Accept cashless payments at the club festival in Switzerland – QR code, terminal, or smartphone?

Swiss clubs and associations can accept cashless payments at festivals and events without expensive infrastructure or lengthy contracts. The three most common methods are a printed QR code with a payment page (from zero francs in hardware costs), Tap to Pay on a smartphone (from 0.95% + EUR 0.15 transaction fee), and a mobile card terminal (from approx. 49 EUR in device costs or rental). Which option suits your club's event depends on the number of visitors, the average amount, and the existing infrastructure.

This guide compares all three methods with concrete Swiss costs, shows you step by step how to get ready in 30 minutes, and explains how the settlement afterwards flows smoothly into your club's accounting.

1. Why cashless payments make sense at club events

Payment behaviour in Switzerland has changed significantly. According to the Swiss Payment Monitor, the majority of the population prefers to pay cashless in everyday life – using debit cards, credit cards, TWINT, or mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. At typical club events, however, cash still dominates in many places: visitors have to go to an ATM beforehand, volunteers juggle change, and the treasurer counts coins late into the night.

Clubs gain three concrete advantages by offering a digital payment option in addition to cash. First, revenue increases because visitors without cash can still make purchases – experience shows 15–30 % higher average amounts with cashless payments. Second, the workload is reduced: no organising change, no counting, no bank deposits. Third, the club receives complete digital accounting – helpful for the auditing body and the general meeting.

Important: Cashless does not mean cashless-only. Most clubs fare best with a hybrid model – continuing to accept cash, but offering one or two digital payment options in addition.

2. An overview of the three methods

For Swiss clubs, three practical methods come into consideration for events. Each has its sweet spot – depending on budget, visitor numbers, and technical know-how.

2.1 QR code with payment page

A QR code directs visitors to a mobile payment page where they choose their preferred payment method – TWINT, credit card, PostFinance, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. The club prints out the QR code and places it at the stand, on the menu, or next to the cash register. Hardware costs: zero. Sole requirement: the visitor needs a smartphone.

There are two variants. With a QR code with a fixed amount (e.g. "Beer EUR 5" or "Sausage EUR 8"), the visitor simply taps "Pay". With a QR code with an open amount, the visitor enters the amount themselves – more flexible, but slightly slower at the stand.

The crucial difference compared to a pure TWINT QR code: a payment page accepts multiple payment methods. Visitors without TWINT – such as tourists, older guests, or cross-border commuters – can still pay. Providers like Payrexx or other Swiss Payment Service Providers (PSPs) offer such multi-payment method QR codes.

2.2 Tap to Pay (smartphone as a terminal)

Tap to Pay, also known as SoftPOS, turns an NFC-enabled smartphone into a card terminal. The volunteer enters the amount into the app, and the visitor holds their card or smartphone against the device. Accepted payment methods include credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard), TWINT, and mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay). Additional hardware is not required – only the app on a compatible device.

Currently, several Swiss providers offer Tap to Pay solutions, including Payrexx (Android), SumUp, and Worldline. Availability for iPhone depends on whether Apple has enabled the NFC interface in Switzerland for the respective provider – this is constantly changing. Check before the event whether your device is compatible.

2.3 Mobile card terminal

A traditional mobile card terminal (e.g. from SumUp, Worldline, or via a PSP such as Payrexx) accepts contactless and chip payments. The devices operate via battery and mobile network (4G/SIM) or Bluetooth to a smartphone. For clubs with high throughput – such as a food and drink stall with several hundred guests – a terminal is often the most robust solution because it works independently of the volunteer's smartphone and operates reliably even with weak Wi-Fi.

Depending on the provider, device costs range between 29 and 399 EUR (purchase) or can be rented for individual events. Added to this are transaction fees of typically 1.3–1.7 % depending on the payment method and provider.

3. Comparison table: Which method suits your event?

The following table compares the three methods based on the key criteria for a typical Swiss club event.

Tip: The methods are not mutually exclusive. Many clubs combine, for example, a printed QR code (for donations and impulse purchases) with Tap to Pay at the main stand (for quick throughput).

4. Costs in detail: What a club event really costs

Clubs are cost-sensitive – every franc counts. Here is a realistic sample calculation for a typical village event with 200 visitors, 80 of whom pay cashless, with an average amount of EUR 12 per transaction.

Note: The stated fees are indicative values for Swiss domestic transactions (as of 2026). The exact terms depend on the provider, subscription model, and payment method. TWINT transactions usually cost between 1.3 and 1.5 %, while credit card payments are slightly higher. Check current fees directly with your chosen provider.

5. Ready in 30 minutes: Setup guide for your club event

Have you decided on a method? Then follow this step-by-step guide – the process works similarly regardless of the provider.

