Western Union survey: 65% of mobile device owners use a smartphone to pay a bill

August 14, 2013 – The Western Union Company released the latest findings from the Bill Payments Money Mindset Index. The survey of U.S. consumers reveals mobile device ownership and usage are changing consumers’ bill payment behaviors, even as people continue to use different payment channels like in-person or mail to meet their budget and lifestyle needs.

For example, 15 percent of people surveyed indicate they plan on paying more bills via a mobile phone or tablet and 13 percent via a mobile app or text message over the next six months. Also, among people who paid a bill using a mobile device, 65 percent did so using smartphones and 25 percent using tablets.

But U.S. consumers aren’t just using online and mobile options to pay bills. The survey underscores why choice and convenience are critical to meeting consumer needs:

. 36 percent of consumers use three or more channels, such as online, in-person, and others, to pay their monthly bills

. 38 percent use three or more payment methods, such as credit card, debit card, ACH, or cash, to pay their monthly bills

. 18 percent of multi-method bill payers and 27 percent of multi-channel bill payers used a mobile phone to pay at least one bill per month

“The Western Union Bill Payments Money Mindset Index points to increasingly tech-savvy consumers choosing to add mobile options to their bill payment tool kit,” said David Shapiro, senior vice president, Payments, Western Union.

Money Mindset Index helps companies understand how mobile is shaping the bill payments landscape and underscores why choices, like in-person bill payment options, are critical to meeting consumer needs.

An infographic featuring expanded survey statistics is available for download:

http://payments.westernunion.com/mobilemindsetindex