What Is Sezzle? Our 2025 Review of the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) App

Best for In-Store Purchases

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Buy Now, Pay Later App

• Interest-free split payments
• No hard credit checks
• Credit-building option

• Significant late fees
• Missed payments could harm credit
• Reported customer service issues

Loan amounts	Varies
Repayment options	Pay-in-2, Pay-in-4, monthly (with interest), in full
Rates (APR)	0-34.99%
Eligibility	Adults residing in the U.S. and Canada; soft credit check only except for long-term financing option

What is Sezzle? In a nutshell, it’s a Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) app that allows you to pay for purchases in several installments (typically four). Its straightforward approvals, user-friendly interface, and interest-free Pay-in-2 and Pay-in-4 options make Sezzle popular with shoppers who need easy split payments. The app has around 2.8 million active users today. 

Table of Contents

1. How does Sezzle work?
   1. How to get the Sezzle app
      1. Does Sezzle do a credit check?
   2. 5 Sezzle payment options
      1. Pay-in-2
      2. Pay-in-4
      3. Pay-in-5
      4. Pay-in-1
      5. Monthly plan
   3. How to pay with Sezzle
      1. Sezzle Virtual Card
      2. How to use Sezzle in-store
      3. How to use Sezzle online
      4. Sezzle merchants: stores that accept Sezzle
   4. Is Sezzle free?
   5. How much can you spend with Sezzle?
      1. What is Sezzle Spend?
      2. Sezzle Up
2. Sezzle pros and cons
3. What users say about Sezzle
4. Alternatives to Sezzle
5. Is Sezzle worth it?

How does Sezzle work?

Using Sezzle starts the same way as any online or in-store purchase: you shop, add items to your cart, and head to checkout. At that point, you choose Sezzle instead of paying with a card or cash.

Sezzle immediately pays the retailer in full, so your order is processed without delay. From there, you pay Sezzle back over time, either in smaller installments or with a longer financing plan.

Sezzle offers five repayment options, plus tools like virtual cards, in-store payments, and subscription upgrades that expand where and how you can use it.

How to get the Sezzle app

Sezzle is available to legal adults residing in the U.S. or Canada. To get started, first you’ll need to set up an account. The app will ask you to provide basic details like your full name, a valid mobile number, and a working email address. You’ll also need to link a credit or debit card or a bank account.

Does Sezzle do a credit check?

As part of its screening process, Sezzle will run a soft credit check that doesn’t impact your credit score. Once you’re approved, the app will assign you a spending threshold. A hard inquiry may be conducted by partner lenders that work with Sezzle to offer longer-term financing (the monthly plans discussed below), but for the shorter-term BNPL options, a credit check isn’t required.

5 Sezzle payment options

Sezzle offers five different ways to split or finance a purchase, though Pay-in-4 is the default option most shoppers will see at checkout. The availability of the other plans depends on the retailer and your Sezzle account history.

Option	How it works	Cost
Pay-in-2	50% at checkout, 50% two weeks later	Free
Pay-in-4	25% at checkout, 3 equal biweekly payments	Free
Pay-in-5	20% at checkout, 4 equal biweekly payments	Free
Pay-in-1	100% at checkout	Free
Monthly plan	3–48 months, up to $15,000 (via lenders)	Interest (5.99%–34.99% APR typical)

Pay-in-2

This plan divides your purchase into two equal payments: half at checkout and the other half two weeks later. It’s the fastest payoff option and works best for smaller purchases where you want a short extension without committing to multiple installments.

Pay-in-4

Pay-in-4 is Sezzle’s most common option and the one most shoppers are familiar with. You put down 25% at checkout and then make three equal payments every two weeks over six weeks.

Pay-in-5

Pay in 5 breaks the purchase into five equal parts. You pay 20% at checkout, followed by four installments of 20% every two weeks. This plan reduces the amount due at each payment compared to Pay in 4, but repayment still finishes in under two months. It’s designed for shoppers who want the lowest individual payments while staying interest-free.

Pay-in-1

Pay in 1, or Pay in Full, means you cover the entire purchase price upfront. Even though there’s no installment schedule, the transaction still runs through Sezzle. That can help build your spending history within the platform and increase your spending threshold.

Monthly plan

For larger purchases, Sezzle partners with third-party lenders—including companies like Ally Lending and Bread Financial—to offer financing up to $15,000. Repayment terms range from 3 to 48 months, with interest rates typically between 5.99% and 34.99% APR.

Because these plans are issued by outside lenders, approval depends on your credit profile, and the lender may perform a hard credit check. The account may also appear on your credit report. This option works more like a traditional personal loan or credit card and is best suited to bigger-ticket items where a six-week payoff isn’t realistic.

How to pay with Sezzle

Once your account is in place, there are two main ways to pay using the Sezzle app:

• Virtual cards: If Sezzle isn’t listed at checkout, you can still use it by paying with a Sezzle Virtual Card.
• Direct checkout: At most partner retailers, Sezzle shows up as a payment option. You select it, choose from the available repayment plans, and place the order. Sezzle pays the store in full right away, and your installments are automatically withdrawn on the schedule you selected.

