PayPal or similar digital payment services dominate preferred online payment methods in Germany in 2026, chosen by more than half of all respondents across both genders — of men and of women. The female preference for PayPal is notably stronger, extending a six-percentage-point lead over their male counterparts and reinforcing PayPal's long-established position as Germany's default online checkout solution.
Credit cards represent the sharpest gender divide in the data. Men prefer credit cards at nearly twice the rate of women — versus — making it the second most popular method among male respondents. Women, by contrast, lean more toward bank transfer at , a payment behaviour consistent with Germany's historically strong culture of direct bank-based transactions such as SEPA transfers.
Debit cards, Buy Now Pay Later services, and e-wallets each attract minimal preference across both groups, with none exceeding . Cash on delivery and e-wallet or super-app payments rank lowest overall, each drawing just 1– regardless of gender, suggesting these channels have yet to gain meaningful traction among German online shoppers.
