Buy Now Pay Later Trends (2026 Study)

A little over six in 10 US adults (64%) report having used BNPL at some point.

Millennials report the highest usage rate at 74%, followed by Gen X at 62% and baby boomers at 60%, while Gen Z reports the lowest adoption at 57%.

Among the 36% who’ve never used BNPL, the most common reason is a preference to pay the full amount upfront, cited by 35%.

Another 15% say they avoid BNPL to prevent “debt stacking” from multiple overlapping payment plans, 12% cite concern about impulse overspending, and another 12% say they don’t see a need for the service.

A further 9% say they prefer credit card rewards such as cash back or travel points, and 7% cite concerns about fees, penalties, or overdraft charges. Smaller shares mention a lack of trust in BNPL providers (3%) or uncertainty about how the service works (2%).

Concerns about credit score impacts, refund or return difficulties, and limited consumer or fraud protection are each cited by 1% of respondents.

Looking closer at recent behavior, most BNPL users (70%) say they used a BNPL service at least once in 2025.

Among male users, 73% used the service compared with 68% of women. Across generations, 83% of millennials used BNPL, while Gen Z and Gen X show similar levels at 68% and 67% respectively. Baby boomers report the lowest usage at 58%.

In terms of frequency, BNPL use was typically infrequent, with half of the respondents (50%) reporting using the service once or twice during the year.

Another 26% report using BNPL once every two to three months, while 20% say they use it about once a month; weekly or more frequent use is at 4%.

Among men, 57% report using BNPL once or twice in 2025, compared with 43% of women, while women report higher monthly (27% vs. 13%) and weekly (7% vs. 2%) usage.

Across generations, the share using BNPL once or twice during the year ranges from 47% among Gen X to 53% among baby boomers. Gen X records the highest share of usage every 2-3 months at 33%, while millennials report the highest monthly usage at 24%.

When asked which BNPL service they used most often in 2025, PayPal came out on top at 29%. Affirm followed at 22%, while Klarna accounted for 19% and Afterpay for 13%.

My Chase Plan (JPMorgan Chase) accounted for 5%, while Sezzle and Shop Pay Installments each accounted for 2%, and Zip for 1%.

Americans use BNPL most often for electronics such as phones, laptops, or similar devices (25%).

Clothing, shoes, and accessories account for 19%, followed by furniture, home décor, and large household items at 10%. Travel-related expenses, including flights and hotels, represent 8%.

Tools or home improvement items make up 5%, while groceries, beauty products, and automotive repairs each stand at 4%, followed by events or experiences and toys or children’s items at 3%. Food delivery or takeout and healthcare services each represent 2%, while educational courses, pet care, insurance premiums, and B2B business supplies each stand at 1%.

When asked at what purchase amount they typically start considering BNPL, the most common threshold is $500 or more, cited by 27%.

Another 24% consider BNPL for purchases of $100-$199, while 22% cite the $200-$299 range. Purchases under $100 and those between $300 and $499 each serve as the starting point for 13% of respondents.

Among men, the most common starting point is $500 or more, reported by 34%. For women, the most common threshold is $100-$199, cited by 28%. Women are also more likely to consider BNPL for smaller purchases, with 20% reporting using it for purchases under $100, compared with 8% of men.

Patterns also vary across generations, with Gen Z most often considering BNPL for purchases of $100-$199 (33%) while millennials and Gen X most often cite $500 or more, at 29% and 28% respectively. As for baby boomers, the most common threshold is $200-$299, selected by 32%.

When asked why survey participants choose BNPL over other payment options, the most common reason is to make large purchases more manageable, cited by 36%.

Another 21% report using BNPL to preserve cash or savings, while 13% say they chose it to avoid credit card interest or debt. An equal share (13%) used BNPL to purchase items they otherwise couldn’t afford.

A further 11% say they used BNPL to bridge the gap until their next payday, while 1% cite speed and convenience at checkout, 1% say it offers better security than a debit card, and 1% report it was their only available credit option.

