E-Learning in Brazil: How to Expand Your Global Education Business with Local Payments

In recent years, e-learning has transformed from niche innovation into a global powerhouse. As digital adoption accelerates, more learners and organizations are opting for flexible, scalable, remote education and training. But entering a new market—especially one as large and unique as Brazil—requires more than just launching your platform and translating your content.

Brazil represents a compelling frontier for international e-learning companies, driven by rising internet usage and increased access to digital platforms over the last decade. In 2024, the Brazilian e-learning market was estimated at USD 7.40 billion, and it is forecasted to nearly double by 2033.

Yet for many international e-learning companies, entering Brazil presents a familiar barrier: payments. Most Brazilian consumers prefer to pay using local methods such as Pix, digital wallets, or domestic credit cards with installments rather than international credit cards. These preferences are deeply embedded in the market, and failing to adapt often leads to low approval rates, abandoned checkouts, and missed revenue opportunities.

The good news is that this challenge is entirely solvable with a localized payment strategy. By aligning your checkout experience with local habits and infrastructure, you not only remove friction but also build trust with your audience and dramatically increase conversions.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• Why Brazil is one of the most strategic markets for global e-learning growth
• What payment challenges cross-border platforms face—and why localization is key
• How adapting to local payment preferences can unlock long-term success

By the end, you’ll see that payment localization isn’t just a technical adjustment, but a strategic advantage for any e-learning company looking to thrive in Brazil’s fast-growing digital education market.

Why is Brazil a Strategic Market for Your E-Learning Business?

Brazil combines a massive digital population, growing investment in online education, and a cultural openness to new learning models—making it one of the most promising frontiers for global e-learning expansion.

A Fast-Growing Market Driven by Digital Inclusion

Brazil’s transformation into one of the world’s most connected societies has fueled the rapid expansion of online education. Over the course of two decades, the proportion of urban households with internet access jumped from 13% to 85% with some estimates reaching nearly 94% as of 2024. In particular, affordable smartphones, improved broadband infrastructure, and government initiatives promoting connectivity in remote regions have made e-learning accessible to a wider population than ever before.

At the same time, education has become one of Brazil’s most digitalized sectors. Universities, training centers, and startups are increasingly adopting blended or fully online models in response to this growing connectivity. In fact, between 2013 and 2023, undergraduate enrollments in distance learning programs increased from one million to 4.7 million, demonstrating a growing demand for accessible learning opportunities. This combination of technological readiness and cultural adoption makes Brazil a natural fit for international e-learning platforms seeking scale.

A New Generation of Learners and Digital Consumers

Brazilian learners are not just connected, they are digitally confident and eager for continuous education. Beyond undergraduate and graduate education, the rise of remote work and the gig economy has also accelerated demand for short, skills-based courses and certifications. Last January, for example, there was a 30% increase in Google searches related to course subjects ranging from programming and paid traffic to crocheting and beauty.

In the corporate world, Brazilian companies are also investing heavily in online training and onboarding platforms. As organizations modernize their operations, corporate e-learning has become a strategic priority, driving demand for scalable, data-driven platforms that can deliver measurable learning outcomes.

Expanding Opportunities Across Sectors

This landscape creates fertile ground for international e-learning companies—both B2C and B2B—to grow their footprint.

• B2C platforms can reach a vast audience eager for accessible education, language learning, and professional development.
• B2B providers can serve organizations looking for tailored corporate training and learning management systems.

With strong digital infrastructure, a tech-savvy population, and rising investment in education, Brazil offers exceptional potential for global e-learning platforms ready to localize their operations and engage learners in one of the most dynamic markets in Latin America.

What Are the Payment Challenges for Foreign E-Learning Platforms in Brazil?

Brazil’s e-learning market is full of opportunity—but it’s also highly distinctive. Success doesn’t come automatically to international platforms because the country’s payment landscape operates differently from most Western markets.

Understanding these differences is critical: a misaligned checkout experience can lead to frustrated learners, abandoned carts, and lost revenue. In the sections that follow, we’ll break down the key payment challenges, explain why standard international solutions often fail, and highlight the local methods that are essential for maximizing conversions in Brazil.

Why Doesn’t Offering Only International Credit Cards Work in Brazil?

For many international e-learning platforms, credit cards are the default payment method—but in Brazil, relying solely on international cards can significantly limit your reach. Here’s why:

1. Limited access to international credit cards: A large portion of the Brazilian population doesn’t own a credit card, and even those who do often have cards restricted to domestic transactions. This means many potential learners simply cannot pay with a foreign credit card, no matter how convenient it seems to your platform.
2. High fees for consumers: Using an international card often comes with currency conversion rates and the IOF tax, which can add 10% or more to the purchase price. For students, this makes courses significantly more expensive, leading to hesitation or cart abandonment.
3. Trust and comfort: Even when learners have internationally-enabled cards, many still prefer local methods they know and trust, such as Pix, digital wallets, or boleto bancário (bank slip) for B2B transactions. In fact, a recent survey by E-Commerce Brasil shows that 11% of Brazilian consumers point to limited payment options as a deciding factor in walking away from a purchase.
4. Impact on conversion rates: Combined, these factors mean that platforms relying only on foreign cards risk losing a substantial share of their audience, particularly in B2C scenarios where affordability and ease-of-payment are critical.

