Switzerland (CH)
Switzerland is a landlocked federal republic of 26 cantons at the heart of Europe, bordered by Germany, France, Italy, Austria, and Liechtenstein.
Digital Services
Digital ID, e-government and essential apps in Switzerland.
E-ID (state electronic identity, rolling out 2026) + SwissID (interim)
Switzerland is launching a state-issued electronic identity ("E-ID") after voters approved the revised E-ID Law in March 2024. Rollout begins in 2026 via the Federal Office of Justice (BJ/OFJ), issued free of charge and based on a decentralised / self-sovereign-identity architecture. Users store credentials in a federally-approved wallet app ("swiyu"). Before E-ID is universally available, SwissID (a Swiss Post-owned private identity, in use since 2019) provides equivalent login access to 2,500+ services (cantonal tax portals, many insurers, AHV online, UBS, Swisscom, SBB, Helsana, and many cantonal e-government sites). SwissID also continues after E-ID launches — the two coexist.
How to get it: SwissID: register free at swissid.ch, verify identity via video-ident or at any Swiss Post office with your ID card/passport. Takes 5–15 minutes. E-ID (from 2026): apply via mobile app "swiyu", initial identity verification at a federal ID-issuing office (similar to passport). Free. Minimum age: 14 (younger with parental consent).
E-Government Portal
https://www.ch.chSwitzerland's e-government is fragmented because the 26 cantons and 2,100+ communes each run their own digital services. Federal ch.ch portal is the universal gateway. Some cantonal portals are best-in-class (Zurich, Geneva, Basel); others are basic. SwissID or E-ID is increasingly the unified login layer. English availability is limited at cantonal level — German/French/Italian usually required. For anything complex (tax returns, business registration), plan for bilingual submission or use a Treuhänder.
Essential Apps
ExpatCheapRent
FreeExpat-focused cheap rental finder at expatcheaprent.com — compares listings across major rental portals to help newcomers find affordable apartments.
Homegate.ch
FreeSwitzerland's #1 rental portal for apartments and houses in Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern and all Swiss cantons.
SBB Mobile
FreeSwiss Federal Railways app — timetables, tickets, SwissPass digital storage, real-time platform updates. Essential for anyone using public transport.
TWINT
FreeSwiss mobile-payment standard — peer-to-peer transfers (like Venmo), shop QR payments, parking, public transport, vending machines. 5M+ users. All Swiss banks integrated.
Threema
PaidSwiss-made end-to-end encrypted messenger (CHF 4.99 one-off). Used by Swiss government and armed forces. Alternative to WhatsApp for privacy-conscious users.
Swisscom TV Air / Blue TV / Zattoo
PaidSwiss streaming TV with all Swiss channels (SRF, RTS, RSI), German, French, Italian. Zattoo free tier; Swisscom/Blue from CHF 10–30/month.
Post App (Die Schweizerische Post)
FreeSwiss Post — track packages, redirect deliveries, pay postage, locate offices, reserve pickup. Essential for the huge parcel economy.
Schweiz Mobil / SchweizMobil
PaidOfficial hiking/cycling/mountain-bike app covering 65,000 km trails nationwide. Offline maps, GPS routes, difficulty ratings, elevation. CHF 35/year for offline premium.
Meteoswiss
FreeFederal weather office app — most reliable Swiss forecasts, storm warnings, avalanche bulletin, pollen. Free.
Alertswiss
FreeFederal civil-protection app — alerts for floods, severe weather, radiological, chemical incidents. Language: DE/FR/IT/RM/EN.
comparis.ch
FreeComparison engine for health insurance, car insurance, mortgages, credit cards, mobile tariffs, real estate. Indispensable for expats navigating choices.
Migros + Coop apps
FreeLoyalty apps (Cumulus, Supercard) — digital receipts, discounts, delivery ordering. ~90% of Swiss shop at one or both.
REGA
FreeSwiss Air-Rescue official app — emergency GPS alert button, patronage management. Essential for hikers/skiers.
Local public-transport apps
FreeZVV (Zurich), TPG (Geneva), BVB (Basel), BERNMOBIL, Mobility car-share. Useful beyond SBB for urban transit.
MeineUmzug / MonDéménagement (eumzug.ch)
FreeDigital move registration for 1,500+ communes — file Anmeldung/Abmeldung online instead of in person. Growing coverage.
e-moving / e-umzug by federal portal
FreeLinked to national SwissID for seamless commune-to-commune moves.
Mobility CarSharing
Paid3,400+ shared cars across Switzerland. Annual membership CHF 90 + per-km rate. Alternative to owning a car.
20 Minuten
FreeFree Swiss daily news app (German/French) — most-read news source in Switzerland.
SRF News / RTS / RSI
FreeSwiss public broadcaster news apps in the language regions.
Switzerland is digitally advanced but fragmented across cantons. Mobile/internet are world-class (Swisscom, Sunrise, Salt — gigabit fibre widely available). Most day-to-day services (banking, healthcare, insurance, transport) are now in-app. Language: most apps available in German/French/Italian + English. Privacy culture: Swiss users strongly prefer Swiss-hosted or Swiss-made alternatives (Threema over WhatsApp, Proton Mail over Gmail, Protonet over Google Drive). The Swiss Data Protection Act (revised FADP effective September 2023) is GDPR-aligned. E-ID launching 2026 will unify identity across services.