Skonto is a price reduction you grant customers when they pay an invoice particularly quickly. Instead of waiting 30 days for your money, you get it in 10 days — and the customer typically receives a 2% discount in return. For freelancers and SMEs in Switzerland, skonto is one of the most effective weapons against the biggest cash flow killer of all: slow payers.

In this article, we clarify what skonto means, show the skonto formula with concrete CHF examples, explain whether you deduct skonto before or after VAT, and how to book skonto correctly. Practical, no theoretical ballast — the way you've come to expect from Magic Heidi.

The Key Points at a Glance

• Definition: Skonto = a discount for fast payment. The common arrangement is 2% for payment within 10 days ("2/10, net 30").
• Example: On an invoice of CHF 4,275.00 (incl. VAT) with 2% skonto, the customer saves CHF 85.00 and pays CHF 4,189.50.
• VAT: Skonto is calculated on the net amount before VAT; if the customer takes it, the VAT also decreases — the correction is made using the relative method in your VAT return.
• Effect: Customers with skonto pay on average 15–20 days faster. That massively reduces reminder effort and default risk.
• Formula: Skonto amount = net amount × skonto rate ÷ 100.

What Exactly Does Skonto Mean? Definition

The word skonto comes from the Italian "sconto" and simply means a deduction or reduction. In plain terms: whoever pays fast, pays less. That's the whole trick.

On an invoice, this classically looks like: "Payable within 30 days, less 2% skonto if paid within 10 days." The customer thus has two options: pay within 10 days and receive a 2% discount, or use the full 30 days and pay the full amount. The decision lies with the customer — but the incentive works.

Skonto or discount — what's the difference?

The terms are often mixed up, but they don't mean the same thing:

• A discount is a price reduction on the service itself — for example, a 10% loyalty discount on a fee, regardless of when payment is made.
• Skonto is a reduction tied to one condition: fast payment. The price of the service stays the same; only the payment deadline determines whether the deduction is granted.

This matters legally: a discount is deducted directly on the invoice and reduces the VAT base from the start. Skonto appears as a payment term on the invoice — it only takes effect once the customer meets the condition (payment within the skonto period). More on this in the section on VAT.

Why Swiss freelancers should offer skonto

It sounds paradoxical: why would you voluntarily ask for less money? Because in most cases you aren't — you're trading a 2% discount for liquidity and security. Here's the math:

• An average payment receipt of 30 days means a third of your annual revenue is temporarily sitting with customers.
• Every unpaid invoice is a default risk. If the customer runs into trouble or debt collection proceedings, you're left standing as an unsecured creditor.
• Payment reminders cost time and money — see the article on reminder fees in Switzerland for details.

2% skonto on an invoice of CHF 5,000.00 is just CHF 100.00. In return, you have the money in your account 20 days earlier and write one less payment reminder. For most solo freelancers, that's a good deal.

Mini-story: Anna, a graphic designer from Zurich

Anna is a freelance graphic designer who had a problem many know well: her clients paid on average after 34 days, some only after a payment reminder. With a monthly invoicing volume of around CHF 12,000.00, her account was regularly thin even though the work was there.

She changed her payment terms to "2% skonto within 10 days, payable within 30 days." The result after three months: average payment time dropped from 34 to 13 days. Around 70% of her clients actively use the skonto. Anna gives up about CHF 170.00 per month in discounts — in exchange, she always has liquidity, hardly writes any payment reminders anymore, and can pay her AHV contributions on time. For her, skonto isn't a cost factor but an insurance against empty accounts.

Calculating skonto: formula and CHF examples

Calculating skonto is easier than its reputation. There is exactly one formula you need to know:

Skonto amount = net amount × skonto rate ÷ 100

And for the amount the customer actually transfers:

Payment amount = net amount − skonto amount + VAT on the reduced amount

Important, and the most common source of errors: the 2% refers to the net invoice amount, i.e. the amount before VAT — not the gross amount. Let's work through this with concrete numbers.

Example 1: invoice of CHF 4,275.00 incl. VAT

You issue an invoice for CHF 3,955.60 net plus 8.1% VAT, totaling CHF 4,275.00. You grant 2% skonto for payment within 10 days.

• Net: CHF 3,955.60
• Skonto 2%: CHF 3,955.60 × 2 ÷ 100 = CHF 79.11 — rounded to CHF 79.10
• New net amount: CHF 3,955.60 − CHF 79.10 = CHF 3,876.50
• VAT 8.1%: CHF 3,876.50 × 0.081 = CHF 314.00
• Payment amount: CHF 4,190.50 instead of CHF 4,275.00 — the customer saves CHF 84.50

As you can see, the skonto deduction runs through the entire invoice, including VAT. That's why the rule of thumb "2% of the gross amount" is usually pretty accurate — but for correct booking, work cleanly via the net route.

