Compare

Three ways to spread the cost, compared

They all let you take something home now and pay over time. Here's how differently they work for someone with a damaged credit history.

	Revolving catalogue	Buy now pay later	Fixed plan
How it works	Ongoing balance, like a store card	Pay later or in a few parts	Set number of equal payments
Credit check	Usually a hard search	Often a soft check, can be hard	Often affordability-led
Balance can grow?	Yes, with interest	Late fees possible	No, it's fixed from day one
Good for bad credit?	Rarely	Sometimes, for small amounts	Most likely

Our take

If your file is damaged, a fixed plan with an affordability check gives you the best chance of a yes. You also always know exactly when you'll have paid it off.