Swiss QR-bill standard
ISO 20022, type S, structured addresses. It replaced the orange payment slip (BVR) on 1 October 2022.
Sevyos · Suisse
Invoicing from your phone or from a desktop app?
The honest comparison for freelancers and small businesses in Switzerland, in 2026.
In short
In Switzerland, most freelancers still invoice from software installed on a computer. Yet a compliant QR-bill can now be created, sent and collected entirely from a phone. This guide compares the two approaches on what really matters: mobility, compliance with the Swiss QR-bill standard, paying the bills you receive, price and data protection.
The short answer: desktop software still makes sense if you run full accounting from a fixed workstation. A mobile app is the best choice if you work in the field, want to invoice right after a job, and pay your supplier bills without retyping IBANs.
The comparison table
| Criterion | Mobile app (like Sevyos) | Desktop software |
|---|---|---|
| Where you invoice | Anywhere — job site, client, car | At the office, at your computer |
| Invoicing after a job | Instant, on the spot | Back home, in the evening |
| Compliant QR-bill 2026 | Yes (ISO 20022, type S) | Yes, depending on the software |
| Paying the bills you receive | Scan the QR → payment prepared | Often missing or a separate module |
| Scanning receipts / bills | Instant photo | Manual entry or a scanner |
| Getting started | A few minutes | Hours to days |
| Where your data lives | On your device | On the vendor’s server (often) |
| Full accounting | No — exports to Bexio/Banana/Crésus | Yes, often built in |
When the mobile app wins
You work in the field. A tradesperson finishing an install, a therapist between appointments, a consultant at a client’s: the invoice goes out before the tools are even packed away. Invoicing stops being an evening chore.
You pay as much as you invoice. An app that scans a supplier bill’s QR and prepares the payment for your e-banking saves you a lot of time — no more IBANs retyped by hand.
You want to keep your data. On an app designed for it, everything stays on your device, with no copy on an external server.
You hate paperwork. An app takes minutes to learn, whereas accounting software requires a real learning curve.
When desktop software still makes sense
You keep full accounting in-house. Entries, balance sheet, detailed VAT, payroll: if you handle it all yourself without a trustee, full desktop software makes sense.
You have high volume and a team. Several workstations, multiple users, hundreds of invoices a month: the ergonomics of a big screen matter.
Good news: the two aren’t mutually exclusive. Sevyos exports to Bexio, Banana and Crésus. You invoice and pay day to day from mobile, and your trustee gets a clean file for the accounting.
What about Swiss compliance?
Whatever you choose, insist on three things:
Swiss VAT handling
Using the effective method or the net tax debt rate (flat rate).
pain.001 export
ISO 20022 format for batch payment via your e-banking.
A tool that ticks these three boxes is compliant, whether it runs on a phone or a computer.
Frequently asked questions
Can you really create a compliant invoice from a phone?
Yes. An app like Sevyos generates compliant QR-bills (ISO 20022, type S), accepted by all Swiss banks, directly from an iPhone or Android.
Does a mobile app replace accounting software?
No, and that’s not its purpose. A mobile invoicing app handles quotes, invoices, collection and payment. For full accounting, it exports to Bexio, Banana or Crésus.
Is my data safe on a mobile app?
It depends on the app. Sevyos keeps all data on your device, with no storage on an external server. Always check this before choosing.
Do you need a separate subscription to pay supplier bills?
On most desktop software, yes — it’s a separate module. On an app built for it, scan-and-pay via QR is included from the start.
In summary
If you often work away from the office and want to invoice and pay without juggling several tools, a compliant mobile app is today the simplest and fastest choice. Keep desktop software for full accounting — or delegate it to your trustee thanks to the export.
Sevyos, the Swiss QR-invoicing and cash-flow app, launches on 1 August 2026 on iPhone and Android.