What a QR-bill is
The QR-bill is the Swiss standard for invoices. It has been in use since June 2020 and finally replaced the orange and red payment slips on 1 October 2022. At the bottom of the invoice there is a payment part with the Swiss QR Code and, next to it, a receipt.
The QR code holds all the payment details. Your client scans it with their banking app, checks the details and pays without typing an IBAN. The same details also appear as text on the payment part.
What goes on a QR-bill
The payment part contains your account (IBAN or QR-IBAN), your name and address, the amount and currency (CHF or EUR), the payer's name and address if known, and a reference or message.
If you are registered for VAT, the invoice must also show your VAT number, the rate and the tax amount. If you are not, don't show VAT.
From November 2026 the standard only provides for structured addresses: street, house number, postcode and town in separate fields. Check whether your invoicing software already supports this.
QR-IBAN or regular IBAN?
There are two variants of the QR-bill. A QR-IBAN always comes with a QR reference, a 27-digit number that lets your accounts match payments automatically. You get the QR-IBAN from your bank.
Your regular IBAN works too, with a Creditor Reference (SCOR) or with no reference at all, just a message such as the invoice number. If you only write a few invoices a day, the regular IBAN is usually the simplest.
| Variant | Account | Reference | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| QR-IBAN | QR-IBAN from your bank | 27-digit QR reference, required | Many invoices, automatic matching in your accounts |
| IBAN with reference | Your regular IBAN | Creditor Reference (SCOR) | Invoices with a unique number |
| IBAN without reference | Your regular IBAN | None, just a message | Few invoices, simple start |
Print it or send it as a PDF
You can send a QR-bill printed or digitally, for example as a PDF by email. If it is printed, the payment part must be A6 (105 × 148 mm), with perforation lines, on paper of 80 to 100 g/m².
SIX, which runs the standard, lists free programs for generating the QR code on its website. SIX gives no guarantee for them and does not check individual invoices.
The QR-bill, automatically after the appointment
With Zitli you don't write invoices by hand. After the appointment, Zitli creates a Swiss QR-bill and sends it to your client. The money goes straight to your account, with no payment provider in between and no extra cost.
All you need is your IBAN; you don't need a Stripe account. Zitli only shows VAT if you are registered for it, and you see paid invoices on each client's record. The QR-bill is included in Zitli Pro.
If you bill a supplementary insurer under tarif 590, different rules and a different invoice standard apply. More in the guide to tarif 590.
Read next: TWINT for the self-employed, Tarif 590 and the reimbursement slip · Zitli pricing