1. Online Payments: Theory for Understanding

To accept payments in an online shop, Comerciante:n require two contracts:

1. Acceptance Contract (Acquiring Contract): This is concluded with an acquirer (cf. Chapter 1.2).

2. Processing Contract: This is concluded with a payment provider (PSP) (cf. Chapter 1.1).

The following explains exactly what an acquirer and a payment provider are and how they interact with the online shop.

1.1 What is a Payment Provider?

A payment provider (also called Payment Service Provider or PSP) enables the technical integration of online payment methods like Mastercard, TWINT, PostFinance, and Apple Pay into an online shop. Instead of negotiating individually with each financial institution and integrating payment methods separately into their shop, online Comerciante:n (also Merchants) can collaborate directly with a PSP. This way they obtain all desired payment methods, integration systems, and e-commerce tools from one provider and additionally meet the required security requirements.

The Processing Contract with the payment provider governs the technical handling of payments, i.e., the connection between the online shop, the payment provider, and the banks. In some cases, Comerciante:n need an acceptance contract with an acquirer in addition – unless the PSP takes on this role itself as a payment facilitator (cf. Chapter 1.3).

Abbildung 1) Funktionsweise eines Zahlungsanbieters (PSP)

1.2 What are an Acquirer and an Acceptance Contract?

An acquirer (also called Acquiring Bank) is a financial institution that processes credit and debit card payments for Comerciante:n. So that an online shop can accept such payments, it needs an Acceptance Contract. This governs the acceptance and processing of card payments and sets fees, security guidelines, and chargeback processes. 

1.3 What is a Payment Facilitator?

A payment facilitator (also PF or Collecting PSP) simplifies payment processing for Comerciante:n by acting as an intermediary between them and the acquirer (cf. Figure 2). The payment facilitator can sign the acceptance contract in the name of the acquirer. Comerciante:n, in turn, conclude their contract directly with the payment facilitator and therefore do not need a separate acceptance contract with an acquirer.

The payment facilitator thus allows the integration of various payment methods from different acquirers into an online shop with just one contract – for example, Visa, Mastercard, TWINT, PostFinance, and Reka.

Abbildung 2) Funktionsweise eines Payment Facilitators (PF)

In addition to these two basic models, there are other mixed forms that are not further explained in this article.

2. How to Choose the Right Provider?

Choosing the right provider depends on several factors. Comerciante:n should ask themselves the following questions:

• Which payment methods do I want to offer? A diverse payment offering increases customer satisfaction and conversion rate. Comerciante:n should therefore check which payment methods their customers prefer. Not all providers support the same payment methods – especially for nationally popular options like TWINT or PostFinance Pay, selecting the right provider is crucial.

• Which shop system do I use? The technical integration of a payment provider can be facilitated through prefab plugins¹. For well-known systems like Shopify or WooCommerce, most providers offer ready-made plugins for easy incorporation. For custom-developed shops, some providers offer flexible API solutions.

• Which tools do I need? The functionalities of a payment provider should match the shop's requirements. While some providers offer specialized solutions for donation platforms or subscription-based business models, there are also all-in-one platforms that cover a broad range of business models.

• What costs are involved? Besides transaction fees, potential monthly fixed costs, setup fees, and additional costs for special features should be considered. This helps to avoid unexpected expenses.

• Which target audience do I want to address? Depending on the customer base, different payment methods are relevant – young consumers often expect wallet solutions, while businesses or international customers benefit from fast and cost-effective alternatives like Instant Payment. Instant Payment (also Pay by Bank) enables direct bank transfers in real-time and especially saves fees in international payment transactions. Currently, Payrexx is the only provider in Switzerland offering Pay by Bank.

In addition to these functional and security-relevant aspects, easy and stable connectivity, a broad spectrum of payment methods and tools, reliable support, and a cost-efficient pricing model are essential for Comerciante:n to avoid unnecessary expenses.

Furthermore, it is advisable to choose a provider that also acts as an acquirer or payment facilitator. Thus, Comerciante:n have a single point of contact for all payment processes.

¹ Extensions for shop systems that enable the integration of payment providers without programming.

3. Overview of Functions of Individual Payment Providers

The following table shows which payment methods are supported by the individual providers. For better clarity, only the most common payment methods are considered. Additionally, the table provides information on which providers offer plugins for common shop systems.

Some payment providers also offer their own, mostly very rudimentary shop systems, with which a small online shop for products, vouchers, subscriptions, or donations can be created without programming knowledge. Such solutions are listed in the table as “E-Commerce Tools.”

