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 Swiss francs by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, with no app on their side.
Service has been included in Swiss restaurant, hotel and taxi prices since the 1970s, so a tip is a voluntary extra: rounding up to the next franc or the next five, or up to 10% for very good service. Switzerland has moved quickly to cards and to TWINT, and with them the small coins that made up most tips have gone.
What people tip in Switzerland
| Who | Usual tip |
|---|---|
| Restaurants | Round up, or up to 10% for very good service |
| Cafes and bars | Round up |
| Taxis | Round up |
| Hairdressers | A few francs |
| Hotel porters | CHF 1 to 2 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 Swiss francs 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 Switzerland
- 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 Swiss francs.
- 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 Switzerland
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Download and monthly fee | Free |
| Platform fee | 10% of each tip |
| Card processing | 2.9% plus CHF 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 a small fixed amount |
Compared with what people use now
TWINT works well between people with Swiss bank accounts, but a tourist cannot use it. A QR code that takes any card, Apple Pay or Google Pay covers visitors and locals with one sign.
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 Switzerland
Tips count as income in Switzerland. Where they are a significant part of what you earn they are also relevant for social insurance. Ask your employer or the cantonal tax office how they are treated in your case.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Check with your cantonal tax office or a qualified adviser about your own situation.
Common questions
Is tipping expected in Switzerland?
Service has been included in Swiss restaurant, hotel and taxi prices since the 1970s, so a tip is a voluntary extra: rounding up to the next franc or the next five, or up to 10% for very good service. Switzerland has moved quickly to cards and to TWINT, and with them the small coins that made up most tips have gone.
How much does QR code tipping cost in Switzerland?
TipIns has no monthly fee. Each tip carries a 10% platform fee plus card processing of 2.9% plus CHF 0.30 for domestic cards. By default the customer covers these, so you receive the full tip.
What bank details do I need in Switzerland?
You need your IBAN. Tips are paid out in Swiss francs.
Are tips taxable in Switzerland?
Tips count as income in Switzerland. Where they are a significant part of what you earn they are also relevant for social insurance. Ask your employer or the cantonal tax office how they are treated in your case.
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.