Afterpay is a shopping app that allows you to purchase something online and pay later (pay monthly) while seizing great deals along the way.
While Afterpay is pretty useful and convenient, there are dozens of similar platforms such as Klarna, Zip, Affirm and others that let you pay later for your purchases. The best app like Afterpay is Sezzle though. With thousands of stores, fortnightly payments and tons of rewards and schemes, Sezzle is easily the best of the lot.
Let’s see what each of these apps has to offer.
Best Apps Like Afterpay
1. PayPal Credit
PayPal is the world’s most known platform to send and receive money and pay and get paid safely in the online world.
However, many users overlook PayPal’s Credit feature, an app built into PayPal that’s similar to Afterpay. This way, if you’re a PayPal user, you can get a line of credit to make purchases online in any online store that accepts PayPal and yet have the ability to pay it off over time.
You can make purchases on items that cost over $99+, and you get to pay it off in six months without any fees. There’s also no annual fee for using PayPal credit, and there are no interest fees if you pay all your installments on time.
When PayPal Credit is compared with Afterpay, the terms are pretty much the same, yet the main difference is that Afterpay charges a higher late fee than PayPal Credit. PayPal is also accepted in more stores as a payment option than Afterpay.
Since PayPal is known worldwide, you can shop at some of the biggest and most popular online stores, including eBay, Target, BestBuy, Wayfair, and thousands of others.
Yet, at the same time, you’ll still have PayPal’s benefits of fast checkout, purchase protection for safe online shopping, and the ability to safeguard your payment security.
Applying is super easy, and it only takes minutes before you find out if you’re approved or not, so you can quickly start shopping.
2. Klarna
Klarna is an online app like Afterpay that helps you buy online and pay later in four installments.
This is one of the most popular apps besides Afterpay, which means Klarna is available in almost all online stores where you get to pay how you like and enjoy the flexibility you get over your money.
Even if a specific store doesn’t support Klarna, you have in mind if the store in question accepts Visa, you’ll still be able to take advantage of Klarna’s buy now-pay later initiative. Keep in mind that since Klarna supports Visa, you can use Klarna in-store, too, which is another advantage that some other apps don’t have.
You can use Klarna to split the cost of your purchase using a computer but also on a mobile phone, and most importantly, this won’t ever impact your credit score.
Lastly, if you end up liking Klarna, you can recommend it to your friends to earn money rewards that you can spend on Amazon.
Klarna does a soft credit check while Afterpay doesn’t, but Klarna offers two different financing options while Afterpay offers only one. On top of that, Klarna has lower late fees than Afterpay.
Check out the best alternatives to Klarna.
3. Sezzle
Sezzle is another great alternative to Afterpay that allows you to purchase items online and yet pay in four installments over six weeks.
There’s 0% interest if you pay all your installments on time and you get an instant approval decision as soon as you apply, so nothing will stop you from shopping in your favorite online stores without breaking the bank at the same time.
Just like with other similar platforms to Sezzle, there’s no impact on credit score, and yet you’ll get to shop across thousands of online stores. However, Sezzle has a program that helps educate people about finances, and it can teach you how to improve your score.
Sezzle gives customers more time to repay every installment (two weeks) while Afterpay makes users repay installments weekly. Another big difference is the repayment time frame where Sezzle gives you six weeks to pay off your purchase while Afterpay tries to clear purchases within four weeks.
You can use Sezzle to make purchases directly in your browser on your computer, or you can download the Sezzle app to gain full access to flexible shopping. Inside the app, you also get exclusive deals and more discounts, and the ability to shop in-store rather than just online is another great advantage of using the Sezzle app.
4. Zip
Zip is an app just like Afterpay that helps you shop flexibly by having the chance to purchase the items now and pay them later. You can pay anything you buy in four installments over six weeks.
What’s interesting about Zip is that you can use it anywhere, even if it means buying groceries, paying bills, buying gas, or purchasing something online or in-store.
Zip can be used in the most popular stores, but what’s great is that they have a Zip exclusives section which is Zip’s another advantage over Afterpay. Zip exclusives are where you can discover many smaller and local stores where you can find incredible products and, better yet, get great discounts.
You can use Zip directly in a Chrome browser by installing the extension, or you can download the Zip app to your smartphone for more flexibility. The purchase happens in only four steps where you have to download the extension, shop in an online store, confirm the purchase amount, and complete the initial payment to pay the rest in installments.
The biggest difference between Zip and Afterpay is that you need to have an active credit card to use with Afterpay, while with Zip, only a savings account is enough.
