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Swiss QR-bill generator: create a QR-bill free

Enter your IBAN, your client and what you did, then download a complete invoice with the Swiss QR payment slip as a PDF. Already have an invoice from Word or Canva? You can also add the QR slip to it.

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Free
No signup
v2.3
SIX standard
5,000+
Freelancers
Free QR-bill generator

A complete invoice with QR payment slip, in three steps

Enter your details and IBAN, add your client and line items, download the PDF. You don't need a QR-IBAN, your normal Swiss IBAN is enough. Only need the slip? Tick "QR Slip Only" in the options.

Swiss IBAN starting with CH.
Item 1
In short

What you need to know about the QR‑bill

The generator creates a complete invoice under the Swiss QR-bill standard v2.3, in English, German, French or Italian, in CHF or EUR.

The only payment slip since 2022

The QR-bill replaced the orange and red payment slips. Banks stopped processing the old ones on 30 September 2022.

Your normal IBAN works

You only need a QR-IBAN for the 27-digit QR-reference. Most freelancers never do.

What you enter

Your name and address, a Swiss IBAN (CH…), your client's name and address and at least one line item. Optional: VAT at 8.1%, 3.8% or 2.6%, your logo by URL.

What happens to your data

The PDF is generated on our server in Google Cloud's Zurich region. The download link expires after 24 hours and your data is deleted with it. No account, nothing is saved for next time.

Tool 2

Add a QR code to an existing invoice

Your invoice comes from Word, Pages, Canva or an industry tool without a QR feature? Upload the PDF, enter IBAN and amount, and the Swiss QR payment slip is added to the last page, or to a new page if there's no room. Your layout, font and logo stay as they are.

Invoicing every month?

The generator forgets everything. Magic Heidi doesn't.

Both tools are made for the occasional invoice. Magic Heidi saves your clients, IBAN and invoice numbers, calculates VAT, sends automatic reminders and shows who has paid. Free for 3 invoices and 3 expenses in total, no credit card.

Enter your details once

IBAN, address, logo and VAT number, if you have one.

Pick the client, add the work

VAT at 8.1%, 3.8% or 2.6% is calculated, invoice numbers run on automatically.

Send the PDF with QR-bill

Email it straight from the app, in English, German, French or Italian.

See who has paid

Connect your bank or import a CSV or Excel statement, and paid invoices are matched automatically.

Create a Swiss QR-bill with the Magic Heidi app on a smartphone
Background

What is a Swiss QR‑bill?

Since 2022 the QR-bill has been the only payment slip Swiss banks process. The receipt is on the left, the payment part with the Swiss QR Code on the right, holding account, recipient, amount and reference. Your client scans it with their banking app (PostFinance, UBS, ZKB, Raiffeisen, a cantonal bank, Yuh, Neon…) and only confirms. The standard is set by SIX Group.

What is a Swiss QR-bill
Reference types

Three types of QR‑bill

Which one you use depends on your account. Most freelancers use the first.

IBAN without reference (NON)

What most Swiss freelancers use. Normal IBAN, plus a message such as "Invoice 2026-041".

IBAN with Creditor Reference (SCOR)

ISO 11649 reference starting with RF. Works with a normal IBAN and is common between business clients.

QR-IBAN with QR-reference (QRR)

27-digit reference for automatic matching of many payments. Only works with a QR-IBAN from your bank.

Guide

Mandatory fields, example and rules

A QR-bill is judged by its data, not its looks. If account, address, amount and reference fit together, the payment goes through without a confused email from your client.

Mandatory fields and technical requirements

FieldWhat goes in it
AccountQR-IBAN or normal IBAN; sets the reference type
AddressStructured fields, mandatory since 21/11/2025
Payment dataAmount and currency (CHF or EUR only)
ReferenceQRR, SCOR or none (NON)

QR code size. 46 × 46 mm with a 7 × 7 mm Swiss cross; a stretched or blurry code won't scan.

Reference formats. The QR-reference only works with a QR-IBAN (bank clearing number 30000 to 31999); a normal IBAN combined with a QR-reference makes the document invalid. More under QR-IBAN example.

QR-bill example: what a correct invoice looks like

A fictional graphic designer in Bern invoices a bakery in Thun CHF 1,232.34. She has no QR-IBAN, so like most freelancers she uses "IBAN without reference".

