With 1pay.ch you can take payments for free forever on the Starter plan, paying only a fee on transactions. So why would anyone choose a paid plan? Because above a certain volume, the monthly fee pays for itself through lower transaction fees. Here’s how to tell whether that moment has come for you.
The golden rule: the features are the same
First, a point many people don’t expect: every plan has the same features. TWINT, cards, QR codes, payment links, invoices, online shop, POS terminal and Tap to Pay are included even on the free Starter plan. Only the fees change. So the choice is purely financial.
The plans in brief
- Starter: CHF 0.- a month, 2.9% + CHF 0.30 per transaction.
- Small: CHF 15.- a month, 2.5% + CHF 0.30 online.
- Medium: CHF 25.- a month, 2.2% + CHF 0.25 online.
- Large: CHF 40.- a month, 1.9% + CHF 0.20 online.
With an annual subscription the monthly fee drops by 20%, with two years by 30% and with three years by 40%.
Example 1: payments at the terminal
At the terminal the differences between plans are large. With a debit card, Starter costs 2.9% + CHF 0.30, Small 1.85% + CHF 0.30, Medium 1.55% + CHF 0.25 and Large 1.25% + CHF 0.20. With an average sale of CHF 40.-, the numbers give these thresholds:
- up to about CHF 1’450.- a month, Starter is cheapest;
- from 1’450.- to 2’375.-, Small;
- from 2’375.- to 3’550.-, Medium;
- above 3’550.-, Large.
A shop or a bar passes the first threshold quickly.
Example 2: online sales
Online, the step from Starter to Small is small (2.9% against 2.5%), while the step to Medium is larger. The result: with an average sale of CHF 50.-, Starter stays cheapest up to about CHF 3’100.- of online takings a month; above that it pays to move straight to Medium, and above about CHF 3’750.- to Large. For businesses that only sell online, Small is rarely the best choice.
The cheapest plan by monthly takings
| Takings per month | At the terminal (CHF 40.- sale) | Online (CHF 50.- sale) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to CHF 1’450.- | Starter | Starter |
| CHF 1’450.- to 2’375.- | Small | Starter |
| CHF 2’375.- to 3’100.- | Medium | Starter |
| CHF 3’100.- to 3’550.- | Medium | Medium |
| CHF 3’550.- to 3’750.- | Large | Medium |
| Above CHF 3’750.- | Large | Large |
In practice
If you use the terminal every day, a paid plan almost always pays off. If you sell little online or irregularly, the free Starter plan is often the best choice. And you can change plan whenever you like.
Example 3: associations
For non-profit associations there’s the Nonprofit plan, with a reduced monthly fee and lower transaction fees. On a CHF 100.- donation, the association keeps CHF 98.10 instead of CHF 96.80. Break-even comes at about CHF 8’000.- raised in a year, or about 13 donations of CHF 50.- a month. Do the sum over the year: the plan can also be switched on only in the busy months.
Our advice
Start with Starter, watch for two or three months how much you take and with which methods, then do the sum with real numbers. If you like, you can try the Small plan free for 30 days. The fee calculator estimates your monthly cost based on your volumes.
Want the sum done with your numbers?
Send us your average monthly takings: we’ll tell you which plan makes sense, with no obligation.
Phone +41 91 857 47 37 · WhatsApp +41 79 857 47 37 · info@1pay.ch
Start for free, decide later
Sign up to Starter with no monthly fee and no credit card. When the numbers justify it, move to a plan with lower fees in one click.
