The October 2026 New Zealand survey places PAYPAL - PAY in the Severely Vulnerable zone, with a score of 17.3 out of 100 in the APS from Cassuarina Labs. Within the framework’s 10–19 range, this signals very low user confidence and potential major usability or service issues—a clear priority for product teams to investigate.
Frustration dominates the experience
Survey results show that 51.8% of respondents are frustrated, followed by 9.8% very disappointed and 5.0% disappointed. On the positive side, 28% “Love It” while 5.4% “Like It.”
The Critics share reached 61.6%, exceeding Fans by 33.6 percentage points. The imbalance makes dissatisfaction the defining signal among respondents.
A positive base, with unanswered questions
The enthusiastic segment remains a meaningful strength: some respondents clearly find value in the app. However, these figures do not identify which features earn that support or which interactions generate dissatisfaction. Without qualitative survey comments, attributing either outcome to payment speed, convenience, security or customer support would go beyond the evidence.
The product lesson: Diagnose before prioritizing
The strategic question is what separates a satisfying experience from a frustrating one. Connecting respondents’ feedback to specific tasks and service encounters would help identify where confidence breaks down and which valued capabilities deserve protection. The priority suggested by this survey is clear: make consistently satisfactory outcomes the foundation of the product experience.
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APS RANKING: # 18
APS Score: 17.3
APS Performance Tier: Severely Vulnerable
Major usability or service issues. User confidence very low.
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Cluttered navigation and intrusive advertising: Respondents describe a redesign that prioritizes offers over balances, transaction history and payment tools, with promotional notifications difficult to disable separately from account alerts.
Login and verification barriers: Missing security codes, repeated authentication loops and codes sent to outdated phone numbers prevent respondents from registering or recovering access.
Technical instability: Comments report crashes, frozen loading screens, slow responses, unexpected beta-access errors and excessive battery consumption.
Difficulty accessing and moving money: Respondents describe account restrictions, held funds, failed withdrawals and declined payments. Some also question fees and exchange rates.
Unresolved support and dispute cases: Respondents report repetitive automated answers, difficulty reaching helpful staff and dissatisfaction with refund decisions and explanations for account limitations.
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Convenient everyday payments: Positive comments highlight straightforward online purchases and the ease of sending and receiving money with a few taps.
Broad acceptance: Respondents value being able to use one payment service across numerous websites and shopping platforms.
Perceived security and privacy: Some appreciate paying without sharing card or bank details directly with merchants and describe purchase protection as reassuring.
Centralized payment management: Satisfied respondents value tracking transactions, requesting payments and transferring funds to their bank through one account.
Speed and reliability for satisfied users: Some report receiving money promptly, responsive performance and years of use without significant problems.
Source:
BANKING & FINTECH APPS USER SATISFACTION SURVEY - NEW ZEALAND - App Pulse Score© (APS) - OCTOBER 2026