Here you get an overview of the most commonly used payment methods in Europe - and why it is important to know
We are certified in Google's International Growth Agency Program (IGAP) – an exclusive collaboration in which only a select few agencies gain access to data, insights and direct sparring from Google.
This gives us a unique understanding of how different markets, target audiences and user behaviour develop across Europe. We work with concrete data on payment habits, conversion, local demand and market differences – not assumptions.
This post is partly based on exactly that knowledge. The goal is to give you a clear overview of which payment methods are decisive in the most important European markets – and why local adaptation is a key factor for performance.
One of the most important factors for your conversion rate.
When Danish webshops work with international growth, payment methods are a central part of performance.
It is not just a technical detail – it is a decisive factor in whether a user completes their purchase.
Through our work with international scaling and data from Google's International Growth Agency Program (IGAP), we clearly see that success in new markets requires local adaptation of the entire customer experience.
Payment methods are one of the most important components of this experience – and often the final point at which conversion is determined.
Why adapting to the local market is crucial
One of the biggest mistakes in international e-commerce is using the same checkout across all markets.
Payment habits are local, and users don't necessarily choose the best solution – but the one they know, feel is easiest and most secure.
In practice, this means:
The user looks for their preferred payment method
If it is missing, uncertainty arises
The result may be that the purchase is not completed
Why users abandon checkout
The average cart abandonment rate in Europe is around 70–80%, and a significant share is caused by issues in checkout.
Three central reasons keep coming up:
Up to 40% of European consumers abandon their purchase if their preferred payment method is missing
47% leave checkout if they do not feel the payment is secure
21% drop off if checkout takes too long
Many perceive the absence of their usual payment method as a lack of credibility. It is not just a matter of convenience – to a large extent, it is also about trust and security.
Payment methods as part of your strategy
When entering new markets, payment methods should be seen as part of your overall go-to-market strategy.
IGAP shows that performance in new markets depends on several factors working together:
Payment methods
Logistics and delivery
Customer support and FAQ
Language and local communication
Website and UX
If one element does not match the market, it can negatively impact the entire customer journey.
Payment is often the last touchpoint – and therefore one of the most critical areas to optimise.
Regional differences and expectations
There are significant differences across Europe, and each market has its own expectations when it comes to checkout.
The Netherlands: iDEAL is completely dominant – without it, you lose the majority of customers
Germany: PayPal, Klarna and bank transfer are the preferred solutions
Belgium: Bancontact is an expected standard
Poland: BLIK and Przelewy24 are extremely widespread
Southern Europe: Cards are big, but PayPal and local solutions play an important role
This underlines one thing: there is no single right checkout – only the right one for each individual market.
| Land | Universelle · 15/15 lande | Bredt udbredte · 4–6/15 | Regionale · 2–3/15 | Lokale specialløsninger · 1/15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa / Mastercard 15 | Apple Pay / Google Pay 15 | PayPal 15 | Klarna / BNPL 15 | Bankbetaling / Open Banking 15 | Amazon Pay 6 | SEPA Direct Debit 6 | Faktura / Invoice 4 | MobilePay 3 | American Express 2 | Vipps 2 | Dankort 1 | Swish 1 | Trustly 1 | Viabill 1 | Walley 1 | Sofort / Giropay 1 | TWINT 1 | QR-bill 1 | EPS 1 | iDEAL 1 | Bancontact 1 | Carte Bancaire 1 | Alma 1 | Bizum 1 | Satispay 1 | Scalapay 1 | PostePay 1 | BLIK 1 | Przelewy24 1 | |
| Danmark | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | ✓ | – | – | ✓ | – | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Sverige | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Norge | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Finland | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tyskland | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Østrig | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Schweiz | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Holland | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Belgien | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Storbritannien | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Irland | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Frankrig | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Spanien | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – |
| Italien | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – |
| Polen | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
Conclusion
International growth is not about copying what works in Denmark. It is about understanding how users in each market think, act and pay.
IGAP shows that the brands that succeed internationally are those that work in a structured way with localisation:
Local insight
User behaviour
Market differences
Checkout and payment methods
When you meet users with what they expect, you create trust, a better experience and higher conversion.
Sources: Google International Growth Agency Program (IGAP), VWO – Digital Experience Optimization, mybank.eu, Frisbii, Worldpay Global Payments Report, Statista – Payment Methods in E-commerce Europe, Ecommerce Europe, National payment solutions and PSPs (Klarna, PayPal, Adyen, Stripe), Searchmind internal data and experience.
