With Buy Now, Pay Later apps (BNPL) like Sezzle and Perpay, you can get what you want and then spread the payment over a period of time.
The apps work somewhat like credit cards and are so popular because, as long as you meet the scheduled payment times, you don’t have to pay interest on your purchase, and your personal finances aren’t impacted.
BNPL apps can be particularly helpful if you want to make larger time-sensitive purchases that might be a little out of your budget.
In recent times, many business owners have seen the benefit of Buy Now, Pay Later apps and have partnered with a couple of the best to make it easier for their customers to meet their needs and still stick to their budgets. Continue reading to learn more.
What Is a Buy Now, Pay Later App?
A buy now, pay later app splits a purchase into a few fixed payments instead of charging the whole amount at checkout. The standard plan is four payments over six weeks: the first is taken at checkout and the rest are collected automatically every two weeks. Standard plans carry no interest, approval normally rests on a soft check rather than a hard pull, and the balance is fixed from the start. There is no revolving balance quietly growing the way there is on a credit card.
How are buy now, pay later apps different from credit cards?
A credit card is a revolving line you can borrow against again and again, and interest starts building the moment you carry a balance. A BNPL plan is a single fixed loan for one purchase: a set number of payments, a set end date, and no interest at all on standard plans. The trade-off runs both ways. A credit card gives you longer to pay and stronger purchase protection, and most BNPL plans do nothing for your credit because only some report to the bureaus. Perpay is the exception on this list, and it reports to all three.
Need cash instead of financing a purchase?
None of the apps below hand you cash. They pay a merchant on your behalf. If what you actually need is money in your own account, that is a different product. EarnIn advances wages you have already earned, up to $150 a day and $1,000 per pay period, with no interest and no credit check. Current advances up to $750 of your pay early, with no credit check, no interest and no late fees, once you have payroll deposits landing in a Current account. Both sit in a different category from the apps below, which we compare in full in our guide to the best cash advance apps.
Every app below splits up something you are buying. If what you actually need is money in your account before payday, EarnIn advances wages you have already earned, straight to your bank.
- Up to $150 a day, and up to $1,000 per pay period
- No interest, no mandatory fees and no credit check
- Tips are optional; Lightning Speed instant transfers start at $3.99
EarnIn asks whether you are currently employed as its first question. It advances against your earnings, so you will need proof of consistent income.
Best for bad credit, builds your score
Won’t affect your score- Up to $1,000 to shop electronics, home and more on Perpay’s marketplace
- Paid automatically from your payroll direct deposit
- Reports to all 3 bureaus, no late fees
Best for flexible payment plans
Most flexible- Split any purchase into 4 payments over 6 weeks
- Reschedule a payment up to 3 times if money is tight
- No impact on your credit score
Get cash instead of an installment plan
No fees- Get up to $750 of your paycheck early, no interest
- No credit check, just connect your paycheck
- Instant access with your Current account
Get cash instead of an installment plan
Up to $1,000- Get up to $1,000 per pay period, no interest
- No credit check required to start
- Cash in minutes with Lightning Speed
7 Best Buy Now, Pay Later Apps
The real differences show up in the fine print. Affirm and PayPal charge no late fees whatsoever, while Klarna and Sezzle have both added service fees to some plans and a single late payment on Sezzle can reach $16.95. Here is how the seven compare on the things that actually cost money.
| App | How you pay | What it costs | Late fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| PerpayBest for bad credit | Shop Perpay’s own marketplace, repaid from your paycheck | 0% interestPerpay+ add-on is $5/mo | None |
| SezzleBest for flexible plans | Pay in 4 over 6 weeks, or 3 to 48 months | 0% on Pay in 4Service fee up to $7.49 · Premium $13.99/mo | Up to $16.95Capped at 25% of the order |
| AffirmBest for no fees at all | Pay in 4, or monthly financing | 0% on Pay in 40% to 36% APR monthly · no other fees | None |
| AfterpayBest for students | Pay in 4 over 6 weeks | 0% on Pay in 4Up to 36% APR on monthly plans | Up to $8Capped at 25% of the order |
| SplititBest for no credit check | Installments on the credit card you already have | 0% on card installmentsFinance charge on wallet plans | Set by your card issuer |
| PayPal Pay in 4Best for small purchases | 4 payments every 2 weeks, on $30 to $1,500 | 0% and no feesPay Monthly is 9.99% to 35.99% APR | None |
| KlarnaBest for large purchases | Pay in 4, Pay in 30 days, or longer financing | 0% on Pay in 4Service fee $1.29 to $5.99 on some plans | Up to $7Capped at 25% of the order |
Terms verified against each provider’s own disclosures in August 2026. Limits, fees and APRs vary by merchant, state and approval. Always check the terms shown at checkout.