Example 2: the simplified case with CHF 10,000.00 net

A second example with round numbers to make the system stick. Invoice: CHF 10,000.00 net, 8.1% VAT = CHF 810.00, gross CHF 10,810.00. Skonto: 3% for payment within 7 days.

• Skonto: CHF 10,000.00 × 3 ÷ 100 = CHF 300.00
• New net amount: CHF 9,700.00
• VAT: CHF 9,700.00 × 0.081 = CHF 785.70
• Payment amount: CHF 10,485.70 instead of CHF 10,810.00 — savings for the customer: CHF 324.30

Example 3: what does skonto cost me per year?

Work out honestly what skonto costs you before introducing it. Assume you issue invoices of CHF 150,000.00 net per year and 60% of your customers use 2% skonto:

• Revenue share with skonto: CHF 90,000.00
• Cost: CHF 90,000.00 × 2% = CHF 1,800.00 per year

Set against that: faster payment receipts, less reminder effort (an estimated 1–2 hours per reminder wave, quickly CHF 1,000.00+ per year at an hourly rate of CHF 120.00), lower default risk, and better planning. Skonto is cheaper than it first appears — but it isn't free. If your customers already pay fast, you don't need to offer skonto.

Mini-story: Beat, an investment adviser from Zug

Beat, a self-employed financial adviser, made the mistake in the other direction. He granted all customers a flat 3% skonto within 14 days — including long-standing clients who had reliably paid within 5 days for years. Over the year, he gave away around CHF 2,400.00 in discounts to customers who needed no incentive at all.

His correction: offer skonto only to new customers and notoriously slow payers. Regular customers instead get their usual 14-day payment term without deduction. Result: same payment times, CHF 1,600.00 more net profit per year. Lesson: skonto is a tool for a specific problem — not a price cut for everyone.

Deduct skonto before or after VAT?

This is the question that causes the most confusion among Swiss freelancers — and the search query "skonto deduct before or after VAT" exists for a reason. The clear answer:

Skonto is calculated on the net amount — i.e. before VAT. The skonto rate always refers to the amount without tax. If the skonto is used, the VAT base decreases accordingly, and the tax is owed on the reduced amount.

What does that mean concretely?

Assume you invoice CHF 2,000.00 net and grant 2% skonto:

• Without skonto taken: VAT 8.1% = CHF 162.00, invoice total CHF 2,162.00
• With skonto taken: net CHF 1,960.00, VAT 8.1% = CHF 158.76, payment amount CHF 2,118.76

VAT is therefore not a fixed amount on the invoice — it depends on whether the customer uses the skonto. And this is exactly where it gets interesting for your VAT return to the FTA.

The relative method in the VAT return

At the time of invoicing, you cannot know whether the customer will take the skonto. That's why Swiss VAT practice allows the so-called relative method: you initially declare the tax on the full invoice amount in your VAT return and correct it in the reporting period in which the customer actually paid with skonto. The correction is made in the same ratio as the skonto deduction — you reduce the taxable base by the skonto amount and, accordingly, the VAT owed.

The alternative would be the gross method, where the VAT is back-calculated from the amount actually received — but for most small businesses, the relative method is clearer. You can read how the various methods work in detail in the article on VAT accounting methods explained. For the basics of value added tax for the self-employed, see the guide VAT for freelancers.

Issue a corrected invoice?

Does the invoice issuer have to issue a correction invoice for skonto? For VAT purposes, the correction in the return is sufficient — a new invoice is not required. However, it's advisable to document the skonto deduction in the payment receipt (date, skonto amount, VAT correction) so your bookkeeping is clean in case of an FTA audit. For the mandatory VAT details on invoices, Art. 26 of the Swiss VAT Ordinance applies — name, address, date, invoice number, VAT rate, and amount must be correct, including on the original invoice.

Offering skonto correctly on the invoice

Skonto only works if it's stated unambiguously on the invoice. Vague wording leads to disputes: does the customer deduct 2% even though the deadline had passed? Is "net" or "gross" clearly meant? Avoid these pitfalls with clean wording.

The standard wording

The compact notation used by large corporations has proven itself:

"Payable within 30 days, less 2% skonto if paid within 10 days. Skonto is granted on the net amount before VAT."

Or spelled out: "For payment by 15 September 2026, we grant 2% skonto on the net amount; the VAT is reduced accordingly."

What legally belongs on the invoice

A Swiss invoice must contain certain details to be recognized — for input tax deduction and late payment claims. The basis is OR Art. 469 for invoice content and Art. 26 of the Swiss VAT Ordinance for the VAT details:

• Name and address of the invoice issuer and recipient
• Invoice date and sequential number
• Type, scope, and price of the service
• VAT rate (8.1% or 2.6%) and VAT amount
• Payment term or due date
• For skonto: skonto rate and skonto deadline

For what a complete invoice looks like, see the template on the create an invoice template page. And if you want to set payment terms correctly, first read the article on payment terms in Switzerland.

