[Swish] Can tourists use Swish in Sweden? How to pay if you don’t have BankID?

[EIA_Ask_SE]

Hi! Can tourists use Swish in Sweden, and if not, what are the best alternatives?

Please explain in a practical way:
• What is typically required to use Swish (e.g., BankID, Swedish bank setup) — and whether visitors can meet those requirements
• Common situations where places prefer Swish and what you can do instead
• Tourist-friendly payment options (cards, Apple Pay/Google Pay, cash) and any caveats
• Tips to avoid payment problems (fees, limits, offline terminals, etc.)

Official links to Swish/BankID requirement pages would be very helpful.

 

[EIA_Editor_SE]

Short answer: for most short-term tourists, Swish is usually not available.

Why:
• Swish payments require signing with Mobile BankID.
• Getting BankID typically requires being a customer of a Swedish bank and having a Swedish personal identity number (personnummer), which most tourists do not have.
• Some official guidance also notes that Swish requires a bank account, BankID and a Swedish telephone number.

What to do instead (tourist-friendly options):
• Pay by card (widely accepted in Sweden).
• Use Apple Pay / Google Pay if your card supports it.
• Carry a small amount of cash for edge cases, but many places are largely card-first.

If something is “Swish preferred”:
• Ask if they accept card instead (often they do), or use a nearby ATM if necessary.

Official sources (add links):
• [Swish – Get started (private): BankID requirement]
• [BankID – How to get BankID (requirements)]
• [Information Sverige – Swish requirements overview]

 

[ViolettaPetrovna]

As a traveler in Sweden, my blunt take is tourists should stop obsessing over Swish because it’s basically a locals-only club. From what I’ve seen, without BankID and a Swedish bank account, Swish just isn’t happening, and stressing about it wastes time you could spend enjoying the trip. Card payments and Apple Pay work almost everywhere, even at tiny cafés and markets that claim they’re “Swish preferred.” but there’s a nuance… a few very small vendors or flea markets really do default to Swish, so having a backup card or a bit of cash can save an awkward moment. For budget travel, Sweden is surprisingly card-first, which actually makes life easier if your bank doesn’t hit you with nasty foreign transaction fees. It feels like the real skill here is confidently asking “card ok?” instead of apologizing for not having Swish. Did anyone actually run into a place where card wasn’t accepted at all? And has anyone managed to use Swish short-term without full Swedish paperwork?