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Services from A to Z in Switzerland 2026: More than 250 ideas to earn money and find help
Discover more than 250 services in Switzerland
Sometimes you need specialist knowledge. Sometimes practical skills, creativity, experience or simply an extra pair of hands. Every day, people across Switzerland look for support with both small and large tasks.
Furniture may need assembling, a garden may need looking after, an apartment may need cleaning or a move may need organising. Someone may be looking for tutoring, support for an event, help creating a website, professional photos or assistance with a computer problem.
At the same time, many people have valuable skills that they can use to help others and earn additional income. A task that feels difficult or time consuming to one person may be everyday work or even a passion for someone else.
In this comprehensive guide, you will find more than 250 service ideas from A to Z. Use it as inspiration if you are looking for a service, want to offer your skills, are searching for additional income or want to discover which abilities you could turn into a service.
Looking for help?
Describe your task on KnowS and receive suitable offers from service providers in your region.
Want to offer your skills?
Create your own service listing and become visible to people who are looking for exactly the support you provide.
1. Can I offer services privately in Switzerland?
There are many ways to use your skills to provide services in Switzerland. What matters, however, is not simply whether you describe yourself as a private individual, someone earning additional income or a self employed professional. Authorities look at how the activity is actually organised and carried out.
From a social insurance perspective, people are generally considered self employed when they work in their own name and on their own account, organise their work independently and bear their own economic risk. Factors such as working for several clients, using your own equipment and organising your work independently can also be relevant.
An occasional paid task is therefore not automatically the same as running an ongoing self employed activity. However, if you regularly attract clients, set your own prices, issue invoices and continuously offer services on the market, it is important to check which obligations apply to your situation.
Occasional work or regularly offering services?
There is no single number of assignments that automatically determines the answer. The overall circumstances of the activity matter. Someone who occasionally helps with a move, completes an individual photography project or provides tutoring from time to time may be in a different situation from someone who systematically works for several clients and earns regular income from services.
Self employed status is not established simply by declaring yourself self employed. The relevant compensation office assesses the activity for social insurance purposes.
If you plan to develop your services on a regular basis, it therefore makes sense to clarify how your specific situation is classified.
2. Which services can I offer privately?
The range of possibilities is much broader than many people initially expect. A service does not necessarily have to come from your main profession. Practical experience, creativity, organisational skills, technical knowledge or something that friends and family regularly ask you to help with can all become the basis of a useful service.
Handyman and practical services
If you are good with your hands, you may be able to offer furniture assembly, setup assistance or certain repair and installation services, depending on your experience and qualifications.
Home and garden
There are also many opportunities around the home and garden. Examples include garden maintenance, lawn mowing, plant care, organisation, household assistance and certain cleaning services.
Moving and transport
Moving assistance, carrying furniture, furniture assembly, collections and support when setting up a new home are further examples of services where additional help can be valuable.
Care and tutoring
If you enjoy working with people and have the necessary experience, tutoring, learning support and certain forms of everyday assistance can be suitable options. Knowledge of mathematics, languages, IT or other school subjects can be particularly useful to students.
IT, marketing and creative services
Digital skills create many additional opportunities. Computer assistance, IT support, web design, graphic design, photography, video, social media and copywriting can be useful to both individuals and businesses.
Events and flexible assignments
Events often require additional support. Possible services include event assistance, setup and dismantling, photography, service support and organisational tasks.
You can discover which categories are currently particularly relevant in our 2026 report on local services in Switzerland.
For even more inspiration, explore our guide featuring more than 250 service ideas from A to Z.
Important: Certain activities and professions are regulated in Switzerland. Depending on the service, professional qualifications, permits or other requirements may apply. Always check the rules that apply to your specific activity.
3. Social security, taxes, permits and insurance: What should I consider?
If you earn money by providing services, finding clients and setting prices are not the only things to consider. As your activity becomes more regular, social insurance, tax and legal requirements become increasingly important.
Social security and self employment
If your activity is classified as self employment for social insurance purposes, you are responsible for settling the relevant contributions with the compensation office. Once again, the actual circumstances of your work matter more than the title you give your activity.
If you are unsure, it is sensible to clarify your situation with the relevant compensation office at an early stage. This can prevent questions from arising only after you have already started accepting regular assignments.
Official information about Swiss social security contributions
Income and taxes
Income earned from work should be handled correctly for tax purposes. The applicable treatment can depend on whether you provide services occasionally, as an additional source of income or as a more extensive self employed activity.
It is useful to keep clear records of your income and business related expenses from the beginning. If you are uncertain about your individual situation, contact the relevant tax authority or a qualified professional.
Do I need a company or a commercial register entry?