When asked about their experience with BNPL in 2025, 46% of respondents encountered no issues. Still, among those who report a problem, the most common issue is that BNPL makes it easier to spend more than planned, cited by 15%.

Another 9% say their main difficulty is keeping track of multiple payments.

Smaller shares report worries about credit or future borrowing (6%) and financial stress related to ongoing payments (6%).

Other issues appear less frequently, including unexpected charges or fees (4%), negative effects on budget or cash flow (4%), and missed or late payment fees (4%). 2% of survey participants report problems with refunds or returns.

In 2025, most BNPL users report making all payments on time, with 81% saying they never missed or paid late.

Among those who did report late payments, 8% say they missed two or three payments during the year, 6% say they missed one payment, and 3% say they missed four or more.

Among men, 90% report never missing a payment compared with 73% of women.

Many BNPL users report planning their payments in advance, with 43% saying they always budget for them.

Some 16% say they often plan ahead, and 17% say they sometimes do. In comparison, smaller shares report planning less frequently: 10% rarely budget for BNPL payments, 11% never do, and 4% aren’t sure.

Among men, 44% say they always plan BNPL payments compared with 42% of women.

In 2025, the most common total paid in a typical month with active BNPL payments was between $50 and $99, reported by 32%.

Another 25% report monthly payments of $100-$199, while smaller shares report paying less than $50 (14%), $200-$299 (13%), or $300 or more (13%).

Among women, 36% report paying $50-$99 per month, compared with 29% of men, while 27% report paying $100-$199, compared with 21% of men. Men also report higher shares at higher payment levels: 16% say they typically pay $300 or more per month, and 14% report $200-$299, compared with 10% and 11% among women, respectively.

In 2025, most BNPL users report having only a few plans active at the same time: 34% say the most they had at once was one, and 33% say two.

Some 14% say they had three active BNPL plans at the same time, while 15% report having four or more.

Among men, 39% report having only one active plan at a time compared with 33% of women, while rates for two active plans are similar at 34% among men and 30% among women.

Women report higher shares at higher plan counts: 19% say they had three active plans, compared with 10% of men, and 16% report four or more, compared with 13% of men.

A full 91% of our respondents reported being satisfied with their BNPL experience in 2025, including 67% who were very satisfied and 24% who were somewhat satisfied.

A smaller share reports neutral views: 6% say they are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, while only 3% report dissatisfaction, including 2% who are very dissatisfied and 1% who are somewhat dissatisfied.

In 2025, most BNPL users (82%) reported no regret about purchases made with the service.

A smaller share reports some level of regret: 8% say they experienced it once, and another 8% say they experienced it more than once.

Perceptions of financial risk differ between BNPL users and non-users.

Among BNPL users, the most common view is that the service is somewhat risky (33%), followed by not very risky (28%) and not risky at all (23%), while smaller shares describe it as very risky (10%) or say they aren’t sure (5%).

Non-users report higher perceived risk: 46% say BNPL is somewhat risky, 22% say it’s very risky, 18% say it’s not very risky, and only 3% say it's not risky at all.

Intentions for future use also differ between BNPL users and those who’ve never used the service.

Among existing users, 64% say they are likely to use BNPL at least once in 2026, including 42% who are very likely and 22% who are somewhat likely.

Among non-users, only 9% say they are likely to try BNPL in 2026, including 1% who are very likely and 8% who are somewhat likely.

The survey was conducted between February 2 and 3, 2026, using the Prolific online research platform. The sample included 500 US adults, with the distribution aligned with US Census data to reflect the broader population. Among participants, 48.3% identified as male, 49.5% as female, and 2.2% as other or preferred not to say. Age distribution was as follows: Gen Z (ages 18-29): 20.8%; millennials (ages 30-45): 26.7%; Gen X (ages 46-61): 30.5%; baby boomers (ages 62+): 21.8%; less than 1% preferred not to say. The survey was designed with a 95% confidence level and a 4% margin of error, and it included an attention-check question. In some cases, percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

• Buy Now Pay Later Statistics

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