Unexpected veterinary expenses can overwhelm even the most prepared pet owners. From routine checkups to emergency vet visits, the cost of treatment isn't always covered by pet insurance.

VetBilling has become a well-known option for veterinary clinics that want to offer customized in-house payment plans, but its limitations — particularly the financial risk it places on practices — may leave both veterinary clinics and clients searching for better solutions. When practices bear that default risk, they may become more conservative about which clients they extend plans to, which can mean fewer options for the pet parents who need financial flexibility most.

For practices, offering the right financing options isn’t just about convenience. It’s about treatment acceptance, patient trust, and ensuring pets receive timely veterinary care. For families, access to flexible payment plans and financial assistance can make the difference between saying yes to treatment or delaying it. Below, we explore the top VetBilling alternatives that benefit both practices and pet parents.

1. Cherry Payment Plans

Cherry — a buy now, pay later solution preferred among its competitors at more than 80% of practices — is one of the industry’s most practice-friendly veterinary financing providers. Practices benefit from the industry’s lowest fees, fast upfront payment, and no financial risk if a borrower defaults.

For pet parents, Cherry offers true 0% APR financing for qualified borrowers — no deferred interest or hidden fees, and applying takes less than 35 seconds. Using just a soft credit check, Cherry approves up to 90% of applicants across all credit scores — not just those with excellent credit history. Short-term interest-free plans are available, like Pay in 4, while longer terms extend up to 60 months.

Takeaways – Cherry

• 35-second application that doesn’t hurt credit score
• Instant approval decisions
• ~90% approval rate, wide eligibility across credit scores
• True 0% APR for qualified borrowers — no deferred interest
• Loan amounts up to $35k for pet medical bills
• Terms from 1-60 months
• Upfront payment to practices within 2-3 business days
• Lowest merchant fees in the industry
• Funding exclusive to practice where applicant applies

2. Sunbit

Originally built for auto repair financing, Sunbit now offers payment plans in certain healthcare areas, including veterinary services, dentistry, and vision care. Its biggest strength is accessibility: patients apply with only a soft credit check, and approval rates are high for those with low credit scores.

However, some Sunbit plans include deferred interest, which can lead to unexpected interest charges if balances aren’t paid on time. Loan amounts typically cap at $20,000, which may be insufficient for extensive vet bills. For practices, merchant fees are high compared to other providers.

Takeaways – Sunbit

• High approval rates for lower credit scores
  
• Loan amounts up to $20,000
  
• Some plans include deferred interest risks
  
• Merchant fees start at 4.7%

3. Affirm

Affirm is one of the most recognizable buy now, pay later lenders in retail, and today, it has expanded into other areas like healthcare, including pet health. Its appeal lies in transparency: clients see their total cost, interest rates, and payoff schedule upfront, with no hidden fees or retroactive surprises.

For smaller veterinary expenses, Affirm can work well, as some plans include true interest-free financing. However, its loan amounts cap at around $17,500, and merchant fees are steep (about 5.99% + $0.30 per transaction). For vet clinics, this makes Affirm less profitable compared to healthcare-specific programs.

Takeaways – Affirm

• Transparent terms with no hidden fees
  
• Some true interest-free plans available
  
• Loan amounts capped at $17,500
  
• High merchant fees (around 5.99% + $0.30)

4. Personal Medical Loans

Some families turn to traditional personal loans from providers like LendingClub, Prosper, or SoFi. These can cover larger medical expenses, with loan amounts up to $100,000 and repayment terms of 2-7 years.

The downside is accessibility. These loans require a hard credit check, income verification, and often come with late fees, origination fees, and sometimes even prepayment penalties.

APRs range from about 7.9% to 35.99%, depending on the borrower’s credit score. While viable for clients with excellent credit histories, they don’t provide the upfront funding or workflow integration that many vet clinics expect.

Takeaways – Personal Medical Loans

• Large loan amounts ($1,000–$100,000)
  
• Repayment terms from 2–7 years
  
• APR ranges from ~7.9%–35.99%
  
• No 0% interest options
  
• Favors applicants with excellent credit
  
• Hard credit check required; slower funding

5. CareCredit

Unlike many of its startup competitors in the financial services space, the CareCredit card is an established name in healthcare. One of the most widely recognized healthcare and veterinary financing solutions, the CareCredit card is issued by Synchrony Bank and accepted at more than 270,000 providers nationwide. Unlike VetBilling, it functions as a reusable credit card that can be used for a wider variety of healthcare treatments, including pet care, dentistry, and general healthcare.

The appeal lies in its broad adoption, line of credit model, and ease of use. Patients are already familiar with how to use credit cards from companies like Mastercard, Visa, and American Express. Medical credit cards like CareCredit work similarly — except they’re used exclusively for costs that aren’t covered by the consumer’s health insurance company — including costs incurred at hospitals, clinics, and non-profit organizations dedicated to veterinary medicine.

However, patients should be cautious: CareCredit’s popular promotional “no-interest” plans often rely on deferred interest, meaning if the balance isn’t paid in full and on time during the promotional period, interest charges are applied retroactively at a steep ~32.99% APR.

For practices, while the brand recognition can increase acceptance rates, merchant fees are relatively high, funds aren’t exclusive to the practice, and approvals depend heavily on the borrower’s credit score.

