Swiss payroll software: what it really needs to handle in 2026

Doing a Swiss payslip by hand means juggling AHV/AVS (state pension), unemployment insurance, BVG/LPP (occupational pension), accident insurance, daily sickness allowance, withholding tax and, in January, the salary certificate (Lohnausweis). This is exactly the kind of repetitive, standardised work software should do for you. Here is what to demand from Swiss payroll software — and what it costs across the tools.

The 2026 figures your software must know

Official values, as of 1 January 2026:

On top of these come accident insurance (UVG/LAA, rate depending on insurer and sector), optional daily sickness allowance insurance (KTG/IJM), and withholding tax for the employees concerned. Payroll software that doesn't update these values every year manufactures errors in series.

What Swiss payroll software must produce

1. Payslips that are correct, with deductions at the right rates and ceilings.
2. Statements for the funds: AHV/ALV, BVG/LPP, accident insurance — at the right frequency.
3. Salary certificate (Lohnausweis): mandatory for every employee, every year, in the standardised format recognised by all tax administrations.
4. Accounting entries: every payroll run must flow into the books without re-entry — this is where “payroll-only” tools cost you time all over again.
5. The market standard for the electronic transmission of salary data to insurers and administrations is Swissdec (the ELM standard, version 5 minimum in 2026) — check what your tool covers and how it transmits.

What does payroll cost across the tools?

This is where pricing models diverge the most (prices excl. VAT, official websites accessed 10.08.2026):

The question to ask is never “how much does the software cost?” but “how much does the software cost for MY headcount, payroll included?”. The full comparison does that calculation for every tool.

The BeMyTalent approach: payroll is not a module

In BMT, Swiss payroll is part of the accounting — not an add-on:

• You enter the employee once; BMT prepares the payslips, the deductions (AHV, unemployment insurance, BVG/LPP) and the accounting entries; you approve.
• From gross salary to the salary certificate: the full cycle runs in production — on the founder's own companies first.
• Salary transfers go out with your supplier payments as pain.001 files (validated by SIX).
• And like everything else: approved payroll feeds Planned vs Actual — your actual payroll costs compared to your budget, continuously.

Everything is included from CHF 29/month, pricing details here. If your payroll currently lives in Bexio or elsewhere, the migration brings over your history.

Try BeMyTalent free for 1 month — everything included, payroll too, no credit card. → Start the trial

FAQ

What social contributions does a Swiss employer pay in 2026?

AHV/IV/EO 10.6% (split 5.3/5.3 between employer and employee), unemployment insurance 2.2% up to CHF 148,200 of annual salary, plus BVG/LPP (depending on the pension plan, entry threshold CHF 22,680), accident insurance and optional daily sickness allowance.

Is the salary certificate mandatory?

Yes, for every employee, every year, in the standardised format recognised by the Swiss tax administrations. Swiss payroll software must generate it automatically.

What is Swissdec?

The Swiss standard (ELM) for the electronic transmission of salary data to funds, insurers and administrations. In 2026, version 5 is the minimum in force on the market.

Can I do my payroll in Excel?

Legally nothing forbids it, but between the rates that change every year, the ceilings, withholding tax and the salary certificate, the risk of error is high — and every error has to be fixed twice (fund + books).

Does BMT's payroll handle withholding tax?

Yes: withholding tax is calculated on the official cantonal scales, which you import for your canton. For the very specific cases in your workforce (cross-border workers, international agreements), check your situation during the free trial — and your fiduciary remains the reference on those cases.