Here are some of the best Buy Now, Pay Later Apps for you to consider:
1. Best for Bad Credit: Perpay
Perpay works differently from every other app on this list. Instead of splitting the bill at another store’s checkout, you shop Perpay’s own marketplace, which stocks electronics, furniture, appliances and similar goods. Your payments then come out of your paycheck automatically through payroll direct deposit. You never receive cash. You receive a spending limit to use on their site.
That payroll setup is the point of the whole thing. There is no interest on marketplace orders and no late fees, and Perpay reports your payments to Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, so paying on time builds credit history the way a dedicated credit-building app would. New accounts generally start with about $1,000 to spend, and that limit can grow to roughly $3,500 as you keep paying on time.
The trade-offs are real. You need steady employment and a paycheck you can route through direct deposit, you can only spend the limit on Perpay rather than anywhere you like, and the optional Perpay+ credit-building add-on costs $5 a month. If you simply want a cheap way to split one purchase, Affirm or PayPal will cost you nothing; Perpay earns its place here when the credit history matters as much as the purchase.
Pros
- You can use the Perpay app even with a low credit score.
- The app offers a 12-installment payment plan.
- It has various brands available on the platform from which to shop.
- The app doesn’t charge late fees.
Cons
- Customers must be working full-time to use Perpay.
- Lacking customer service according to online reviews.
Up to $1,000 · No payment today · Will not affect your FICO score
2. Best for Flexible Payment Plans: Sezzle
Sezzle is a buy now, pay later option you pick at checkout on sites that offer it. The standard plan splits your total into four payments across six weeks. You pay the first 25% at checkout and the remaining three are collected automatically every two weeks. Approval runs on a soft check, so applying does not affect your credit score.
Sezzle also runs a Pay in 2 option and monthly plans stretching from three to 48 months for larger purchases, and it lets you reschedule a payment when a week goes badly. That flexibility is genuinely useful, but it is also where the costs sit. Rescheduling costs up to $7.50, a service fee of up to $7.49 can be added at checkout, a failed payment costs up to $6.95, and a late payment can reach $16.95, capped at 25% of your order. To use Sezzle at shops that do not offer it, Sezzle Anywhere is $19.99 a month and Sezzle Premium is $13.99 a month.
Pros
- You don’t have to pay interest on purchases. Neither are there any hidden fees.
- You can spread out payment across four installments.
- Ability to reschedule payment plans up to three times (including one free payment rescheduling).
- Paying later does not impact credit.
Cons
- The app might report late payments and enforce a fee depending on location.
- The app doesn’t state the maximum spending limit, so it’s easy to go above budget.
- 25% of the purchase fee is collected upfront.
Pay in 4 over 6 weeks · Reschedule up to 3 times
3. Best For No Hidden Fees: Affirm
Affirm is the safest option here if you ever miss a payment, because it charges no late fees at all. There are no service fees, no sign-up fees and no penalties of any kind. What you are quoted at checkout is what you pay, and nothing compounds if you fall behind.
You choose between Pay in 4, which splits a purchase into four interest-free payments every two weeks, and longer monthly financing running from 0% to 36% APR depending on your credit and the retailer. Affirm shows the total cost in dollars before you commit, so you can see exactly what any interest adds. Checking your eligibility is a soft check and will not affect your score.
Pros
- You don’t have to pay interest on purchases when you buy now, pay later.
- Payments can be spread across a long period of time, like three months or six months.
- No negative charge on your credit.
- No hidden fees, nor does it report late payments.
Cons
- It may require a credit check to prequalify a customer’s spending limit.
- Depending on the retailer, the interest rate might be as high as 30%.
EarnIn advances wages you have already earned, up to $150 a day and $1,000 a pay period. There is no interest, no credit check and no mandatory fees. Useful when the real problem is reaching payday rather than financing a purchase.
4. Best for Students: Afterpay
Afterpay splits a purchase into four interest-free payments over six weeks, with the first taken at checkout and the rest collected automatically every two weeks. Approval is a soft check and the standard Pay in 4 plan carries no interest, which makes it a simple fit for smaller student budgets.
The thing to watch is the late fee. If a payment fails and stays unpaid for ten days, Afterpay charges up to $8, though total late fees on any one order can never exceed 25% of what you spent. Afterpay also offers longer monthly plans through First Electronic Bank that can carry APRs of up to 36%, so check which product you are actually being offered at checkout.
Pros
- No interest in purchases.
- Afterpay does not do credit card checks.
