Recurring Invoicing in Switzerland: Which Software Fits Your Business?
Managing subscriptions, maintenance contracts, or monthly retainers means issuing the same invoices again and again. Forget one, and you lose revenue. Do it manually, and you waste hours every month. Automated recurring invoicing solves both problems -- but which tool should you choose?
This article compares the leading recurring invoicing tools suited to the Swiss market. Unlike our guide to recurring invoicing, which explains the concept and how to set it up, this comparison focuses on choosing the right software. For a broader comparison of Swiss invoicing tools (not limited to recurring billing), see our general software comparison.
Key Criteria for Recurring Invoicing Software
Before diving into the comparison, here are the features that matter most when evaluating subscription billing tools for Swiss businesses.
Automation and Flexibility
- Configurable frequencies: monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual, or custom intervals
- Automatic generation and delivery: invoices should be created and sent without manual intervention
- Mid-contract changes: price adjustments, pauses, early termination
- Automatic price indexation: annual increases based on CPI or a fixed rate
Swiss Compliance
- Native QR invoice: mandatory since the removal of BVR/ESR payment slips. See our QR invoice guide
- Swiss VAT rates: handling of three rates (8.1%, 3.8%, 2.6%) and export for VAT declarations
- Multi-currency: CHF and EUR at minimum, essential for international clients. See our multi-currency guide
Payment Follow-up and Dunning
- Automatic reminders: progressive escalation (friendly reminder, first formal notice, second formal notice)
- Dunning management: automated overdue payment workflow
- Automatic suspension: ability to pause a subscription when payment fails
- Real-time tracking: visibility on overdue invoices and outstanding amounts
Integration and Workflow
- Bank reconciliation: automatic detection of incoming payments
- Accounting export: for your fiduciary
- API and integrations: connections with your other tools (CRM, accounting, payment gateways)
Detailed Comparison: 4 Recurring Invoicing Tools
1. To Bill
Positioning: Swiss invoicing software built for SMEs and freelancers, with native and comprehensive recurring billing.
Recurring invoicing features:
- Recurring templates with flexible frequencies (monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual)
- Automatic invoice generation and delivery with QR invoice attached
- Three-level automatic reminders (friendly reminder, first and second formal notices)
- Automatic bank reconciliation to detect incoming payments
- Multi-currency support (30+ currencies) for international subscriptions
- Automatic price indexation
- Dashboard with MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) tracking
Strengths:
- Interface in French, German, and English -- suited to all three Swiss language regions
- QR invoice fully compliant with Swiss Payments standards
- Quick setup: a recurring template takes minutes to configure
- Built-in expense management with OCR
- Responsive Swiss-based support
Limitations:
- No native credit card payment processing (no integrated payment gateway)
- No self-service subscriber portal
- Less suited to usage-based billing models (metered billing)
Pricing: CHF 30/month (or CHF 300/year, 2 months free), everything unlimited. 7-day free trial.
Best for: Swiss SMEs, freelancers, and fiduciaries invoicing recurring services (maintenance, retainers, subscriptions) who want a simple, compliant tool with multilingual support.
2. Bexio
Positioning: comprehensive business management solution (lightweight ERP) with a recurring invoicing module.
Recurring invoicing features:
- Recurring invoice creation with configurable frequencies
- Automatic email delivery
- QR invoice supported
- Automatic bank reconciliation
- Integrated accounting
Strengths:
- Very complete ecosystem: invoicing, accounting, project management, payroll
- Wide range of integrations (Swiss banks, e-commerce, CRM)
- Strong community in German-speaking Switzerland
- Mobile app available
Limitations:
- Interface more complex than needed if you only want recurring invoicing
- Higher pricing to access advanced recurrence features
- Less granular automatic reminders compared to specialised tools
- Significant learning curve
Pricing: from CHF 35/month (Starter plan) up to CHF 65/month (Pro plan). Full recurring invoicing requires the Pro plan.
Best for: SMEs that need a lightweight ERP, not just recurring billing.
3. Stripe Billing
Positioning: large-scale recurring billing solution designed for SaaS companies and online businesses.
Recurring invoicing features:
- Full subscription lifecycle management (creation, update, cancellation, pause)
- Usage-based billing (metered billing) and hybrid billing
- Advanced dunning management with automatic payment retry logic
- Self-service customer portal
- Credit card, SEPA, and other payment methods
- Comprehensive webhooks and API
- Automatic revenue recognition
Strengths:
- Unmatched power and flexibility for complex subscription models
- Excellent dunning management with intelligent retry of failed payments
- Industry-leading technical documentation
- Scalability for thousands of subscribers
- Customer portal for subscribers to manage their own subscriptions
Limitations:
- No native Swiss QR invoice -- requires custom development or a third-party tool
- No built-in Swiss VAT compliance (rates must be configured manually)
- Interface primarily in English
- Requires technical skills for setup (API-first approach)
- Transaction fees (2.9% + CHF 0.30 per card payment) on top of the subscription
- No expense management or Swiss accounting export
Pricing: free Starter plan (0.5% on recurring revenue), Scale plan at 0.8% on recurring revenue. Plus per-transaction payment processing fees.
Best for: SaaS companies, online platforms, and large-scale subscription models requiring card payments and a customer portal.
