Key takeaways
- Amazon offers multiple payment plans, including Amazon Monthly Payments with no interest or fees, and credit card options for longer payment periods.
- Flexible payment plans offered by third-party companies, such as Affirm, Klarna and Zip, are also available for Amazon purchases.
- It is important to carefully consider which payment option is best for your situation, ensuring timely payments to avoid penalties and fees.
From fashion to furniture, you can purchase almost anything on Amazon. There are times when you may want to stretch out your payments over time to cover your purchase. Fortunately, there are plenty of options — many of which can help you avoid interest and costly fees.
Does Amazon have payment plans?
Shoppers may be surprised to learn that yes, Amazon does have payment plans. The installment payment plans are offered through Amazon, Amazon store-branded credit cards or through a third party.
If you prefer a 0 percent financing option, then an Amazon Monthly Payment Plan, a 0 percent promotional offer through an Amazon store card or a credit card with a 0 percent introductory APR will be your best bet.
Types of Amazon payment plans
Whether your goal is to stretch out payments for as long as possible or to pay nothing in interest, there are multiple Amazon financing opportunities available.
Amazon Monthly Payments
One of the first programs worth considering is Amazon Monthly Payments — that is, if it’s available for the particular product you are purchasing. The Amazon Monthly Payments program allows you to pay over the course of four months. You can typically determine if the item you want is eligible for a payment plan by checking the options offered under the price on the product page:
With this program, you simply select the monthly payment option at checkout (if offered). Once selected, Amazon breaks up the payments into five installments. The first payment is due when the product ships out and includes all shipping, handling and taxes. There are four subsequent and equal payments charged to your account every 30 days, which are around 20 percent of the purchase price. Further, there are no interest charges or fees for using this payment option.
The beauty of this program is that it’s not based on your credit score, which means there is no credit pull required. Eligibility is based on your purchase history with Amazon and the price of the product and is offered at the discretion of Amazon.
Taking advantage of the Amazon Monthly Payments has great benefits, but there are a few caveats to this program that may not offer the flexibility you need. Keep in mind:
- This option is only available on select products, and you will not see the eligibility until you search for a specific product.
- You can either pay in five installments or pay the amount off sooner, but you can not stretch out payments past the four-month mark.
- You are limited to one product category or Amazon device per monthly payment program. For example, only one electronic device or piece of furniture.
Amazon credit cards
Perhaps you need a bit longer to make payments for your purchase, or the product you need is not eligible for Amazon Monthly Payments. If so, the Prime Visa offered by Chase (formerly known as the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card) or Synchrony’s Amazon Prime Store Card could be an alternative.
Amazon Equal Pay
If you own an Amazon store card or Amazon Visa credit card (or open up a new account), you could be eligible for Amazon Equal Pay. This plan offers 0 percent financing and breaks up a purchase between six and 24 months of equal payments, without incurring interest charges.
As noted above, Amazon Equal Pay is available with both Synchrony and Amazon Prime Visa cards, but the terms and conditions are different depending on which card you have. For either one, you will not be charged interest as long as you make your payments on time and in full, and the total amount is charged when the item ships, but then your installment payment is part of your monthly minimum payment requirement.
Prime Visa card
| Number of months | Minimum purchase amount |
|---|---|
| 6 | $50 |
| 12 | $250 |
Synchrony’s Amazon store cards
| Number of months | Minimum purchase amount |
|---|---|
| 6 | $50 |
| 12 | $600 |
| 24 | On select purchases |
Amazon Special Financing
Amazon Special Financing is simply a deferred interest payment plan, but it could be useful if you prefer to make larger payments at once versus equal monthly installments. With this financing option, you receive a 0 percent APR for six to 24 months (depending on the purchase size), and you can avoid interest charges by paying the account balance before the end of the promotional period. Special financing is typically more so available to Amazon store cardholders, but Amazon Prime Visa cardholders may also qualify.
You do not have to make minimum monthly payments, but you will be responsible for any interest charges for the payment period if you do not pay the entire balance before the final due date. Given the higher interest rates with these cards, your purchase could become pricey if you cannot meet the due date.
| Number of months | Minimum purchase amount |
|---|---|
| 6 | $150 |
| 12 | $600 |
| 24 | On select purchases |
Additional Amazon financing options
Citi Flex Pay
Thanks to Citi Flex Pay, those with an eligible Citi credit card can pay select Amazon purchases over time with either a 0 percent APR or low interest rate, depending on your payment plan, when using Amazon Pay at checkout. For Amazon purchases over $50, Citi will let you break up your payments into equal monthly payments between three and 24 months. To take advantage of this payment plan, simply select your Citi card as your payment choice when using Amazon Pay to complete an Amazon purchase.
| Monthly payment plan | Purchase minimum | Promo APR |
|---|---|---|
| 3 months | $50 or more | 0% |
| 6 months | $149 or more | 0% |
| 12 months | $300 or more | 0% |
| 18, 24 or 48 months | $600 or more | Disclosed at checkout |
Amex’s Pay It, Plan It
Similar to Citi, there are flexible payment plans for American Express cardholders. The American Express Pay It, Plan It program offers the ability to break up purchases of $100 or more over time. You’ll be charged a monthly fee, but there are no interest charges.
After making a purchase with your eligible American Express credit card, simply log in to your Amex account and select the purchase you’d like to cover with Plan It. One intriguing advantage of using this program is that you can use it for up to 10 purchases at a time (that add up to a total of $100 or more).
Credit cards that offer 0% intro APR offers
Citi and American Express are two examples of issuers that offer flexible payment plans, but another route for paying over time could involve choosing a credit card with a 0 percent introductory APR. Numerous credit cards entice new users with long promotional periods, so check out Bankrate’s list of the best 0 percent interest credit cards to find a suitable option for you.
Buy now, pay later plans
Amazon Monthly Payment is a buy now, pay later (BNPL) option. However, if it isn’t offered on your product or does not meet your payment needs, you could choose a third-party BNPL provider. Not all buy now, pay later companies work with Amazon, but here are a few available for consideration.
-
Affirm offers several financing options, some of which allow up to 48 months for repayments. Although Affirm offers flexibility, not all options include interest-free financing. Further, depending on the loan type, Affirm may conduct a hard credit check, which could impact your credit score.
-
With Klarna, you can download the app or add its browser extension to buy purchases now and pay later (over time). Klarna offers the ability to split up a purchase into four equal installment payments, paid every two weeks. Klarna only uses a soft credit check, so your credit score is not impacted. Be aware there are late fees for late payments, and you could be sent to collections for lack of payment.
Which is the right Amazon financing option for me?
It can be tough to decide which Amazon financing option is right for you. Should you utilize Amazon Monthly Payments, an Amazon credit card program like Equal Pay or Special Financing, apply for a 0 percent intro APR credit card or try out a third-party buy now, pay later service?
The first decision you have to make is how long you realistically need to pay off your purchase. While the Amazon Monthly Payments option is convenient, it may not give you as much time to pay for the purchase as the Equal Pay or Special Financing options do.
On the other hand, if you’re concerned about a hard credit pull or establishing another credit card in your name (that you may have trouble qualifying for or paying on time), Amazon Monthly Payments or a buy now, pay later service may be the better choice.
Whichever option you choose, thoroughly knowing your payoff plan ahead of time is key. You’ll also need to pay close attention to payment due dates since you could incur late fees or other penalties.
The bottom line
Amazon shoppers may not realize how many choices are available to them to stretch payments out a little further. Finding the right Amazon payment plan for your budget has never been easier — so long as you know your payoff goal and can keep track of payment due dates.
Read the full article here
