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Why use Afterpay?
It’s all in the app.
98% of Australian and New Zealand users rate the Afterpay app 5 stars*.
*Afterpay app is rated 4.9 stars on the Apple App Store (AU & NZ).
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Here’s why you should download the app today:
Still got questions?
How does Afterpay work?
When you use Afterpay, you pay for your purchases in 4 instalments over 6 weeks, without incurring any interest.
We pay the retailer in full and upfront on your behalf. You pay for the first instalment of approx. 25% at the time of purchase, and the remaining three instalments will be automatically deducted from your nominated debit or credit card over the following six weeks.
How do I set up an Afterpay account?
Setting up an Afterpay account is simple. To get the best experience, download the Afterpay app to sign up. You can also sign up during the checkout process at participating online retailers.
Credit checks are required for new customers, and you must be over the age of 18, provide some personal information, and link a valid debit or credit card to your account during the process.
To make it quick and easy for you, we verify your identity electronically (rather than you having to do time-consuming paperwork). Then, when you want to make a purchase with any of our partner retailers, just choose Afterpay as your payment method at checkout.
It’s important to know that we do apply an approval process for individual purchases. We take a number of factors into account, including whether you have enough in your spend limit (particularly for new customers), and how much you will have to repay on the purchase.
We carry out this process on every order you make with Afterpay, not just the first one.
What happens if my application to Afterpay fails?
We evaluate several factors when reviewing your application, including the details of your credit report.
If your application is affected by the information in your credit report, we'll notify you. This decision is based on the credit information provided by Centrix, a trusted credit reporting body.
The credit report is about you, but it's owned by the credit bureau. You have the right to access it and correct any mistakes, and you can usually do this free anytime.
Understanding your credit report can help you make better financial decisions. It's also important to ensure the information is correct, so you're fairly represented to lenders.
To request your report, please contact Centrix directly. It's crucial to ensure that your credit information is accurate. If you find discrepancies or have any disputes regarding your credit report, please reach out to Centrix using the contact details below:
- Website: centrix.co.nz
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 0800 236 874
- Mail: PO Box 62512, Greenlane, Auckland 1546
For more information, visit the govt.nz website.
We're here to help. If you have any concerns or wish to submit a complaint about Afterpay's process, please get in touch via the help section in the Afterpay app.
Afterpay can be used both online and in physical stores, depending on the retailer or service. To shop in-store with participating retailers, you’ll need to set up the Afterpay Card. You can do this through the Afterpay app; just go to the In-store tab and follow the prompts to add the Afterpay Card to your digital wallet. Then when you’re shopping in-store, just tap to pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay.
Is Afterpay secure and safe to use?
Your security is our priority. Afterpay has been built with a range of security features and services to help keep your accounts secure, including monitoring transactions to identify fraudulent trends and behaviours, multi-factor authentication, and encryption to protect your information. We also protect our network of customers and merchants with a thorough screening process before they gain access to our services. You can find out more on our safety and security page.
Are there any fees for using Afterpay?
Afterpay is free when you pay on time.
Unlike most credit cards, there are no hidden or annual fees, and we don’t charge interest.
If you miss a payment we do charge late fees. These fees never exceed 25% of the purchase price or $68; whichever is less.
What happens if I miss a payment?
If you can't make a payment, you can reschedule your next payment up to 3 times a year in the Afterpay app, or you should contact us as soon as possible to discuss your options. You may be able to reschedule the payment or make a partial payment.
We may charge a late fee if you miss a payment. But first, we will do everything we can to help you avoid this, including sending reminders leading up to the payment due date and an alert after a payment has failed.
If you do miss a payment, we will pause your account and you won’t be able to buy anything else with us until your payments are up to date. You may notice your spend limit decreases too; this is because our system takes into account a range of different factors, including late payments, in deciding spend limits. Ultimately, all steps we take are to help you spend responsibly with Afterpay.
How much are the late fees?
Total late fees are capped at 25% of the order price, and will never exceed $68 per order, regardless of the order amount. There are slight differences for orders below and above $40:
- For orders below $40: the late fees charged will be capped at 25% of the total order value, never more;
- For example, a $20 order with four $5 instalments will only ever incur a one-off $5 late fee.
- For orders of $40 or above: our model is slightly different. Each time an instalment is late, an initial fee of $10 is charged. If the instalment remains unpaid seven days after the due date, a further partial late fee (of up to $7) will also apply. This is the same for all late instalments until the 25% cap or $68 amount is reached.
We also pause your account until the balance is paid and you're back on track. We’re committed to doing everything we can to help you not miss a payment. We’ve designed Afterpay to be completely different to traditional credit products that charge interest, so that our customers are never in a situation of high compounding interest and revolving debt.
