Choosing Payment Method Order at Checkout

The short answer

Put the payment methods most of your customers already use at the top, group similar methods together, and keep the list short enough to see without much scrolling. Base the order on your own transaction data, review it every few months, and avoid using position to push customers toward a method that costs them more.

Why order matters

On a phone screen, customers see the first two or three options and often pick one of them. A confusing list slows them down or makes them doubt the checkout. A clear list helps them pay with the method they trust.

Start from your data

Look at the last few months of paid orders:

• Share of each method among successful payments.
• Success rate per method (started vs completed).
• Refund and dispute rate per method.
• Differences by device, region or customer type.

If you are new, ask customers or start with the methods common in your market, then adjust.

Grouping

Group methods into clear categories, such as mobile wallets, cards, bank transfer and cash on delivery. Within each group, show the most-used first. Avoid long lists of near-identical options with tiny logos.

Defaults and pre-selection

Remembering a returning customer's last method is helpful. Pre-selecting a method for new customers is usually not, especially if it carries a fee. Let the customer choose.

Showing fees and limits

If a method has an extra charge or an amount limit, show it next to the method, not after selection. See transparent payment fees.

When to hide a method

If a method is rarely used and has poor success rates, consider moving it under "More options" rather than removing it, so customers who rely on it can still find it.

Testing changes

Change order one step at a time and measure completion for a few weeks. Be careful: a method's share can change for reasons unrelated to position, such as a provider outage. Our A/B testing guide explains how to avoid misleading conclusions.

Example

A grocery store sees that most successful payments use two wallets, then cash on delivery, then cards. It shows the two wallets first, COD next and cards under them, with bank transfer under "More options". Customers find their method faster and support questions about "where is my wallet" disappear.

Reviewing method order by device

Customers on phones and computers may behave differently: wallets may dominate on phones while cards are more common on desktop. If your platform allows it, review method order separately for each device type rather than forcing one order on both. Keep the grouping and labels the same so returning customers are not confused when they switch devices.

Frequently asked questions

Should I always show cash on delivery last?

Not necessarily. If many of your customers use it, hiding it may lose sales.

How often should I review the order?

Every few months, or after adding a new method.

To discuss payment method options, contact PayEurasia.