5 / 5
I teach piano to 12 students with different subscription models. Before, I had Excel spreadsheets for every family. Now I set up a recurring invoice and I'm done. Saves me a good two hours every month.
Anna K.
Piano teacher, Zurich
Invoicing as a Tutor or Private Teacher: Hours, Packages and Subscriptions done right
You teach maths, piano or yoga – but invoicing trips you up. How do you bill a 10-lesson package? What happens when a student cancels? Magic Heidi makes billing as simple as teaching.
As a private tutor, music teacher or course instructor in Switzerland, you know the problem: you excel at teaching – but invoicing costs you a disproportionate amount of time and energy.
Three pricing models, three different invoice structures. A student asks for a receipt for their continuing education tax deduction. Another cancelled at the last minute last week. And at month-end, the admin backlog piles up.
Magic Heidi solves all of this. Whether it's a single lesson, a 10-lesson package or a monthly course subscription – you create a professional, Swiss-compliant invoice with QR code in just a few minutes.
Four problems every tutor recognises
Most invoicing tools are built for tradespeople or agencies – not teachers. That makes billing unnecessarily complicated.
⏱
Hourly rate: when and how to charge?
Start time, end time, prep? Vague descriptions lead to questions🎟
10-lesson package: tracking credits
Who has how many sessions left? Excel spreadsheets and notes get lost🔁
Course series: starting over each month
Retyping the same invoice every month wastes time and creates errors💸
Cancellations and no-shows to document
Cancellation policies belong on the invoice – but how to word them?The three pricing models
Hourly rate, lesson package or course series: how to structure your invoice line items
Each model has its own logic – and its own invoice structure. Here's how to represent them correctly.
Model 1: Hourly rate (individual lessons)
The simplest model. You teach – you invoice.
Invoice line item:
- Description: Maths tutoring session, 25.03.2025, 60 min.
- Quantity: 1
- Unit: hr
- Price: CHF 80.00
For multiple sessions in a month, issue a combined invoice at month-end and list each session as a separate line item. Your student sees exactly what they're paying for.
Payment terms: 10 days recommended – short enough that individuals don't forget.
Model 2: 10-lesson package (prepaid)
The student buys 10 sessions upfront. You issue the invoice before the first lesson.
Invoice line item:
- Description: 10-lesson piano package – 10 sessions of 45 min., valid from 01.04.2025
- Quantity: 10
- Unit: session
- Price: CHF 75.00
Important: Keep a separate record of sessions already delivered – Magic Heidi helps you maintain this overview.
Model 3: Course series / monthly subscription
A fixed number of hours per month at a flat rate. Ideal for language courses, yoga or regular group lessons.
Invoice line item:
- Description: April 2025 – 4 × 45 min. German course (every Tuesday)
- Quantity: 1
- Unit: month
- Price: CHF 280.00
Set this invoice up once – Magic Heidi sends it automatically every month.
Mini-template: tutoring monthly invoice
Here's what a typical monthly invoice for private lessons might look like:
| Line | Description | Qty | Unit | Price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maths tutoring session, 08.04.2025, 60 min. | 1 | hr | CHF 80.00 | CHF 80.00 |
| 2 | Maths tutoring session, 15.04.2025, 60 min. | 1 | hr | CHF 80.00 | CHF 80.00 |
| 3 | Maths tutoring session, 22.04.2025, 60 min. | 1 | hr | CHF 80.00 | CHF 80.00 |
| 4 | Cancellation 29.04.2025 (< 24h notice, 50% fee) | 1 | flat | CHF 40.00 | CHF 40.00 |
| Total | CHF 280.00 |
Invoice note: Payment due within 10 days. Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice will be charged at 50% of the session rate.
This note protects you legally and makes your cancellation policy transparent.
Automatic & on time
Recurring invoices for subscriptions and courses
If you have 10 students, you don't want to create 10 invoices manually every month. Set up your recurring invoices once – Magic Heidi sends them automatically. With payment reminders so your cash flow doesn't depend on forgetful parents.
