With mobile users representing more than half of website traffic and donors increasingly expecting seamless checkout experiences, is it time to prioritize expanding your payment options?
The what
Alternative payment methods solve a critical friction point in mobile giving. While desktop users convert at 11% versus mobile's 8%, nonprofits are expanding beyond credit cards to capture mobile donations that might otherwise be lost due to checkout complexity.
The why
The persistent mobile conversion gap isn't just about screen size — it’s about payment friction. Mobile users expect one-click payment experiences similar to Amazon or Uber, but traditional credit card forms require multiple fields and precise typing on small screens.
Alternative payment methods reduce this friction by letting donors use saved payment information from trusted services. When someone can donate through PayPal or Apple Pay, they're bypassing the manual entry that often leads to cart abandonment.
Should you really care?
Yes. The data suggests alternative payment methods are becoming table stakes, not competitive advantages. With three-quarters of nonprofits already offering PayPal, the question isn't whether to add alternatives but which ones align with your donor demographics and mobile strategy.
The key insight: these aren't just convenience features but conversion tools specifically designed to capture mobile gifts that traditional checkout flows lose. Organizations seeing strong mobile traffic should prioritize this implementation.
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