Is EasyGov actually useful for independents?
EasyGov is the Swiss Confederation's official portal for businesses. Here's a rundown of what it offers independents.
What is EasyGov?
EasyGov is an online portal for businesses in Switzerland, launched in November 2017 by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). It offers a single point of entry that lets businesses handle their paperwork digitally with the Confederation, cantons, and municipalities.
The tool aims to cut the administrative burden on businesses by centralizing access to public services through one portal.
It's free to use and open to every business in Switzerland.
Key features
EasyGov offers around 60 features for businesses. Here are the ones most useful for independents:
| Area | What you can do |
|---|---|
| Starting a business | Register with the commercial registry, register with OASI compensation funds, register for VAT, take out accident insurance (SUVA). |
| Commercial registry | Registration, amendments, and deregistration. Change of company name. Changes to the company's purpose or registered office. Order certified extracts. |
| VAT | Submit VAT statements. Access the "VAT easy" statement from the Federal Tax Administration (FTA). |
Why it matters for independents
Thanks to the "once only" principle, EasyGov lets you enter your business information once and pass it on to different bodies at the same time: the commercial registry, social insurance (OASI/DI/APG), and the Federal Tax Administration (FTA) for VAT.
Registering with the commercial registry
EasyGov simplifies registering your business with your canton's commercial registry. Your request is then reviewed and published in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce (SOGC). It typically takes five business days between filing and publication in the SOGC.
Amendments
Once your business is registered with the commercial registry, EasyGov lets you make the following changes directly online:
- Change of company name
- Changes to the company's purpose
- Change of authorized signatories
- Closing and deregistering the business
Change of address
Since October 2024, changing your address has also been simplified. EasyGov lets you report an address change and notify every body connected to the platform (VAT, compensation fund, accident insurance) at once.
The address change still needs to be reported manually to your canton's commercial registry to complete the process — though this should eventually be integrated too.
Limitations
While EasyGov covers a lot of administrative ground, some gaps and cantonal differences remain.
For example, registering with OASI to be recognized as self-employed still requires a manual application with your canton's compensation fund.
Bookkeeping
EasyGov doesn't include any bookkeeping tools. You'll still need an external solution to track your income and expenses, like Factura.
Billing, made easy.
Customers
Keep all your client data in one place. Pull it up instantly when creating an invoice — no more searching through emails or spreadsheets.
Invoices and quotes
Create and send QR invoices and quotes in minutes. Track payment status and get automatic reminders when a payment runs late.
Expenses and payments
Track every expense and payment without the hassle. Stay organized and keep a clear picture of your cash flow at all times.
Reports
Generate detailed reports on your activity. Follow your performance and make confident decisions backed by reliable, up-to-date data.