5.1 Setting up a QR code with a payment page

Register with a Swiss PSP that offers QR payment pages (e.g. Payrexx). Create a dedicated QR code for each product or price category: "Beer EUR 5", "Sausage EUR 8", "Donation of your choice". Download the QR codes as an image, print them in a sufficient size (at least 5 × 5 cm) on paper or cardboard, and laminate them if necessary to protect against rain and beer splashes. Position them clearly visible at the stand – ideally at eye level next to the price board. Test before the event with your own phone to ensure the scan works and the payment page loads correctly.

5.2 Setting up Tap to Pay

Install the app of your chosen provider on the Android smartphones of the volunteers who will collect payments at the event. Log in with the club account. Test a sample payment with a real card (very small amount, e.g. EUR 1, and cancel it afterwards). Make sure each device has sufficient battery life – plan for power banks. Tip: Set up a reference system (e.g. "Stand A – Drinks", "Stand B – Grill") so that transactions can be assigned later.

5.3 Setting up a mobile card terminal

Order the terminal well in advance – at least 5–10 working days before the event. Fully charge the device and activate it according to the provider's instructions. Check the mobile cellular connection at the event location (4G reception). If coverage at the site is poor, choose a terminal with offline mode that buffers transactions and synchronises later. Give volunteers a brief briefing on how to use it – enter amount, tap card, send receipt via SMS or email.

6. Settlement and club accounting

After the event, the treasurer wants to know: How much was collected cashlessly, and how does the money reach the club account? With most Swiss PSPs, settlement works as follows.

All cashless transactions appear in an online Dashboard or an app. There you can see for each payment: amount, payment method, time, and, if applicable, a reference. Depending on the provider, collected funds are paid out weekly or monthly to the club's IBAN account – minus transaction fees. You will receive a detailed payout overview via email or as a CSV export.

For club accounting, it is recommended to keep the payout overview as a receipt. If your club works with club software such as ClubDesk, Webling, or KLARA, you can usually import the exported transaction data directly. This eliminates manual data entry, and the financial report for the general meeting is finished faster.

Regarding taxes: Revenue from club events is only taxable for most Swiss clubs if the club runs a commercial enterprise or exceeds the turnover thresholds for VAT (currently EUR 100,000 annual turnover). For a typical club event with a few thousand francs in revenue, nothing changes from a tax perspective, regardless of whether cash or cashless payments are collected.

7. Practical examples: How other clubs do it

Football tournament with catering

A regional football club organizes a local tournament with 300 visitors. At the main stand (drinks and grill), two volunteers use Tap to Pay on their smartphones. For the dessert counter, a printed QR code per product is sufficient. Result: Around 40 % of payments are processed cashlessly, and the club saves on change and midnight counting.

Concert by a brass band with bar

A brass band hosts an annual concert with 150 guests. At the entrance hangs a QR code for voluntary donations ("Support our club – amount of your choice"). At the bar stands a mobile card terminal, because throughput during the intermission is high. The treasurer exports the transaction list the next day and books the revenue into the club's accounts.

Scout flea market and camp shop

A scout group runs a small stand with homemade products at a neighbourhood festival. Budget: practically zero. The solution: Three laminated QR codes ("Large jar of jam EUR 7", "Small jar EUR 4", "Donation"). No terminal, no subscription, no fixed costs. With 50 sales and an average amount of EUR 6, the transaction fees total around EUR 19 – less than the costs for coin rolls and the trip to the bank.

8. Checklist: Accepting cashless payments at club events

• Method chosen: QR code, Tap to Pay, card terminal – or a combination?

• PSP account opened and verified (at least 5–10 days before the event – plan for KYC checks)

• Club account (IBAN) stored for payouts

• QR codes created, printed, and laminated – checked with test scans

• Tap to Pay app installed on all volunteers' smartphones and test payment conducted

• Card terminal ordered, charged, and mobile connection tested at event location

• Power banks organised for smartphones and terminals

• Volunteers instructed on operation (a 5-minute briefing is sufficient)

• Signage at the stand: "Cashless payment accepted – TWINT, Card, Apple Pay"

• After the event: Export transaction list, reconcile with cash receipts, file document for accounting

Payrexx offers clubs an approach that combines all three methods in a single account: QR codes with a payment page (TWINT, credit card, PostFinance, and wallets via a single QR code), Tap to Pay on Android smartphones, and card terminals.

The Free plan has no monthly fixed costs – the club only pays transaction fees when payments are actually collected. Recognised non-profit organisations receive a 50 % discount on paid subscriptions. All transactions flow into a Dashboard with an export function for club accounting.