In short, simply adding international credit cards to your checkout is not enough. To maximize conversions, e-learning platforms need to align with the payment methods Brazilians actually use and trust, paving the way for smoother enrollment and higher revenue.

Read more: Optimizing Your Checkout for the Brazilian Market: A Guide to Local Payment Methods

Why Has Pix Become a Must-Have in the Brazilian Checkout?

In Brazil’s digital payments ecosystem, Pix has become the default method for consumers and businesses alike. For international e-learning platforms, integrating Pix isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s a conversion accelerator.

Key adoption facts showing its importance:

• Pix processed about 64 billion transactions in 2024, an increase of around 53% year over year (PYMNTS).
• As of this year, Pix has been used by 93% of adults, with 62% naming it as their preferred payment method (Valor International).
• A study by Koin and Datafolha found that 84% of online consumers use Pix, and in e-commerce contexts it’s often cited as the top payment method in Brazil next to domestic credit cards (E-Commerce Update).
• Its adoption spans demographics and geographies: both high- and low-income municipalities use Pix intensively, and while all age groups are healthy adopters, those under 29 use it most frequently (FGV).

Why this matters for e-learning platforms:

• Because so many Brazilians now expect checkout options to include Pix, omitting it may cause friction with your audience, leading to abandoned carts.
• It unlocks the segment of learners who don’t hold internationally enabled cards—a critical advantage in Brazil’s market.
• The instant, mobile-friendly nature of Pix aligns with how many Brazilian users prefer to pay: quickly, via phone apps or QR codes, and with familiar checkout flows.
• For subscription or recurring revenue models, Pix has evolved to support recurring and automatic payments thanks to Automatic Pix, making it a future-proof option for platforms.

In short: If your checkout in Brazil still gives the impression that “credit cards only” are acceptable, you’re likely leaving significant revenue on the table. Integrating Pix (in addition to other preferred methods) is a strategic step toward aligning with Brazilian consumer behavior and maximizing your conversion potential.

Beyond Pix, What Other Local Methods Are Expected?

While Pix dominates Brazil’s payment landscape, a complete localization strategy goes beyond it. To reach every type of learner—from students paying with smartphones to companies financing corporate training—your platform needs to support a mix of local credit cards, digital wallets, and alternative methods.

1. Local credit cards and the installment culture

Most Brazilians use domestic credit cards issued by local banks, often from brands like Elo or local versions of Visa and Mastercard. These cards are processed in Brazilian reais (BRL) and enable installment payments (parcelamento), one of the most defining features of Brazilian consumer behavior.

For e-learning, this flexibility is crucial. Students can pay for higher-value courses over several months, making your offerings more affordable and boosting conversion. Moreover, local card processing means higher approval rates and a smoother checkout experience.

2. Digital wallets: Apple Pay and Google Pay

Digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay have quickly become part of everyday payments in Brazil, having been used by 84% of the population in the last year. Their popularity is driven by the rise of mobile commerce and the convenience of biometric authentication, which makes them ideal for fast, low-friction transactions.

For international e-learning platforms, supporting digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay can:

• Increase mobile checkout conversions, especially among younger audiences
• Improve security and reduce friction at checkout
• Strengthen your brand perception as a modern, user-centric platform

3. Boleto bancário: Reaching the offline audience

Despite the country’s high digital adoption, the boleto bancário remains relevant, particularly for B2B purchases and consumers without credit cards. A boleto acts as a bank slip that can be paid online or offline at banks, lottery outlets, or via mobile banking apps.

It plays a key role in:

• Expanding access to unbanked or underbanked users
• Reducing fraud risk, since it doesn’t involve card data, each voucher is limited to a single transaction, and the payment is confirmed before access is granted
• Supporting B2B transactions, where accounting teams often prefer boleto for documentation and control.

How Does PagBrasil Set Up Your E-Learning Platform for Success in Brazil?

As you’ve seen, success in Brazil is about strategically aligning your checkout experience with local preferences to maximize conversions, accessibility, and student retention.

In this section, we’ll look at how a comprehensive approach to local payments—covering Pix, local credit cards, digital wallets, and optimized boleto solutions—can turn what is often a major barrier into a competitive advantage, helping your platform thrive in Brazil’s growing digital education ecosystem.

What Local Payment Solutions Does PagBrasil Offer to Increase Conversion?

Entering Brazil’s e-learning market is one thing—succeeding is another. That’s where PagBrasil comes in. By acting as a strategic partner for cross-border companies, PagBrasil handles the complexities of local payments so platforms can focus on delivering great learning experiences, not worrying about checkout failures.

