
Shop Pay Installments fees are a crucial aspect to consider when making a purchase. These fees are typically between 0% and 4% of the purchase price.
If you're using Shop Pay Installments to buy a $100 item, the maximum fee you'd pay is $4. This fee is added to the purchase price, so you'd end up paying $104 in total.
Recommended read: Shop Pay Financing
Shop Pay Installments Fees
Shop Pay Installments Fees are determined on a case-by-case basis and not generic across all stores.
The fees for Shop Pay Installments can vary, but Affirm is stating that the transaction fee is 7.99% + 0.30¢.
Shop Pay Installments fees only apply to orders that use the installment option, not to regular Shop Pay payments.
You should only be charged Shop Pay Installments fees on orders that use Shop Pay, not on all orders.
Shop Pay Installments fees are separate from Shopify's standard payment processing fees, which are 2.4% + 30¢ for online orders.
Expand your knowledge: How to Use Shop Pay
Here's a breakdown of the fees:
- Shop Pay Installments fee: 7.99% + 0.30¢ (as stated by Affirm)
- Shopify's standard payment processing fee: 2.4% + 0.30¢
- Note: These fees may not be exact and may vary depending on the store and the customer's location.
Shop Pay does not charge any extra fees on top of the regular rate, unlike some other payment platforms.
The installment option on Shop Pay allows you to split your purchase amount into 4 equal, biweekly installment payments—with 0% interest, no hidden or late fees, and no impact on your credit score.
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Shop Pay Installment Options
With Shop Pay, you can choose to pay now or later, splitting your purchase amount into 4 equal, biweekly installment payments with 0% interest, no hidden or late fees, and no impact on your credit score.
The installments option is available on both debit and credit cards, making it a convenient choice for shoppers. You can expect to receive the difference as a refund to your original payment method if your refund amount is more than the amount remaining on your Shop Pay Installments balance.
If your refund amount is less than the amount remaining on your Shop Pay Installments balance, you can expect one or both of the following:
- A smaller payment balance on the final payment
- Less future payments on the remaining loan balance
What Are Installment Options on Shop Pay?
With Shop Pay, you have the option to pay in installments, which allows you to split your purchase amount into 4 equal, biweekly payments with 0% interest and no hidden or late fees. This means you can enjoy your purchase now and pay for it later without worrying about extra costs.
The installments option on Shop Pay is available on both debit and credit cards, giving you flexibility when it comes to making payments. You can choose to pay now or later, and your first payment is due when you make your purchase or 2 weeks after, depending on the situation.
You'll have a smaller payment balance on the final payment, and less future payments on the remaining loan balance, making it easier to manage your finances. This is a great option if you want to spread out the cost of a purchase over time.
If your refund amount is more than the amount remaining on your Shop Pay Installments balance, you can expect to receive the difference as a refund to your original debit card or credit card payment method within 3 to 10 business days.
Here are some key benefits of paying in installments with Shop Pay:
- A smaller payment balance on the final payment
- Less future payments on the remaining loan balance
Shop Pay Installment Options
You can pay in installments on Shop Pay and split your purchase amount into 4 equal, biweekly payments with 0% interest and no hidden or late fees. This option is available on debit and credit cards.
Your first payment is due when you make your purchase, or 2 weeks after your purchase, depending on the instance. If your refund amount is more than the amount remaining on your Shop Pay Installments balance, you can expect to receive the difference as a refund within 3 to 10 business days.
You'll have a smaller payment balance on the final payment and less future payments on the remaining loan balance. This can help make the payment process more manageable.
Here are some benefits of paying in installments on Shop Pay:
- A smaller payment balance on the final payment
- Less future payments on the remaining loan balance
If your refund amount is less than the amount remaining on your Shop Pay Installments balance, you can expect one or both of the following:
Fees and Pricing
Shop Pay's fees for merchants are straightforward, with a standard payment processing fee of 2.4% + 30¢ for online orders.
This fee applies to all Shop Pay transactions, and merchants don't have to pay extra to enable the service.
Afterpay, on the other hand, charges an additional 4-6% transaction fee on each order placed through their service.
This fee is deducted upfront from the order amount before merchants receive payout, with no setup or monthly costs.
For consumers, Shop Pay's installment plans are completely interest and fee-free, with no additional charges for using the service.
Afterpay also doesn't charge interest or fees on orders, as long as installments are paid on time every 2 weeks.
However, if shoppers miss a payment, Afterpay can charge late fees of up to 25% of the installment's value.
Consider reading: Venmo Fees for Debit Card
Comparison and Analysis
Shop Pay installments can be a convenient option, but it's essential to understand the fees involved. The total cost of a Shop Pay installment plan can range from 0% to 30% more than the original price of the item.
Some retailers, like Amazon, charge a flat fee for Shop Pay installments, while others, like Walmart, charge a percentage of the purchase price. For example, Walmart charges a 5% fee on purchases made through Shop Pay installments.
The fees charged by retailers can significantly impact the total cost of a purchase, making it crucial to factor them into your budget.
Shop Pay vs Afterpay
Shop Pay and Afterpay are two popular online payment platforms that offer accelerated checkout options for shoppers. Shop Pay is exclusively for Shopify merchants, while Afterpay can be used at many other third-party retailers.
One key difference between the two platforms is that Shop Pay is focused on speeding up checkout through saved customer data, whereas Afterpay spreads payments over several weeks.
Shop Pay is integrated into Shopify stores natively, whereas retailers must actively partner with Afterpay to offer it. This means that if you're a Shopify merchant, you already have Shop Pay available to your customers.