To better assess customer satisfaction and service quality, the table also includes the Google ratings of all providers.

Abbildung 3) Funktionsmatrix der verschiedenen Zahlungsanbieter

4. Cost Analysis

In this section, the monthly costs (subscription and transaction fees) of the different providers were calculated. The analysis is conducted for two exemplary online shops: one with a turnover of 20,000 EUR and one with 100,000 EUR.

For calculation, the cheapest offers of the individual payment providers for the corresponding sales were selected. The fee information relates to transactions via Mastercard and Visa. The price information comes from the websites of the respective Payment Service Provider². Any setup fees are not considered in the diagram.

4.1 Online Shop with a Turnover of 20,000 EUR per Month

The following cost analysis shows the monthly fees for smaller online shops with a sales turnover of 20,000 EUR at 200 credit card transactions per month. The average value of a transaction is thus 100 EUR per purchase.

Abbildung 4) Monatliche Kosten bei einem Umsatz von 20’000 CHF (ohne Setup)

² For Datatrans' offer, a separate acquiring contract must also be concluded. The costs for acquiring therefore depend on the choice of the acquirer, so a sample value of 1.6 percent was calculated (average of all other providers).

A small online shop benefits from the lowest fees at Payrexx, closely followed by PostFinance. With costs of 790 EUR, PayPal is the most expensive for online shops with this volume. The price difference between Payrexx and PayPal is 435 EUR. The costs of the cheapest payment provider, Payrexx, are thus more than 50 percent lower than those of the most expensive.

Payrexx additionally offers exclusive discounts to startups and non-profit organizations: 30 percent for startups and 50 percent for non-profit organizations on all subscriptions.

4.2 Online Shop with a Turnover of 100,000 EUR per Month

The next cost analysis shows the monthly fees for medium-sized online shops with a sales turnover of 100,000 EUR and 1,000 credit card transactions per month. The average value of a transaction is thus 100 EUR per purchase.

Abbildung 5) Monatliche Kosten bei einem Umsatz von 100’000 CHF (ohne Setup)

With monthly costs of 1,579 EUR, Payrexx is the cheapest provider for medium-sized online shops, followed by wallee. Significantly more expensive than the others are PayPal and Stripe. The price difference between Payrexx and the most expensive provider is 2,371 EUR, which corresponds to a saving of over 60 percent.

For large online shops with a turnover of over 100,000 EUR per month, no calculation was made. This is because many payment providers offer individual special conditions for larger customers – including Datatrans, Payrexx, Stripe, walle, Worldline, and zahls.ch.

5. All Payment Providers in Detail

5.1 Payrexx

Payrexx is a Swiss Omnichannel Payment Provider and Facilitator, offering Comerciante:n a central platform to accept payment types such as credit cards, TWINT, PostFinance Pay, Apple Pay, and Google Pay – without separate contracts with acquirers.

The provider stands out through its easy setup and free plugins for all major shop systems, like WooCommerce and Shopify. Furthermore, the platform offers a range of practical e-commerce tools, innovative solutions for local trade, and universal QR payment codes that allow payment not only via TWINT but also with all desired payment methods.

Payrexx convinces with affordable fees and discounts for startups and non-profit organizations. All features of Payrexx can be tested for free over 30 days. The Google rating is 3.9 out of 5 stars based on 155 reviews.

5.1.1 Price Overview of Payrexx

³ The Free subscription from Payrexx does not include plugins and API connection.

5.1.2 Additional Remarks

Thanks to the comprehensive offering, Payrexx is an attractive solution aside from the large, often expensive providers. The Swiss company is characterized by flexibility, personal support, and specialization in SME Comerciante:n. For registration with this provider, Comerciante:n need a valid photo ID, a document confirming the address, and possibly the commercial register entry. Those who register by 4 p.m. are reviewed the same day.

5.2 PostFinance

PostFinance offers a payment solution specifically tailored to the Swiss market and enables companies to accept payments quickly and securely. The provider includes all common payment methods (PostFinance Pay, TWINT, as well as Visa and Mastercard) and additionally provides various free shop plugins for integration into well-known shop systems.

Notably, the direct connection to the Swiss banking system and the high customer acceptance make the provider especially suitable for companies predominantly operating domestically.

PostFinance also offers a free 30-day trial in simulation mode. The average Google rating is 2.2 out of 5 stars based on 178 reviews.

5.2.1 Price Overview of PostFinance

5.2.2 Additional Remarks

To use PostFinance, the company must be based in Switzerland or the Principality of Liechtenstein and have a business account with PostFinance or a credit card for fee billing. Billing is in Swiss Francs, but payouts can be made in foreign currencies depending on the acceptance partner.

