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Which payment methods does a Swiss SME really need?

You don't need 20 payment methods to sell more. Four or five, well chosen, are enough. The essential list for shops, freelancers and online shops in Switzerland.

Published on 4 August 2026

Cubes in different colours on a rail, symbolising several payment methods

More payment methods means more sales? Only up to a point. A checkout with twenty logos is confusing. What matters is having the methods your customers actually use. Here’s the essential list for Switzerland.

The 4 essentials

  • Debit and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard): the debit card is the most used means of payment in Swiss shops.
  • TWINT: the phone payment method almost everyone has.
  • Apple Pay and Google Pay: people who pay with their phone or watch expect them.
  • Cash (in store): still preferred by some customers for small amounts.

To add depending on your business

If you sell online

PostFinance Pay, popular with PostFinance customers, plus Klarna or payment by invoice for larger amounts, when the customer wants to pay later.

If you have customers from abroad

Tourists and European customers appreciate European methods such as SEPA or iDEAL, and international cards such as American Express.

If you work in tourism or hospitality

Reka is widely used by people who receive the vouchers as an employee benefit.

If you work with businesses

The invoice with online payment, alongside the classic QR-bill.

The methods at a glance

Method For whom When to switch it on
Debit and credit cards Everyone Straight away
TWINT Everyone Straight away
Apple Pay and Google Pay People paying by phone Straight away
PostFinance Pay PostFinance customers If you sell online
Klarna, TWINT pay later, invoice Larger amounts Online above CHF 100.-
SEPA, iDEAL, American Express Customers from abroad If you have tourists or EU customers
Reka Tourism and hospitality If customers ask for it

The rule of thumb

Start with the 4 essentials. Then listen to your customers: if they ask for a method more than twice a month, switch it on. With 1pay.ch they’re all already included in the same contract, so adding a new one doesn’t need a new application.

And the costs?

Each method has its own fee, shown in the price list. On the 1pay.ch Starter plan there’s no monthly fee: you only pay when you get paid. The features, including all methods, are identical on every plan. See the pricing in detail.

Not sure which methods to start with?

Call or message us: in five minutes we’ll choose the right methods for your business together.

Phone +41 91 857 47 37 · WhatsApp +41 79 857 47 37 · info@1pay.ch

Switch on the right methods

Sign up for free and choose the methods your customers need. You can add more at any time.

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