Veterinary care has advanced tremendously — diagnostics, imaging, surgery, specialty services, and emergency care now often mirror human medicine in complexity and cost. Yet most pet insurance plans cover only a portion of those costs (if at all), leaving many pet owners facing large out-of-pocket bills.

For veterinary practices, offering financing is more than “nice to have” — it’s a tool to increase treatment acceptance, reduce financial barriers, and maintain cash flow. But not every pet owner qualifies for a traditional line of credit, and not every financing solution is equally suited to the vet space.

This makes the choice of financing partner critical. Two common options, the All Pet Card and the CareCredit credit card, provide tools to help bridge financial gaps for pet owners and ensure practices are paid upfront. Still, both come with unique limitations that are important to understand before deciding whether they’re the right fit.

How the All Pet Card Works

The All Pet Card is a healthcare credit card made specifically for veterinary care. Issued by Comenity Capital Bank, it can only be used at participating veterinary providers, ensuring that funds are used exclusively to cover pet health expenses.

Pet owners begin with a soft credit check, followed by a hard credit check — which does harm their credit score — when they submit a full application. If approved, they can access funding with no fixed limit, and “interest-free” financing for purchases of $250 or more if paid in full within 6 months.

However, these promotions rely on a deferred interest model, which means missing a payment or failing to pay off the balance in time triggers interest charges retroactive from the purchase date — which can create unexpected and overwhelming debt for the patient.

The standard APR is 32.99%, which is on par with other medical credit cards. Still, the All Pet Card has no annual fee, and practices receive funds upfront when clients use it. Approvals aren’t exclusive to the practice, however, meaning the card can be used with any veterinary practice that accepts the All Pet Credit Card.

Key Takeaways — All Pet Card

• Veterinary-exclusive card accepted only at participating providers
  
• Promotional financing available, but with deferred interest risk
  
• Standard APR around 32.99%; no annual fee
  
• Practices receive upfront payment at the point of care

How CareCredit Works

CareCredit offers one of the most widely recognized healthcare credit cards in the United States, issued by Synchrony Bank and accepted at over 270,000 providers, including vet clinics.

Pet owners can prequalify online with a soft credit check, though a full application requires a hard credit check. If approved, borrowers receive a revolving line of credit up to $25,000 that can be used across multiple providers and visits — not just veterinary.

A major appeal of CareCredit lies in its promotional financing options. Cardholders often receive 6, 12, or 24 months of no-interest financing if balances are paid on time and in full by the end of the promotional period. However, these offers, like All Pet’s, rely on deferred interest.

For practices, CareCredit provides immediate payment when clients use the card, and its brand recognition reassures pet owners considering significant treatments. However, the program’s high merchant fees and non-exclusive approvals make it harder for practices to maintain adequate cash flow.

Key Takeaways — CareCredit

• Over 270,000 providers in the CareCredit network, including veterinarians
  
• Promotional financing plans available but structured with deferred interest
  
• Standard APR of ~32.99% after promotions end
  
• Revolving line of credit up to $25,000
• Practices are paid upfront but absorb higher merchant fees than other competitors

All Pet Card vs CareCredit: Side-by-Side Comparison

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Alternatives to the All Pet Card and CareCredit

While both the All Pet Card and CareCredit can help pet owners pay for care when their insurance provider won’t cover it, neither solution is ideal for all borrowers. Deferred interest promotions can create unexpected debt, merchant fees cut into practice revenue, and strict approval criteria may exclude some families. Fortunately, there are several alternative financing options designed with veterinary care in mind — each offering different advantages for practices and pet owners.

Cherry

Cherry brings a buy now, pay later approach to healthcare — including vet care —  offering pet owners flexible payment options with clear, upfront terms.

It offers true 0% APR financing for qualified borrowers without the deferred interest risks common to medical credit cards. Applications take less than 60 seconds, require only a soft credit check, and offer instant approval decisions. If approved, borrowers can access up to $35,000 for pet care with repayment terms as long as 60 months.

Clinics benefit from upfront payment, no liability if a borrower defaults, and the industry’s lowest merchant fees. Because approvals are tied to the practice where the application occurs, Cherry fosters loyalty while supporting provider cash flow. For both pet owners and practices, Cherry offers transparency and ease of use that align well with veterinary needs.