- Allows a maximum spending limit from $400 to $2,000.
- Does not charge an upfront fee.
Cons
- Not every purchase is approved.
- It isn’t linked to credit scores and so can’t be used to build up low or non-existent credit scores.
- The orders need to be at least $35.
EarnIn lets you draw against hours you have already worked rather than splitting a bill. No credit check, no interest, and tips are entirely optional.
5. Best for No Credit Check: Splitit
Splitit is the only option here that runs no credit check whatsoever, because it is not a loan. Instead of opening a new account, it uses the available limit on the credit card you already carry. It holds the full purchase amount against your card and releases it in monthly installments as you pay.
Since there is no application and no new credit line, there is nothing to be approved for and nothing new appearing on your credit file. The catch is that you need an existing card with enough available limit to cover the whole purchase, so it will not help if your card is already close to its ceiling. Card installments add no interest from Splitit, though your card issuer’s own terms still apply, and Splitit’s digital wallet installments do carry a finance charge.
Pros
- Splitit does not charge interest on purchases, nor are there additional fees for late payments.
- The app offers multiple options for payment terms, including installment plans for up to 24 months, depending on the partnered merchants.
- Integrates seamlessly with existing credit cards and, as such, does not require credit checks to approve a purchase.
Cons
- Though no fee is applied for late payments, missing a payment schedule may negatively impact your credit score and personal finances.
- Does not allow for purchases beyond the current credit line.
- Splitit does not offer ant rewards or loyalty programs.
EarnIn runs no credit check at all and does not need an existing credit card. It advances up to $150 a day of pay you have already earned, with no interest and no mandatory fees.
6. Best for Small Purchases: PayPal Pay in 4
PayPal Pay in 4 splits purchases between $30 and $1,500 into four payments. The first is taken at checkout and the remaining three are collected every two weeks. There is no interest, no late fee and no sign-up fee, and the eligibility check is a soft one that will not affect your credit score.
The advantage is reach. PayPal is already accepted at a very large number of online stores, so Pay in 4 is often available where other apps are not, and purchases keep PayPal’s normal buyer protection. For anything larger, PayPal Pay Monthly covers $49 to $10,000 over three, six, 12 or 24 months at a fixed 9.99% to 35.99% APR with nothing down. That plan does report missed payments, so it can affect your credit.
Pros
- Payment is divided in to installments within the coverage of over six weeks.
- As a global platform, PayPal caters to millions of stores, so you always have variety when shopping.
- Purchases using the Pay in 4 options do not affect credit scores.
- Instant approval of purchases.
- It offers the protection and security that comes with the parent platform.
Cons
- PayPal performs soft checks on credit lines when approving a purchase
- The app has a maximum limit of $1,500 for purchases
- Customers must pay a part of the fee upfront before a purchase is approved.
Current advances up to $750 against your paycheck with no credit check, no interest and no late fees. You will need payroll deposits of $200 or more landing in a Current account first.
7. Best for Large Purchases: Klarna
Klarna gives you more ways to pay than anything else on this list, which is why it suits larger purchases. You can split a total into four payments over six weeks, pay nothing for 30 days and settle in full later, or spread a bigger purchase across longer monthly financing. Limits vary by retailer, usually somewhere between about $30 and $2,000.
Pay in 4 requires a minimum 25% down payment at checkout, and Klarna now adds a service fee of $1.29 to $5.99 to some plans, so check the figure shown before you confirm. A late payment costs up to $7, and total late fees on an order will never exceed 25% of what you spent. The eligibility check is a soft one.
Pros
- Klarna offers interest-free purchases.
- The app divides large purchases into budget-friendly. installments that can be paid over time, up to 30 months
- Klarna offers a reward program where customers can get exclusive deals and rack up points.
Cons
- A late fee is imposed after every scheduled payment is missed.
- A percentage of upfront payment is required at checkout before purchases are approved.
- Interest is added on late payments after a month of missed payment schedules.
Current advances up to $750 of your pay early with no interest, no credit check and no late fees. Worth setting up if reaching payday is a recurring problem rather than a one off.
Buy Now, Pay Later With No Down Payment
Most “pay later” apps still want money today. The standard pay-in-4 structure takes the first of four payments at checkout, which is 25% of your total up front. Sezzle's own pricing example spells it out: on a $300 purchase you pay $75 down plus a $7.49 service fee that day, then three more payments of $75. If you are searching for buy now, pay later with no down payment, that is not it.
Perpay is structured differently. There is no payment at checkout. Your payments are pulled automatically from your payroll direct deposit, starting with your next paycheck, so nothing leaves your account on the day you order.
