Chèque service or Clino: What Does Your Cleaner Really Cost? (2026)
Geneva's chèque service isn't a company - it's the canton-subsidized payroll declaration system, run since 2008 by PRO. entreprise humaine, a labor-reintegration foundation. It's a serious, 18-year-old reference. But what does it really cost, and how is it different from Clino? We ran the numbers live in their own calculator.
Key Takeaways
- 1Chèque service isn't a startup - it's Geneva canton's own system, run by PRO. entreprise humaine since 2008, for 15'000+ households a year.
- 2The fee is an uncapped commission (~5.5-7% of gross wage) plus quarterly advance payments - not a flat price like Clino's CHF 19.90/month.
- 3Chèque service only exists in Geneva. Across the rest of French-speaking Switzerland, 5 other independent organizations play the same role - cantonal, not nationwide.
- 4Chèque service also runs “Ménage emploi” - a genuinely free household-staff matching service. Clino doesn't have that.
What is Chèque service?
Chèque service has been run since 1 January 2008 by PRO. entreprise humaine - a foundation whose core mission is labor reintegration for people excluded from the ordinary job market (disability, etc.). Chèque service is one of its programs, not a tech company.
How it works: employer and employee sign a paper mandate form (online registration exists too), attaching a copy of the AVS card/ID and work permit if applicable. Chèque service then opens an account and bills quarterly provisional advances for social charges - only a credit balance on that account allows a salary to be recorded. Monthly salary declaration runs online or via a paper coupon book mailed back and forth - a method their own site describes as part of their success.
A service Clino doesn't have: “Ménage emploi”
Alongside the admin side, Chèque service runs “Ménage emploi”: a genuinely free matching service - employers can request pre-vetted candidates, or a worker can submit her CV to be contacted. It's real recruiting, not just a form. Clino has no equivalent (see “Who should pick which” below).
Already hired someone directly?
Many families hire someone first - through an acquaintance, an ad, a recommendation - and only later realise that declaring them is mandatory. Chèque service is designed for clean starts; regularising an existing, informal employment after the fact is more cumbersome through it.
This is exactly the case Clino is built for: Clino guides you through regularising an existing job - registration, contract, correct payslips and insurance - without you having to start from scratch.
The duty to declare applies retroactively
What does Chèque service really cost?
We ran it directly in Chèque service's own live calculator (2026 rates): cleaner, CHF 25/h net, 10h/week, vacation included in the wage, with optional daily-sickness insurance (APGM) turned on.
| Gross wage | 27.26 |
| Employer social contributions | 2.77 |
| Administration fee (VAT incl.) | 1.49 |
| Total employer cost / hour | 31.53 |
| Employee net wage | 25.00 |
That CHF 1.49 fee equals ~5.5% of the gross wage. RTS (April 2026) puts the chèque-emploi sector average at ~7% on a wage around CHF 30/h - in both cases an uncapped commission: the more the wage or hours, the more the employer pays, forever. Chèque service also requires quarterly advance payments - a prefunding requirement that ties up capital before a salary can even be recorded.
What happens at higher hours
Because the fee is a percentage, it grows with the wage. Clino stays at CHF 19.90/month regardless of hours. Two scenarios, computed with the verified rate (5.5-7%):
| Scenario | Monthly gross wage | Chèque service | quitt (cheapest tier) | Clino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time cleaner, 10h/week | ≈ CHF 1'180 | ≈ CHF 65-83/mo | ≈ CHF 72/mo | CHF 19.90 |
| Full-time nanny/caregiver, 40h/week | ≈ CHF 4'330 | ≈ CHF 238-303/mo | ≈ CHF 83/mo (Flat tier) | CHF 19.90 |
Scenario 2 is a projection applying the same verified rate, not a fresh live calculator run. The key difference: the saving against quitt settles around 76%, because quitt also has a capped Flat tier (CHF 990/yr). Chèque service has NO flat-fee option at all - the gap with Clino keeps growing with every extra franc of wage, without limit.
