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 Danish kroner by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, with no app on their side.
In Denmark service is included in the price by law, so a tip, drikkepenge, is a genuine extra for good service: rounding up, or up to 10% in a restaurant. Danes pay by card and MobilePay for nearly everything, and many venues are cash-free.
What people tip in Denmark
| Who | Usual tip |
|---|---|
| Restaurants | Round up, or up to 10% |
| Cafes and bars | Round up |
| Taxis | Not expected |
| Hairdressers | Not expected |
| Street musicians | 10 to 20 kr |
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 Danish kroner 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 Denmark
- 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 Danish kroner.
- 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 Denmark
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Download and monthly fee | Free |
| Platform fee | 10% of each tip |
| Card processing | 1.4% plus 1.80 kr 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
MobilePay needs a Danish or Finnish bank account, so tourists cannot use it. A QR code that takes any card works for the visitors in Nyhavn as well as for regulars.
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 Denmark
Tips are taxable income in Denmark and should be reported. Ask the tax agency how to declare tips that customers pay to you directly.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Check with Skattestyrelsen or a qualified adviser about your own situation.
Common questions
Is tipping expected in Denmark?
In Denmark service is included in the price by law, so a tip, drikkepenge, is a genuine extra for good service: rounding up, or up to 10% in a restaurant. Danes pay by card and MobilePay for nearly everything, and many venues are cash-free.
How much does QR code tipping cost in Denmark?
TipIns has no monthly fee. Each tip carries a 10% platform fee plus card processing of 1.4% plus 1.80 kr for domestic cards. By default the customer covers these, so you receive the full tip.
What bank details do I need in Denmark?
You need your IBAN. Tips are paid out in Danish kroner.
Are tips taxable in Denmark?
Tips are taxable income in Denmark and should be reported. Ask the tax agency how to declare tips that customers pay to you directly.
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.