Klarna is one of the most recognizable buy now, pay later apps (BNPL) for shopping, known for its Pay-in-4 plan, interest-free installments, and a smooth checkout experience wherever it’s accepted. With a wide customer base, strong partnerships with retailers, and availability in the app store, it has become a familiar way for shoppers to spread a purchase price into equal installments.

But Klarna wasn’t designed for healthcare. Its limited spending limits and high transaction fees make it impractical for larger procedures or wellness treatments. That’s why specialized buy now, pay later companies like Cherry, CareCredit, and Sunbit — as well as structured lenders like LendingClub, Prosper, and United Credit — stand out as top alternatives to Klarna for healthcare financing. Here are some of the best competitors worth considering.

1. Cherry Payment Plans

Cherry is a healthcare-first BNPL provider that offers up to $50,000 in funding and flexible payment options for plastic surgery, dental, aesthetics, dermatology, and veterinary care. Patients can opt for a short-term Pay-in-4 plan featuring biweekly interest-free payments, or extend repayment up to 60 months with true 0% APR financing for qualified borrowers (no deferred interest).

Applications take less than a minute and require only a soft credit check — and over 80% are approved across a range of credit scores. For practices, Cherry delivers upfront payment, exclusive approvals, and the lowest merchant fees in the industry — all of which help improve cash flow, expand treatment acceptance, and boost patient satisfaction.

Key Takeaways – Cherry

• 60-second application with instant approval decisions and high approval rate
  
• Loan amounts up to $50,000 for higher-cost treatments
  
• 0% APR financing options available for qualified borrowers (no deferred interest)
  
• Flexible repayment: Patients can split payments over 6 weeks for Pay-in-4, or 3-60 months for longer terms
  
• Soft credit check only (does not hurt credit score)
  
• Exclusive approvals tied to the practice
  
• Lowest merchant fees in the industry

2. Affirm

Affirm, one of the most familiar buy now, pay later services, has now expanded into healthcare. Its biggest advantage is transparency: no service fees, no compounding interest, and no penalties for late payments.

Patients can borrow up to $17,500, with monthly payments from 3 to 36 months. Some borrowers qualify for interest-free installments, while others see interest rates based on their credit history. For providers, Affirm’s broad customer base and brand recognition can improve acceptance, though merchant pricing is relatively high.

Key Takeaways – Affirm

• Loan amounts up to $17,500
  
• Monthly installments from 3–36 months
  
• Transparent terms, no hidden fees
  
• Some interest-free payment plans available
  
• Down payment may be required (first payment of the loan due at checkout)
  
• Provider merchant pricing around 5.99% + $0.30
  
• Broad recognition in online shopping — among the most popular BNPL services

3. Afterpay

Afterpay, popular in Australia and now widely used in the U.S., splits bills into four easy installments paid every two weeks. Patients benefit from interest-free payments on smaller healthcare costs, but borrowing amounts are limited, making it less useful for large procedures. It’s also only available in medical aesthetics — not dental, veterinary, plastic surgery, or many other areas where financing is often needed.

For practices, Afterpay may help with smaller elective care bills, but late fees and variable spending limits reduce its effectiveness for high-ticket treatments.

Key Takeaways – Afterpay

• Pay-in-4 model with short-term, interest-free plans
  
• Best suited for smaller bills or follow-ups
  
• Variable spending limits restrict use for large purchases
  
• Late fees apply for missed due dates
  
• Strong brand recognition among shoppers; ranked among the best apps for retail financing
  

4. CareCredit

The CareCredit card is one of the most established healthcare-specific payment methods, allowing cardholders to pay over time at over 270,000 providers.

Patients can prequalify with a soft credit check, but if they submit a full application, CareCredit will contact credit bureaus to obtain a copy of their full credit report to determine creditworthiness (known as a hard credit check, which harms credit score). If approved, patients can use it like they would a regular credit card, but to cover wellness, veterinary, and medical expenses.

Its most popular promotions advertise “no interest if paid in full,” but these rely on deferred interest — meaning that if the full balance isn’t cleared by the end of the promotional period, or if a single payment is missed during that period, retroactive interest charges are applied from the purchase date at a steep 32.99% APR.

For providers, CareCredit’s strong customer base is a plus, but higher merchant fees and non-exclusive approvals reduce practice profitability.

Key Takeaways – CareCredit

• Accepted at 270,000+ providers nationwide
  
• Revolving credit line up to $25,000
  
• Requires a hard credit check
  
• Promotional financing relies on deferred interest
  
• High APR (~32.99%) if balance isn’t cleared
  
• Provider merchant fees starting at 5.9% — high compared to other providers

5. Sunbit

Sunbit got its start in auto repair financing. Now it can be used to finance dental, vision, and veterinary care. Its strength is accessibility for patients with weaker credit histories. They can apply with a soft credit check that doesn’t hurt their credit score, and face better odds of approval than they would applying with traditional financial institutions.

Loan amounts cap at $20,000. While some interest-free payment plans are available, many still depend on deferred interest — which can make for costly surprises when offered to patients with a history of poor financial responsibility.

