A SaaS product for Switzerland and the EU needs prices in francs and euros. That sounds like a technical detail and yet it is one of the decisions by which customers judge a provider’s seriousness. This article describes the patterns we use in our own products and the tax and legal points that come with them. It deliberately gives no concrete price recommendations: the right level depends on value to the customer, not on a table.
Fixed prices per currency
The simplest solution — set a price in euros and convert it for Swiss customers — is the worst. Converted prices look odd, fluctuate with the exchange rate and signal that the Swiss market is an afterthought. Better are fixed prices per currency, set deliberately and rounded to familiar amounts. That is how we do it for FLIORE, whose plans are shown fixed in CHF, EUR and USD with no conversion at checkout. Prices need not match the daily rate; they need to be consistent and change only by deliberate decision.
Gross or net
For consumers, prices in Switzerland and the EU must be shown including VAT. For business customers net pricing is common, as long as it is clearly marked that VAT is added. A product addressing both should align the display with the target group or show both. Unclear information, where customers only learn the price at checkout, costs trust and conversions.
VAT in Switzerland
The standard Swiss VAT rate has been 8.1 percent since 1 January 2024. A company becomes liable for VAT from a worldwide turnover of CHF 100,000 from taxable supplies. Foreign providers of electronic services to Swiss consumers become liable in Switzerland from that threshold, regardless of how much of it arises in Switzerland. For invoices to Swiss customers not paying by card, a correct QR-bill belongs with it.
VAT in the EU
When a Swiss provider sells digital services to consumers in the EU, the VAT of the customer’s member state generally applies — currently 19 percent in Germany and 20 percent in Austria. Instead of registering in each country, providers from third countries can use the special One-Stop-Shop scheme for non-EU businesses and declare all such sales through one member state. For business customers in the EU with a valid VAT identification number, the tax liability usually shifts to the customer. The system therefore needs to know whether a customer is a business or a consumer and in which country it is established.
Implementing billing technically
Payment platforms such as Stripe allow prices per currency for the same product, tax calculation by customer location and validation of VAT identification numbers. It is important to store the currency on the customer so that upgrades and renewals run in the same currency, and to show tax details on invoices correctly. Swiss business customers wanting to pay by invoice also need a route to a QR-bill. The setup is described in our Stripe billing integration for DACH offer.
What customers expect
- Prices in their currency, with no conversion fees at checkout.
- A clear statement of whether VAT is included.
- An understandable pricing metric, such as per seat, per tenant or per use, that grows with value.
- An annual plan with a clear advantage over monthly payment.
- The option to start without talking to sales, where the product suits that.
Pricing and retention
Prices act not only at signup but across the whole customer relationship. A pricing metric that grows with the customer enables expansion revenue instead of churn; price increases without notice drive cancellations. Building such billing on a modern stack is covered in our article on the Next.js App Router in production. Individual tax questions belong with a fiduciary or tax adviser.