Compare Buy Now Pay Later in Australia

Live offers

21 live offers compared from 18 providers, from A$50 /month. Updated daily.

What is buy now pay later in Australia?

Buy now pay later (BNPL) lets you split a purchase into instalments, typically four payments over about six weeks, usually with no interest if you pay on time. Popularised in Australia by Afterpay and Zip, it is offered at checkout online and in store as an alternative to credit cards, with providers earning mainly from merchant fees and, when customers miss payments, late charges. It has become a mainstream payment method for younger shoppers in particular.

How the Australian market works

Australia was an early global hub for BNPL, and the sector grew rapidly under light regulation. That is now changing: BNPL is being brought under credit laws, requiring providers to hold a credit licence and run affordability checks before extending credit. The market spans short-cycle instalment services for everyday retail and longer-term interest-free finance for larger purchases such as furniture or dental work, offered by fintechs and, increasingly, the major banks through their own products.

Benefits of BNPL

Interest-free instalments — Paying on schedule usually costs nothing, letting you spread a purchase over weeks without the interest a credit card would charge.

Fast approval — Sign-up at checkout is quick, with a lighter assessment than a full loan application for smaller amounts.

Budgeting control — Fixed instalment dates make repayment predictable, and you know the total cost upfront with no compounding interest to track.

How to choose a provider

Match the provider to the purchase: short four-instalment services suit smaller retail buys, while longer interest-free plans suit larger items you want to spread over months. Compare late fees, any account or monthly fees, the repayment schedule and where the service is accepted, since coverage differs between providers. Be mindful that juggling multiple BNPL accounts can be hard to track and, under the new rules, may appear on your credit file.

Leading providers in Australia

The comparison features Afterpay, Zip Pay, humm, Latitude, PayPal Pay Later, Openpay, CommBank and ANZ. Afterpay and Zip lead the short-cycle instalment market with wide retailer acceptance, humm and Latitude offer longer interest-free finance for bigger purchases, and banks such as CommBank and ANZ have launched their own BNPL products linked to existing accounts. The right choice depends on the purchase size and where the service is accepted.

What it costs

Used as intended, BNPL is interest-free, so the indicative A$50 figure in this comparison reflects a representative transaction rather than a cost. The real charges are late fees for missed instalments and, on some longer plans, account or establishment fees. Larger interest-free plans may revert to charging interest if not repaid within the promotional period, so read the terms and set reminders for payment dates. Some providers also charge a small monthly account-keeping fee regardless of whether you have a balance, which can erode the value of the interest-free offer over time.

Protections and regulation

BNPL is being regulated under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act, meaning providers must hold a credit licence, conduct affordability assessments and belong to AFCA. This adds consumer protections that earlier BNPL products lacked. Missed payments can now more consistently affect your credit report, and accumulating multiple accounts can strain a budget, so it is wise to borrow only what you can comfortably repay on time.

Common questions

Does BNPL charge interest? — Short instalment plans are interest-free if paid on time, but late fees apply, and some longer plans charge interest if not cleared within the promotional window.

Will it affect my credit score? — Increasingly yes; under the new credit rules providers run checks and missed payments can be reported to credit bureaus, affecting future borrowing.

Buy Now Pay Later in Australia — FAQ