Offering a service does not automatically mean that you need to establish a corporation. If you build a self employed activity, however, you should check which legal structure is appropriate and whether requirements such as registration in the commercial register or other formalities apply.
The official Swiss federal SME portal provides an overview of the key steps, ranging from recognition by the compensation office to topics such as VAT and the commercial register.
Check the official Swiss guide to self employment
Does my service require a permit?
That depends on the activity. Certain regulated professions and specialist services can require specific qualifications, licences or other conditions. This is particularly relevant where legal professional requirements, safety or health are involved.
Do not assume that an activity can automatically be offered without a permit or qualification simply because customers are looking for that service online.
Check your insurance coverage
Appropriate insurance coverage is also important. Depending on the service, personal injury or property damage may occur. The insurance you need depends on your activity and individual circumstances.
For eligible tasks booked through KnowS, insurance coverage is available subject to the applicable terms of the Zurich business liability insurance for KnowS providers. Check the scope, requirements and exclusions before accepting a task.
4. How much can I charge for my service?
Once you know which service you want to offer, the next question is usually: What is my work worth?
There is no single hourly rate that is right for every service. Your price should reflect both the actual effort involved and the value that your service provides.
Factors that can influence your price
• A clear name for your service
• An easy-to-understand description of what is included
• Your experience and relevant qualifications
• Your region or service area
• Realistic information about pricing and availability
• Relevant photos or references that showcase your service
A general support task therefore cannot be compared directly with professional photography, web development or complex handyman work.
Consider more than the time spent on site
A common mistake is to calculate only the time spent working directly for the client. If you also need to organise materials, travel to the location, prepare the assignment or complete administrative work afterwards, these factors should also be considered when setting your price.
At the same time, your pricing should be easy for potential customers to understand. A clear service description and transparent pricing make comparison easier and can help build trust.
For detailed guidance covering cleaning, handyman services, gardening, moving assistance, tutoring, care, IT, marketing and other services, explore our dedicated pricing guide.
Discover current service insights and pricing information in Switzerland
5. How can I find clients for my service?
Having a useful skill is not enough if nobody knows that you offer it. If you want to earn money with services, you need to deliver good work while also being visible and trustworthy to potential clients.
Describe your service clearly
Specific offers are usually more useful than general descriptions. Instead of simply writing “I do gardening”, explain whether you mow lawns, trim hedges, care for plants or provide seasonal garden maintenance.
The clearer your description is, the faster potential customers can understand whether your service matches what they need.
Show what you can do
Good photos, references and examples of previous work can build trust. This is particularly valuable for practical, creative and visual services where the quality of your work can often be shown better than described.
Reviews build confidence
Satisfied customers are valuable. Positive reviews help new clients understand more about your reliability, communication and quality of work.
Use local visibility
Many services are searched for locally. Someone looking for moving assistance in Zurich or gardening help in Bern will often prefer a suitable provider from the surrounding area.
With KnowS, you can make your skills visible and connect with people looking for exactly the type of support you offer. Present your experience, explain your service and use your profile to attract relevant enquiries.
KnowS connects both sides of the local service market: people looking for support and providers who want to use their skills to find new opportunities.
There is a useful skill for almost every task
The more than 250 examples in this guide show just how diverse services in Switzerland can be. Some tasks require specialist knowledge, while others depend on practical ability, creativity, experience, time or simply reliability.
Something that is difficult for one person may be a valuable skill for someone else. That is the potential of local services: people can support one another while putting existing skills to good use.
If you need help, you can publish your task on KnowS and look for suitable support. If you have useful skills yourself, you can make your services visible and use them to generate new opportunities and additional income.
What would you like to do?
I am looking for support and want to create a task
I want to offer my skills and create a service listing
Or discover existing services and providers on KnowS.
Find support and advertise your own jobs on KnowS
Anyone who needs support in everyday life can create their own ad on KnowS at any time. A clear description helps suitable providers from the region to submit an offer and contact you directly. Every request creates the basis for a quick and reliable solution, whether it's for household chores, childcare, DIY, or a party.
The ad creation process is simple. Describe the support you need and set your own budget. As soon as an offer is received, the job can be accepted and the contract confirmed. This results in straightforward jobs that make everyday life noticeably easier and strengthen the community.
Discover the KnowS App
Want to increase your income? Or are you looking for support with your tasks? The KnowS app is one of the most frequently used everyday platforms in Switzerland when it comes to support in the household, care, events or crafts. The KnowS app offers you the opportunity to showcase your talents or find the right support, quickly and flexibly. In just a few clicks, you can discover the help you need. Secure jobs, earn money, and make full use of your skills. Get started right away, wherever and whenever you want. Download the KnowS App now for free and start unlocking your potential.
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