Tap to Pay for home visits: Mobile payment for physio- and osteotherapy therapists in Switzerland

Physio- and osteotherapy therapists who visit patients at home can collect payments directly on site with the Payrexx Tap to Pay app on an Android smartphone – without a separate card terminal. The Android device accepts contactless debit cards, credit cards, TWINT, and mobile wallets. iPhones are currently not supported by Payrexx Tap to Pay.

This guide shows you how Tap to Pay works during home visits, what the prerequisites are, and how to use TWINT as a supplement if the Android device has no network connection.

1. The problem: Cash during home visits is unprofessional and tedious

As a physiotherapist or osteopath driving to patients' homes, you are often faced with an awkward situation after the treatment: changing cash, driving to the bank, recording income. This fits neither a professional appearance nor the relaxed conclusion of a therapy session.

The previous alternative – a separate card reader such as SumUp Air – partially solves the problem, but brings its own disadvantages: the device must be charged, transported, and paired separately with the smartphone. If the battery fails or the device is left at home, the payment option is gone. With Tap to Pay on the Android smartphone, this hardware is completely eliminated.

2. What is Payrexx Tap to Pay and how does it work?

Payrexx Tap to Pay is a SoftPOS solution: The NFC chip in the Android smartphone takes over the function of a card reader. The Payrexx Tap to Pay app is installed on the Android device and connected to the existing Payrexx account. When checking out, the amount is entered in the app, the patient holds the card, wallet, or smartphone against the Android device – the payment is confirmed in seconds and appears immediately in the Payrexx Dashboard.

Important for planning: Payrexx Tap to Pay works exclusively on Android smartphones with an NFC chip (Android 8.1 or higher) and Google Mobile Services. iPhones are currently not supported. Anyone who only has an iPhone available needs a physical POS terminal for on-site payments or must use payment links exclusively.

3. Step by step: Setting up Tap to Pay

Setting it up takes about 10 to 15 minutes and requires no technical prior knowledge.

• Create a Payrexx account or log in (free, 30-day trial period)

• Download the Payrexx Tap to Pay app from the Google Play Store on your Android device

• Connect the app to your Payrexx account – enter your credentials

• Activate payment methods: cards, TWINT, mobile wallets

• Perform a test payment with your own card

• Go – enter the amount, patient holds card against the device

4. TWINT for home visits: Available directly in the app

Unlike some other SoftPOS solutions, Payrexx Tap to Pay supports TWINT directly in the app. Patients can pay via TWINT during a home visit by holding their smartphone against the therapist's Android device. The transaction goes through the Payrexx account and appears in the Dashboard.

As an additional backup – for example, with a poor mobile network – a printed static TWINT QR code (created via Payrexx QR Pay) is recommended: the patient scans the code, enters the amount, and the therapist confirms the receipt later. For most home visits in urban areas with a good 4G network, this backup is not necessary.

5. Internet connection during home visits: What to do in case of a poor network?

Payrexx Tap to Pay requires an active internet connection on the therapist's Android device – either via 4G/5G mobile network or the patient's Wi-Fi. In rural areas or in buildings with poor reception, this can be a problem.

6. Accounting: Recording home visits cleanly

All transactions via Tap to Pay appear in the Payrexx Dashboard with the date, amount, payment method, and optional booking text. For bookkeeping purposes, it is recommended to enter the patient ID or first name as a reference for each home visit – this allows all transactions to be assigned to the correct treatments at the end of the month.

Physiotherapy is exempt from value-added tax (VAT) in Switzerland, as is osteopathy if recognized by health insurance. For private services not covered by health insurance, VAT may apply depending on the situation – this should be clarified individually with your accountant.

7. Checklist: Setting up Tap to Pay for home visits

• Check if your Android device is NFC-enabled and running Android 8.1 or higher

• Create a Payrexx account (free, no monthly subscription needed for Tap to Pay)

• Download the Payrexx Tap to Pay app from the Google Play Store

• Connect the app to your Payrexx account and activate the desired payment methods

• Additionally, create a TWINT QR code (via Payrexx QR Pay) as an offline backup

• Carry out a test payment with your own card before going to your first home visit

• Inform patients when confirming appointments: card payments and TWINT are now possible

• Set a default booking text in the app for clean bookkeeping

Payrexx Tap to Pay is available in every plan, including Free. For mobile therapists without practice rooms or with occasional home visits, the Free plan is a sensible start. Those who additionally want to use payment links or online booking with payment can switch to Standard (EUR 19/month).