Survey: Credit card users enjoy flexibility of BNPL options
Buy now, pay later options are becoming more commonly used – even among satisfied credit card users.
New research from YouGov revealed that while buy now, pay later options are often seen as a solution for people looking beyond traditional credit cards, a large majority (82%) of credit card holders have used the payment options in the past. Satisfied credit card users who have used buy now, pay later show similar purchasing behaviors to all users. About 22% use buy now, pay later monthly, compared to 23% overall, while 28% use it every two to three months, slightly above the 26% of general users.
Overall, a quarter of American adults (26%) have used buy now, pay later in the past year.
[READ MORE: Consumers will go into credit card debt, use BNPL to afford holidays]
Half of credit card customers using the flexible payment options say they appreciate the ability to spread payments over time, while 40% specifically highlight interest-free options, according to the survey. Convenience is also important, with 41% citing ease of use. Other benefits mentioned include budgeting flexibility (38%), immediate access to purchases without upfront payment (37%), and access to exclusive discounts or promotions (11%).
Compared to the broader buy now, pay later user base, credit card holders are more likely to be financially stable. Half (48%) have middle incomes (between 75% and 200% of the median) versus 39% of general buy now, pay later users. Meanwhile, fewer of them fall into the lower-income category (32%) compared to general buy now, pay later users (44%).
Looking ahead, YouGov says that both satisfied credit card users and general buy now, pay later users express similar likelihood of continuing to use these services. Almost two-thirds (62%) of satisfied credit card customers say they're “likely” or “very likely” to use buy now, pay later options again, closely matching the broader user base (59%).
“In short, satisfied credit card users aren’t replacing their cards, but instead using buy now, pay later as an additional payment tool,” said YouGov. “Buy now, pay later companies and traditional financial institutions alike may find valuable opportunities within this dual-use segment.”
Methodology
“Satisfied credit card holders” refers to U.S. adults (1,051) who say they are satisfied or very satisfied with their main credit card and have used buy now, pay later at least once in the past 12 months. “All BNPL users” refers to U.S. adults (1,951) who have used a BNPL service at least once in the past 12 months.
YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data through rolling surveys, rather than a single limited questionnaire. The figures used in its buy now, pay later report are drawn from responses collected between August 2024 and August 2025. Data is nationally representative of adults (18+) in the U.S. and weighted by age, gender, education, region and race.