Sezzle Virtual Card

If a retailer doesn’t list Sezzle directly, you can still use it through Sezzle’s virtual Visa cards:

• Single-use card: A temporary card number created for one transaction at a partner store. Once used, the card number expires.
• Multi-use card: A reusable Visa card stored in Apple Pay or Google Pay, which can be used multiple times at Sezzle partner stores both online and in-store.

The virtual cards are optional — you don’t need them if the store already offers Sezzle at checkout.

How to use Sezzle in-store

Some brick-and-mortar retailers accept Sezzle directly at the register. If not, you can still pay by tapping your phone with the multi-use virtual card or the Sezzle Anywhere upgrade.

How to use Sezzle online

Most online partner retailers show Sezzle at checkout. If a store doesn’t, the multi-use card or Sezzle Anywhere subscription can still be used to route the purchase through Sezzle.

Sezzle merchants: stores that accept Sezzle

Sezzle partners with thousands of retailers in categories like fashion, beauty, home goods, and electronics. Popular names include Shein, Target, and GameStop. With the Sezzle Anywhere subscription, you can expand that reach to nearly any store that accepts Visa, including Amazon, Walmart, and Uber.

Is Sezzle free?

Sezzle’s core repayment plans (Pay-in-1, Pay-in-2, Pay-in-4, Pay-in-5), its standard virtual cards, and its use at partner retailers are free. Costs come in with subscriptions, long-term financing, or missed payments. Here are those details:

Sezzle Anywhere

A $19.99/month subscription that expands the multi-use card to nearly anywhere Visa is accepted, not just Sezzle partners.

Sezzle Premium

A subscription that increases spending limits, adds more rescheduling flexibility (free users can reschedule one payment per order, Premium allows multiple), and provides access to occasional promotions.

Late fees

If you miss a payment, Sezzle may charge a late fee of up to $16.95. If your payment doesn’t go through for whatever reason, a failed payment of $16.95 or up to $25% of the purchase amount (whichever is lowest) could be charged.

How much can you spend with Sezzle?

Although Sezzle doesn’t commit to fixed purchase limits, these typically start at several hundred dollars for new users. Sezzle sets your spending cap based on “estimated spending power,” a flexible term that considers your account history and spending behavior.

Responsible use, i.e., covering your payment installments on schedule, may increase your spending power over time. This system rewards disciplined shoppers and curbs overspending.

Sezzle’s user terms state that attempting to place Pay Later orders worth over $2,500 in a single day will result in a declined order, so apparently, this amount is the upper spending limit.

What is Sezzle Spend?

Sezzle Spend is a rewards program for the app’s loyal users. You can earn these rewards by taking advantage of various promos or using the Pay-in-Full option. You can then redeem earned credit on future qualifying Sezzle orders.

Sezzle Up

Sezzle Up, Sezzle’s credit-building tool, reports timely payments to credit bureaus, helping you build or improve your credit. To qualify, you need to have a record of at least one fully repaid purchase with Sezzle, provide your SSN, and choose a checking account as a default payment method.

Sezzle pros and cons

Pros

• Easy account setup and approval

• Wide range of partner merchants

• Ability to reschedule one payment per order at no cost (up to two weeks’ delay)

• Credit building options (Sezzle Up)

Cons

• Charges late and failed payment fees

What users say about Sezzle

Sezzle boasts a 4.1 TrustPilot score based on over 15,000 reviews. The overwhelming majority are 5-star reviews.

For example, Nick says, “I’ve had a great experience with Sezzle over the past few years. They are transparent, helpful, and I can always count on them to help when I need to do bigger budget-friendly purchases!”

On the other hand, a Reddit user warns, “Use at your own risk. They charge a fee to use it, late payment fee, failed payment fee… can’t see your individual installments [or] what date you make your payments.”

The same person mentions that they ran into difficulties when they “had been in the hospital and needed to reschedule some payments.”

Alternatives to Sezzle

Sezzle is one of our recommended Buy Now, Pay Later apps. So how does it compare to leading competitors like Klarna, Affirm, and Afterpay?

Sezzle vs. Klarna

With over 100 million active users, Klarna has a far broader reach compared to Sezzle. It has a major global presence, offers more extensive service options, and works with a much larger merchant network. Sezzle is simpler, more U.S.-focused, and can help build credit.

Sezzle vs. Affirm

Affirm is generally more flexible for longer-term, interest-bearing repayment plans, while Sezzle makes sense for short-term, no-interest split purchases. Unlike Sezzle, Affirm doesn’t offer a payment rescheduling option.

Sezzle vs. Afterpay

Afterpay is more widely used and has a bigger merchant network than Sezzle. It also has a ten-day grace period for late payments, compared to Sezzle’s two-day window. However, many view Sezzle as a more user-friendly platform, and Sezzle Up gives it an edge with those who want to build credit.

Is Sezzle worth it?

Sezzle and other BNPL apps can be handy for covering necessary purchases when you don’t have enough cash on hand—as long as you use the “Pay Later” option wisely and avoid overspending. As always, read the fine print when trying new personal finance companies and apps to make sure you understand the use terms.

Recap of our Sezzle BNPL review