5. Affirm
Affirm is a similar app to Afterpay, but it works differently, so it’s another popular choice if you need an app that helps you pay for things in a much longer period.
With Affirm, you can pay over three, six, or even 12 months without paying any fees if you make payments on time. However, Affirm also provides a second option: to pay off your purchase in four installments that happen every two weeks, also with no fees and zero interest rate.
In comparison to Afterpay, Affirm sometimes doesn’t require you to pay the first installment at the point of purchase, there are no late fees at all, and you even get a virtual card that you can use to shop online if you don’t have any active cards.
The application process is super simple since Affirm can’t impact your score, and yet they only need to confirm if you’re eligible. Yet, you get to sign up for free, choose between two flexible ways to pay, don’t have to worry about fees if you make payments on time, and can shop in the most popular stores such as Amazon.
Among other popular stores, you can use Affirm at Walmart, Expedia Hotels, Peloton, Target, and other popular retailers and online stores.
The whole shopping process happens in only three steps: you have to do your shopping, choose a payment term that suits you the most, and then make payments on time.
With Affirm, you’ll always know how much you will pay the purchase cost and when you will need to make payments, so it’s as transparent as it gets.
Explore more platforms like Affirm.
6. Splitit
Splitit is similar to Afterpay, but they remove the fees, applications, and credit checks. Instead, they provide a way to shop now and pay later without taking a new loan, having a credit check, and yet can keep up with the payments.
Inside the Splitit app, you can control your spending and even budget your monthly cash flow.
Splitit is also one of the most flexible Afterpay alternatives because it allows you to choose several installments you can handle yet with zero interest.
On top of that, Splitit rewards users who diligently make payments with rewards that you can earn while shopping with a buy now pay later option.
Splitit is also one of the easiest apps to set up since you don’t need to apply when you can use your existing credit card, and yet you don’t have to worry about credit card checks.
7. ViaBill
ViaBill is another useful app like Afterpay that helps you purchase any item, split the price, and pay it over four installments without paying any interest.
The whole process is simplified, and it only takes three steps. Find a retailer and do your shopping and when you’re at the checkout, choose ViaBill.
The registration process is quick, and if eligible, you get approved in seconds so that it won’t take too much of your time during shopping.
After that, you agree on the payment terms, where you pay the first installment at the checkout and yet the other three installments later with no interest.
However, keep in mind that even though there is no interest on the payments, you will get a late fee if you are not on time with the installments.
On the bright side, you will always be able to have insight into your purchases and cash flow in the ViaBill app, so you will always know when the next installment is coming and how much it will cost.
8. Atokes
Atokes is a very similar app that helps people afford anything, and it’s a great alternative to Afterpay because it focuses on helping people to purchase higher-priced items.
With this app, you will have to create an account that might take up to 24 hours to get approved. Even though it takes a bit longer to get approved than at other apps, Atokes checks and sets a limit differently for every individual.
This means that you’ll be able to get a credit limit that will fit your situation according to your financial situation.
From there, you get to shop your favorite products and choose an installment plan that will help you buy the product now and pay it off later, in several installments that will fit your credit line.
What’s even better yet is that with Atokes, you can even purchase items out of your credit limit if you can make the difference at the point of purchase. If you can, then you’ll pay off your limit in installments like usual and yet still purchase an expensive product right away.
9. Laybuy
Laybuy is a generous app similar to Afterpay that helps you buy anything online and pay it off in five installments over five weeks.
You won’t have to pay the full price at the checkout, which can save you money and improve your monthly cash flow, yet you won’t have to pay any interest or fees, as long as you pay installments on time.
Laybuy also relies on advanced technology that helps you tap to pay in physical stores if you own a smartphone that includes a digital wallet, such as an Apple Wallet.
Each Laybuy user will get its credit limit, but that doesn’t limit you to purchasing items only that fit your credit line. Instead, with a Boost option, you can purchase as expensive items as you’d like if you can meet the difference up-front.
While you can sign up online to shop with Laybuy, you can also download the Laybuy app that helps you keep an eye on your balance, upcoming payments, and the latest news and store introductions.
10. Littlewoods
Littlewoods isn’t only an app that helps you buy now and pay later, but it’s also a marketplace that helps you find all items you might be looking to purchase using this type of payment method.
Therefore, Littlewoods combines two things in one by providing you with a payment solution and a marketplace full of items you might be looking for.
With Littlewoods, you get to buy now and pay later, but with a little yet useful twist of being able to delay your payments up to a year. This is super useful if you are unsure about your financial future since it gives you time to sort everything out without going into debt.
