Cash App Afterpay Review
Cash App Afterpay is Cash App’s buy now, pay later (BNPL) service. Known as Afterpay prior to rebranding in 2025, it functions similarly to an installment loan by allowing you to split up purchases and pay for them over time.
Afterpay is primarily geared toward online shopping, both by web browser and mobile app. But you can also use Cash App Afterpay for in-store purchases as long as the retailer you’re buying from accepts it as a payment method.
Here’s what you should know about Cash App Afterpay:
- No interest for Pay in 4: Cash App Afterpay’s popular Pay in 4 plan doesn’t charge interest when you pay for a purchase over the course of six weeks. You’ll make your first payment up front and your remaining payments every two weeks.
- Longer-term financing available: For purchases of more than $400, you can opt to pay over a period of up to 24 months. These longer-term plans come with interest rates from 0% to 35.99%.
- Access to exclusive deals: Cash App Afterpay offers discounts and deals on brands like Finish Line, Skechers, Urban Outfitters and more.
- No hard credit checks, ever: No matter how you want to split up your payments, Cash App Afterpay runs only a soft credit check.
- Not as easy to use in a store: To use Cash App Afterpay in a store, you have to create a digital credit card and add it to your Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. Also, not all physical stores accept Cash App Afterpay (in fact, very few may accept this payment method, depending on where you live).
- Best for disciplined online shoppers: If you’re shopping online and want to finance the purchase of retail items like clothes, shoes or home goods, consider Cash App Afterpay. You won’t pay any interest on Pay in 4. But be cautious — BNPL apps can lead to overspending because they’re easy to use and may encourage impulse buys that you’ll eventually need to pay off.
Cash App Afterpay pros and cons
There are many BNPL sites and apps to choose from, including popular choices such as Klarna and Affirm, so it can take some time to find the one that’s best for you. Reviewing the pros and cons can help you decide.
Pros
- No interest for Pay in 4 plan
- Can pay over three, six, 12 or 24 months, depending on eligibility and purchase amount
- No impact to your credit score
Cons
- Could lead to overspending
- Can be used only at participating merchants
- Will not help you build credit
Cash App Afterpay’s Pay in 4 plan can be a good way to make retail purchases more manageable. You won’t pay any interest, and you have to put only 25% down up front. If you’re new to Cash App Afterpay, you’ll have a lower spending limit, but using Cash App Afterpay responsibly and making your payments on time can unlock higher amounts.
Cash App Afterpay also has a monthly financing option called Pay Monthly (which does come with interest). Eligible transactions typically must be between $100 and $4,000, with some merchants allowing purchases of up to $20,000. With monthly financing, you’ll have three, six, 12, or 24 months to pay what you owe.
Not all Cash App Afterpay retailers participate in Pay Monthly, and a down payment might be required. Additionally, Pay Monthly is not available if you live in Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico or West Virginia.
One of Cash App Afterpay’s biggest pros — and cons — is how easy it is to use. Using any BNPL app can lead you to spend more than you realize. You’ll have to put only a small portion down, and the instant gratification of BNPL can lead to impulse buys and a potential cycle of debt.
Cash App Afterpay requirements
Unlike most personal loans, which use a hard credit inquiry to determine your eligibility, many BNPL apps rely on a soft credit inquiry. As a result, there isn’t a minimum credit score requirement.
That said, if you’re a new customer, Cash App Afterpay might cap your transaction amounts and only approve small purchases. After you’ve shown that you can use the app responsibly, it may allow you to finance more often and in larger amounts.
You must also meet the requirements below to finance with Cash App Afterpay online and in stores.
| Minimum credit score | No minimum credit score requirement |
| Residency | Available in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C. |
| Age | Must be at least 18 years old |
| Administrative requirements | Must have a valid U.S. mailing address, email address and cell phone number |
| Other eligibility requirements |
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Provided that you meet the criteria listed above, your purchase must also meet additional requirements. While Cash App Afterpay does allow borrowers to use its funding for a variety of purposes, there are certain expenses it can’t be used to finance, including alcohol and prescription drugs.
Also, to use Cash App Afterpay, the retailer you’re shopping with must accept it as a payment method.
| Cash App Afterpay CAN be used for … | Cash App Afterpay CANNOT be used for … |
|---|---|
Clothing, shoes, accessories and cosmetics Amazon purchases Household items like mattresses, furniture and dishes Food items from participating retailers (including DoorDash) | Weapons, ammunition, fireworks, vapes and other dangerous goods Alcohol Prescription drugs Gambling |
As a BNPL company, Cash App Afterpay’s options might not work for your borrowing needs. If you think a personal loan is a better fit, shop around for a lender that can offer you the best-fitting rates, terms and amounts.
How to shop with Cash App Afterpay
There are three ways to use Cash App Afterpay: via mobile app, through a web browser or in store.
How to use Cash App Afterpay via mobile app
- Download the mobile app.
- Create an account.
- Start shopping.
- Complete your purchase with your desired Cash App Afterpay financing option.
How to use Afterpay in a web browser
- Check the shop directory to confirm your preferred retailer accepts Cash App Afterpay.
- Use your web browser to shop the retailer’s site; when you’re ready to check out, choose Cash App Afterpay as your payment method.
- If it’s your first time using Cash App Afterpay, enter the info for the card you’d like to use to make your down payment. If your purchase is approved, the payment will be processed and Cash App Afterpay will create an account for you.
- Go to the Cash App Afterpay website or download the app to set up a password so you can make future purchases with Afterpay.
How to use Cash App Afterpay in store
- Download the Cash App Afterpay app and create an account.
- Select the “Afterpay Card” tab, then tap the “Get Card” button to create a Cash App Afterpay Card and add it to your digital wallet.
- Check the Afterpay Card tab to find brick-and-mortar locations near you that accept Cash App Afterpay.
- Use your digital wallet to pay with your Cash App Afterpay Card when you’re checking out at the store.
How Cash App Afterpay compares to other BNPL companies
Even if you believe Cash App Afterpay aligns with what you’re looking for, it never hurts to shop around and compare other lenders. Here’s how Cash App Afterpay stacks up against similar BNPL companies.
| BNPL app | Cash App Afterpay | Klarna | Affirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum credit score | No minimum credit score requirement | No minimum credit score requirement | Not specified |
| Annual percentage rates (APRs) | 0% for Pay in 4 0% – 35.99% for Pay Monthly | 0% for Pay in 4 0% for Pay in 30 days 0%-35.99% for Pay over time | 0% for Pay in 4 0% – 36.00% for monthly Shop Pay Installments |
| Loan amounts | $100 to $20,000 for Pay Monthly | No set minimum or maximum | $50 to $30,000 |
| Repayment terms | Six weeks for Pay in 4 Three to 24 months for Pay Monthly | Six weeks for Pay in 4 30 days for Pay in 30 days Three to 24 months for Pay over time | One to 48 months |
| Late fees | Up to $8 (cannot exceed 25% of purchase) (sum total of all late fees can’t exceed 25% of your purchase price) | $7 (can’t exceed 25% of your purchase) (sum total of all late fees can’t exceed 25% of your purchase price) | None |
| Type of credit pull | Soft credit pull for all plans | Soft credit pull for all plans | Soft credit pull for Pay in 4 Hard credit pull for monthly installments |
| Bottom line | Cash App Afterpay is transparent when it comes to how much a new user can borrow. However, it offers shorter repayment terms than Klarna and Affirm. | Like Affirm, Klarna won’t help you build credit since it only uses a soft credit pull. Klarna doesn’t specify how much you can borrow. | Affirm plans have higher loan amounts and longer repayment terms. It also doesn’t charge late fees. But its monthly installments carry the highest maximum APR. |
Frequently asked questions
Cash App Afterpay is generally trustworthy, as it is used widely and accepted by thousands of retailers; it’s the fourth most-used BNPL app, behind PayPal, Affirm and Klarna, according to LendingTree’s 2026 BNPL report. However, consumers should review terms carefully as when using any type of financial service.
One of the biggest drawbacks of Cash App Afterpay is that it does not report your payments to the credit bureaus. Although this means late payments won’t damage your credit, the lack of credit reporting means on-time payments won’t help you, either.
A downside of BNPL in general is that splitting up payments on retail purchases can make them seem cheaper than they are. You might be tempted to make impulse purchases.
According to LendingTree’s 2026 BNPL tracker, 28% of BNPL users are only somewhat confident that they can pay back their BNPL loans on time, and 47% of BNPL users had a late BNPL payment in the past year.
Cash App Afterpay does not affect your credit score. Only a soft credit check is performed, and payments are not reported to credit bureaus. If you’re looking to build credit through borrowing, consider some BNPL alternatives, like a credit card or personal loan.
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