Comparison: Chèque service, quitt, Clino
| Dimension | Chèque service | quitt.ch | Clino |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage | 1 canton (Geneva) | 26 cantons | 26 cantons |
| Pricing model | Commission ~5.5-7%, no cap | 3 tiers: 8% / 5% / 0% by tier | CHF 19.90/month flat, 0% always |
| Prefunding | Yes - credit balance required | No | No |
| Power of attorney | Yes - signed mandate | Yes, on Comfort/Flat | Never - you stay in control |
| Insurance choice | None - Helsana/La Bâloise fixed | Optional via Baloise/TCS | 9-insurer comparator by real eligibility |
| Matching/recruiting | Yes - free “Ménage emploi” | No | No (CV-PDF only, no directory) |
| Employee portal activation | Manual - “contact us” | Digital | Self-service via invite |
| Paper fallback | Yes - mailed coupon book | No | No |
Only Geneva? The regional network
Geneva's chèque service is one node of the umbrella association “Chèques-Emploi Suisse,” which groups six legally independent organizations - each with its own brand, fee, and tools, active only in French-speaking Switzerland.
| Canton(s) | Organization |
|---|---|
| Geneva | Chèque service (PRO. entreprise humaine) |
| Vaud | EPER - Entraide Protestante Suisse |
| Valais | TopRelais (Agence TRIO SA) |
| Fribourg | Chèque Emploi Fribourg (CIS) |
| Neuchâtel | TAC - Travail au Clair |
| Jura & Bernese Jura | Caritas Jura |
| Rest of Switzerland (17-20 cantons: ZH, BE, BS, BL, TI...) | None - direct registration with the cantonal compensation fund (simplified procedure / VAVplus) |
For German- and Italian-speaking Switzerland: no comparable semi-public system exists there - the employer registers directly with the compensation fund. More detail in our guide for the rest of French-speaking Switzerland. Chèque service across the rest of French-speaking Switzerland
Who should pick which?
Chèque service fits you if...
you live in Geneva, want a fully delegated mandate with advance payments, don't mind the variable commission, and value 21 years of experience plus phone-based advice.
Clino fits you if...
you live outside Geneva (or inside it, but want a flat price), want to keep control (no power of attorney), want a contract + monthly payslip + automatic reminders, and your wage level means a variable percentage ends up costing more long-term.
Honestly
Register your cleaner - flat price, no power of attorney
Whether in Geneva, Vaud, Valais or any other canton: Clino prepares your contract and payslip and guides you through registration - for CHF 19.90/month, no commission. 30 days free.
Register now - 30 days freeFrequently Asked Questions
Is Geneva's Chèque service really free?+
No - registration itself is free, but every payroll run is billed an administration fee of roughly 5.5-7% of the gross wage, with no upper limit.
Why does Chèque service ask for money upfront?+
Chèque service runs on quarterly provisional advances - you need a credit balance before a salary can be recorded. That's a prefunding mechanism, not a normal subscription.
Does Chèque service exist in the canton of Vaud or Valais?+
Not under that name - Vaud, Valais, Fribourg, Neuchâtel and the Jura each have their own organization (e.g. EPER in Vaud), with distinct fees and tools, not a shared platform.
Is there an equivalent in German- or Italian-speaking Switzerland?+
No - there, everything runs directly through the cantonal compensation fund, with no intermediary organization.
Chèque service or Clino: which is cheaper?+
It depends on the wage: with a variable ~5.5-7% commission, Chèque service can be cheap for very small hourly volumes, but its cost rises with the wage - while Clino stays at CHF 19.90/month regardless of what your employee earns.
Do I have to give Chèque service power of attorney?+
Yes, via a signed mandate - Chèque service then acts in your name with the compensation fund. Clino never asks for that: we prepare everything, but you submit the registration yourself.
Sources
- Chèque service (chequeservice.ch) - calculator, FAQ, “about us”, recomputed live 16.07.2026
- ge.ch - Geneva canton's official page on chèque service
- cheques-emploi-suisse.ch - umbrella association of the 6 Romandie organizations
- RTS, “Plateformes, chèques emploi, entreprises classiques: le ménage à domicile se réinvente,” April 2026
- quitt.ch/en - pricing, live-checked 16.07.2026
As of 16 July 2026. Cantonal rules, rates and amounts change - check the current status before each hire.
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