Short answer: create a tip page in an app such as TipIns, add your transit number, institution number and account number, then print or show your QR code. Customers scan it with their phone camera and tip in Canadian dollars by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, with no app on their side.
Canadian tipping follows the US pattern: 15 to 20% in restaurants, and a tip prompt on almost every card machine. Canada is also one of the most card-reliant countries in the world, and Interac debit is everywhere. That leaves little cash for the people a card machine never reaches: buskers, hotel housekeepers, valets, movers and anyone paid before the service happens.
What people tip in Canada
| Who | Usual tip |
|---|---|
| Restaurant servers | 15 to 20% of the bill before tax |
| Bartenders | C$1 to C$2 per drink, or 15 to 20% |
| Hairdressers | 15 to 20% |
| Taxi and rideshare | 10 to 15% |
| Hotel housekeeping | C$2 to C$5 per night |
How QR code tipping works
- You show or print your QR code.
- The customer points their phone camera at it. A secure web page opens. They need no app and no account.
- They choose an amount in Canadian dollars and pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a card.
- The tip appears in your balance straight away and is paid to your bank account.
Setting up in Canada
- Create your account. Download TipIns and choose a username. You are asked for your legal name, date of birth and address, because payments are processed by Stripe and anyone receiving card payments must be identified.
- Add your bank account. Enter your transit number, institution number and account number. Tips are paid out in Canadian dollars.
- Print your code. Export a design in business card, A5, A4 or A3 size, or show the code on your phone.
What it costs in Canada
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Download and monthly fee | Free |
| Platform fee | 10% of each tip |
| Card processing | 2.9% plus C$0.30 per tip for domestic cards. Cards issued abroad can cost more. |
| Who pays the fees | By default the customer covers them on top of the tip, so you receive the full amount. If they opt out, the fees come out of the tip. |
| Weekly payout to your bank | Free, once your balance reaches the minimum |
| Instant payout | 2% plus C$0.25 |
Compared with what people use now
Interac e-Transfer is the usual Canadian answer to "I have no cash", but it means giving a customer your email address or phone number and waiting while they type it in. A QR code needs no contact details: the customer scans it and pays by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Tips for a whole team
If tips are shared, create a group. The venue shows one QR code and each tip is divided between members, equally or by percentages the owner sets. With active shifts switched on, a tip is shared only between the people working when it arrives. Each person is paid to their own bank account, and every member can see how each tip was split. The methods are compared in how to split tips between employees fairly.
Tax and the law in Canada
Tips and gratuities are taxable income in Canada and must be reported on your tax return. Tips paid directly to you by a customer are yours to report. Keep a record through the year: your TipIns activity feed lists every tip and can be exported for any date range.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Check with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or a qualified adviser about your own situation.
Common questions
Is tipping expected in Canada?
Canadian tipping follows the US pattern: 15 to 20% in restaurants, and a tip prompt on almost every card machine. Canada is also one of the most card-reliant countries in the world, and Interac debit is everywhere.
How much does QR code tipping cost in Canada?
TipIns has no monthly fee. Each tip carries a 10% platform fee plus card processing of 2.9% plus C$0.30 for domestic cards. By default the customer covers these, so you receive the full tip.
What bank details do I need in Canada?
You need your transit number, institution number and account number. Tips are paid out in Canadian dollars.
Are tips taxable in Canada?
Tips and gratuities are taxable income in Canada and must be reported on your tax return. Tips paid directly to you by a customer are yours to report. Keep a record through the year: your TipIns activity feed lists every tip and can be exported for any date range.
Do customers need an app to tip by QR code?
No. They scan the code with their phone camera and pay on a secure web page with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a card.