【GMO Customer Satisfaction Ranking】PayPay Ranks #1 in Cashless Payment Apps for 2026 【GMO Research & AI】

GMO Research & AI Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Koudai Ogita) of the GMO Internet Group announced on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, that PayPay ranked first overall in the 'cashless payment app' (※1) category of the 2026 'GMO Customer Satisfaction Ranking.' Rakuten Pay ranked second, and au PAY ranked third. This survey was conducted by GMO Research & AI Co., Ltd. from April 8 to May 1, 2026, targeting 5,030 valid respondents.

The 'GMO Customer Satisfaction Ranking' conducted a survey across six evaluation criteria to identify which cashless payment app services users are genuinely satisfied with. PayPay ranked first in three assessment categories—'ease of payment,' 'feature richness,' and 'app usability'—earning strong support for its cashless payment experience and securing the top position in the overall ranking.

(※1) Applications providing smartphone-based cashless payment services via QR codes, barcodes, or contactless payment methods.

【Survey Overview】

・Survey Conducted by: GMO Research & AI Co., Ltd.

・Survey Method: Online survey

・Number of Respondents: 5,030

・Minimum Respondents per Ranked Company: At least 100 respondents

・Survey Period: April 8, 2026 – May 1, 2026

・Survey Target:

‐Gender: No restriction

‐Age: 18–84 years old

‐Conditions: Must meet all of the following:

① Uses a cashless payment app at least once a week

② Has continuously used the app for over one month

(※ Excludes those who did not make in-store or online payments within the past week)

・Number of Companies/Services Surveyed: 16 (※2)

・Number of Ranked Companies: 5

・Definition: Applications providing smartphone-based cashless payment services via QR codes, barcodes, or contactless payment methods.

(※2) Surveyed companies and services were selected based on desk research conducted by GMO Research & AI, focusing on those with high user counts. Additionally, some companies/services mentioned in open-ended responses from participants were included.

【Ranking Results】2026 'Cashless Payment App' Category https://r-portal.gmo-research.ai/ranking/details/cashless-app_2026/

Overall Ranking (Top 3)

(1st: PayPay, 2nd: Rakuten Pay, 3rd: au PAY)

In the overall ranking for the 'cashless payment app' category, PayPay secured first place with a 0.55-point lead over second-place Rakuten Pay. PayPay ranked first in three subcategories—'ease of payment,' 'feature richness,' and 'app usability'—and received particularly high marks for 'ease of payment' (70.9 points), surpassing second place by over 8 points. Its smooth payment experience across physical stores and online platforms was highly praised.

・"There are many stores that accept it, and frequent campaigns make it feel rewarding." (Female, 40s)

・"I can use accumulated PayPay points or balance toward PayPay Card payments, so I never run out of ways to use my points." (Male, 50s)

・"The point return rate is high, making payments feel cost-effective." (Female, 50s)

※ Some comments have been edited for readability.

Rakuten Pay ranked second with a total score of 64.44 points and ranked first in the 'points and campaigns' category (75.01 points). It surpassed d-payment (61.75 points) by over 13 points, gaining support due to high satisfaction with generous point returns and campaign offerings. It also ranked second in 'feature richness' (66.55 points), reflecting appreciation for its added value through integration with the Rakuten ecosystem.

au PAY ranked third with a total score of 64.24 points, ranking second in 'security' (65.18 points) and third in 'support system' (62.7 points). Its solid reputation for safe and secure usage contributed to its third-place finish.

※ The 'GMO Customer Satisfaction Ranking' statistically processes response data based on survey design and uses a predefined calculation method to relatively evaluate overall strength (standardized scoring). Weighting is applied to factors such as users’ prioritized criteria as needed during the calculation.

Category-Specific Rankings (Top 3)

In the category-specific rankings, PayPay ranked first in 'ease of payment,' 'feature richness,' and 'app usability,' demonstrating overwhelming superiority in everyday usability. Rakuten Pay ranked first in 'points and campaigns.' d-payment ranked first in both 'support system' and 'security.'

For detailed ranking results and rankings in other categories, visit the 'GMO Customer Satisfaction Ranking' website (URL: https://r-portal.gmo-research.ai/ranking/).

【Usage Data】Key Factors in Choosing a Cashless Payment App

When asked to rate six evaluation criteria on a 10-point scale regarding what users prioritize when selecting a cashless payment app (n=4,976), the highest score went to 'ease of payment' (8.05 points). This was followed by 'app usability' (7.89 points), 'points and campaigns' (7.78 points), and 'security' (7.71 points). This indicates that users primarily focus on 'daily usability,' such as smooth transactions and ease of operation. In contrast, 'feature richness' (7.12 points) and 'support system' (6.94 points) received relatively lower priority, suggesting users prioritize practical benefits like transaction convenience and reward programs over sheer feature count or support depth.

【About the 'GMO Customer Satisfaction Ranking'】

The 'GMO Customer Satisfaction Ranking' is a platform operated by GMO Research & AI that conducts surveys across various industries and services and publishes rankings based on the results. Leveraging GMO Research & AI’s nationally largest-scale panel of over 35 million respondents (※3), it publishes fair, accurate, and highly reliable rankings based on rigorous survey methodologies.

Through the 'GMO Customer Satisfaction Ranking' certification, it provides trustworthy information to enhance corporate brand value and support consumers in making informed service and product choices.

【Quoting Survey Results and Use of the 'No.1' Title/Logo】

This press release and the survey results from the 'GMO Customer Satisfaction Ranking' may be quoted in news articles and reports. When quoting, please clearly state: 'Source: GMO Customer Satisfaction Ranking 2026 (Survey by GMO Research & AI Co., Ltd.).'

Meanwhile, the 'No.1' title and certification logo awarded through the ranking are registered trademarks owned by GMO Internet Group Co., Ltd. and licensed for use by GMO Research & AI. Including winning companies, the broad