Before vs. After
Manual vs. Magic Heidi
What most tutors experience every day – and how to do it better
| Task | Manual | Magic Heidi |
|---|---|---|
| Create a 10-lesson package | Excel + Word invoice, 20 min. | Fill in a template, 2 min. |
| Track lesson credits | Handwritten list, error-prone | Automatically in the client profile |
| Monthly course invoice | Retype every month | Set up once, runs automatically |
| Payment reminder | Forgotten or awkward follow-up | Automatic reminder after due date |
| Expense tracking | Keep receipts and enter manually | Take a photo, AI does the rest |
Teaching materials, room rental and travel as expenses
As a self-employed tutor you have deductible expenses: books and teaching materials, room rental for your teaching space, mileage allowance for home visits. Take a photo of the receipt – the AI automatically reads the date, amount and category. No manual entry, no lost receipts.
What Magic Heidi offers teachers
Everything tutors and private teachers need
No bloated accounting software. Only the features you actually use.
Invoice templates for every model
Create templates for hourly rate, 10-lesson package and course series. Set up once, filled out in seconds. With customisable service descriptions and a field for cancellation notes.
- Templates for hourly, package and course
- Description with date and duration
- Cancellation policy as invoice note
- Swiss QR code generated automatically
Recurring invoices & reminders
Set up recurring invoices for monthly courses. Magic Heidi sends automatically and issues a payment reminder when the due date is exceeded – without you having to step in.
- Recurring invoices set up once
- Automatic monthly sending
- Payment reminder on overdue
- Overview of open and paid invoices
Expenses & simple bookkeeping
Photo of the receipt, done. The AI extracts date, amount and category. At year-end, export everything tax-ready – for your accountant or directly for your tax return.
- AI-powered receipt capture by photo
- Categories: materials, room, travel
- Simple income-expense overview
- Tax-ready export for your accountant
For tutors & private teachers
A professional invoice in minutes
Magic Heidi isn't built for accountants – it's for people who would rather teach than fill in forms.
- 🎟Lesson packages & subscriptions
Create prepaid packages and manage credit balances
- 🔁Recurring invoices
Set up monthly courses once, automatic sending
- 🤖AI expense scanning
Photo, AI reads date and amount automatically
- 📲QR code payment
Parents and students pay by scanning – instantly
Invoices
- Invoice #3
Magic Heidi
CHF 500
Jan 29
- Invoice #2
Webbiger LTD
CHF 2000
Jan 24
- Invoice #1
John Doe
CHF 600
Jan 20
Self-employed as a teacher
in Switzerland
Occasional tutoring on the side or full-time course provider – the legal requirements differ. Here are the key points Swiss tutors need to know.
🇨🇭 Swiss compliant
🔒 Secure & Private
💬 English support
⭐ Mobile-first design
📋
Simplified bookkeeping
Under CHF 100k turnover: income and expenses are sufficient
🏥
AHV contribution
Required once you have regular income from self-employment
🎓
VAT exemption
Education services are exempt from Swiss VAT under Art. 21 VAT Act
💰
Continuing education deduction for students
Students can deduct up to CHF 12,400 in education costs – they need your invoice
Tutor invoice checklist
Checklist: what your invoice must include
Copy this checklist and tick it off before sending your next invoice.
Mandatory items on every Swiss invoice:
- ✅ Your full name and address (as service provider)
- ✅ Student's / client's name and address
- ✅ Unique invoice number
- ✅ Invoice date
- ✅ Service description: subject, date(s), duration of each session
- ✅ Unit price and total amount
- ✅ Payment terms (recommendation: 10 days)
- ✅ Your IBAN / bank details
- ✅ Swiss QR code (legally required since 2022)
Recommended for tutors and private teachers:
- ☑ Cancellation policy as a note ("cancellations < 24h charged at 50%")
- ☑ Validity period for lesson packages ("valid 6 months from issue date")
- ☑ VAT exemption note if applicable ("educational service per Art. 21 Swiss VAT Act, exempt from VAT")
- ☑ Your UID number, if you have one
Magic Heidi handles all of this automatically – QR code, invoice number, formatting included.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions from tutors and private teachers
Do I actually need to issue invoices as a tutor?
