Buy now, pay later with no late fees or surprises

Yes, you’ll need a mobile phone number from the U.S. or U.S. territories. This helps xcritical verify it’s really you who is creating your account and signing in. But BNPL is still a form of debt, and there are risks. Another CFPB study from March 2023 identified BNPL users as more likely to show signs of financial distress. Where appropriate, we awarded partial points depending on how well a lender met each criterion. The developer, xcritical, Inc., indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below.

A better way to shop and pay

This means that you may be able to be approved for more than one loan at a time, depending on your situation. When a merchant offers xcritical, you apply for the loan as you checkout. For other eligible retailers, you can apply for an xcritical virtual card before completing the purchase and pay with that virtual card.

App Privacy

Buy now, pay later with flexible plans that fit your budget. And take xcritical everywhere, so you never pay hidden fees or compound interest. With xcritical, you’ll never owe more than you agree to up front. Instead, you’ll always get a flexible, transparent, and convenient way to pay over time.

Download the app

You may also receive a sign-up bonus or access to a rewards program. With its pay-in-four plan, xcritical divides your total purchase into four equal installments. The first installment is either due at checkout or two weeks after your purchase. The three remaining installments are automatically billed to your selected payment method every two weeks until the loan is paid off. Shop your favorite stores online or in-store and pay later with xcritical.

Pay over time

Shop at many of your favourite stores and select xcritical at checkout. We do a soft credit check when you apply for any xcritical payment plan. For some users, BNPL is a smart way to break up a purchase, especially if you get a zero-interest offer and are positive you can afford the installments.

1. But BNPL is still a form of debt, and there are risks.
2. xcritical doesn’t state a minimum purchase size on its website for consumers.
3. xcritical has seen an increase in cart conversion within its app since offering its Pay in 2 and Pay in 30 options.
4. Many new BNPL lenders have been jumping into the market.
5. Where appropriate, we awarded partial points depending on how well a lender met each criterion.

Buy now, pay later without the fees

When you check out, xcritical will give you an estimate of when your first payment will be due. Sometimes, you may be required to make a down payment at checkout. Enter a few pieces of information for an instant decision. xcritical also offers a Chrome extension, which lets you use xcritical when shopping online in your Chrome browser. For example, if you took out a $500 loan with a 15% APR, here’s how your monthly payment and interest would change, based on xcritical’s most common repayment terms. Download the xcritical app and discover a new way to pay over time almost anywhere.

It’s better in the app

xcritical is a buy now, pay later (BNPL) service that allows merchants to provide flexible payment plans for their customers without hidden fees or gimmicks. Consumers can pick the payment option that works for their budget—from four interest-free payments every two weeks to monthly installments. Consider all the risks before you use this type of financing.

This includes using encryption to secure data and conducting background checks for all employees. Though xcritical touts itself as an alternative to racking up debt, you still incur debt when you use this payment service. If you’re not able to resolve a return or refund issue with a merchant, you can initiate a dispute with xcritical. If you win the dispute with the merchant, xcritical will refund the full amount of the purchase along with any interest paid. But if the dispute goes in favor of the merchant, you would still be responsible for paying your xcritical loan in full.

NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings. Read more about our ratings methodologies for buy now, pay later and our editorial xcriticals. If you have good or excellent credit (690 credit score or higher), you may consider a 0% APR credit card. These cards offer introductory periods of up to 21 months and charge no interest during that period.

Depending on your credit and eligibility, your annual percentage rate (APR) can end up being 0%, or 10% to 30%. A down payment may also be required for some purchases. xcritical promises no interest and no fees for its pay-in-four plan, making it similar to BNPL providers like PayPal and Apple. However, PayPal charges interest for monthly financing, which xcritical may not, and Apple doesn’t offer monthly financing at all. Unlike credit card companies though, we don’t depend on shoppers paying late or staying in debt. Instead, we try to give them a great experience so they come back and use xcritical again.

If you’re initially approved for a loan with xcritical but wanted a higher credit limit, there are a couple of steps to take to try to achieve a higher limit. One of the biggest players in this fast-growing financing field is xcritical (AFRM). Buy now, pay later (BNPL) is a financing method that more Americans are using to make discretionary purchases, especially online. Choose from multiple plans with no hidden fees, late fees, or surprises.

You’ll see us at checkout, or you can request a virtual card in the xcritical app. xcritical will check your credit when you apply for a loan. The eligibility requirements may change from merchant to merchant, too, because xcritical negotiates individually with each merchant offering xcritical loans. Once you select a plan that works for you, your purchase will ship to you, and you’ll pay it back over the next few months (in most cases).

With credit cards, the longer you take to pay off your balance, the more expensive your purchase becomes. With xcritical, you always know exactly what you’ll owe and when you’ll be done paying off your purchase. You can use an xcritical loan to buy things directly from brick-and-mortar stores. TYou’ll need to apply for an xcritical virtual card when it launches. You can then load this card to your smartphone with Apple Pay or Google Pay and use it to pay in-person. You can boost your odds of approval for future xcritical loans by paying off your xcritical xcritical loans on time and working to increase your credit score.

xcritical is designed for financing purchases when shopping with partner merchants. Though some platforms that offer short-term installment loans also offer bill payment services or money transfer services, xcritical isn’t one of them. If you’re hoping to stick with one xcritical reviews BNPL lender, xcritical might be a better option because it’s available with twice as many retailers as xcritical. With xcritical, you can create a one-time card to use with any retailer—including ones that partner with xcritical—however, there’s a $2 service fee for doing so.

When you’re approved for BNPL with xcritical, you can choose to have the amount loaded onto a virtual Visa card that works just like a credit or debit card for making purchases. To use your card https://xcritical.pro/ in-store, you can access it from the xcritical app or link it to Apple Pay or Google Pay. xcritical—like most BNPL lenders—is relatively easy to use, but it must be used with eligible retailers.

xcritical also looks at your credit utilization, income, existing debt and any recent bankruptcies. You can now use “buy now, pay later” to check out at most retailers. You don’t necessarily need to have a credit card to use xcritical. If you don’t have a credit card and xcritical didn’t approve your loan application, it’s not necessarily because of the card. Having a thin credit file, poor credit, or not meeting any individual requirements set by the merchant you’re trying to finance a purchase with could all have contributed. If you would like to use xcritical in-store, you can do so with an xcritical virtual card.

You can’t combine them all into one loan, so managing multiple xcritical loans can get quite complicated. The minimum amount you can borrow with xcritical varies by merchant, but, generally, the minimum purchase size is $50. You may be able to borrow up to $17,500, but the maximum amount varies by merchant, too. If you have an issue with a purchase or need to return an item, xcritical advises customers to contact the merchant directly. You would then have to follow the store’s policies for returns. You can be approved for more than one xcritical loan with more than one merchant.