Key Takeaways — Cherry

• 60-second application with soft credit check and instant approval decisions
  
• 80%+ approval rate across all credit profiles, improving access to care
  
• True 0% APR financing for qualified borrowers (no deferred interest traps)
  
• Loans up to $35,000 for pet owners with terms up to 60 months
  
• Practices receive upfront payment with no risk if the patient defaults
  
• Industry’s lowest merchant fees, enhancing practice cash flow and profitability
  
• Approvals exclusive to the vet office where the borrower was approved

Scratchpay

Scratchpay began as a financing tool for pet owners, and though it has expanded into human healthcare, it’s still used primarily for veterinary care. Unlike a healthcare credit card, it provides single-use installment loans tied to a specific procedure. This makes repayment predictable and avoids the cycle of revolving debt.

The application requires just a soft credit check, and if approved, borrowers can choose from short-term deferred interest promotions and fixed-interest plans up to 36 months. Loan amounts cap at $10,000, making it best suited for smaller veterinary costs like diagnostics, dental work, or minor surgeries. Scratchpay also approves half as many clients as Cherry, making it a less appealing option overall compared to Cherry.

For clinics, Scratchpay offers a simple digital enrollment process and quick payout once a loan is approved. The drawback is higher merchant fees, which can reduce profitability.

Key Takeaways — Scratchpay

• Quick application with soft credit check and instant approval decision
  
• Installment loans up to $10,000 with terms up to 36 months — suited to meeting routine pet needs like teeth cleaning, vaccinations, wellness checkups, etc.
  
• Uses deferred interest
  
• Higher provider fees compared to other competitors — 5% per transaction for veterinary

Sunbit

Sunbit is designed to improve financing access to clients with lower credit scores, making it especially useful in communities where traditional credit approval rates are low.

Its application process is fast, requiring only a soft credit check, and clients get an instant decision. Pet owners can finance up to $20,000 if approved, with flexible repayment schedules up to 72 months and deferred-interest promotions. It’s worth noting, however, that offering deferred interest promotions to low-credit borrowers has greater potential to cause unexpected debt and damage patient trust.

For clinics, the benefits include upfront payment and seamless integration into checkout systems. The trade-off is higher merchant fees — starting at about 4.7% — which can be a burden for practices operating on slim margins.

Key Takeaways — Sunbit

• Quick application with a soft credit check
  
• High approval rates for low-credit clients
  
• Financing up to $20,000 with longer terms for manageable monthly payments
  
• Promotional plans include deferred interest
  
• Merchant fees start at ~4.7%, higher than other competitors

VetBilling

VetBilling is a financing platform that helps veterinary clinics design custom in-house payment plans for their clients. Instead of relying on a third-party credit card or loan provider, practices create installment schedules that match a pet owner’s budget, often with options for down payments and automatic withdrawals from a checking account.

For pet owners, this means access to care without the barrier of a credit check or strict approval requirements. Families who might not qualify for CareCredit or Scratchpay can still secure treatment through flexible in-clinic arrangements.

The downside for pet care providers is that repayment risk falls entirely on the clinic — if a client defaults, there’s no outside company to absorb the loss. However, for many clinics, the trade-off is offset by stronger client relationships and the ability to capture more cases that might otherwise be lost.

Key Takeaways — VetBilling

• No credit checks required for pet owners
  
• Clinics create fully customizable installment plans
  
• Practices assume repayment risk if clients default

Crowdfunding (GoFundMe, Waggle)

For emergencies when traditional financing options aren’t viable, many pet owners turn to crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe or Waggle. These services allow families to raise money directly from friends, family, or the public to cover urgent veterinary bills.

For pet owners, crowdfunding has the advantage of no repayment obligations, interest charges, or credit checks. Success depends heavily on community support, however, and campaigns can be emotionally taxing to promote. For clinics, crowdfunding isn’t a dependable financing model but can serve as a compassionate resource to help clients who have no other options. It can buy time for emergency treatments but lacks the consistency of structured financing.

Key Takeaways — Crowdfunding

• No repayment or credit checks required
  
• Works best for urgent, one-time veterinary expenses
  
• Dependent on donations — low success rate
  
• Helpful as a last resort but not sustainable for ongoing medical care

Final Thoughts: All Pet Card vs CareCredit

Both the All Pet Card and CareCredit give pet owners the ability to spread vet bills into manageable payments, but each has its drawbacks. The All Pet Card is tightly focused on pet care and can strengthen loyalty to participating clinics, while CareCredit offers wider acceptance and greater flexibility across providers. Their reliance on deferred interest, however, makes them risky for clients who cannot pay balances in full and on time.

That’s why more than 40,000 providers now use Cherry. With a 60-second application, true 0% APR for qualified borrowers, and upfront payment to practices, Cherry removes many of the barriers that keep pets from receiving timely care. By eliminating deferred interest traps and offering the industry’s lowest merchant fees, Cherry protects both pet owners and clinics.

Ready to see why Cherry is a trusted choice for veterinary financing? Claim your complimentary demo today.