After delaying a payment up to 12 months, you get a repayment time frame of 104 weeks if you spend less than $100 or 156 weeks if you spend over $100 on the purchase, which is more than enough to sort your finances.
However, keep in mind that delaying the payment longer than 12 weeks is convenient, it comes with interest.
11. AppToPay
AppToPay is one of the most flexible payment apps similar to Afterpay, yet it offers much more versatility to all of its users by creating a custom financing limit and a plan for every individual while helping to buy needed items and pay later.
With AppToPay, you get to spread the total cost of your shopping up to 12 months, and you get to choose several installments (from two to five installments) without having to pay any interest or fees.
Besides the buy now pay later method, AppToPay also provides a line of credit (up to $2,000) to everyone eligible. The application process is simple, and you can get results within minutes, and all you need to do is download the AppToPay app and create an account by filling out an application.
AppToPay can also help you save money via a simple calculator to choose the purchase amount and the repayment period. Then you get to see how much you could save if you purchased with AppToPay’s help instead of relying on a regular credit provider.
12. Payl8r
Payl8r is only a couple of Afterpay alternatives that offers three ways of buying now and paying later.
You get to choose between a Speedy option which comes at 0% interest if you pay off your purchase within 30 days, and two other options called Split and Bread.
Split is a way to split your payment across three to 12 months where interest applies. And Spread is an option of spreading the cost in installments without paying any interest.
There’s also an additional plan called a freeze plan made for emergencies when you’re having financial trouble, so this installment plan can help you deal with the payments.
Payl8r is available across thousands of online retailers, both online and in-store, and you only need a Payl8r app to get started.
What’s also worth mentioning is that Payl8r has one of the quickest application processes that only takes up to 60 seconds, and in most cases, you get an instant decision.
Checking out is also as quick as using any other payment gateway to check out after your shopping.
13. ZoodPay
ZoodPay is another straightforward app that can help you buy now and pay later when shopping online by helping you spread the cost in four installments over 90 days.
Besides the four-installment payment method, ZoodPay also provides a “marketplace” full of merchants where you can purchase all sorts of products and items and use ZoodPay’s buy now pay later method.
ZoodPay also gives you the ability to purchase items in offline stores with a buy now pay later payment method, and you only need a QR code inside the app to do that.
There are also plenty of merchants who integrate ZoodPay, so you’ll come across ZoodPay’s payment method at the checkout quite often.
What’s most important is that ZoodPay has no fees and doesn’t charge any interest, yet you can know if you’re eligible within seconds of filling out the application.
However, keep in mind that the order limit is $500, while the minimum is $15, but on the bright side, there’s no credit check at all.
14. PayBright
PayBright is a popular app, just like Afterpay, that can help you shop in some of the most popular stores and retailers yet pay over time.
You can choose between paying in four installments that happen bi-weekly and come with no interest or pay monthly anywhere between six to 60 months which is ideal for larger purchases.
Paying monthly also often comes with no interest (but some can have interest), and yet even bigger purchases that require a longer repayment period won’t have any effect on your credit score.
All payments are set up easily and are automated, so you won’t have to worry about missing the payment, yet all you need to do is select PayBright at the checkout, set everything up, and finish the purchase.
From there, you can use Paybright’s app to stay on top of your payments and even keep an eye on your spending.
PayBright is available at some of the biggest stores in the world, including Samsung, Apple, Steve Madden, Shein, and others, but you also get to browse merchants by category instead of store names and brands.
15. Curve Flex
Curve Flex is a unique app that works similarly to Afterpay but with a little twist. It won’t only help you make new purchases that you can pay off in time, yet it will also help you split any payment you’ve made in the past 12 months.
This means that you can use Curve Flex with your existing card and bank account, yet when you split a payment, you already made, you only have to choose several monthly installments (from three to 12) before Curve Flex refunds you the amount.
From there, the first payment is due in 30 days, so you can sit back and relax, taking full advantage of Curve Flex’s help.
Within the Curve Flex app, you get to see your cash flow and your spending, so you can always keep an eye on your spending habits and even calculate if you can make a big purchase that you can pay off in installments.
Since Curve Flex has no limits on the retailers or the amount of money you can split, it’s another very popular option if you don’t want to be limited by apps like Afterpay.
Conclusion
Afterpay is a super useful way to split your purchase, but with so many alternatives out there, it’s far easier to find an app that can fit your purchasing needs better.
I suggest checking out each option carefully before making a choice, as not everyone’s shopping needs are equal!
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