Short answer: create a tip page in an app such as TipIns, add your IBAN, then print or show your QR code. Customers scan it with their phone camera and tip in Czech koruna by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, with no app on their side.
In the Czech Republic a tip, spropitné, of about 10% is usual in restaurants and pubs with table service. You do not leave it on the table: you tell the waiter the total you want to pay. Prague receives millions of visitors a year, and contactless payment is used almost everywhere, including for a single beer.
What people tip in the Czech Republic
| Who | Usual tip |
|---|---|
| Restaurants and pubs | About 10%, or round up |
| Cafes | Round up |
| Taxis | Round up |
| Free walking tours | 200 to 300 Kč per person |
| Hotel porters | 20 to 50 Kč per bag |
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 Czech koruna 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 the Czech Republic
- 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 IBAN. Tips are paid out in Czech koruna.
- 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 the Czech Republic
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Download and monthly fee | Free |
| Platform fee | 10% of each tip |
| Card processing | 1.5% plus 6.50 Kč 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 a small fixed amount |
Compared with what people use now
Saying the total out loud works with cash and often gets lost with a tap of a phone. A QR code on the table or the bill gives guests, and especially tourists, a clear way to tip.
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 the Czech Republic
Tips are generally taxable income in the Czech Republic. Ask your employer or an accountant how tips paid by card and tips paid directly to you should be recorded.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Check with the Financial Administration (Finanční správa) or a qualified adviser about your own situation.
Common questions
Is tipping expected in the Czech Republic?
In the Czech Republic a tip, spropitné, of about 10% is usual in restaurants and pubs with table service. You do not leave it on the table: you tell the waiter the total you want to pay.
How much does QR code tipping cost in the Czech Republic?
TipIns has no monthly fee. Each tip carries a 10% platform fee plus card processing of 1.5% plus 6.50 Kč for domestic cards. By default the customer covers these, so you receive the full tip.
What bank details do I need in the Czech Republic?
You need your IBAN. Tips are paid out in Czech koruna.
Are tips taxable in the Czech Republic?
Tips are generally taxable income in the Czech Republic. Ask your employer or an accountant how tips paid by card and tips paid directly to you should be recorded.
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.