Combining skonto and payment terms cleanly

The skonto period must be shorter than the payment term — otherwise the arrangement makes no sense. This tiering has proven itself:

• 10 days skonto / 30 days net — the classic, works for almost all industries
• 7 days skonto / 14 days net — for smaller amounts and private customers
• 14 days skonto / 45 days net — for larger B2B project invoices where customers have internal approval processes

One detail with big impact: write the concrete date next to the skonto deadline. "2% skonto for payment by 15 September 2026" is unambiguous — "within 10 days" regularly raises the question: from the invoice date or from receipt? In case of dispute, receipt of the invoice by the customer prevails, and just like that you're two weeks further along. A concrete date removes this discussion entirely.

Combining skonto and the QR-bill

On the QR-bill (QR-Rechnung), the skonto information appears in the information section — with a clear due date. Because the amount and reference are machine-readable, the customer pays with a few clicks, and the skonto takes effect faster. Practical: good invoicing software calculates the skonto amount for you and prints it on the invoice — skonto terms, VAT handling, and the QR payment part are already built in.

Booking skonto: how to record the deduction correctly

The customer has taken the skonto — now you have to book it. In Switzerland, the following scheme has become established for booking after the payment is received. Assume your invoice was CHF 3,955.60 net + CHF 319.40 VAT = CHF 4,275.00, and the customer takes 2% skonto:

1. Clear the receivable: The open item is cleared against the full invoice amount of CHF 4,275.00.
2. Book the bank receipt: The amount actually received, e.g. CHF 4,190.50, is recorded on the bank account.
3. Book the skonto as revenue reduction: The difference on the revenue side — CHF 79.10 net — is recorded as a skonto expense or revenue reduction. Many bookkeepers record skonto as a revenue reduction, because it doesn't make the service cheaper, only the payment.
4. Correct the VAT: The VAT portion in the skonto — here around CHF 6.40 — is booked as an input tax correction or tax reduction and claimed in the VAT return using the relative method.

Checking skonto taken by the customer

A common annoyance: customers deduct skonto even though the deadline has long passed. You have three options:

• Demand payment: You contact the customer and request the difference. With good business relationships, this is the best solution — it's often an oversight.
• Silently accept: For small amounts, sometimes smarter than the hassle — but be careful: if you repeatedly tolerate missed skonto deadlines, you risk the customer assuming them in the future.
• Offset: Add the amount to the next invoice — only with the customer's consent.

The cleanest solution is prevention: formulate the skonto amount and deadline so clearly that there's no room for interpretation. And if a customer still doesn't pay despite a clear deadline, the article on payment terms and late payment helps with the next step — from the payment reminder to debt collection.

When skonto pays off for you (and when it doesn't)

Skonto isn't a no-brainer. This decision aid brings clarity:

Skonto is worth it if ...

• You regularly wait for your money and write payment reminders
• Your liquidity is tight — skonto is cheaper than a bank overdraft (which quickly costs 6–8%)
• You have new customers whose payment behavior you don't know yet
• Your invoice amounts are small to medium (CHF 500.00 to CHF 20,000.00) — here, 2% is painless

Skonto is not worth it if ...

• Your customers pay quickly anyway — then you're giving money away
• Your margins are below 10% — 2% skonto eats a fifth of your profit
• You can grant a cash discount or require payment in advance — prepayment is better than any skonto
• You operate as a sole proprietorship below the VAT threshold and don't charge VAT — then the tax advantage disappears, and while booking is simpler, the cash flow effect remains

Rule of thumb for the skonto rate

In Switzerland, 2% within 10 days is the standard. You should only give more than 3% if you have a genuine liquidity problem — from 5% onwards, skonto starts to smell like a discount, and customers ask why your prices aren't lower from the start.

Conclusion: skonto is a cash flow instrument

Skonto means a discount for fast payment — and for most Swiss freelancers, it's the cheapest route to reliable cash flow. The formula is simple (net amount × skonto rate ÷ 100), the VAT treatment is clear (skonto on the net amount, correction via the relative method), and the booking follows a fixed scheme of clearing the receivable, reducing revenue, and correcting VAT.

The three most important takeaways:

1. 2% within 10 days is the Swiss standard — more is usually unnecessary.
2. Always calculate skonto on the net amount before VAT and document the VAT correction cleanly.
3. Use skonto selectively — for slow and new customers, not as a flat discount for everyone.

And honestly: software can take the skonto busywork off your hands. Magic Heidi calculates the skonto amount automatically, puts the terms on the QR-bill, and books the deduction correctly upon payment, VAT included — from CHF 25 per month, significantly less than bexio at CHF 52. Give it a try: creating invoices with skonto takes minutes, and you'll never have to recalculate whether the CHF 79.10 is right.