69% of Cardholders Say App Quality Shapes Top-of-Wallet Choice

Winning Top of Wallet: How Credit Card Apps Shape Choice

A credit card’s mobile app is far more than a service tool. Based on a survey of 3,198 U.S. adult consumers who hold at least one general-purpose credit card, conducted Feb. 27–March 3, 2026, “Winning Top of Wallet: How Credit Card Apps Shape Choice,” a collaboration between PYMNTS Intelligence and Elan Credit Card, shows that having a mobile app increasingly influences which card consumers use most—and what that means for spend and retention.

Inside the April Report

Nearly 7 in 10 cardholders say a card’s mobile app influences which card they use most. The effect is even stronger among younger consumers, especially Gen Z.
More than half of card app users say reminders or autopay help them avoid late fees or interest charges.
Nearly one-third of app users say they increased spending after adopting their card’s app. At the same time, nearly 1 in 4 cardholders say a poor app experience led them to reduce or stop using a card.