Number of Buy Now, Pay Later US Users (2021–2028)
As an ecommerce business, one consumer demand you need to cater to is the ability of your shoppers to pay for their purchases over several installments, interest free. After all, it’s one of the top reasons people shop online.
The buy now, pay later (or BNPL) payment plan is one such option. Even though it’s been around for decades, the popularity of BNPL surged over the past couple of years as consumers pivoted to online shopping. Today, it ranks among the top online payment methods worldwide. In fact, more than half of consumers say they used the buy now, pay later service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This begs the question: How many people use buy now, pay later in the United States?
BNPL statistics: user count
|
Year |
Number of BNPL users in the US |
Annual change |
|
2021 |
49.2 million |
+97.0% |
|
2022 |
69.2 million |
+40.5% |
|
2023 |
80.9 million |
+17.0% |
|
2024 |
86.5 million |
+6.9% |
|
2025 |
91.5 million |
+5.8% |
|
2026 |
96.3 million |
+5.3% |
|
2027 |
100.8 million |
+4.7% |
|
2028 |
105.0 million |
+4.1% |
How many buy now, pay later US users are there?
According to the latest BNPL statistics, the number of shoppers in the US using this trending payment method is expected to reach 91.5 million in 2025, marking a 5.8% annual increase.
While this growth may seem impressive, it represents a significant slowdown compared to previous years. From 2021 to 2023, the number of BNPL users in the US grew by double digits annually, with an average yearly increase of 51.5%. However, this growth is expected to decelerate significantly to 6.9% in 2024, bringing the number of users to 86.5 million.
These buy now, pay later statistics also show that its adoption will continue to rise over the next few years, but at a much slower pace. The number of buy now, pay later US users is forecast to climb to 96.3 million in 2026, a 5.3% annual increase.
In 2027, this figure is forecast to rise by 4.7%, to 100.8 million users, surpassing the 100 million milestone for the first time. Experts predict that, by 2028, there will be 105 million online shoppers in the US choosing the buy now, pay later payment option. From 2021 to 2028, the popularity of buy now, pay later among US consumers is expected to more than double. This represents an overall increase of 113.4% and an average annual growth rate of 22.7% in eight years.
These buy now, pay later statistics on usage align with its growing market size. In 2023, the total value of buy now, pay later payments in the US registered at $71.9 billion. This number is forecast to hit $124.8 billion by 2027, showcasing the increasing demand for flexible payment options.