Which payment method is most important for online donations?
That depends primarily on the currency and the target audience. According to the 2026 Digital Fundraising Study, PayPal accounted for 44.7% of the volume of digital donations in EUR in 2025. For donations in CHF, TWINT led the way with 77.6%. Credit cards and bank-based methods also remained relevant; Apple Pay gained ground where it was offered.
For organizations, the choice of payment methods is therefore a key consideration when designing their donation forms. Anyone wishing to make a donation after a campaign should be able to find a suitable payment method and complete the transaction smoothly.
The study compares the share of different payment methods in the total volume of digital donations. This is an important distinction: A share of the volume indicates how much money was received via a particular payment method. It does not indicate how many individual people chose that payment method.
| Digital Donations in 2025 | In EUR | In CHF |
|---|---|---|
| Leading payment method | PayPal: 44.7% | TWINT: 77.6% |
| Bank-based methods or payment slips | Bank-based: 28.2% | Payment slip: 11.2% |
| Credit card | 23.8% | 6.5% |
The differences between the two currencies are clear. However, this does not allow for a ranking to be derived for each individual country or organization. Those who collect donations in multiple markets should consider the available payment methods and their own results separately for each market.
In 2025, PayPal was the most widely used payment method based on digital donation volume in EUR. Its share rose from 35.9% in 2023 to 39.9% in 2024 and reached 44.7% in 2025.
For organizations that collect donations in EUR, this is a good reason to consider PayPal when selecting their payment methods. The high share of the total volume shows that many digital donations were received through this channel. However, it does not prove that PayPal achieves the highest conversion rate for every target group or that a donation form without PayPal will inevitably lose donations.
In addition to PayPal ,bank-based payment methodsaccounted for 28.2% of the digital donation volume in EURin 2025 , and credit cards accounted for 23.8%. In this study, “bank-based” includes SEPA Direct Debit, ELV, and bank transfers. The figures suggest that when planning, one should not focus solely on the leading payment method: different supporters use different methods.
For digital donations in CHF, TWINT reached a volume share of 77.6% in 2025. In 2023, the share was 73.3%, and in 2024, it was 74.4%. TWINT thus expanded its leading position over the three-year period covered by the analysis.
For organizations that accept donations in CHF, TWINT is therefore an obvious payment method. At the same time, the study shows that other methods are also used: In 2025, 11.2% of the digital CHF donation volume came from payment slips and 6.5% from credit cards.
This raises a practical question for your own donation form: Can supporters find the payment methods that work for them without having to search for them for a long time? Especially if you collect donations in EUR and CHF, it’s worth taking a separate look at both payment regions. The study results differ significantly; therefore, a one-size-fits-all setup may not work equally well for both target groups.
Digital wallets are also part of the landscape of digital payment methods. The 2026 Fundraising Study reports that Apple Pay accounted for 4.9% of transactions among the organizations surveyed that used this payment method in 2025. Google Pay also shows an increase in this separate analysis, though at a lower level.
These figures need to be interpreted differently from the PayPal and TWINT numbers. The wallet analysis includes organizations that recorded at least one transaction via Apple Pay or Google Pay and examines the shares within these organizations. The 4.9% therefore does not represent a share of the total digital donation volume across all organizations surveyed.
In practice, this means: Wallets are an option you can evaluate within your own usage context. The study shows an increasing use of Apple Pay in the group surveyed. It does not show how many additional donations resulted solely from offering Apple Pay or Google Pay.
A payment method never appears in isolation. Donors encounter it within a form—often on a smartphone. According to the study , 58.2% of the analyzed digital donation volume in 2025 was attributed to mobile devices. For an additional 18.7%, the device type could not be clearly determined; improved device detection also influences the comparison with previous years.
Mobile usage is even more pronounced for smaller amounts: In the analysis of donations of up to CHF 30, 96.87% of the digital donation volume was attributed to mobile devices in 2025 . This is a good opportunity to test your own mobile donation flow. Are the amounts and payment methods easy to identify? Does the process remain clear when the user switches from the form to the payment page and back?
Such a test reveals specific hurdles in your own form. The study findings provide a starting point, but they are no substitute for testing with your organization’s specific devices, payment methods, and target audiences. If you want to improve the entire process, it’s worth taking a look not only at the payment process but also at the structure and design of your donation forms.
Start with the people you want to reach and the currencies in which they donate. The study provides comparative data. Your own transaction history shows which payment methods are actually used in your fundraising efforts.
Three questions are enough for an initial overview:
Here’s an example: An organization collects donations in Germany and Switzerland. Instead of combining all results into a single analysis, it examines EUR and CHF donations separately. This allows it to identify which payment methods its supporters actually use and whether the layout of the respective form aligns with those preferences. The study findings help with context; the organization decides on changes based on its own setup.
The purpose of the donation and the type of payment can also play a role in this assessment. A one-time campaign donation and recurring support may guide people through different processes. Therefore, test the options you actually offer and regularly check whether they remain understandablefrom the supporters’ perspective.
In terms of donation volume, PayPal led in 2025 with 44.7% of the analyzed digital donations in EUR. This was followed by bank-based payment methods at 28.2% and credit cards at 23.8%. These percentages represent the volume processed, not the number of people who selected a particular method.
In 2025, TWINT accounted for the largest share—77.6%—of the analyzed digital donation volume in CHF. Payment slips accounted for 11.2%, and credit cards for 6.5%. Which payment methods an individual organization should offer also depends on its target audience and its donation process.
No, the share of volume alone does not indicate a conversion rate. The study shows which payment methods were used to process digital donations. To assess their impact on conversions, you need data from your own form and should consider the entire donation process.
Yes. Among the digital donations in EUR analyzed ,credit cardsaccounted for 23.8% of the volumein 2025 , and bank-based methods accounted for 28.2%. When comparing bank-based figures across multiple years, the limited comparability described in the study must be taken into account.
A separate analysis from the 2026 Fundraising Study shows thatApple Pay usage accounted for4.9% of donationsin 2025 among the organizations examined for this purpose. The analysis included organizations with at least one transaction via Apple Pay or Google Pay. Therefore, this figure should not be interpreted as a share of the total digital donation volume across all organizations.
Mobile devices play a major role: In 2025 , 58.2% of the analyzed digital donation volumewas attributed tothem . However, this does not mean that every donation is made via mobile or that desktop donations can be disregarded. Check both views of your form and keep in mind that the device type is unknown for some of the transactions.
The study does not prescribe a one-size-fits-all combination. Base your decision on your organization’s currencies and target audiences, review the usage of your existing payment methods, and test the process on mobile devices and desktops. The results will show you which changes make sense for your fundraising efforts.
*When comparing data across multiple years, one important caveat applies. The study explains that organizations’ transition to new RaiseNow technology temporarily affected the availability of bank-based methods in particular—and thus the comparability of these figures. A decline or increase in the graph should therefore not be interpreted solely as a change in donor preferences.