWINT or credit card has to enter the amount manually. That creates friction and delays payment.

A payment link (also called a Paylink) solves this problem. A Paylink is a URL that leads directly to a pre-filled payment page. The member only has to choose a payment method and confirm. The treasurer sees incoming payments in real time, without reconciling bank statements.

2. Four methods compared: From payment slip to digital contribution

Depending on club size, budget and technical know-how, different approaches are possible. The following table compares the four most common methods for collecting fees in Swiss clubs.

Tip: The methods can be combined. Many clubs send the Paylink by email and include a printed QR invoice for members without an email address.

3. Method A: Payment link by email – the fastest way

The payment link is the biggest lever for most clubs. The treasurer creates a link with the pre-filled amount from the Payment Service Provider (PSP) – e. g. «Membership fee 2026: EUR 120». The treasurer sends this link by email to all members. The member clicks, lands on the payment page, chooses TWINT, credit card, PostFinance Pay or Apple Pay and pays. Done.

With Swiss PSPs such as Payrexx, HypiPay or Payworx, the payment link can be customized: member name, reference number, amount. This allows the treasurer to immediately assign which member has paid. Most providers also allow you to create a collective link (same amount for everyone), which reduces the effort even further.

Practice example: gymnastics club with 200 members

A gymnastics club switches to payment links. Before: QR invoices by post, 6 weeks collection time, three reminder rounds. After: email with Paylink to all 200 members on 1. September. After 48 hours, 140 members have paid (70 %). After one week and an automatic reminder, there are 185 payments (92 %). The remaining 15 members receive a final email with a deadline. Total duration: 12 days instead of 6 weeks. Effort for the treasurer: around 2 hours instead of 20.

4. Method B: Recurring payments for monthly models

Clubs with monthly fees – for example fitness, martial arts or dance clubs – benefit from recurring payments. The member authorizes a debit once, after which the monthly fee is debited automatically.

Technically, this works via credit card tokenization: the member enters their card details once, the PSP stores a token (not a card number) and charges the token monthly. Alternatively, some providers offer eBill integrations, where the invoice appears directly in the member's e-banking and, if desired, is paid automatically.

For the club, that means: zero manual effort per month, predictable cash flow and no list of outstanding payments. The treasurer only has to take care of cancellations and fee changes. Providers such as Payrexx, Stripe or wallee support recurring payments in Switzerland.

5. Method C: QR invoice with online payment option

Not every club wants to (or can) switch completely to digital payment links. Some members – especially older ones – prefer the classic route via QR invoice by post. The good news: both can be combined.

The QR invoice has been the standard payment slip in Switzerland since October 2022 and is defined by SIX (Swiss Payment Standards). The Swiss QR code contains all payment information – recipient, IBAN, amount, reference. The member can scan the QR invoice in e-banking and pay it.

Some club software providers such as ClubDesk or Webling complement the QR invoice with a TWINT payment option: the member scans the same QR code with the TWINT app and pays directly on mobile instead of going via e-banking. The fees for TWINT payments via QR Pay Plus are about 2.5 % per transaction.

Alternatively, you can send the QR invoice by post and add a payment link in the covering letter: «Prefer TWINT or credit card? Pay here: [Link]». This way you serve both target groups – analog and digital – without duplicate effort.

6. Costs at a glance: What digital fee collection costs

The following example calculation shows the costs for a club with 200 members and an annual fee of EUR 120 per person.

Conclusion of the calculation: The payment link saves postage and a lot of working time, but creates transaction fees. For clubs where the treasurer works on a voluntary basis and their time is valuable, the switch is almost always worthwhile from around 50 members. For clubs under 30 members, the manual QR invoice is often entirely sufficient.

Note on fees: TWINT transactions usually cost 1.3–1.5 %, credit card payments about 1.65 % + fixed fee. TWINT via RaiseNow/ClubDesk is about 2.5 % (QR Pay Plus). The fees are indicative values – check the current terms with the provider of your choice.

7. Step by step: How to switch fee collection

7.1 Preparation

Collect the email addresses of all members. In many clubs, 5–10 % of addresses are missing – that is normal. For these members, you continue to send a QR invoice by post. Check whether your club has an IBAN club account (a requirement with every PSP). Clarify in the board which fee types should be digitized: annual fee, season fee, course fees.

7.2 Open a PSP account

Open an account with a Swiss PSP that supports payment links. Providers such as Payrexx, HypiPay or Payworx offer free or basic subscriptions without monthly fixed costs. The KYC check (Know Your Customer) takes, depending on the provider, a few hours to several working days. You need: club statutes, board identification and IBAN.

7.3 Create and send payment links

Create a payment link for the membership fee in the PSP Dashboard. With most providers, you can enter the amount, a description («Membership fee 2026») and a reference. If you have individual amounts (e.g. adults EUR 120, youth EUR 60), create a separate link for each category. Send the links by email – ideally with short instructions: «Click the link, choose your payment method, pay in seconds.»

7.4 Check incoming payments and follow up

In the PSP Dashboard you see in real time which payments have been received. After 5–7 days, send a friendly reminder to everyone who has not yet paid (most PSPs offer a filter function). After 14 days, send a final reminder with a deadline. At the end, export the transaction list as CSV and import it into your accounting.

8. Checklist: Collect membership fees digitally

• Email addresses of all members collected and updated

• Club account (IBAN) available at a Swiss bank

• PSP account opened and KYC check completed (allow 5–10 days)

• Payment link(s) created: amount, description, reference configured

• Test link sent to board member and test payment carried out

• Email template for fee collection created (link, short instructions, deadline)

• Process defined for members without email (QR invoice by post)

• Reminder email after 7 days and dunning email after 14 days prepared

• Export function in PSP tested (CSV for accounting)

• Board informed and switch communicated at the next meeting

Payrexx offers an approach for fee collection in which payment links (Paylinks), mini web shop and QR-Pay can be created from one account. Members pay by TWINT, credit card, PostFinance or QR invoice – all via the same link.

For clubs with monthly fees, Payrexx supports recurring payments. The free subscription has no monthly fixed costs; recognized non-profit organizations receive a 50 % discount on paid subscriptions.