FieldExample
IssuerLea Brunner Grafikdesign, Kramgasse 12, 3011 Bern
RecipientBäckerei Frei GmbH, Thun
Invoice no.2026-041, due 8 October 2026
ServiceFlyer and menu, 12 h at CHF 95
AmountCHF 1,140.00 + 8.1% VAT = CHF 1,232.34
AccountCH93 0076 2011 6238 5295 7
MessageInvoice 2026-041 (no reference)

Is the QR-bill mandatory?

If you include a payment slip, it must be the QR-bill. But you don't have to include a slip at all. Since 1 October 2022 no Swiss bank or post office processes orange or red slips. An invoice with your IBAN in plain text is still complete; your client then types the payment manually. eBill is a separate system that requires registration.

Looking for a payment slip (Einzahlungsschein)?

The payment part of the QR-bill is today's payment slip; the generator above creates it for free, with "QR Slip Only" even without the invoice part. How the old orange (ESR) and red (ES) slips differ: payment slip: from ESR to QR payment part (in German).

Check the QR-bill before you send it

  1. Scan it with your own banking app. Open the PDF, choose "Scan QR code" and compare recipient, IBAN, amount, currency and reference with the printed payment part. If anything differs, don't send it.
  2. Validate templates at SIX. For templates you reuse, or after switching software, upload the code in the SIX validation portal. You get an error log covering structure, version and mandatory fields.

Read more: adding a QR code to an existing PDF invoice, writing an invoice in Switzerland, Swiss invoice template, VAT for freelancers, VAT management, invoicing software for Switzerland, Bexio alternative, data security and Magic Heidi pricing.

Last updated: 23 September 2026. Reviewed by the Magic Heidi team. For VAT or accounting questions, ask a fiduciary or the FTA. This page is general information, not tax or legal advice.

Mandatory details

What belongs on a
QR invoice?

Two parts: the invoice itself with service and VAT, and the QR payment slip under the SIX standard. From CHF 100,000 annual turnover you must register for VAT, and your VAT number and rate belong on every invoice; below that, leave VAT off.

On the invoice itself

What your client needs to book it, and what the VAT Act (art. 26) requires if you're VAT-registered.

  • Your name or company name and address
  • Your VAT number, if registered
  • Name and address of the client
  • Invoice number, invoice date and date of the service
  • Description of the service or delivery
  • Amount and currency; if registered, VAT rate and VAT amount

On the QR payment slip

Required and optional data under the Swiss QR-bill standard v2.3.

  • IBAN or QR-IBAN of the recipient
  • Name and structured address of the recipient
  • Name and address of the payer, if known
  • Amount and currency (amount optional)
  • Reference or message (optional)
  • SIX layout with 46 × 46 mm QR code
Common mistakes

Five mistakes that make a QR‑bill invalid

The same questions reach our support again and again. Check these before you hit send.

QR-reference without QR-IBAN

A QR-reference only works with a QR-IBAN. With a normal IBAN, leave the reference empty and use a message.

Private IBAN used

Payments land in your private account and mix with personal spending. That makes bookkeeping and the tax return harder.

Sending the slip alone

A slip is not an invoice. Your client needs invoice number, service and, if you're registered, the VAT details.

Duplicate invoice numbers

Two invoices with the same number confuse your client, your fiduciary and any VAT audit. Software numbers them for you.

No 10-year archive

Business records must be kept for 10 years (CO art. 958f). PDFs in your email inbox are not a reliable archive.

Comparison

Bank generator, free tool or invoicing software?

All three produce a valid QR payment slip. The bank generator suits the odd slip, the free tool on this page one-off invoices. From about three invoices a month, software saves the work before and after. As of September 2026.

FeatureMagic HeidiBank generatorFree tool (this page)
CostFree for 3 invoices, Pro from CHF 24.99/mo incl. VATFreeFree
SignupFree accountBank loginNone
Full invoice with QR slip✓ Yes⚠ Mostly slip only✓ Yes
Clients and IBAN saved✓ Yes✗ No✗ No
Sequential invoice numbers✓ Automatic✗ No✗ Manual
Payment tracking✓ Bank connection or import✗ No✗ No
Expenses and VAT overview✓ Yes✗ No✗ No
Invoice languagesDE / FR / IT / ENVariesDE / FR / IT / EN
AppsiPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, webE-banking appBrowser
Reviews

Trusted by Swiss Freelancers

Real reviews from Google and Trustpilot. Join 5,000+ self-employed professionals across Switzerland.

