At a glance
Zip (Quadpay until 2021) takes a different approach from Afterpay: instead of charging merchants, it charges shoppers a small installment fee and gives them a virtual Visa that works almost anywhere. That makes Zip the most flexible BNPL card — and the only one in this comparison that costs money even when you pay on time.
- Short plan
- Pay in 4 · 6 weeks
- Cost on time
- 0%
- Late fee
- Up to $8 after 10-day grace; ≤25% of order
- Longer plans
- Pay Monthly $400–$4,000 · 3–24 mo · ~6.99–35.99% APR · no late fees
- Limit
- A few hundred $ to start; up to ~$4,000
- In-store
- Digital card in Apple/Google Pay; Plus Card subscription
- Short plan
- Pay in 4 · 6 weeks (also Pay in 8)
- Cost on time
- Installment fee — typically $1 per payment ($4 per order), up to ~$7.50
- Late fee
- $5, $7 or $10 depending on state
- Longer plans
- Pay in 8 with a larger fee ($16–$60); no traditional monthly loan in the US
- Limit
- Typically $250–$1,000; up to ~$1,500
- In-store
- Virtual Visa card works almost anywhere, online and in-store
Afterpay vs Zip: side by side
| Afterpay | Zip | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Block, Inc. (Cash App) | Zip Co (formerly Quadpay in the US) |
| Founded | 2014, Sydney | 2013, Sydney |
| Short-term plan | Pay in 4 · 6 weeks | Pay in 4 · 6 weeks (also Pay in 8) |
| Cost when paid on time | 0% | Installment fee — typically $1 per payment ($4 per order), up to ~$7.50 |
| Late fee | Up to $8 after 10-day grace; ≤25% of order | $5, $7 or $10 depending on state |
| Longer financing | Pay Monthly $400–$4,000 · 3–24 mo · ~6.99–35.99% APR · no late fees | Pay in 8 with a larger fee ($16–$60); no traditional monthly loan in the US |
| Spending limit | A few hundred $ to start; up to ~$4,000 | Typically $250–$1,000; up to ~$1,500 |
| Credit check & reporting | Soft check; Pay in 4 not reported | Soft check; not routinely reported |
| In-store | Digital card in Apple/Google Pay; Plus Card subscription | Virtual Visa card works almost anywhere, online and in-store |
| Scale | 59M Cash App monthly actives; 2,000+ US brands | US and Australia focus |
| Best for | Simple, small-to-mid retail orders; in-store tap-to-pay | Using BNPL at stores that don't partner with anyone |
Published US terms as of November 8, 2026. Both providers approve each purchase individually; your offer may differ.
Fees and late payments
Both short-term plans are interest-free when paid on time. The differences show up when something goes wrong:
- Afterpay: late fee up to $8 per installment, only after a 10-day grace period, total capped at 25% of the order. One free reschedule per order. Pay Monthly plans have no late fees.
- Zip: $5, $7 or $10 depending on state. Installment fees apply even when you pay on time.
Whichever you use: turn on autopay, keep the linked card funded, and don't run more than two or three plans at once. LendingTree found 47% of BNPL users paid at least one installment late in the past year — the fee is small, but the habit isn't.
Limits and longer plans
Afterpay starts new customers at a few hundred dollars and raises the available-to-spend with on-time history toward about $4,000. For $400–$4,000 online purchases, Pay Monthly adds 3–24-month terms at a disclosed APR.
Zip: Typically $250–$1,000; up to ~$1,500. Longer plans: Pay in 8 with a larger fee ($16–$60); no traditional monthly loan in the US.
If neither covers what you need, a personal loan of $200–$5,000 repaid over 3–36 months is the usual next step — cash to your bank, usable at any store.
Credit score impact
Afterpay runs a soft check and does not currently report Pay in 4 activity to Equifax, Experian or TransUnion — on-time payments don't build credit, and a late payment isn't reported unless the debt goes to collections.
Zip: Soft check; not routinely reported.
FICO's BNPL-aware scores (FICO Score 10 BNPL, announced June 2025) only matter where a provider reports. See Does Afterpay affect your credit?
Where each one works
Afterpay: 2,000+ US brands at checkout — strongest in fashion, beauty, home and electronics — plus the app's one-time card for Amazon and other Visa sites, and tap-to-pay in-store via Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Zip: Virtual Visa card works almost anywhere, online and in-store. US and Australia focus.
Verdict
Our take
Afterpay is cheaper by design — $0 when you pay on time versus Zip's $4-per-order fee — and has far more native partners. Zip earns its place when you need to split a purchase at a store that doesn't integrate any BNPL provider and you'd rather not wait for the Afterpay app's one-time card.
Choose Afterpay if…
- You want 0% with no per-order fee
- The store lists Afterpay natively
- You shop in-store at major US retailers
- You want a growing limit toward $4,000
Choose Zip if…
- The store accepts no BNPL provider at all
- You value a virtual card that works anywhere, instantly
- You want eight smaller payments instead of four
- A $4 fee is worth the flexibility to you
Frequently asked questions
Does Zip charge interest?
Not on Pay in 4 — instead it charges an installment fee (typically $1 per payment, $4 per order, sometimes up to about $7.50) which is disclosed as a finance charge. Afterpay charges $0 when you pay on time.
Which has higher late fees, Zip or Afterpay?
Zip's late fee is $5, $7 or $10 depending on your state; Afterpay's is up to $8 after a 10-day grace period, capped at 25% of the order.
Can Zip be used anywhere?
Nearly — Zip issues a virtual Visa for each purchase that works wherever Visa is accepted, online and in-store. Afterpay's one-time card does the same online, and its Plus Card subscription does in-store.
Sources & method. Figures on this page were checked on November 8, 2026 against Afterpay's published US Installment Agreement and Pay Monthly Loan Agreement, the Afterpay help center, and third-party reporting (CFPB, Federal Reserve, NerdWallet, Bankrate). Terms change — confirm at checkout or in your app. AfterpayShopping.com is independent and not affiliated with Afterpay, Cash App or Block, Inc.