Wingman Weekly: Alternative Payments
Alternative payments are vital for most industries. Customers want to pay how it’s most convenient to them. Sometimes that isn’t with a credit card or cash, and that leads to unfulfilled transactions. This asks one question: what alternative payment solutions are popular?
- Digital wallets: Apple Pay and Google Pay
- ACH and pay-by-bank: ACH transfers, eChecks and direct bank payments
- Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL): Affirm, Klarna, Afterpay and PayPal Pay Later
- Contactless payments: Tap to Pay, NFC payments and contactless cards
- Payment links: Pay-by-link, text-to-pay and email payment links
- QR-code payments: Scan-to-pay and mobile QR checkout
- Peer-to-peer payment apps: Venmo, Zelle, Cash App and PayPal
- Real-time payments: RTP and FedNow-enabled bank payments
- Prepaid and gift cards: Reloadable cards, store gift cards and digital gift cards
- Cryptocurrency and stablecoins: Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDC and other supported digital currencies
Digital wallets, ACH, Gift Cards, and Contactless payments are popular alternative payment methods that businesses should already implement if applicable to their industry.
BNPL, Payment Links, QR-Code Payments, Peer-to-Peer Payments, and Real-Time Payments are slightly more niche, but are beneficial in industries that can utilize them.
Cryptocurrencies are very rare, but a popular topic that has been gaining popularity with a younger audience, and there are solutions that can accept crypto without the need of a wallet—by converting the crypto to USD and depositing it into your bank account.
If you want a more in-depth read on Alternative Payments, read our 2026 Guide to Alternative Payment Methods.
For more information, Contact Us at 470-822-8683