Takeaways – CareCredit

• Reusable credit card accepted at 270,000+ providers
  
• “No-interest” promos rely on deferred interest if not repaid in time
  
• High APR (~32.99%) and higher merchant fees
  
• Funds not exclusive to practice — can be used with 270,000 providers
  
• Minimum monthly payments can lead to significant credit card debt
  
• Hard credit check required

6. Scratchpay

Scratchpay got its start helping consumers manage unexpected veterinary expenses that aren't covered by pet insurance. Over time, it's grown into a financing option that some dental and mental health providers now accept too, with a network of over 17,000 partner practices across the U.S. and Canada.

Scratchpay offers one-time installment loans. Clients apply online or over the phone, often getting results instantly with just a soft credit check — so it doesn't hurt their credit score. Loan amounts range from $200 to $10,000, and repayment happens through fixed monthly payments across terms of 12 to 36 months. An interest-waived option is available on select plans for borrowers who pay off their balance within the first 6 months.

Patients appreciate that Scratchpay charges no hidden fees, prepayment penalties, or annual fees, and its flat-rate 5% merchant fee is straightforward for practices. The main limitations are its loan ceiling — $10,000 may not cover more extensive procedures — and the fact that each new bill requires a separate application. For practices, Scratchpay remains a familiar and easy-to-use option, though it lacks the upfront funding guarantees and lower merchant fees of purpose-built competitors like Cherry.

Takeaways – Scratchpay

• Installment loans from $200 to $10,000 — best suited for routine to mid-range veterinary bills
• Quick application with a soft credit check; instant eligibility results
• Terms from 12 to 36 months with fixed monthly payments
• Interest-waived option available on select plans if paid off within 6 months
• No hidden fees, prepayment penalties, or annual fee
• Flat 5% merchant fee for practices
• Each new bill requires a separate application
• Accepted at 17,000+ partner practices across the U.S. and Canada

7. Wisetack 

Wisetack enables clients to split veterinary bills into fixed monthly payments, with loan amounts available up to $25,000 and qualifying 0% APR. Borrowers can prequalify quickly through a soft credit check that doesn’t impact their credit score. However, interest rates vary widely and can be expensive for some borrowers.

For practices, Wisetack integrates directly into workflows, streamlining the financing process and supporting case acceptance for higher-cost treatments.

Takeaways – Wisetack

• Embedded financing that integrates smoothly into clinic operations
  
• $25k loan limits support acceptance of expensive treatments and procedures
  
• Quick prequalification makes it easy for clients to access financing
  
• No pre-payment penalties, origination fees, or compounding interest

8. All Pet Card

The All Pet Card is a healthcare credit card specifically designed for veterinary and pet-related expenses. For borrowers, it provides promotional financing plans of 6, 12, or 18 months, giving flexibility to manage larger bills. However, these plans use deferred interest, so if payments aren’t made on time during the promotional period, or if an outstanding balance remains at the end, interest applies retroactively from the purchase date.

For practices, the All Pet Card comes with marketing support, staff training, and prequalification tools to encourage client adoption, helping reduce cost as a barrier to care.

Takeaways – All Pet Card

• Purpose-built for veterinary and pet services
  
• Terms favor borrowers with better credit histories
  
• Uses deferred interest, with a high standard APR if balances remain after the promo period

9. Crowdfunding: GoFundMe & Waggle

When financing isn’t enough, many pet parents turn to crowdfunding. GoFundMe is widely recognized for raising money for urgent needs, while Waggle focuses specifically on animals, often partnering with rescues and the Humane Society to cover emergency pet care.

Crowdfunding provides flexible financial assistance in a crisis, but it’s not a reliable or structured repayment tool for practices. While some families may raise enough for immediate treatment, providers can’t depend on crowdfunding as a consistent solution for covering veterinary services.

Takeaways – Crowdfunding

• GoFundMe: general fundraising for unexpected costs
  
• Waggle: partners with rescues & Humane Society for urgent pet needs
  
• Helpful for emergency pet care, but unpredictable
  
• Not a structured solution for vet clinics

VetBilling Alternatives: Which is Right for You?

VetBilling has helped many practices offer flexible in-house payment plans, but it's not a fit for every clinic or client — particularly those who want to avoid carrying repayment risk.

That risk can quietly trickle down to pet parents too: when practices are on the hook for defaults, they may offer payment plans more selectively, making it harder for some families to access the care their pets need. Today's healthcare providers have a wide variety of choices, and the solutions they partner with can have a major impact on treatment acceptance and business growth.

By offering a mix of modern financing options like Cherry, Sunbit, and personal loans, veterinary clinics can increase case acceptance, reduce financial stress for clients, and ensure more pets get the wellness and medical care they deserve.

Among these options, Cherry stands out as a solution that shines for both practices and patients. For practices, it offers the industry’s lowest merchant fees, exclusive funding, and guaranteed upfront payment — eliminating financial risk while improving cash flow.

For pet parents, Cherry provides fast approvals, flexible payment plans, and true 0% APR options that make essential vet care more affordable and accessible.

Together, these benefits help practices improve key metrics like treatment acceptance rates and overall cash flow while ensuring more pets get the care they need. Find out why Cherry is offered first 5x more often than its competitors at practices where they’re available. Claim your complimentary demo here.