For another approach, see: What Is Shop Pay vs Shopify
Afterpay charges late fees if payments are missed, while Shop Pay has no added fees. This is a significant advantage for customers who may struggle to pay their bills on time.
Here's a comparison of the two platforms in a table:
Ultimately, understanding the key differences between Shop Pay and Afterpay will help you decide which payment platform aligns best with your ecommerce needs and customer base.
Cost Comparison
For most Shopify merchants, Shop Pay is the more affordable payment option due to its avoidance of any incremental fees beyond Shopify rates. However, cost analysis should still account for potential sales growth opportunities when evaluating Shop Pay vs Afterpay.
Shop Pay's fees are simply Shopify's standard payment processing costs, which can be as low as $27 for a $1000 order. In contrast, Afterpay levies an additional 4-6% fee on each order placed through their network.
Here's a cost comparison between Shop Pay and Afterpay:
- Shop Pay: $1000 x 2.7% (Sample Shopify Rate) = $27
- Afterpay: $1000 x 4% (Average Afterpay Fee) = $40 + Shopify Processing Fees
Afterpay's fees can quickly multiply for higher order values and sales volumes, making Shop Pay a more cost-effective option for many merchants.
Implementation and Security
Implementation and Security is a crucial aspect of online store payment platforms, and Shop Pay and Afterpay take different approaches to safeguarding transactions.
Shop Pay, for instance, focuses on integration and interface design, allowing for a seamless checkout experience.
Afterpay, on the other hand, prioritizes safeguarding transactions through technical considerations.
This difference in approach can impact how merchants evaluate and implement these payment platforms on their online stores.
Curious to learn more? Check out: Shop Pay Payment Methods
Online Store Implementation
Online store implementation can make or break the shopping experience for your customers. Shop Pay and Afterpay offer two different approaches to integrating Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) features into your online store.
Shop Pay is a native Shopify product, which means it integrates seamlessly with Shopify's flows and data. This results in a unified shopping experience for your customers.
To enable Shop Pay, Shopify merchants can simply click a button in the Shopify Payments settings. No coding is required, and the Shop Pay button will automatically appear during checkout.
A fresh viewpoint: Is Shop Pay Shopify
Here are the key differences in implementation between Shop Pay and Afterpay:
- Shop Pay: enabled with a single click, no coding required
- Afterpay: requires application approval and custom integration work
Afterpay's integration process is more complex and requires custom integration work to embed their API, create flows for payment methods, and display the Afterpay interface. This can result in a clunkier user experience for your customers.
However, Afterpay is natively integrated into Square's Point of Sale (POS), both online and in-store, which can be beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
Security Measures
Security Measures are crucial for online store payment platforms. Both Shop Pay and Afterpay employ robust security protections aligned with industry standards.
These protections include encrypted protocols, tokenized data storage, AI fraud analysis, and rigorous penetration testing. Shop Pay benefits from leveraging Shopify's integrated security layers.
Afterpay matches best practices through strict real-time transaction monitoring and regular audits. However, Shop Pay offers inherent advantages from its unified Shopify architecture and avoidance of custom integration risks.
To ensure security, verify both platforms maintain PCI compliance and undergo regular penetration testing. Shop Pay's Shopify integration provides additional security layers.

Here are some key security measures to consider:
- Verify both platforms maintain PCI compliance and undergo regular penetration testing.
- For Shopify merchants, Shop Pay offers inherent security advantages from minimal integration touch points.
- Install monitoring, firewalls, and fraud detection tools as additional controls around any payment integrations.
- Conduct thorough due diligence into platforms' data security protocols and protections.
Business Implications
Enabling shop pay can save Shopify merchants from added costs, as there are no extra fees to enable it.
Afterpay, on the other hand, involves both integration effort and transaction fees of 4-6% on purchases, deducted upfront from the merchant payment.
Offering Afterpay can attract new customers who prefer splitting payments over time, increasing purchase willingness and sales.
Merchants must integrate Afterpay themselves, which can be more involved compared to other payment options.
The incremental sales gains from Afterpay may counterbalance the fees and risks involved, depending on the merchant's business model and product mix.
Afterpay takes on all risk in the event of buyer defaults, paying merchants in advance to ensure they can continue to operate their business.
Integrating Afterpay can provide merchants with faster payment compared to other installment plans, as Afterpay deducts their fees upfront and provides the net amount quickly.
Broaden your view: What If You Cannot Pay Business Taxes
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Shop Pay charge a fee?
Shop Pay itself is free for merchants, but Shop Pay Installments come with a fee of 5.9% + $0.30 per transaction. Learn more about the costs and benefits of Shop Pay Installments.
Is there a downside to using Shop Pay?
Using Shop Pay may have limitations if you're outside the US, and it comes with higher fees for installment payments and additional fees for merchants not using Shopify Payments
How does paying in installments work in Shop Pay?
Paying in installments with Shop Pay involves splitting your purchase into smaller payments, which you'll make to Affirm every 2 weeks or month, depending on your chosen plan. You can choose from available plans at checkout, and Affirm will service your loan.
Sources
- https://community.shopify.com/c/shopify-discussions/does-shop-pay-installments-charge-extra-fees-on-top-of-their/td-p/1182783
- https://orionmotortech.com/pages/shop-pay-installment-faq
- https://emersoncharles.com/pages/shop-pay-installments
- https://www.attrac.io/blog/shop-pay-vs-afterpay
- https://sparkleblu.com/pages/how-does-shop-pay-installments-work
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