5.3 Worldline

Worldline offers both acquirer and payment provider services and therefore usually provides its offerings in packages tailored to the specific application. With the Worldline e-commerce package, payments can be accepted in online shops without monthly fixed costs.

As a global provider of payment solutions, Worldline stands out with years of experience and comprehensive services. Especially for larger companies, the provider offers a scalable solution with a wide range of payment methods. Additionally, Worldline specializes in dynamic currency conversion, allowing foreign customers to pay conveniently in their own currency.

Worldline provides numerous free and paid plugins for easy integration. Furthermore, larger companies benefit from additional services and extensive reporting tools. Worldline has an average Google rating of 2.9 out of 5 stars based on a total of 674 reviews.

5.3.1 Price Overview of Worldline

5.3.2 Additional Remarks

Medium and larger companies as well as omnichannel solutions require an individual offer that cannot be ordered online. To find the right package, it is recommended to contact the Worldline sales team directly.

5.4 Datatrans by Planet

Datatrans by Planet is an established Payment Service Provider particularly suitable for larger companies and those with high transaction volumes. The platform offers a wide range of payment methods as well as free and paid plugins for shop systems such as WooCommerce, Shopify, and Magento. Especially for companies with more complex requirements, Datatrans provides a customized solution.

A key advantage of Datatrans is that the company regulates the connection to an acquirer via a separate contract. Especially for companies with high transaction numbers, this is an efficient and reliable solution. However, a separate acquirer contract could become an obstacle for smaller companies, especially due to the financial additional effort.

Once an acquirer contract exists, a test account can also be created at Datatrans. The average Google rating of this provider is 4.1 out of 5 stars from 26 reviews.

5.4.1 Price Overview of Datatrans

5.4.2 Additional Remarks

As Datatrans is neither an acquirer nor a payment facilitator, Comerciante:n additionally need an acceptance contract with a separate acquirer. To include this factor, a fee of 1.6 percent was used in this analysis. This is an assumption based on the average of the other providers. However, the transaction fee can vary depending on the chosen acquirer.

5.5 PayPal

PayPal is a globally known, simple, and standardized solution for online Comerciante:n. The provider enables payments to be accepted in different currencies and offers particularly high security for international transactions.

With over 400 million users and great acceptance, PayPal is especially suitable for companies that want to address a large number of international customers. The platform supports numerous payment methods, including credit cards, Apple Pay, Venmo, and many more. PayPal also offers some free plugins for common e-commerce systems like WooCommerce, Magento, and Shopware. Additionally, tools like payment links, email invoices, and QR payments are available.

PayPal has an average Google rating of 1.6 out of 5 stars based on a total of 56 reviews.

5.5.1 Price Overview of PayPal

5.5.2 Additional Remarks

Setting up PayPal is very easy. Comerciante:n only need to provide their company information and commercial register number. Large companies can also apply for special conditions for a scalable solution at Paypal.

5.6 Stripe

Stripe is a well-known and flexible payment solution that is particularly aimed at developers who need a highly customizable payment process. The provider supports numerous payment methods, including credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and various regional payment methods. 

Stripe is suitable both for startups and for larger companies with an international orientation. The solution can be easily integrated into common e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce and Shopify. Besides numerous free plugins, Stripe also offers paid extensions.

The provider has a Google rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars based on 8 reviews.

5.6.1 Price Overview of Stripe

5.6.2 Additional Remarks

For implementing Stripe, Comerciante:n should have developer knowledge. In addition, a valid photo ID and a commercial register number are required for verification. For large companies, Stripe also offers special conditions that can be requested from the sales department.

5.7 wallee

wallee is a Swiss omnichannel payment provider enabling Comerciante:n seamless payment processing across various sales channels. The platform supports a wide range of payment methods, including credit cards, mobile wallets, and other local payment methods. In addition, wallee offers both free and paid plugins for various shop systems.

wallee provides API integration. The modular architecture allows companies to choose only those functions they really need. This flexibility makes this provider an excellent choice for medium to large companies with specific requirements for their payment solution.

Online Comerciante:n can extensively try wallee in free test mode. The platform is rated 3.4 out of 5 stars on Google based on 133 reviews.

5.7.1 Price Overview of wallee

5.7.2 Additional Remarks

To utilize one of the many integrations of wallee, Comerciante:n usually need to perform some technical steps. These include setting up a wallee plugin for their shop system or directly connecting via the API.

