Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) gives shoppers another way to buy when they can't, or would rather not, pay the full amount upfront. If you dislike using credit cards, or you don't qualify for one, BNPL can be a convenient way to get what you need now and spread the cost over time.
By 2026, BNPL has moved firmly into the mainstream, embedded at checkout across most major retailers. But how popular is it really, and what are the more surprising facts behind it? The statistics below, drawn from consumer surveys and market research, paint a detailed picture. (Figures reflect the survey years noted; source numbers refer to the reference list at the end.)
Top statistics
- When shoppers use Buy Now, Pay Later, the average purchase is around $104.3
- Roughly 39.3% of people who use BNPL do so specifically to avoid credit card interest.3
- BNPL's global market share sits around 2.1%. It's about 2% in the United States and roughly 5% in the United Kingdom, rising to around 18% in Germany and about 10% in Australia.6
- Around 45% of survey respondents said they used BNPL to buy things that otherwise wouldn't fit their budget.2
- The most common BNPL purchases include electronics, clothing and fashion, furniture and appliances, household essentials, groceries, and games, movies, music or books.2
The habits and preferences of BNPL users
There's a surprising range of BNPL providers to choose from. Which are most popular, and how do people actually spend when they use them? These figures offer a clearer view of shopper behavior.
- Many companies offer BNPL, but the most widely used is PayPal Credit, cited by 57% of respondents. Afterpay was used by 29%, Affirm by 28% and Klarna by 23%. Among the least used were Sezzle (8%) and Zebit (6%).1
- On frequency of use, 29% said they turn to BNPL once every six months, 22% once every three months, 20% once a year or less, and 19% once a month. Just 2% said they use it more than once a week.1
- When shopping online, 35% said they use BNPL most of the time, 12% said they use it all the time, and 13% said they rarely or never use it.1
How the COVID-19 pandemic shaped BNPL
The pandemic reshaped how people shopped, worked and earned around the world. It also accelerated the adoption of Buy Now, Pay Later, and these figures show just how much.
- 51% of people said they chose to use BNPL during the pandemic.1
- In 2021, about 55.8% of those surveyed said they had used BNPL, up from 37.65% in 2020.2
- Around 64% of BNPL users said they used it more after the outbreak of COVID-19.2
- Between April and September 2020, monthly installs of BNPL apps doubled.5
Who prefers Buy Now, Pay Later?
Preferences vary sharply by age. Some shoppers are far more willing to use BNPL than others, as the numbers below show.
- BNPL is most popular with 18-to-24-year-olds: in 2021, 61.16% of them had used a service. It was least popular with those over 54, at 40.88%.2
- Even among people who hadn't yet tried BNPL, there was clear openness to it, with 53.09% saying they'd be at least somewhat likely to use it within the next year.2
- One report found around 87% of people aged 22 to 44 were interested in Buy Now, Pay Later services.3
The drawbacks of Buy Now, Pay Later
For all its convenience, BNPL comes with trade-offs, late fees chief among them. These figures highlight the downside.
- In 2021, asked how likely they were to make a late payment within the next year, nearly 19% said "very likely," while almost 31% said "very unlikely."2
- Roughly 9.9% of American adults said they had made a mistake when using BNPL.4
- The most common mistakes were making an impulse purchase and incurring a late fee.4
- The 55-to-64 age group was the most likely to make a mistake when using a BNPL service.4
Overall, Buy Now, Pay Later providers have continued to thrive as more shoppers adopt the model, and the trend shows little sign of slowing.