4. Smallinvoice
Positioning: Swiss invoicing software with recurring billing capabilities.
Recurring invoicing features:
- Recurring invoice creation with standard frequencies
- Automatic email delivery
- QR invoice supported
- Client and article management
- Accounting export
Strengths:
- Swiss solution with compliant QR invoice
- Relatively simple interface
- Affordable pricing for small businesses
- API available for integrations
Limitations:
- Basic recurrence features (no automatic indexation, no pause management)
- Limited automatic reminders
- Fewer advanced features than competitors (no full dunning management)
- Less modern interface
- Limited multi-currency support
Pricing: from CHF 15/month (Basic plan). Higher plans for advanced features.
Best for: small businesses and freelancers with straightforward recurring invoicing needs.
Feature Comparison Table
| Feature | To Bill | Bexio | Stripe Billing | Smallinvoice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recurring invoices | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Flexible frequencies | Yes | Yes | Yes | Basic |
| Automatic delivery | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Swiss QR invoice | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Swiss VAT (3 rates) | Yes | Yes | Manual | Yes |
| Multi-currency | 30+ | Yes | 135+ | Limited |
| Automatic reminders | 3 levels | Yes | Auto-retry | Basic |
| Dunning management | Yes | Partial | Advanced | No |
| Swiss bank reconciliation | Yes | Yes | No | Partial |
| Customer portal | No | No | Yes | No |
| Usage-based billing | No | No | Yes | No |
| API | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| French interface | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Swiss-based support | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Pricing Comparison
| Tool | Starting price | Pricing model | Additional fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| To Bill | CHF 30/month (or CHF 300/year) | Flat rate | None |
| Bexio | CHF 35/month | Plan-based | Paid add-on modules |
| Stripe Billing | CHF 0/month | Revenue commission | 0.5-0.8% + transaction fees |
| Smallinvoice | CHF 15/month | Plan-based | Advanced features as add-ons |
A note on pricing: the rates shown are those publicly available at the time of writing (April 2026). Stripe Billing may appear free initially, but commissions on every transaction add up quickly. For a Swiss business with CHF 50,000 in monthly recurring revenue, Stripe's commission amounts to CHF 250-400/month -- significantly more than a flat-rate subscription.
Which Tool for Your Business Profile?
Freelancer or micro-business (1-5 recurring clients)
Recommendation: To Bill or Smallinvoice
For a small volume of recurring invoices, simplicity and Swiss compliance come first. To Bill offers a good balance of features and pricing, with built-in automatic reminders. Smallinvoice is a more affordable alternative if your needs are basic.
SME with 10-50 subscriptions
Recommendation: To Bill
At this volume, automatic reminders and bank reconciliation become essential. To Bill handles this volume efficiently with quick setup. Bexio is an alternative if you also need integrated accounting and project management, though at a higher cost.
Growing SME with 50+ subscriptions
Recommendation: To Bill or Bexio
MRR tracking, multi-level automatic reminders, and accounting exports are critical at this scale. If you also need ERP features (project management, payroll), Bexio may justify its higher cost.
SaaS company or online platform
Recommendation: Stripe Billing
If your model relies on credit card payments, usage-based billing, or thousands of subscribers, Stripe Billing is unmatched. However, you will need a complementary tool for Swiss compliance (QR invoice, VAT) or custom development.
Hybrid model (Swiss + international clients)
Recommendation: To Bill for Swiss clients + Stripe Billing for international clients
Some businesses combine two tools: a compliant solution for the Swiss market and Stripe for international card payments. It is more complex to manage, but it provides the most complete coverage.
Key Considerations Before Choosing
Do not use tools without QR invoice support
Since the permanent removal of BVR/ESR payment slips, any invoicing software used in Switzerland must generate compliant QR invoices. An international tool without this feature will force manual exports or require a third-party solution. This is a deal-breaker.
Verify Swiss bank integrations
Automatic bank reconciliation saves considerable time. Check that the tool connects to your Swiss bank (PostFinance, UBS, Credit Suisse/UBS, Raiffeisen, cantonal banks). International tools rarely offer these integrations.
Calculate the real cost, not the listed price
A tool showing CHF 0/month but charging 2-3% on every transaction can cost far more than a flat monthly fee. For a business with CHF 100,000 in annual recurring revenue, a 2% commission means CHF 2,000/year -- compared to CHF 300/year for a flat rate with To Bill.
Try before you commit
Most tools offer a free trial. Use it to test concretely:
- Creating a recurring invoice with your actual parameters
- Automatic delivery with QR invoice
- Bank reconciliation
- Automatic reminders
- Accounting export for your fiduciary
Conclusion
Choosing recurring invoicing software in Switzerland depends primarily on your business profile and specific needs. International tools like Stripe Billing excel at online payment management and SaaS billing models, but lack Swiss compliance.
For a Swiss SME or freelancer invoicing recurring services, a native tool like To Bill offers the best compromise: guaranteed compliance, full automation, built-in reminders, and transparent pricing. If your needs extend beyond invoicing (accounting, project management), Bexio remains a solid alternative despite its higher cost.
The bottom line: choose a tool that saves you time every month while keeping you compliant with Swiss requirements. Test the solutions that match your profile and make an informed decision.