Buy Now, Pay Later vs. Credit Cards: Which is Better?

By Michael HerreraUpdated on May 19, 2022

Michael is CompareCredit.com's co-founder and a credit card industry insider. He spent 15 years working for top-tier U.S. banks and helped shape the way people currently compare and apply for credit cards online.

Editorial Note: Our editorial team’s content is not provided, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution or partner. The opinions, reviews or recommendations expressed in any article mention are solely those of our editorial team.

If you’ve been shopping online recently you may have noticed a Buy Now, Pay Later option – aka “BNPL.” Popular BNPL providers like Affirm, Klarna and After Pay allow you to break up purchases into installments and pay it back over a short timeframe, and plenty of shoppers are opting in.

But are they a better option than using a traditional credit card? Most experts say no. That’s because many credit cards – like the ones below – come with 0% Intro APR interest offers and no limits on what you can use them for. Add in perks like cash back, purchase protection and reporting positive payment history to the credit bureaus, and the best choice is a no-brainer.

Check out the best 0% Intro APR credit cards recommended by our experts below and see which one is best for you now.

You Come First. No Exceptions.

Buy Now, Pay Later vs. Credit Cards: Which is Better?

You Come First. No Exceptions.

You Come First. No Exceptions.