- No payment at checkout, first payment comes out of your next paycheck
- Applying will not affect your FICO or Vantage score
- Reports to Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, so on-time payments build credit
- No late fees
Takes about 30 seconds. Approval is based on your income and employment.
Buy Now, Pay Later With No Credit Check
“No credit check” gets used loosely, and the difference matters. There are really three things a lender can do: a hard pull, which lands on your report and can dent your score, a soft pull, which does not affect your score, or a check against an alternative database that never touches your FICO file at all. Almost no legitimate lender does zero checking of any kind.
Perpay is the closest thing on this list to a genuine no-credit-check option. In their own words, applying for a Perpay account will not affect your FICO or Vantage score. They do review information from Clarity, an alternative credit bureau, but your approval is based on your income and employment rather than your credit score. That is why it works for people who get declined elsewhere.
The upside is that it works in both directions. Perpay reports your payments to all three major bureaus, so an account you were approved for without a score check can go on to raise that score. Perpay reports members see an average increase of 30 or more points in the first year.
- Applying will not affect your FICO or Vantage score
- Approved on your income and employment, not your credit score
- Up to $1,000 to shop Perpay’s marketplace, repaid from your paycheck
Perpay may review information from Clarity, which can affect your credit profile.
Final Takeaways
Which app is right for you depends less on where you are shopping than on what you are actually worried about. Paying outright is still cheaper than any plan here, but when that is not an option, this is the short version.
Whichever you choose, put the payment dates in your calendar. Three of the seven apps on this list do charge for a missed payment: Sezzle up to $16.95, Afterpay up to $8 and Klarna up to $7, each capped at 25% of your order. Affirm, PayPal and Perpay charge nothing at all. A missed payment can also reach your credit file on the plans that report to the bureaus, so the cost is not always just the fee.
There is also no rule that says you have to pick one. Using PayPal for small everyday buys and Klarna or Affirm for the occasional large purchase is a sensible way to keep each balance small and each due date easy to track.
- Samsung, Apple and Michael Kors are among the popular retailers that are available through Perpay
- Unlike some other payment services, you can pay for your purchase in 12 installments instead of four.
- Perpay lends based on your income rather than your credit score. If you have a poor credit history but currently make solid income, you may be eligible.
Buy Now, Pay Later FAQs
Most pay-in-4 apps take the first payment at checkout, which is 25% of your order up front. Sezzle's own pricing example shows a $300 purchase costing $75 down plus a $7.49 service fee on the day you order. Perpay is the main exception on this list: nothing is due at checkout, and your first payment comes out of your next payroll direct deposit instead.
It helps to know the difference between three things. A hard pull appears on your credit report and can lower your score. A soft pull does not affect your score. Some lenders check an alternative database instead and never touch your FICO file. Almost no legitimate lender does zero checking. Perpay is the closest option here: applying will not affect your FICO or Vantage score, and approval is based on your income and employment rather than your credit score, though Perpay may review information from Clarity.
Most do not. The standard pay-in-4 products are not reported to the credit bureaus at all, so paying them off on time does nothing for your score. Two exceptions are worth knowing. Perpay reports to Experian, Equifax and TransUnion automatically, and reports that members see an average increase of 30 or more points in the first year. Sezzle offers credit reporting through Sezzle Up, but you have to opt in.
Perpay is generally the easiest to qualify for because approval is based on your income and employment rather than your credit score, and applying will not affect your FICO or Vantage score. Payments are deducted automatically from your paycheck, so there is no due date to miss. The trade-off is that you need steady employment with direct deposit, and you shop within Perpay's own marketplace rather than anywhere you like.
It depends on the provider. Many charge late fees, and several now report missed payments to the credit bureaus, which means a missed installment can damage your score even though the original purchase never helped it. Some providers will also freeze your account until you are current. Perpay does not charge late fees, and because payments come out of your paycheck automatically there is less opportunity to miss one.
Three major issuers let you convert a purchase you already made into fixed monthly payments. American Express Plan It covers purchases of $100 or more and charges a fixed monthly fee, with up to 10 plans running at once. Chase Pay Over Time, previously called My Chase Plan, works the same way on most consumer Chase cards for purchases of $100 or more. Citi Flex Pay starts lower at $75, but unlike the other two it charges an APR rather than a flat fee, so compare the total cost before choosing it.
Yes. Amazon accepts Affirm at checkout on eligible orders over $50, and you can choose either four interest-free payments or a longer monthly plan. It does not appear on every order. Digital purchases such as Kindle books and movies, gift cards, and items with special delivery options are not eligible, so if the option is missing that is usually why.
