Alternative Payment Methods, more accurately described as Local Payment Methods, have moved from complementary options to a key part of the payment mix a long time ago. In many markets, like the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and China, local payment methods have long been the standard way people pay.
If you’re selling in multiple countries, you need to make sure that each payment option fits local habits and integrates with existing flows. To understand the potential benefits of APMs, let's explore several options Mangopay provides, including Bizum, Blik, Mbway, iDEAL, and discover the advantages they bring to platforms and their customers.
Businesses incorporating diverse APMs expand their audience reach, accommodating various payment preferences, and reducing cart abandonment
Many APMs come with lower fees, protecting profit margins as transaction volumes grow
APMs can handle high volumes, even during peak demand, helping platforms support growth without disruption.
We support a wide range of payment methods, including cards, digital wallets, pay later options, bank-based payments such as Klarna and Pay by Bank, as well as other types of local payment methods and virtual accounts. Let's go through a few of them to see their impact.
iDEAL has been the standard way Dutch consumers pay. For many users, paying directly through their bank is more familiar than entering card details. iDEAL allows customers to complete payments within their online banking environment, with immediate confirmation. Almost 80% of ecommerce payments in the Netherlands go through iDEAL, making it a default expectation rather than an alternative.
In Poland, mobile-first payments have grown into a preferred way to pay, with BLIK widely used across ecommerce, in-store, and peer-to-peer transactions. BLIK enables users to authenticate payments through their banking app, either by entering a one-time code or approving the transaction directly. With over a billion transactions processed annually, BLIK reflects how strongly local payment habits influence user expectations in this country.
Having surpassed 1 billion transactions in 2024 and being used by over 28 million consumers, Bizum continues to grow as one of the most widely used payment methods in Spain. Built by major Spanish banks, it is already embedded in users’ daily financial habits. Bizum allows customers to pay directly from their bank account, without entering card details, with payments authenticated through their banking app.
MB Way is one of the most widely used payment methods in Portugal, covering ecommerce, in-store, and peer-to-peer payments. Users can pay using their mobile number or app, without needing to enter card details. Payments are fast and integrated into local banking habits. Its adoption reflects this positioning. With more than 2 million active users, MB Way is a preferred option for mobile payments in Portugal, with strong usage among younger shoppers aged 18 to 28.
Swish, a mobile payment app launched in 2012 by six major Swedish banks in cooperation with Bankgirot and the Central Bank of Sweden, has become a favored payment method in the country due to its speed and convenience. With over 8 million users, Swish is known for facilitating real-time bank transfers and instant payment confirmations. Customers can authenticate and approve payments using the Swish mobile app and the Swedish BankID mobile app.
In Italy, Satispay has gained traction as a mobile payment method that operates independently from card networks. Users connect their bank accounts and approve payments directly through the app, avoiding card details altogether. Satispay has 4.5 million active users, and its growing adoption reflects a shift toward alternative, bank-linked payment experiences, especially for everyday transactions.
Across Europe and the UK, Pay by Bank is emerging as a way to enable account-to-account payments through open banking. Users authenticate payments via their bank, without entering card details, making the experience closer to local bank transfers. While still developing, it reflects an ongoing trend toward bank-based payments becoming more visible at checkout.
Our platform is designed to help you get started quickly, with clear documentation, a structured onboarding process, and support throughout integration. Our API covers key payment flows such as pay-ins, payouts, and wallet management, and is built to handle growing transaction volumes while remaining easy to implement.
Contact us to create the right payment mix for your platform.