Buy now pay late, or BNPL solutions are significantly growing worldwide; more people turn to BNPL services nowadays as a primary payment method that allows them to purchase their needs and split the payment into four smaller payments scheduled at their convenience. But does using these solutions affect your credit score? And how far is that impact? That’s what we’ll be discussing briefly in this article.
The Concept of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL)
Like credit cards, BNPL services are payment plans offered by third-party lenders. These consumer financing entities allow shoppers to pay for their purchased things in installments rather than the whole sum at once. A standard BNPL arrangement is the four payments plan, where consumers pay in four equal payments, usually spread over a period of six weeks or more, with the first payment mostly due immediately. So when you think about it, a buy now pay later service allows you to pay only one-quarter of the price and install the rest of it on equal payments.
What Is Your Credit Score and Why Is It Important?
A credit score is basically a number that rates your creditworthiness. It gives a broad insight into your credit history, your income, and whether you provided timely payments, and it affects every form of loan you may be acquiring, whether now or in the future. You get This score according to your financial situation, including your income, bank account balance, previous loans, and other factors like having a credit mix; various credit types can show lenders you can manage various types of credit. Your credit score can affect the decision-making regarding your credit limit, loan amount, interest rates, and fees whenever you deal with banks, BNPL providers, and other consumer finance companies. Higher credit scores grant you better opportunities like bigger loan amounts or credit limits, better interest rates, etc.
How BNPL Affects Your Credit Score
Banks and other traditional lenders follow a precise credit reporting standard. The same system applies whether you just activated your bank credit card or signed up for a car loan! The credit reporting system is the same in all lending procedures. However, BNPL companies may not follow the same standards, although they approach credit reporting in various ways.
How you manage your BNPL plan can significantly influence your credit score. As we previously mentioned, consistently making timely installments helps safeguard your credit score, increasing your likelihood of obtaining future loans or higher credit limits. Conversely, failing to make payments on time can adversely affect your overall credit score, potentially impacting future loan applications. It’s essential to note that not all buy now pay later companies participate in this credit reporting system. Only a few BNPL providers can furnish repayment history statements to credit reporting agencies. Therefore, it’s prudent to inquire about your BNPL company’s credit reporting practices before enrolling.
Why Should You Consider BNPL Services?
Though Buy Now Pay Later plans may seem quite similar to credit cards, some differences can make you lean more toward BNPL services. The low or non-existent interest rates are among the top benefits of BNPL plans. Some PNPL providers offer the service for notably low interest and fees, and some don’t charge interest. Another great advantage is that most BNPL providers don’t require a current bank account, and as long as your credit score is safe, you’re good to go. And despite some people may find the pay-in-four policy a bit restricting, there’s a bright side to it, which is the short-term obligation: you get to buy whatever you need, split the payment into smaller payments, and after a short while, you’re free of debt.
