Buy now, pay later helps you get paid upfront on QuickBooks invoices while your customer pays over time

You wrap up a job, send the invoice, and expect it to be pretty straightforward from there. But a few days go by. Then a week. Now you’re checking your inbox more than you’d like, wondering if it got missed, or if you need to send that follow-up without sounding pushy.

Or maybe it’s the opposite situation. A customer is ready to move forward, but the project comes with upfront costs, such as materials and labor, and they hesitate when they see the full amount due at once. They may want to say yes, but without a simple way for them to pay over time, the job stalls—or worse, disappears.

When you’re running a business, cash flow can be a challenge. Most customers intend to pay, but they don’t always have the full amount ready at once.

When that happens, your business absorbs the delay, cash flow slows, project timelines shift, and you're left spending time on collections instead of growing your business.

Now available from Intuit QuickBooks and Affirm, buy now, pay later for invoices gives you another path forward. Your customers get flexibility at the moment they need it most. You get paid upfront, and work doesn’t have to stall.

What is buy now, pay later for invoices?

Through a partnership between QuickBooks and Affirm, you can offer buy now, pay later directly on your payment-enabled invoices.

When your customer selects Affirm to pay their QuickBooks invoice, you get paid upfront and Affirm assumes all repayment risk. Your customers enjoy the flexibility to pay over time.

From your side, it works like any other payment method, and costs exactly the same as the standard credit card transaction fee.

Once you’re paid, you’re done. There’s no balance to track, and no follow-up needed. You get paid just as fast as other QuickBooks payment methods (credit card, ACH). Which is fast – 98% of QuickBooks transactions are funded the next business day.¹

Why small and growing businesses are using buy now, pay later

Getting paid on time isn't always straightforward.

On large projects, invoice timing can directly affect buying decisions. Even customers who want to move forward may hesitate when paying everything upfront isn't realistic.

Whether they need time to budget, want to preserve cash, or simply aren't ready to commit all at once, that pause can delay work and impact your cash flow.

Buy now, pay later helps remove that barrier. It gives customers a way to say yes without paying for everything upfront.

Offering a pay-over-time option can result in:

• Fewer stalled decisions.
• Reduced time spent on follow-up.
• A competitive edge against other companies who don’t offer pay-over-time options.

That matters because 40% of consumers say they would abandon a purchase if buy now, pay later wasn’t available.² And, 45% of consumers that use both buy now, pay later and credit cards, prefer buy now, pay later.³

It’s quickly becoming standard practice that customers expect.

Today 58% of U.S. small businesses already accept buy now, pay later.⁴

How buy now, pay later works in QuickBooks

Buy now, pay later is built into your existing workflow. Once you are signed up for QuickBooks Payments, Affirm will be enabled for you. There’s nothing new to set up. Here’s how it works:

1. Offer pay over time

When creating an invoice, check to make sure the buy now, pay later option is turned to green, so your customers can pay with Affirm.

2. Send your invoice

Your customer sees the option to pay over time alongside other payment methods.

3. Get paid upfront

If your customer chooses Affirm, they pay Affirm directly, and you get paid upfront minus the transaction fee. The payment records in QuickBooks like any other transaction.

Benefits to your business

At its core, buy now, pay later is about getting paid more consistently and with less effort.

• Get paid upfront

You receive the full payment, minus transaction fees, even if your customer pays over time.

• Zero repayment risk

Affirm takes on full responsibility for handling payments from your customer, so you're not tracking balances or wondering when the rest will come in. If a customer misses a payment or defaults, Affirm takes on the full repayment risk.

• Get paid as quickly as other QuickBooks payment types

Funds arrive just as fast as credit card and ACH payments.

• Spend less time following up

Affirm manages follow-ups and payment collection, so you can stay focused on your work.

• Support larger jobs

Customers can move forward with bigger projects when they don’t have to pay for everything upfront.

• Remove upfront cost barriers

Support customers who don't have the immediate cash on hand to pay the full invoice upfront.

• No setup required

The option appears automatically on eligible invoices.

• No workflow changes

Everything stays in QuickBooks. Payments reconcile like they always do.

• Standard credit card processing rates apply

There are no additional setup costs for offering this option.

Benefits to your customers

For your customers, buy now, pay later offers flexibility at the moment they need it.

• With Affirm, your customers can choose a payment plan that fits their budget. They’ll see the total cost upfront, with clear terms, no hidden fees, or late fees.
• Approval happens in real time. Checking eligibility is quick and doesn’t impact their personal credit.
• Payment plans typically range from 3 to 36 months. Rates can be as low as 0% APR, depending on their credit profile and your financing program.
• Buy now, pay later is available for transactions between $50 and $20,000, so it can support a wide range of services and project sizes.

Start offering buy now, pay later today

Buy now, pay later from Affirm is available within QuickBooks Payments for eligible businesses, so you can give your customers another way to say yes.

You can turn it on in your settings or enable it per invoice–the same way you manage credit cards and other payment options. Learn more here.

If you’d prefer not to offer Affirm as a payment option, you can turn it off in your Payments settings or directly in the individual invoice flow .

Contact your sales representative for activation support or a personalized setup walkthrough. Call: 800-580-2443.

Disclaimers

Money movement services are provided by Intuit Payments Inc. pursuant to IPI's licenses (NMLS #1098819, https://www.intuit.com/legal/licenses/payment-licenses).

By capturing a transaction or fulfilling an order paid for using Affirm's products or services, you accept and agree to be bound by Affirm’s agreement.  

Product Information

QuickBooks Payments: QuickBooks Payments account subject to eligibility criteria, credit, and application approval. Subscription to QuickBooks Online required. Not available in U.S. territories or outside the U.S.

All screen images are simulated and are for illustration purposes only. Offers may vary. A $1,275 purchase might cost $44.20/mo over 36 months at 15% APR.

Subject to eligibility. See lending terms at affirm.com/disclosures.

Options depend on the purchase amount, and a down payment may be required. For licenses and disclosures, see affirm.com/licenses.

Rates from 0-36% APR. For example, a $1,000 purchase might cost $90.26/mo over 12 months at 15% APR. Payment options through Affirm are subject to an eligibility check, may not be available everywhere, and are provided by these lending partners: affirm.com/lenders. Options depend on your purchase amount, and a down payment may be required. Estimated payment amount may exclude taxes and shipping. Loan payment(s), including interest, may be due before the merchant provides all services. You may not receive a rebate of any interest that may have already accrued on an amount that later gets refunded. For licenses and disclosures, including information for New Mexico residents, see affirm.com/licenses. CA residents: Loans by Affirm Loan Services, LLC are made or arranged pursuant to a California Financing Law license. Affirm and its lending partners do business in accordance with federal Fair Lending laws. Unless prompted for a registered business name at application, Affirm loans are primarily for personal, family, or household use only.

BNPL features have limited availability and are subject to change. Features may be more broadly available soon.

¹Disclosure: "based on QBO customer data"

²Based on results published by PYMENTS in “Decoding BNPL Users: Necessity, Convenience and Risk Signals” (June 2025).

³Based on results of a Talker Research study on behalf of Affirm, published May 2025, available at https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250521574409/en/Pay-over-time-increasingly-competes-with-credit-cards-survey-finds.

⁴According to the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Merchant Services Satisfaction Study℠, 58% of U.S. small businesses reported accepting buy now, pay later (BNPL) as of January 2026.