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

Scratchpay has become a well-known option for splitting vet bills into manageable monthly payments, but its limitations — capped loan amounts, deferred interest traps, and high merchant fees — leave both veterinary clinics and clients searching for better solutions.

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 Scratchpay alternatives that benefit both practices and pet parents.

1. Cherry Financing

Cherry — a buy now, pay later solution tailored to healthcare — is one of the 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 60 seconds. Using just a soft credit check, Cherry approves more than 80% of applicants across all credit scores — not just those with excellent credit history. Short-term interest-free pay-in-4 plans are available, while longer terms extend up to 60 months.

Takeaways – Cherry

• Instant approval decisions with soft credit check (no impact on credit score)
• High approval rate (2x more than Scratchpay)
  
• True 0% APR for qualified borrowers
  
• Loan amounts up to $35k for veterinary expenses
  
• Practices receive payment upfront 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 veterinary 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. PatientFi

Though PatientFi doesn’t finance veterinary care, if you’re considering Scratchpay for human healthcare, it’s a viable alternative. PatientFi specializes in medical financing for elective care. It provides fixed-term loans tied to a specific treatment, giving patients predictable monthly payments and clear payoff dates. Patients can prequalify with a soft credit check, but approval rates are higher for borrowers with stronger credit scores.

Keep in mind, its 0% APR promotions rely on deferred interest. A late payment during the promo period, or a remaining balance at the end of it, can trigger retroactive interest charges from the date of the purchase.

For practices, PatientFi integrates well into consultations, though merchant fees are higher than other providers, and the company shares applicant data with credit unions.

Takeaways – PatientFi

• Fixed-term loans up to 84 months
  
• Applicant data shared with third parties
  
• Predictable monthly payments and payoff dates
  
• Deferred interest promotions
  
• Soft credit check for prequalification
  
• Higher merchant fees and selective credit approval

5. Personal Medical Loans

Some families turn to traditional personal loans from providers like LendingClub, Prosper, or SoFi. These can cover larger veterinary 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

6. CareCredit

CareCredit is one of the most widely recognized healthcare and veterinary financing solutions, issued by Synchrony Bank and accepted at more than 270,000 providers nationwide. Unlike Scratchpay, it functions as a reusable credit card that can be used for multiple types of care, including pet care, dentistry, and general healthcare.

The appeal lies in its broad acceptance and line of credit model. 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

7. VetBilling

VetBilling enables veterinary clinics to create custom in-house payment plans, giving them direct control over terms and schedules. Practices can tailor monthly payments to fit a client’s budget and use automated billing tools to reduce administrative work.

The main drawback is financial risk. If a client defaults, the practice absorbs the loss. While this model works for some clinics, many prefer third-party providers, which combine flexibility for patients with guaranteed upfront funding for the practice.

Takeaways – VetBilling

• Practices create custom in-house payment plans
  
• Automated billing reduces admin burden
  
• Greater flexibility for vet clinics and clients
  
• Risk of loss if patients default

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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: pet-specific, partners with rescues & Humane Society.
  
• Helpful for emergency pet care, but unpredictable.
  
• Not a structured solution for vet clinics.

Scratchpay Alternatives: Which is Right for You?

Scratchpay has helped many families cover veterinary services, but its interest rates, capped loan amounts, and deferred interest promotions often leave room for improvement. Today’s practices have better choices.

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 veterinary care more affordable and accessible.

Together, these benefits help consumers say yes to more treatments and ensure more pets get the care they need. Find out how Cherry can transform your practice. Claim your complimentary demo here.