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 collect payments directly on site with the Payrexx Tap to Pay app on an Android smartphone - without a terminal, without a device, without a detour. Payment links sent via WhatsApp to parents complement the setup for all situations without direct contact.

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

1. Why home visits and school therapy pose specific challenges

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

The solution is two-fold: Tap to Pay on Android for the rare cases where parents are present (e.g., home visits where the mother is at home), and Payment Links via WhatsApp for all other situations. The therapist informs the parents via message after the session and sends the payment link right along.

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 with your own card

• During the home visit: Enter the amount, and the parent holds their card or smartphone to 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

During school therapy, parents are never present. The Payment Link via WhatsApp is the only practical way. The recommended workflow:

• Hold session at school

• After the session, send a short 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 June 3rd')

• Copy and send the link in the WhatsApp message

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

• Payment visible in the Dashboard

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

4. TWINT QR code as a quiet 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 wants to pay – a laminated static TWINT QR code is recommended as a backup. The QR code is created once via Payrexx QR Pay, printed out, and carried in the therapy bag. Fee: 1.25%+EUR 0.00 (QR Pay, as of May 2026). The parent scans, 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 – their own mobile network (4G/5G) is the most reliable solution. The payment link can also be prepared without connection and sent as soon as the therapist has signal again.

For rural schools with poor mobile service: TWINT QR code as the primary solution. The payment process occurs on the parents' smartphone – the therapist does not need a stable connection for this. Check the receipt in the Dashboard as soon as connection is restored.

6. Bookkeeping for mobile assignments

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

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

• Check 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 WhatsApp template for parents: session feedback + payment link

• Check mobile data network at common school locations

• Define booking text standard: school name/location + date

• Perform test payment with your own card before the first use

Payrexx Tap to Pay and Payment Links are available in all plans including Free – without monthly fees or hardware. For mobile occupational and speech therapists, the Free setup (Tap to Pay on Android + Payment Links + TWINT QR code) is a complete payment system with EUR 0 fixed costs.