The customer put a CHF 2’400.- e-bike in the basket and then closed the page. Not because they didn’t want it, but because paying it all at once at the end of the month felt heavy. With instalments or deferred payment, that sale could have closed the same evening.
Two different options
“Paying in instalments” online means two different things, and it is worth telling them apart.
- Deferred payment: the customer receives the goods and pays the full amount later, usually after 30 days. It is the old-fashioned invoice, in digital form.
- Instalment payment: the amount is split into a few instalments.
In both cases, if you go through a specialist provider, you receive the full amount straight away. The risk of the customer not paying stays with the provider, not with you.
What you get with 1pay.ch
With your 1pay.ch account you already have two methods of this kind, on every plan and with no extra contracts:
- Klarna: the customer pays after 30 days or in 3 instalments. You receive the full amount straight away.
- TWINT “pay later” (BNPL, Buy Now Pay Later): the customer pays with TWINT as usual and settles after 30 days.
You switch them on alongside TWINT, cards, PostFinance Pay and wallets, in the same checkout of your online shop.
Fees per transaction (1pay.ch price list, October 2026)
| Method | Starter | Small | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Klarna | 3.2% + 0.30 | 2.8% + 0.30 | 2.5% + 0.30 | 2.2% + 0.30 |
| TWINT pay later | 3.9% + 0.30 | 3.5% + 0.30 | 3.2% + 0.25 | 2.9% + 0.20 |
| TWINT and cards, for comparison | 2.9% + 0.30 | 2.5% + 0.30 | 2.2% + 0.25 | 1.9% + 0.20 |
What it really costs on top
Deferred payment costs a little more than a card. Let’s do the maths on a CHF 600.- order on the Starter plan:
- with TWINT or card: CHF 17.70 in fees;
- with Klarna: CHF 19.50;
- with TWINT pay later: CHF 23.70.
The difference is between CHF 1.80 and CHF 6.-. If instalments help you close just one more sale in twenty, they have already paid for themselves.
Where instalments make the difference
On a CHF 40.- basket almost nobody chooses to pay in instalments. On a bike, a sofa, a CHF 1’200.- course or a big present in December, they do. Look at your average order value before deciding.
The Swiss rules to know
You don’t need to become a lawyer, but three points must be respected.
1. No do-it-yourself interest. Since 1 January 2026 the maximum interest rate for consumer credit has fallen to 10% (12% for overdrafts), as announced by the Confederation. If you want to offer interest-bearing instalments managed by you, you risk falling under the Consumer Credit Act. Much better to leave the credit to a provider like Klarna.
2. Clear prices. The Price Disclosure Ordinance also applies online: the customer must see the total price. If a payment method carries a surcharge, it must be shown before the order, and at least one usual method without a surcharge must remain. The SECO guide to online retail (in German) explains it.
3. No pressure. “Buy now, pay later” also has a downside: people who pile up small purchases risk getting into debt. A responsible shop presents instalments as a convenience, not as a push towards impulse buying.
Instalments you manage yourself, interest-free
For courses, coaching, services and fees there is another way: you split the price into two or three payments yourself, with no interest.
- Several payment links: one link for the deposit on registration, one for the balance halfway through the course.
- Subscription: with the 1pay.ch shop pages you can sell a service with a recurring payment, for example a course paid in 3 monthly instalments.
In this case the risk of non-payment is yours, but you know the customer and can pause the service if an instalment is missed.
How to get started in an afternoon
- Check your shop’s average order value and your products over CHF 300.-.
- Switch on Klarna and TWINT pay later in the dashboard, alongside the methods you already have.
- Add a line next to the price: “Pay in 3 instalments with Klarna or after 30 days”.
- Always keep at least one method without a surcharge active, such as TWINT or card.
- After a month, look at the numbers: abandoned baskets, average order value, methods chosen.
Want an opinion on your checkout?
Call or message us: we will look at your payment methods and products together and tell you whether instalments are right for you.
Phone +41 91 857 47 37 · WhatsApp +41 79 857 47 37 · info@1pay.ch
Offer instalments with no extra contracts
Sign up free: Klarna and TWINT pay later are already included on every plan, together with TWINT, cards and PostFinance Pay.
