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 euros by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, with no app on their side.
In Spain the propina is modest and optional. Locals leave small change at a bar, and perhaps 5 to 10% after a good restaurant meal. Visitors tip more, and Spain receives more tourists than almost any country on earth. Guides, street musicians and hotel staff in the big cities and on the coast serve customers who arrive with a foreign card and no euros in coins.
What people tip in Spain
| Who | Usual tip |
|---|---|
| Restaurants | 5 to 10% for good service |
| Bars and cafes | Small change |
| Taxis | Round up |
| Free walking tours | €10 to €15 per person |
| Hotel porters | €1 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 euros 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 Spain
- 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 euros.
- 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 Spain
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Download and monthly fee | Free |
| Platform fee | 10% of each tip |
| Card processing | 1.5% plus €0.25 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 €0.25 |
Compared with what people use now
Bizum is how people in Spain send each other money, but it needs a Spanish bank account, so it is no use for a visitor from abroad. A QR code that accepts any card works for locals and tourists alike.
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 Spain
Tips are income and are taxable. If your employer collects and distributes them, they should appear on your payslip. If customers pay you directly, declare them yourself.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Check with the Agencia Tributaria or a qualified adviser about your own situation.
Common questions
Is tipping expected in Spain?
In Spain the propina is modest and optional. Locals leave small change at a bar, and perhaps 5 to 10% after a good restaurant meal.
How much does QR code tipping cost in Spain?
TipIns has no monthly fee. Each tip carries a 10% platform fee plus card processing of 1.5% plus €0.25 for domestic cards. By default the customer covers these, so you receive the full tip.
What bank details do I need in Spain?
You need your IBAN. Tips are paid out in euros.
Are tips taxable in Spain?
Tips are income and are taxable. If your employer collects and distributes them, they should appear on your payslip. If customers pay you directly, declare them yourself.
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.