Online Shoppers Show No Single Payment Favourite

A 2026 South African study of 1,400 online shoppers finds no payment method is preferred by even one in five.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Couponing

Online Shoppers Show No Single Payment Favourite

Live Poll

Do you plan to try a new way of paying online within the next year?

The Online Retail in South Africa 2026 study, conducted by World Wide Worx, Mastercard, Peach Payments and Ask Africa, found that no single payment method is preferred by even one in five online shoppers. Instant EFT leads at 16.4%, followed by debit cards at 15.3%.

Why it matters

Speed and security are the two biggest reasons consumers give for how they prefer to pay, and retailers are responding as 54.7% of surveyed online retailers now offer Buy Now, Pay Later at checkout. For South African shoppers, the spread of preferences means checkout options are likely to keep multiplying.

The survey covered 1,400 online shoppers, with 45.6% using Buy Now, Pay Later. Among those naming a new payment method they would consider, 71% say they are likely to try one within the next year.

The players

World Wide Worx

World Wide Worx is a South African research firm that conducts market and technology surveys.

Mastercard

Mastercard is a global payments technology company that co-sponsored the study.

Peach Payments

Peach Payments is a South African payments processing company that co-sponsored the study.

The details

Preferences are split across several options, with instant EFT or automated bank transfer at 16.4%, debit cards at 15.3%, saved card details at 10.6%, credit cards at 9.3% and Capitec Pay at 9.1%. Buy Now, Pay Later is widely available at checkout, with retailers reporting usage of 15.9% in 2025.

2025: Retailers reported 15.9% Buy Now, Pay Later usage.
2026: The Online Retail in South Africa 2026 study was published.
Within the next year: 71% of consumers who named a new payment method say they are likely to try one.

Culture Shift

Buy Now, Pay Later acceptance is growing across South African online retail, according to the 2026 edition of the Online Retail in South Africa survey series by World Wide Worx. The findings extend a pattern in which shoppers and retailers keep diversifying the ways people pay online.

Shoppers comparing checkout options may find that Buy Now, Pay Later and bank transfer are both widely available at online checkouts. Consider which payment option offers the speed and security you value before completing a purchase.

The takeaway

Choosing a payment method that balances speed and security can matter as much as the price you pay online. Reviewing the options at checkout before you buy can help you make a more informed choice.