Yes – for two reasons. First, an invoice is proof of your service and protects you in payment disputes. Second, many students and parents need a formal invoice to claim the costs as continuing education expenses in their tax return (up to CHF 12,400 per year). Without your invoice, they can't claim this deduction.
How do I correctly invoice a 10-lesson package?
Issue the invoice for the full package upfront, before the first session takes place. Description: '10-lesson piano package – 10 sessions of 45 min., valid from [date]'. Keep a separate record of sessions already delivered. Magic Heidi helps you maintain this overview without Excel spreadsheets.
Can I charge for cancelled sessions and no-shows?
Yes, if you've mentioned a cancellation policy in your terms and conditions or directly on the invoice. Common practice is 50–100% of the session rate for cancellations with less than 24 or 48 hours notice. Add the cancellation fee as a separate line item, e.g. 'Cancellation 22.03.2025 (< 24h notice, 50% fee) – CHF 40.00'.
Do I need to charge VAT on tutoring and private lessons?
In most cases, no. Education and teaching services are exempt from Swiss VAT under Art. 21(2)(11) of the VAT Act – regardless of your turnover. This applies to tutoring, music lessons, language courses and similar educational offerings. You are therefore not required to register for VAT for these services, even if your turnover exceeds CHF 100,000.
How do I set up recurring invoices?
In Magic Heidi, create an invoice for your course, activate the recurring invoice function and set the frequency (monthly, weekly) and send date. Magic Heidi sends the invoice automatically and reminds the student when payment is due. You no longer need to intervene manually.
What expenses can I deduct as a trainer?
As a self-employed trainer, you can claim professionally-related expenses as business costs: teaching materials and books, room rental for your teaching space, mileage allowance for home visits, continuing education costs for your own professional development, and a proportion of home-office costs (if you teach from home). Magic Heidi captures these receipts by photo and categorises them automatically.
When am I considered self-employed as a private teacher?
As soon as you teach regularly for payment, you are considered self-employed for tax purposes – regardless of whether you've registered a sole proprietorship or not. The obligation to pay AHV contributions also begins with regular income. Recommendation: register with your AHV compensation fund and keep simple income-expense records from the start.
How do I issue a receipt for the continuing education tax deduction?
Your regular invoice is sufficient as proof. What's important is that the service description (subject, date, duration), your name as service provider and the amount paid are clearly visible. Magic Heidi generates professional invoices with all the necessary details – your student can submit these directly with their tax return.
Reviews
What tutors and private teachers say about Magic Heidi
Teachers from across Switzerland who have simplified their invoicing
5 / 5
Mes élèves de français langue étrangère ont besoin d'un reçu pour leur déduction fiscale formation. Avec Magic Heidi, je génère une facture professionnelle en 2 minutes. Mes élèves sont contents, moi aussi.
Sophie M.
Independent French language teacher, Geneva
5 / 5
The 10-lesson package for my tutoring students used to be chaos. Who has how many sessions left? Now I see it instantly in the client profile. Parents pay by QR code and I don't have to chase anyone.
Thomas B.
Maths & Physics tutor, Bern
Simple pricing. No surprises.
One plan. All features. Cancel anytime.
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Annual
CHF24.99/month
per month, billed annually CHF 299
- Unlimited invoices
- Unlimited expenses
- AI expense scanning
- Recurring invoices & reminders
- Swiss QR invoices
- Bank statement import
- Mobile + desktop access
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Monthly
CHF30/month
per month, flexible billing
- Unlimited invoices
- Unlimited expenses
- AI expense scanning
- Recurring invoices & reminders
- Swiss QR invoices
- Bank statement import
- Mobile + desktop access
- Standard support
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You teach. Magic Heidi handles the invoices.
You became a tutor, music teacher or course provider because you want to share your knowledge – not to do accounting. Magic Heidi handles the admin side so you can focus on teaching.