BNPL COMPARISON 2025

Afterpay vs Zip

Both offer 0% interest Pay in 4 plans — but Zip charges a per-installment fee and offers a virtual Visa card. Here's which one actually wins for your shopping style.

Winner: Zip

More store coverage • Virtual Visa • Lower late fees

Quick Comparison

Feature	Afterpay	Zip
Pay Schedule	4 payments / 6 weeks	4 payments / 6 weeks
Interest Rate	0% always	0% always
Service Fee	$0	$1/installment ($4 total)
Late Fee	$10–$17 per late payment	$7 per late payment
Partner Stores	100,000+ stores	160,000+ stores
Virtual Card	No	✅ Virtual Visa
Credit Check	Soft pull only	Soft pull only
Max Purchase Limit	Up to $2,000	Up to $1,500
In-Store Payment	✅ Afterpay card	✅ Virtual Visa
App Rating	4.9 ⭐ (iOS)	4.8 ⭐ (iOS)

AP

Afterpay

Owned by Block (Square)

✓Zero fees — no interest, no service fee ever

✓100,000+ brand partners worldwide

✓Up to $2,000 purchase limit (grows with history)

✓Afterpay card for in-store purchases

✓Pulse Rewards loyalty program

✗Higher late fees ($10–$17 per missed payment)

✗Only works at Afterpay partner stores

✗No universal virtual card for any merchant

Best for

Fashion, beauty, and retail shoppers who primarily shop at major brand stores like H&M, Lululemon, Anthropologie.

Get Afterpay →

Zip (Quadpay)

160K+ stores + Virtual Visa

✓Virtual Visa — use at ANY store that accepts Visa

✓160,000+ partner stores (more than Afterpay)

✓Lower late fee — only $7 per missed payment

✓In-store + online + phone purchases

✓No hard credit check

✗$1/installment service fee ($4 per transaction)

✗Lower max limit ($1,500 vs Afterpay's $2,000)

✗No rewards/loyalty program

Best for

Shoppers who want BNPL flexibility everywhere — including stores that don't specifically partner with any BNPL service.

Get Zip →

Our Verdict

Zip Wins Overall — But Afterpay Wins on Fees

Choose Zip If...

• You want to shop anywhere, not just partner stores
• You need the virtual Visa card flexibility
• You shop in-store often
• You want the widest acceptance network

Choose Afterpay If...

• You want absolutely zero fees (no service fee)
• You shop at major fashion/retail brands
• You want the Pulse Rewards loyalty program
• You need a higher spending limit ($2,000)

Afterpay vs Zip FAQ

Afterpay splits purchases into 4 interest-free installments over 6 weeks with no interest ever. Zip (formerly Quadpay) also offers Pay in 4 but charges $1 per installment ($4 total per purchase) and offers a virtual Visa card usable anywhere Visa is accepted, making it more flexible than Afterpay.

Neither Afterpay nor Zip performs a hard credit check for approval, making both accessible to people with limited or poor credit. Both may do a soft pull that doesn't affect your credit score.

Afterpay charges $10 for a missed payment, plus an additional $7 if still unpaid after 7 days. The total late fee is capped at 25% of the purchase price or $68, whichever is less.

Zip charges a $7 late fee for missed payments. This is in addition to the $1 per installment service fee. Always pay on time to avoid fees with either service.

Afterpay works at 100,000+ partner stores only. Zip has a major advantage here — it provides a virtual Visa card that works virtually anywhere Visa is accepted online or in-store, giving it much wider acceptance than Afterpay.