Despite the growth of digital payments, over 90% of U.S. small businesses continue to rely on paper receipt, handling around $6 trillion annually. This persistence is driven by cash flow needs, system complexity, and reluctance to change. While platforms help speed up payments and reduce fraud risk, adoption remains slow due to fragmented software and banking infrastructure. Government efforts to digitize payments may push change, but impact is expected to be gradual. With digital methods covering less than 1% of the market, paper receipts are likely to remain a staple of small business payments for decades to come.
US Small Businesses Stick with Paper Receipt (90%+ Still Manual)
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Author: Ljubica Blagojević
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Content accuracy validation date:
01.08.2025
Content accuracy validation time:
08:45h
Important Drivers Behind Paper Receipt Persistence:
- Cash flow improvement is the main reason, but resistance to change remains strong.
- Widespread receipt fraud and payment issues are common pain points, yet not enough to force a full shift to digital.
- Software fragmentation in the B2B payment landscape means digital apps still often default to sending paper receipts behind the scenes.
Government and Industry Pressures:
An executive order to digitize U.S. government payments may help accelerate change, but progress is expected to be slow.
Outlook and Challenges:
Paper receipts are expected to remain in use for at least 20 more years due to institutional inertia and complex infrastructure. While digital solutions are growing, they still cover less than 1% of the paper receipt-dominated market. Main challenges include speeding up adoption, addressing fraud, and improving integration across payment systems.
Paper receipts aren’t going away anytime soon in the small business world. While digital alternatives offer clear advantages, deep-rooted habits, system limitations, and trust in card networks are keeping checks alive—for now.
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