Tap to Pay in Switzerland: card payments with a smartphone for food trucks and market stalls

Tap to Pay (also known as SoftPOS) transforms a standard smartphone into a contactless card terminal. Swiss food truck operators and market vendors can use it to accept credit and debit cards, TWINT, as well as mobile wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay directly on their mobile phone – without any additional hardware. All that is required is an NFC-enabled Android or iOS device and the app of a supported payment service provider (Payrexx: Android).

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

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

Tap to Pay – also known in the industry as SoftPOS (Software Point of Sale) – refers to a technology where a smartphone's NFC antenna is used to accept contactless payments. The smartphone completely replaces the traditional card terminal. The payer holds their card or their own mobile phone against the comerciante'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 shops, Tap to Pay solves several practical issues at once: there are no hardware purchase costs for a terminal, the smartphone is always on hand anyway, and setup usually takes less than an hour. Seasonal businesses that operate for only a few months a year benefit particularly, as there are no fixed costs or minimum contract terms. Tap to Pay also serves as 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 for Switzerland in March 2025, while Android devices have supported the feature for longer via apps from various providers. Swiss PSPs offering Tap to Pay include Payrexx, SumUp, Worldline, Stripe, and Nexi, among others.

2. How it works: Smartphone instead of Lector de tarjetas – step by step

The process is nearly identical for most providers and is completed in just a few steps:

Create and verify an account: You register with the chosen payment provider, submit your company details, and complete the regulatory check (Know Your Customer, KYC). For most providers, verification takes one to five business days – some, like Payrexx, offer same-day verification if documents are submitted by 4:00 PM.

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

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

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

Confirmation and receipt: The transaction is confirmed. Depending on the provider, you can send the receipt via SMS, email, or QR code.

Payouts to your bank account occur within 48 hours to five business days, depending on the provider.

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

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

iPhone

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

Android

For Android devices, an NFC-enabled smartphone or tablet running at least Android 8.1 is required. Google Play Services must be installed and up to date. Devices with root access or enabled developer options are generally blocked for security reasons. Most current models from Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, and Huawei are compatible.

4. 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 traditional card terminal. The technology is certified according to the CPoC standard (Contactless Payments on Commercial Off-the-Shelf Devices) of the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) and complies with 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 tokenization ensure that sensitive card data is never stored or transmitted in plain text on the device. A temporary token is used instead of the actual card number.

Additionally, the same security mechanisms apply as with contactless payments on conventional terminals: amounts over EUR 80 require a PIN entry (which is made directly on the smartphone screen), and payment networks (Visa, Mastercard) monitor transactions in real time for irregularities.

5. Service speed: Payment process under 5 seconds – practical test

In daily 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 the card) takes between two and four seconds for contactless payments under EUR 80. For amounts over EUR 80, PIN entry is required, extending the process to about eight to twelve seconds.

For comparison: a classic mobile terminal like the SumUp Solo or a Worldline device takes a similar amount of time 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 need to charge, turn on, or connect a separate device via Bluetooth. You enter the amount, the customer pays, done.

A relevant note for daily food truck business: a stable mobile connection (4G/5G) is a prerequisite for the payment process. In areas with poor reception – such as festival grounds in rural areas – delays may occur. Some providers allow limited offline transactions that are synchronized later, but this is the exception.

6. Tap to Pay vs. mobile terminal: When is a smartphone enough, and 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 particularly suitable if you are just starting out, operate only seasonally, or need an additional device for peak hours. If your daily turnover exceeds EUR 1,000, you need to print receipts, or you regularly want to accept cards without NFC (such as older Maestro chip cards), a mobile terminal is the more robust choice. Many comerciante:innen combine both: a terminal as the main system and a smartphone as a backup.

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

The biggest cost advantage of Tap to Pay compared to a classic terminal is the elimination of hardware costs. You do not pay for purchasing, renting, or maintenance contracts. Costs are limited to transaction fees incurred 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 subject to change, as of 2026.

A calculation example illustrates the cost structure: A food truck generates EUR 800 in card payments on a market day, spread across 50 transactions with an average amount of EUR 16. At 1.65% + EUR 0.15 per transaction (Payrexx InStore plan), this results in total costs of around EUR 20.70 for the day, or around EUR 15.10 with Better Fees (0.95% + EUR 0.15). With SumUp at 1.5% (debit), it would be EUR 12 – however, without TWINT acceptance, which is a relevant revenue driver in Switzerland.

For Swiss SMEs looking to accept TWINT and PostFinance directly via smartphone in addition to cards, Payrexx Tap to Pay is one of the few solutions that unites all relevant Swiss payment methods in a single app. Registration is available via the free InStore plan, and verification is completed on the same day if documentation is complete. Furthermore, Payrexx Tap to Pay can be used on multiple devices with a single account – practical if you operate with two checkouts at your market stall (first device free, each additional device EUR 4/month).

8. Checklist: Setting 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 8.1).

• 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).

• Una cuenta at the chosen provider and submit your company details for KYC verification (commercial register excerpt, 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.

• Ensure you have a stable mobile connection (4G/5G) at the location – test reception beforehand.

• Determine how you want to issue receipts (digitally via SMS, email, or QR code).

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

• Learn about your provider's payout schedule (daily, weekly, monthly) and ensure the payout IBAN is correctly entered.