moBills Digital Wallet Screen Demo Auto Loan

2023 Annual Pulse Report

Billing and Payment Trends and Behaviors

Driven by convenience, speed and cost, consumers have more payment choices than ever before. Now, more than ever, billers need to add payment diversity and choices in their offerings

It’s Time for Billers To Add More Value

2023 is the year that has seen consumers demand convenience, more payment choices and easier accessibility to the financial system. In short, the trends are about faster, easier, safer and accelerated payment methods.


“Choice in payments ensures continued accessibility to the financial system for every demographic, no matter whether they prefer to pay by cutting a check or scanning their face.”

Ron Shultz
Head of Biller Segment
ACI Worldwide

Overall, consumers like the range of payment methods available to them, but there is still work to be done. Organizations should recognize that the younger generations have a growing preference for alternative payment methods and expect speed and security to be part of their experience.

Read our latest report to learn more about the preferred payment methods for each generation and how they affect the need for billers to modernize their payment options to consumers.

Download the Report

40%

of consumers have used a mobile wallet to make any sort of payment, up from 26% in 2019

1 in 3

consumers are ready to switch payment channels or methods for faster processing

42%

of consumers would consider paying a bill with an alternative payment method

Consumer Satisfaction Is High — But Some Organizations Have Room for Improvement

Mobile Wallets Are Gaining Traction

In 2021, 15% of digital wallet users told McKinsey they leave their residence regularly without their “old-school wallet,” backing up our Pulse survey findings that preference for paying by mobile has dramatically increased since 2020. The same is true of the number of consumers that would consider paying their bills using a mobile wallet.

Overdue Customers Prefer Self-Service

More than half of those surveyed said they avoid communications from debt collectors by ignoring phone calls and dunning notices. Reasons for this range from feeling uncomfortable sharing financial information with strangers to feeling nervous about communicating with debt collectors.

Password Habits Open the Door to Fraud

A 2022 study from Javelin Strategy & Research found identity fraud to be among the fastest growing criminal enterprises, with 27 million U.S. consumers affected and losses reaching $28 billion in 2021. Our Pulse data backs this up, recording an increase in identity theft reports over the years. Yet consumers have been slow to embrace best practices when it comes to securing their online credentials.

Get Strategic With Payments Adoption

Billers will always be under pressure to increase payments choice, as digitization and new technologies see ever more ways to pay enter the market.