Practices gain by capturing more approvals but face merchant fees starting around 4.7%. Also, deferred interest promotions — especially for Sunbit’s audience — have the potential to hurt patient trust in the practice.

Key Takeaways – Sunbit

• Loan amounts up to $20,000
  
• Soft credit check for prequalification
  
• Wider eligibility for patients with weaker credit
  
• Some 0% APR promos rely on deferred interest
  
• Merchant fees are high compared to other providers, starting at 4.7%

6. LendingClub

LendingClub offers structured installment loans through its patient solutions program. Patients can borrow up to $60,000 with repayment terms up to 84 months, making it useful for larger procedures.

While this provides borrowers with strong purchasing power, LendingClub requires a hard credit check, full underwriting, and income verification. Approvals are slower than BNPL, and funds are deposited into the borrower’s bank account, not directly to the practice.

Key Takeaways – LendingClub

• Loans up to $60,000 for larger purchases
  
• Structured installment payments up to 84 months
  
• APRs ~7.9%–35.99% depending on credit history
  
• Requires full underwriting and hard credit check
  
• Slower payment process compared to BNPL platforms
  
• Funds go to borrower, not directly to provider

7. Prosper

Prosper is a peer-to-peer lending marketplace that matches individual and institutional investors with borrowers seeking personal loans. Patients can borrow up to $50,000 with terms of 2–5 years.

Prosper loans have APRs ranging from 8.99%–35.99% and include origination fees up to 9.99%. Like LendingClub, Prosper requires a hard credit check, and funds are deposited into the patient’s account rather than directly to the provider.

Key Takeaways – Prosper

• Loan amounts up to $50,000 with fixed terms from 2 to 5 years
  
• Fixed APRs 8.99%–35.99%
  
• Origination fees 1–9.99%
  
• Funds paid into the patient’s bank account
  
• Hard credit check required

8. United Credit

United Credit connects patients to multiple lending partners for elective and medical procedures. Borrowers can access loans from $500 to $25,000, with repayment terms up to 72 months.

Patients can prequalify using a soft credit check, which does not affect their credit score. If they move forward with a full application, one or more of United Credit’s lending partners may perform a hard credit check, which will hurt their credit score.

For practices, United Credit helps expand patient eligibility by working with a broader range of credit profiles, making it easier for more patients to move forward with care.

Key Takeaways – United Credit

• Loan amounts $500–$25,000
  
• Terms up to 72 months
  
• Soft credit check for prequalification
  
• Full application may trigger a hard credit check
  
• Considers a broader credit history than many lenders
  
• Funds not always delivered directly to provider
  
• Designed for elective healthcare and wellness financing

9. PayPal Pay Later & PayPal Credit

PayPal, one of the most recognized names in the financial services space, now offers two BNPL options that consumers may already be familiar with from shopping online and at their favorite small businesses: PayPal Pay Later (Pay-in-4 and Pay Monthly) and PayPal Credit.

• Pay-in-4 lets patients split purchase amounts of $30–$1,500 into four interest-free installments every two weeks.
  
• Pay Monthly lets patients with PayPal accounts finance larger order values ($199–$10,000) with fixed APRs over 6–24 months — no deferred interest.
  
• PayPal Credit works like a virtual card with a revolving line of credit. Its promotions often use deferred interest, meaning missed payments or unpaid balances trigger retroactive interest charges.

Patients can use these options anywhere PayPal is accepted — including some healthcare checkouts — but they are not designed specifically for healthcare. Practices may appreciate the brand recognition, upfront payment, and ease of use, but PayPal’s merchant pricing is typically higher than healthcare-focused lenders.

Key Takeaways – PayPal Pay Later & PayPal Credit

• Pay in 4: interest-free installments for purchases $30–$1,500
  
• Pay Monthly: fixed-APR installment plan ($199–$10,000, 6–24 months)
  
• PayPal Credit: revolving line with deferred-interest promotions
  
• Can be used anywhere PayPal is accepted — small businesses, Shopify online stores, healthcare checkouts (though not built for healthcare specifically)
  
• Works with Visa, Mastercard, debit cards, and existing credit cards
• User-friendly interface with strong functionality that helps streamline the payment process and reduce administrative hassles

Final Thoughts: Choosing the Best Klarna Alternatives

Along with other popular BNPL apps like Sezzle, Uplift, Splitit, and Zip (formerly Quadpay), the Klarna app works well for ecommerce or financing in-store purchases, but it falls short when patients and practices need higher loan amounts, reliable upfront payment, and extended terms.

For patients, the best Klarna alternatives for healthcare deliver fast, flexible payment plans, competitive interest rates, high approval rates, and no hidden fees. For practices, the right choice supports cash flow, offers predictable upfront payment, and expands access to treatment.

Among these options, Cherry stands out as a balanced solution: With just a soft credit check, patients can apply in less than 60 seconds and get an instant approval decision on loan amounts up to $50,000 with true 0% APR for qualified borrowers. Practices benefit from the lowest merchant fees in the industry, upfront payment, and an 80%+ approval rate, allowing them to focus on care without the administrative burden.

Find out why 50,000 providers already use Cherry. Claim your complimentary demo to see how flexible financing can transform your practice.