Most popular payment methods for online purchases in Germany 2021

PayPal (or similar payment options) was the most popular method used to pay for a product bought online in Germany as of 2021. 50 percent of respondents to the corresponding survey favored this way, while other leading methods included paying by invoice or with a card (debit or credit).

How it works

After creating an online account with PayPal, as long as the online service or shop consumers are using offers a PayPal option, the payment processor can be used. Consumers are temporarily directed to PayPal during the checkout process, where they can further pick whether the payment should be booked from their credit card or directly from their debit account. After completing this step, the buyer is returned to the initial website where the purchase took place. Many prefer PayPal for its time-saving contribution, as all the necessary bank information is already stored in the PayPal account and does not have to be entered repeatedly for the purchase, or saved on the retailer’s website.

PayPal is a pal

Statistics confirm that Germany has, indeed, embraced PayPal with open arms. As of 2021, it was the leading country worldwide in terms of PayPal usage for online shopping, with a 95 percent rate. The United Kingdom (UK) and Italy followed. India, South Korea, and China had the lowest rates.