Which online payment methods to accept in the US? (2024)

FAQs

What is the most used online payment method in the US? ›

Take credit cards, a major payment method in the US. Cards are still the most-used payment method, with American Express, Mastercard, Visa as large global card schemes.

Card payments are common - and often preferred - in the United States. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted and in most places you can make contactless payments with your physical card or a wallet like Apple Pay.

More than half of the respondents from the U.S. indicated they had used PayPal in a POS setting between July 2023 and June 2024 - with an additional seven out of 10 saying they used PayPal during this same time for online payments.

Debit and credit cards

Not only are they quick and easy to use, but they offer a relatively high level of security and protection of your private data. If you're using a credit card, you don't actually pay for the goods or services until your credit card bill is due.

PayPal. PayPal is one of the most popular top alternative payment methods due to its convenience. Shoppers can either keep a cash balance in their account, or draw funds from another source, to pay for items.

Contactless payment is considered a quick and easy way to pay since it doesn't require consumers to input a PIN.

Which of the following is the most common method for online payment? ›

Credit Cards. As a global payment solution, credit cards are the most common way for customers to pay online.

Similar to a credit card payment system, the debit card online payment system is one of the most preferred online payment options among people.

Credit card payments are one of the most common and widely used methods for online transactions. When making a credit card payment, the customer enters their card details including the card number, expiration date, and CVV code.

We asked U.S. consumers about "Biggest contactless payment brands at POS" and found that "Apple Pay" takes the top spot, while "Microsoft Pay / Microsoft Wallet" is at the other end of the ranking. Find this and more survey data on most used mobile payments by brand in our Consumer Insights tool.