★★★★★
“Thank you for existing and making life so much easier for us self-employed people. The invoice layout is clean, the generated QR code is ideal. In short, I save an enormous amount of time, and that's precious!”
Audrey PedroGoogle review (translated from French)
★★★★★
“This is a perfect solution for a small business who wants to see the forests for the trees. Everything one needs to write and keep track of invoices. Also remarkably quick responses on any questions that arise.”
ZauberklangfestivalTrustpilot review
★★★★★
“There is no need to be an accounting expert to use it. The invoice layout is automated and professional, which saves me a lot of time in my daily work.”
Nadia RiebenTrustpilot review
★★★★★
“If you are a freelancer in Switzerland and want to send invoices easily, quickly, and securely, this tool is for you.”
Alejandro GalvisGoogle review
★★★★★
“I really have a phobia of paperwork, invoices, and all that business stuff, but with Magic Heidi it's so much easier and quicker. And when you're just starting out, your invoices really stand out and make you look very professional.”
Kevin BourgeoisGoogle review
★★★★★
“A truly easy to understand and easy to use accounting platform! As a freelance videographer in Switzerland, it's perfect for my small accounting duties, invoicing, and expenses, which I used to do manually until now.”
David SarlinTrustpilot review
Read all reviews

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FAQ

Common questions about Swiss QR‑bills

Do I need a QR-IBAN?

Usually not. A QR-IBAN is only needed for the 27-digit QR-reference used for automated reconciliation of many payments. For freelancers and small businesses, the normal IBAN from your bank is enough.

Is the QR-bill mandatory?

Orange and red payment slips have not been processed since 1 October 2022, so if you include a slip, it must be the QR payment part. Including a slip is not mandatory: an invoice with your IBAN in plain text is complete.

What happens to the data I enter in the free generator?

The PDF is generated on our server in Google Cloud's Zurich region and you get a download link that expires after 24 hours; your data is deleted when it expires. Nothing is saved to an account. For Tool 2, your PDF is uploaded to our server so the payment slip can be added.

What's the difference between a QR-bill and eBill?

A QR-bill is a PDF or paper invoice with a slip your client scans. eBill delivers the invoice directly into your client's e-banking, without a PDF, but requires registration with the eBill network. With few clients, the QR-bill is the simpler route.

Can I create a QR-bill without an amount?

The standard allows it, for example for donations: your client enters the amount when paying. The free generator on this page is built for invoices and needs at least one line item with a price.

Does it work without VAT registration?

Yes. The QR-bill has nothing to do with VAT. Below CHF 100,000 annual turnover, and without voluntary registration, you simply leave VAT off. It's good practice to note on the invoice that you're not VAT-registered.

Can I invoice in euros, and what about clients abroad?

The standard allows CHF and EUR; for USD or GBP, send an invoice without a slip. Clients abroad pay by normal IBAN transfer, since they can't scan the code with a Swiss banking app. Add IBAN, BIC and your address in plain text.

How does my client pay a QR-bill?

They open their banking app, choose "Scan QR code" and point the camera at the code. All details are pre-filled and one tap confirms. The slip also works at the post office counter. The payer's guide, including desktop e-banking and PostFinance: paying a QR-code invoice.

How do I check whether my QR-bill is valid?

Scan the PDF with your own banking app and compare recipient, IBAN, amount and reference with the printed slip. Validate reused templates in the SIX validation portal as well. Most common errors: QR-reference without QR-IBAN, address on one free-text line, a digit swapped in the IBAN.

What's the difference between IBAN and QR-IBAN?

A QR-IBAN has its own bank clearing number (30000 to 31999) and is only needed for the 27-digit QR-reference. A normal IBAN works perfectly for QR-bills, with a little less automation.

Is there a QR-bill template for Word or Excel?

Only partly: the QR code has to be recalculated for every invoice, which Word and Excel can't do. Free templates for the invoice part are under Swiss invoice template; then add the payment slip with Tool 2 above.

Can I still create an orange or red payment slip?

No. They have not been processed since 30 September 2022 and can no longer be ordered, so old stock can go in the recycling. The replacement is the QR payment part from the generator above. Background under payment slip (Einzahlungsschein).

How much does creating a QR-bill cost?

Both tools on this page are free and need no signup. Magic Heidi is free for 3 invoices and 3 expenses in total, with all features and no time limit; Pro costs CHF 24.99 a month billed yearly (CHF 299) or CHF 39 month to month, VAT included, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Bank generators such as the UBS QR portal are free but need your bank login.

Your next QR‑bill, without retyping everything

The free tools stay free. If you invoice every month, try Magic Heidi: 3 invoices free, no credit card, made in Switzerland for freelancers.

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