Here’s how PagBrasil helps you maximize conversions:

1. Pix: With PagBrasil Pix, learners and corporate clients can pay instantly, reducing cart abandonment and allowing immediate access to courses. For return buyers, we also offer a 1-Click Pix feature, which allows customers to authenticate their purchase in just one click—no redirection required.
2. Local credit cards with installments: PagBrasil enables international platforms to accept domestic cards and offer installment payments, a key factor for higher-ticket courses in Brazil. This ensures learners can pay in ways they are comfortable with, while approval rates remain high.
3. Digital wallets (Apple Pay and Google Pay): Mobile-first learners increasingly prefer wallet payments. PagBrasil supports these options, providing a fast, secure, and familiar checkout experience that boosts mobile conversion. We are also the only Brazil-specialized payment provider to offer the option of installment payments with both Apple Pay and Google Pay.
4. Boleto Flash®: This payment method remains important for B2B clients and learners without credit cards, but traditional boletos can take days to clear. PagBrasil’s Boleto Flash® solution accelerates this process, confirming payments within one business hour—enabling immediate course access and reducing delays or lost revenue.

In addition to enabling a range of local payment options, through PagBrasil’s intermediation model, cross-border e-learning platforms can operate in Brazil without setting up a local entity. We handle the entire payment chain, processing funds in BRL and remitting them abroad in USD or EUR, eliminating operational headaches while ensuring compliance with local regulations.

By combining these solutions, PagBrasil transforms Brazil’s payment complexity from a barrier into a competitive advantage, helping your platform reach more learners, reduce friction, and unlock revenue that would otherwise be lost.

How Can You Leverage Brazil’s Favorite Payment Method for Recurring Revenue?

For e-learning platforms, long-term success depends not just on acquiring new students but on keeping them engaged through recurring subscriptions or membership plans. In Brazil, this means combining the right payment technology with the right management tools—and that’s exactly what PagBrasil delivers through Automatic Pix with PagStream®.

While Automatic Pix enables automatic recurring Pix payments—where learners authorize once and subsequent payments are made automatically—it doesn’t include the infrastructure needed to manage subscriptions. Building that in-house can be complex and resource-intensive, especially for cross-border platforms unfamiliar with Brazil’s regulatory and technical landscape.

That’s where PagStream® comes in. As PagBrasil’s complete subscription management platform, it is built to help international e-learning companies leverage Automatic Pix and other local payment methods without needing to build their own recurring billing system.

With PagStream®, you can:

• Offer multiple local payment options—Automatic Pix, local credit cards, digital wallets, and Boleto Flash®, all managed under one platform
• Automate renewals for courses or memberships and handle retries or payment failures seamlessly
• Operate in Brazilian reais (BRL) while receiving in USD or EUR abroad
• Gain full visibility and control over active subscriptions and revenue performance while also offering transparency to your learners through a Subscriber Portal
• Easily set up automated and personalized campaigns with our Promotion Engine, which allows you to offer discounts on celebratory dates, send your subscribers freebies, and more

Together, PagStream® and Automatic Pix combine the power of Brazil’s most popular payment method with the technology and automation needed for sustainable recurring revenue, giving international e-learning businesses a scalable, future-ready solution.

Is Integration With My Platform Complicated?

Integration through PagBrasil is not complicated at all. We were built to help cross-border businesses expand into Brazil without technical or operational barriers. Whether you’re looking for a ready-made solution or want more control and flexibility, our integration options are designed to get you up and running quickly while ensuring a fully localized payment experience.

PagBrasil Checkout: The fastest way to start accepting payments in Brazil

For most cross-border e-learning companies, PagBrasil Checkout, an evolution of the traditional payment link, is the simplest and most efficient solution. It’s a ready-to-use, external checkout that meets the highest standards of PCI DSS compliance and that supports all of Brazil’s preferred payment methods, including Pix, domestic credit cards with installments, digital wallets, and Boleto Flash®.

PagBrasil Checkout is optimized for conversion with a mobile-friendly interface and the capability to offer discounts by payment method. Since payments are processed in Brazilian reais (BRL), learners enjoy a familiar experience, while your business benefits from higher approval rates and faster time to market.

Flexible alternatives: API and PagBrasil.JS

For e-learning platforms with in-house development teams, PagBrasil also offers flexible integration options:

• PagBrasil API, for full customization of the checkout experience within your platform. (Note: Merchant is fully responsible for meeting PCI DSS security standards)
• PagBrasil.JS, for securely embedding local payment forms without handling sensitive data. (Note: Merchant is only required to be compliant with SAQ-A, the simplest self-assessment questionnaire available for PCI DSS compliance)

Both options give you more control over the design and user experience while keeping payment processing managed by PagBrasil.

No matter the setup you choose, integration is straightforward and fully supported by our technical team so you can focus on growth, not payment complexity.

The Key to E-Learning Success in Brazil: Local Payments That Work

Brazil’s e-learning market offers tremendous potential, but success depends on how well you adapt to local payment realities. From the dominance of Pix and domestic credit cards to the continued relevance of the boleto bancário for B2B sales, offering a localized, optimized checkout experience is what determines whether students complete their enrollment or abandon the process.

With PagBrasil, international e-learning platforms can localize their payment strategy with ease. By combining deep local expertise with flexible technology, PagBrasil turns payment complexity into opportunity—so your e-learning platform can truly connect, convert, and grow in Brazil.

Talk to one of our specialists today to get started.