5.8 saldiaPay

saldiaPay is an innovative Swiss payment provider that enables online payments over a unified platform. Here Comerciante:n can accept payments via credit cards, TWINT, PostFinance, and many other methods.

A unique feature of saldiaPay are the “saldiaApps” – integrations for diverse solutions such as accounting, online shops, or logistics services. For Comerciante:n without their own webshop, saldiaPay also offers its own shop system “saldiaShop,” with which a webshop can be easily created.

saldiaPay also provides free plugins for well-known shop systems like WooCommerce and Shopware. All functions of the platform can be tested for free for 30 days. saldiaPay has an average Google rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars based on a total of 39 reviews.

5.8.1 Price Overview of saldiaPay

5.8.2 Additional Remarks

In addition to the wide range of integrated plugins and shop systems, saldiaPay offers many more webshop integrations on request. Comerciante:n need a photo ID and, if available, the entry in the commercial register for registration.

5.9 zahls.ch

zahls.ch is a Swiss payment provider characterized by particularly transparent and simple pricing. With zahls.ch, Comerciante:n can accept a wide range of payment methods, including TWINT, PostFinance, and credit cards.

In addition to classic payments, zahls.ch's offering also includes e-commerce tools such as an online terminal, payment links, digital invoices, or a self-configurable payment page (small online shop). This payment provider also provides free plugins for the most well-known shop systems and scores with easy setup and integration.

zahls.ch enjoys an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars but has only been rated three times on Google.

5.9.1 Price Overview of zahls.ch

5.9.2 Additional Remarks

With the integrated tools of zahls.ch, Comerciante:n can easily create their own online shop or connect the provider directly to their existing online shop. For the verification process, a valid photo ID and, if available, the entry in the commercial register are required.

Conclusion: Which is the Right Payment Provider?

Before online Comerciante:n decide on a payment provider, they should clearly define the individual requirements of their online shop. In addition to costs, the scope of functions, supported shop systems, and offered payment methods play a decisive role.

For young, digital companies, Payrexx can be an exciting option. As an all-in-one payment solution, Payrexx is compatible with all common shop systems and at the same time the cheapest provider – followed by PostFinance and wallee. PayPal and Stripe, on the other hand, have higher transaction fees, and Datatrans incurs high monthly costs. To find the best solution, all providers offer a free trial period.

Almost all providers offer plugins for popular shop systems like WooCommerce, Shopware, or Shopify. While plugins are free for Payrexx, PostFinance, PayPal, and Stripe, additional costs may apply to Worldline, Datatrans, and wallee. For saldiaPay and zahls.ch, plugins are often only available on request.

Another important point is the selection of payment methods. While all providers offer a broad range of payment options, the difference often lies in the support of regional payment methods like TWINT, PostFinance, Reka, and Co. Swiss providers like Payrexx, Datatrans, saldiaPay, or zahls.ch have an advantage here. However, those with many international customers benefit from global providers like PayPal or Stripe.

Regarding the easy integration, PayPal, Payrexx, and zahls.ch are convincing, while Stripe, Worldline, and Datatrans have more customization options. As implementation with some providers involves a high level of technical expertise, this point should also be considered in the selection.

In summary, it is worth considering newer and lesser-known providers. These often offer attractively priced and at the same time powerful payment solutions and can better respond to the individual needs of Comerciante:n. For small and medium-sized shops, Payrexx and wallee are a good choice, while established providers may be more suitable for larger companies. In the areas of price, functionality, and user-friendliness, Payrexx is clearly one of the leaders.

Sources

Prices

Datatrans by Planet, PayPal, Payrexx, PostFinance, Stripe, wallee, Worldline, saldiaPay, zahls.ch

Plugins for Shop Systems

Datatrans by Planet, PayPal, Payrexx, PostFinance, Stripe, wallee, Worldline, saldiaPay, zahls.ch

Payment Methods

Datatrans by Planet, PayPal, Payrexx, PostFinance, Stripe, wallee, Worldline, saldiaPay, zahls.ch

Legal Information

We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or quality of the data and information provided in this comparison article. It is particularly important that online Comerciante:n obtain information about prices and any additional costs directly from the respective providers. Some providers also have further unofficial offers and conditions that are not visible on the websites.

We expressly reserve the right to change the data provided in this comparison article or our entire offer at any time without separate announcement. We are also entitled to supplement, delete, or temporarily or permanently discontinue the publication of this comparison article at any time.

Status: February 2026.

Contact Information

Author: Melanie Frutiger, Payrexx AG
Email Address: melanie.frutiger@payrexx.com