The simple answer is that Afterpay charges a fee to merchants for each transaction; this is the main way we make money.
Is Afterpay really interest-free?
It’s always interest-free when you pay it in 4 instalments. If you do miss a payment, you will incur a late fee and you won’t be able to pay with Afterpay until you settle your account.
Why does Afterpay perform credit checks?
We understand that not everyone has gone through a credit check before, and might be wondering about any potential impacts, which is why we want to explain the process as clearly as possible.
Afterpay performs credit checks to comply with New Zealand's laws and regulations. It’s one of the factors we take into consideration when assessing your application to join Afterpay. Credit checks help us ensure that your spend limits are suitable for your circumstances. It's part of our commitment to being a responsible lending partner and to help maintain a transparent and fair credit system.
We perform credit checks at sign-up for new customers. This enquiry may be visible to other credit providers and may impact your credit score.
We also perform credit checks when considering you for a higher spend limit. These checks will not be visible to other credit providers and will not impact your credit score.
We’ll collect your consent before we conduct any checks. You will only need to consent to these checks once, and we handle the rest with utmost confidentiality and care.
If you require further help, please get in touch via the app.
What if I don’t consent to performing credit checks and credit reporting? Will I still be able to use Afterpay?
We require your consent to check your credit file and to provide information to credit bureaus. We do these in order to fulfil our regulatory obligations in New Zealand.
It is important to understand that consent is a mandatory part of the sign-up process with Afterpay. Without providing this consent, new customers will unfortunately not be able to complete the registration process or make purchases using Afterpay.
If you’re an existing customer, you will need to give consent to continue using Afterpay in the same way you have been. We will prompt you to do so when you next check out online, or in the app.
Is using Afterpay bad for my credit score?
Making consistent on-time payments with Afterpay could be one way to positively impact your credit score. On the flipside, late payments may lead to a negative impact on your credit score.
In New Zealand, we are required to report credit activities to relevant bureaus to help maintain an accurate record of your credit history. We also review credit reports when onboarding new customers, and when we consider increasing spend limits.
Credit checks at Afterpay:
For new customers, we'll perform a credit check when assessing your application. This enquiry may be visible to other credit providers and may impact your credit score.
For our existing customers, we'll only perform credit checks to assess whether higher spend limits are suitable for you. These checks will not be visible to other credit providers and will not impact your credit score.
Our main aim is to always help you spend responsibly, and we take a number of steps to help ensure that you’re paying on time, including sending reminders leading up to the payment due date and an alert after a payment has failed.
Will using Afterpay affect me being able to get a home loan?
Using Afterpay should not affect your ability to be approved for other lending, such as a home loan. When applying for a home loan, banks and lenders may undertake a range of checks to make sure that you can afford your future loan repayments, including accessing your credit report and asking you about your regular expenses. This may include your spending on Afterpay; but spending on discretionary items - which is what Afterpay is used for - should not affect how much you can borrow for your home loan. However, this is always subject to the lender’s credit criteria.
How can I increase my spend limits?
We take our time to get to know you before increasing your spend limit. We start new customers off at a lower spend limit and increase it gradually over time. When assessing whether a spend limit increase is appropriate for you, we take into consideration a variety of factors, including your on-time payment history, how long you’ve been with us, and the information contained in your credit report.
Just as there are circumstances which may lower your spend limit (such as missing a payment), consistent on-time payment history can increase your spend limit with Afterpay.
Typically, the longer you’ve been using Afterpay and making payments on time, the more likely your spend limit will increase.
How is Afterpay different from credit cards?
Afterpay offers a distinct alternative to traditional credit cards by providing an interest-free payment plan that divides the cost of purchases into four instalments, over 6 weeks.
We're dedicated to enabling you to get access to what you need while spending responsibly. Afterpay is free when you pay on time. Unlike most credit cards, there are no hidden or annual fees, and we don’t charge interest.
Afterpay is designed to promote responsible spending by starting users off with lower spend limits, which may increase over time with a track record of on-time payments. Credit cards, on the other hand, may offer higher initial credit limits, which can potentially lead to overspending.
If you miss a payment with us, we may charge a late fee, but these fees are capped and do not accumulate over time. They won’t exceed 25% of the original order value or $68, whichever is less. We’ll also pause your account so that you won’t be able to buy anything else with us until your payments are up to date. In contrast, credit card companies may charge late payment fees that can accumulate, and often charge interest on unpaid balances. They may also encourage minimum payments, rather than a payment of the whole amount owed, potentially leading to a cycle of debt.
We think Afterpay is the better way to pay; but don’t just take our word for it. 93% of reviews on Trustpilot and 98% of reviews on Apple app store are 5 stars. Can your bank say the same?
