‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Already Comes Standard on Many Credit Cards

Buy now, pay later services — also known as BNPL — allow shoppers to spread their payments out over time instead of paying the full price upfront. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it is: Credit cards have been letting consumers “buy now and pay later” for decades.

But the difference is that BNPL services split a single purchase into a handful of set installment payments, instead of allowing the consumer to continue to delay payment (and potentially rack up additional purchases) as interest concurrently accrues on a credit card.

Those predictable BNPL installment payments have proved to be wildly popular with consumers, and credit card companies have taken notice. In fact, many major credit cards now offer BNPL-type features themselves. So before you sign up for BNPL from a provider like Affirm, Klarna or Afterpay, it’s worth checking to see if you already have access to something similar through your current credit cards. Here are some examples:

With AmEx Plan It®, eligible American Express cardholders can opt to divide up qualifying purchases of $100 or more over a fixed period, generally for a fixed monthly fee instead of interest. You’ll know how much you’ll pay each month. (It’s separate from the AmEx Pay It® feature, which lets you pay off small purchase amounts under $100 right away. AmEx Pay It® is available only through the American Express app.) Terms apply.

As an AmEx cardholder, you can log into your account online, check which purchases are eligible for Plan It®, and opt-in by clicking. Then, you can select your plan from the available options (you’ll be offered up to three). Those options include the number of payments and the applicable fees. Your next payment is added to the “minimum due” amount on your following statement.

Plan It® is available on most of AmEx’s consumer credit cards. But you can only have up to 10 payment plans active at once, and some transactions — such as those that include foreign transaction fees — aren’t eligible. When you book flights at AmexTravel.com, you have the option of paying in installments with Plan It®, which means you can use it to finance your next vacation.

• Is there an additional hard pull on your credit? No, but creditworthiness plays a role in the plan options available to you.

• Can you change the plan once you’re enrolled? No.

• Is there an early payoff penalty? No.

• Can you still earn rewards as you normally would? Yes.

My Chase Plan lets you sign up to pay off purchases of $100 or more in monthly installments for a fee but no interest. (It’s separate from My Chase Loan, which lets you borrow money against your card’s credit limit.)

To sign up for a My Chase Plan, you first log into your account and select an eligible purchase. Then, you can see up to three different payment plan options — which as of this writing ranged from three to 18 months with varying fees — and select one. You can also get an estimate of your plan options before making a big purchase by looking under the “Credit Options and Tools” section and creating a hypothetical plan.

My Chase Plan is available on most Chase consumer credit cards, and you can have up to 10 plans on your account at once. However, transactions like balance transfers or cash advances do not qualify for My Chase Plan.

• Is there an additional hard pull on your credit? No, but creditworthiness plays a role in the plan options available to you.

• Can you change the plan once you’re enrolled? No.

• Is there an early payoff penalty? No.

• Can you still earn rewards as you normally would? Yes.

With Citi Flex Pay, you can pay off large purchases — $75 or greater — in fixed payments for no fee but at a fixed interest rate over a set period. It’s separate from Citi Flex Loan, which lets you borrow money against your card’s credit limit.

Log into your card account and search your transaction history online for purchases that qualify for Citi Flex Pay. When you click the link next to that transaction, you’ll see the option of signing up for a monthly payment over a fixed period, along with the total estimated interest. In general, the interest rate may be lower than what you would pay if you carried a balance on your card. Terms apply.

As of this writing, Citi Flex Pay payments can generally be spread out over a few months to three years. Typically, you would enroll in a plan post-purchase, but an exception is possible when you use Citi Flex Pay through Amazon. In that instance, at checkout you might be presented with an option to finance your Amazon purchase over equal monthly installments through Citi Flex Pay.

• Is there an additional hard pull on your credit? No.

• Can you change the plan once you’re enrolled? No.

• Is there an early payoff penalty? No.

• Can you still earn rewards as you normally would? Yes, but holders of the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer earn only the first 1% cash back on spending and not the second 1%. (The card normally allows you to earn 1% cash back when you make purchases and then an additional 1% back when you pay them off.)

Barclays Easy Pay shares similarities to other credit card issuers’ offerings. For example, if you are eligible, you can opt into a financing plan that lets you pay off eligible large purchases (starting at a minimum of $100) in set installments over time and at an APR that’s lower than your card’s standard interest rate on purchases. There is no fee for Easy Pay plans.

If eligible, you will see the option to select “Easy Pay” from within your account. If you choose it, you can opt in to set payments at a fixed interest rate. As of this writing, that rate was between 1.99% and 14.99%, with the possibility of spreading out payments over six to 36 months. The Barclays app includes a payment planner tool so you can view your different options.

If you miss a payment, then the remaining balance will go back to your total card balance, which carries the higher, or non-promotional, interest rate.

• Is there an additional hard pull on your credit? No.

• Can you change the plan once you’re enrolled? No.

• Is there an early payoff penalty? No.

• Can you still earn rewards as you normally would? Yes.

U.S. Bank is currently piloting ExtendPay, which offers three-, six- or 12-month repayment plans on purchases. The bank says it is evaluating different terms and expects a broader rollout soon.

While ExtendPay doesn’t charge interest, it does charge a fee along with your set payments. You can select your desired number of monthly payments for eligible purchases.

U.S. Bank is still finalizing specific details about ExtendPay. This story will be updated when we know more.

Unlike most credit cards, any balance you carry on the Upgrade cards is automatically converted into fixed monthly payments over a period ranging from 24 to 60 months.

The cards aren’t available in all states, so you’ll want first to check your eligibility. Unlike many other cards, you can see your offer — including your APR and credit limit — before you officially apply and agree to a hard credit inquiry.

• Is there an additional hard pull on your credit? No. Once you officially apply for an Upgrade card, your credit will be pulled — but only that one time and not on future uses of the card.

• Can you change the plan once you’re enrolled? No. (Terms can vary by transaction, but not once they’re set.)

• Is there an early payoff penalty? No.

• Can you still earn rewards as you normally would? Yes, but rewards differ depending on which Upgrade card you have.

Mastercard announced that it is rolling out its BNPL program, Mastercard Installments, that will offer payment plans consumers can use in-store or online wherever Mastercard is accepted. Among the plans will be an option to make four equal payments at 0% interest. (Longer terms will be available, but with interest.)

Mastercard is a payment network, not a lender, so it does not issue any credit cards. But participating banks and other financial services apps are partnering with Mastercard on this feature.

With Mastercard Installments, you may be granted preapproval for a future BNPL offer, which you can store and use later, or you may be able to obtain instant approval at checkout — meaning you can pick an installment plan at the point of sale.

Mastercard Installments isn’t yet available. As such, some details are unclear, and others — including effects on your credit and the ability to earn rewards — will depend on the partner issuer, not Mastercard. This story will be updated when we know more.

These credit card offerings have a lot in common with existing third-party BNPL services, including the fact that neither offering tends to require a credit check. But here are the main differences to keep in mind when it comes to credit card-based BNPL features: