Affirm: Buy now, pay over time

Spreading the cost of a purchase over several months is the core service behind Affirm: Buy now, pay over time, the app from Affirm, Inc. It works online, in stores and inside the app itself, and the company notes that it is not a bank; its card is issued through partner banks.

On opening the app, users see an estimate of their purchasing power, then browse brands with payment plans laid out upfront, including deals, 0% APR options at some merchants and plans longer than 12 months. Repayments can be put on AutoPay, and early or one-off payments are easy to make. Eligible customers can get the Affirm Card, a Visa debit card usable anywhere Visa is accepted in the US; the listing says applying does not affect credit and that there are no card or annual fees. With the card, a payment plan can be requested in the app before or after checkout. The fine print stresses that approval and terms are not guaranteed, minimum purchase amounts may apply, and each plan is checked for eligibility.

Users rate it extremely well: 4.8 on average from 565,662 ratings, with 89% five stars and 3% one star, across 10,000,000+ installs. The app is free, with no ads and no in-app purchases. It was updated on 2026-09-18, is rated Everyone and requires Android 10 or newer. We list 4 versions, the latest being 4.95.2.

Shoppers in the US who already use Affirm at checkout will find it convenient for tracking plans and payments. Anyone outside the US, or on an older phone, will find it of limited use, and every plan deserves a close read of its terms.