For more information… head to our Get the Facts page.
How does Afterpay work?
When you use Afterpay, you pay for your purchases in 4 equal instalments over 6 weeks, without incurring any interest.
We pay the retailer in full and upfront on your behalf. You pay for the first instalment of 25% at the time of purchase, and the remaining three instalments will be automatically deducted from your nominated debit or credit card over the following six weeks.
How do I set up an Afterpay account?
Setting up an Afterpay account is simple. To get the best experience, download the Afterpay app to sign up. You can also sign up during the checkout process at participating online retailers.
Credit checks are required for new customers, and you must be over the age of 18, provide some personal information, and link a valid debit or credit card to your account during the process.
To make it quick and easy for you, we verify your identity electronically (rather than you having to do time-consuming paperwork). Then, when you want to make a purchase with any of our partner retailers, just choose Afterpay as your payment method at checkout.
It’s important to know that we do apply an approval process for individual purchases. We take a number of factors into account, including whether you have enough in your spend limit (particularly for new customers), and how much you will have to repay on the purchase.
We carry out this process on every order you make with Afterpay, not just the first one.
What happens if my application to Afterpay fails?
We evaluate several factors when reviewing your application, including the details of your credit report.
If your application is affected by the information in your credit report, we'll notify you. This decision is based on the credit information provided by Centrix, a trusted credit reporting body.
The credit report is about you, but it's owned by the credit bureau. You have the right to access it and correct any mistakes, and you can usually do this free of charge every 90 days.
Understanding your credit report can help you make better financial decisions. It's also important to ensure the information is correct, so you're fairly represented to lenders.
To request your report, please contact Centrix directly. It's crucial to ensure that your credit information is accurate. If you find discrepancies or have any disputes regarding your credit report, please reach out to Centrix using the contact details below:
- Website: centrix.co.nz
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 0800 836 274
- Mail: PO Box 62512, Greenlane, Auckland 1546
For more information, visit the govt.nz website.
We're here to help. If you have any concerns or wish to submit a complaint about Afterpay's process, please get in touch via the help section in the Afterpay app.
Afterpay can be used both online and in physical stores, depending on the retailer or service. To shop in-store with participating retailers, you’ll need to set up the Afterpay Card. You can do this through the Afterpay app; just go to the In-store tab and follow the prompts to add the Afterpay Card to your digital wallet. Then when you’re shopping in-store, just tap to pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay.
Is Afterpay secure and safe to use?
It’s always interest-free when you pay it in 4 instalments. If you do miss a payment, you might incur a late fee and you won’t be able to pay with Afterpay until you settle your account.
Are there any fees for using Afterpay?
Afterpay is free when you pay on time.
Unlike most credit cards, there are no hidden or annual fees, and we don’t charge interest.
If you miss a payment we do charge late fees. These fees never exceed 25% of the purchase price or $68; whichever is less.
What happens if I miss a payment?
If you can't make a payment, you can reschedule your next payment up to 3 times a year in the Afterpay app, or you should contact us as soon as possible to discuss your options. You may be able to reschedule the payment or make a partial payment.
We may charge a late fee if you miss a payment. But first, we will do everything we can to help you avoid this, including sending reminders leading up to the payment due date and an alert after a payment has failed.
If you do miss a payment, we will pause your account and you won’t be able to buy anything else with us until your payments are up to date. You may notice your spending limit decreases too; this is because our system takes into account a range of different factors, including late payments, in deciding spending limits. Ultimately, all steps we take are to help you spend responsibly with Afterpay.
How much are the late fees?
Total late fees are capped at 25% of the order price, and will never exceed $68 per order, regardless of the order amount. There are slight differences for orders below and above $40:
- For orders below $40: the late fees charged will be capped at 25% of the total order value, never more;
- For example, a $20 order with four $5 instalments will only ever incur a one-off $5 late fee.
- For orders of $40 or above: our model is slightly different. Each time an instalment is late, an initial fee of $10 is charged. If the instalment remains unpaid seven days after the due date, a further partial late fee (of up to $7) will also apply. This is the same for all late instalments until the 25% cap or $68 amount is reached.
We also pause your account until the balance is paid and you're back on track. We’re committed to doing everything we can to help you not miss a payment. We’ve designed Afterpay to be completely different to traditional credit products that charge interest, so that our customers are never in a situation of high compounding interest and revolving debt.
The simple answer is that Afterpay charges a fee to merchants for each transaction; this is the main way we make money.
Is Afterpay really interest-free?
It’s always interest-free when you pay it in 4 instalments. If you do miss a payment, you will incur a late fee and you won’t be able to pay with Afterpay until you settle your account.
Why does Afterpay perform credit checks?
We understand that not everyone has gone through a credit check before, and might be wondering about any potential impacts, which is why we want to explain the process as clearly as possible.
Afterpay performs credit checks to comply with New Zealand's laws and regulations. It’s one of the factors we take into consideration when assessing your application to join Afterpay. Credit checks help us ensure that your spending limits are suitable for your circumstances. It's part of our commitment to being a responsible lending partner and to help maintain a transparent and fair credit system.
We perform credit checks at sign-up for new customers. This enquiry may be visible to other credit providers and may impact your credit score.
We also perform credit checks when considering you for a higher spend limit. These checks will not be visible to other credit providers and will not impact your credit score.
We’ll collect your consent before we conduct any checks. You will only need to consent to these checks once, and we handle the rest with utmost confidentiality and care.
If you require further help, please get in touch via the app.
What if I don’t consent to performing credit checks and credit reporting? Will I still be able to use Afterpay?
We require your consent to check your credit file and to provide information to credit bureaus. We do these in order to fulfil our regulatory obligations in New Zealand.
It is important to understand that consent is a mandatory part of the sign-up process with Afterpay. Without providing this consent, new customers will unfortunately not be able to complete the registration process or make purchases using Afterpay.
If you’re an existing customer, you will need to give consent to continue using Afterpay in the same way you have been. We will prompt you to do so when you next check out online, or in the app.
Is using Afterpay bad for my credit score?
Making consistent on-time payments with Afterpay could be one way to positively impact your credit score. On the flipside, late payments may lead to a negative impact on your credit score.
In New Zealand, we are required to report credit activities to relevant bureaus to help maintain an accurate record of your credit history. We also review credit reports when onboarding new customers, and when we consider increasing spend limits.
Credit checks at Afterpay:
For new customers, we'll perform a credit check when assessing your application. This enquiry may be visible to other credit providers and may impact your credit score.
For our existing customers, we'll only perform credit checks to assess whether higher spending limits are suitable for you. These checks will not be visible to other credit providers and will not impact your credit score.
Our main aim is to always help you spend responsibly, and we take a number of steps to help ensure that you’re paying on time, including sending reminders leading up to the payment due date and an alert after a payment has failed.
Will using Afterpay affect me being able to get a home loan?
Using Afterpay should not affect your ability to be approved for other lending, such as a home loan. When applying for a home loan, banks and lenders may undertake a range of checks to make sure that you can afford your future loan repayments, including accessing your credit report and asking you about your regular expenses. This may include your spending on Afterpay; but spending on discretionary items - which is what Afterpay is used for - should not affect how much you can borrow for your home loan. However, this is always subject to the lender’s credit criteria.
How can I increase my spend limit?
We take our time to get to know you before increasing your spend limit. We start new customers off at a lower spend limit and increase it gradually over time. When assessing whether a spend limit increase is appropriate for you, we take into consideration a variety of factors, including your on-time payment history, how long you’ve been with us, and the information contained in your credit report.
Just as there are circumstances which may lower your spend limit (such as missing a payment), consistent on-time payment history can increase your spend limit with Afterpay.
Typically, the longer you’ve been using Afterpay and making payments on time, the more likely your spend limit will increase.
How is Afterpay different from credit cards?
Afterpay offers a distinct alternative to traditional credit cards by providing an interest-free payment plan that divides the cost of purchases into four instalments, over 6 weeks.
We're dedicated to enabling you to get access to what you need while spending responsibly. Afterpay is free when you pay on time. Unlike most credit cards, there are no hidden or annual fees, and we don’t charge interest.
Afterpay is designed to promote responsible spending by starting users off with lower spend limits, which may increase over time with a track record of on-time payments. Credit cards, on the other hand, may offer higher initial credit limits, which can potentially lead to overspending.
If you miss a payment with us, we may charge a late fee, but these fees are capped and do not accumulate over time. They won’t exceed 25% of the original order value or $68, whichever is less. We’ll also pause your account so that you won’t be able to buy anything else with us until your payments are up to date. In contrast, credit card companies may charge late payment fees that can accumulate, and often charge interest on unpaid balances. They may also encourage minimum payments, rather than a payment of the whole amount owed, potentially leading to a cycle of debt.
We think Afterpay is the better way to pay; but don’t just take our word for it. 93% of reviews on Trustpilot and 98% of reviews on Apple app store are 5 stars. Can your bank say the same?
For more information… head to our Get the Facts page.
Already a customer and want more from your experience?
Got more questions?
Get in touch via Help in the app or visit our Help Centre.
Late fees, eligibility criteria and terms & conditions apply. Visit afterpay.com for full terms