Buy Now, Pay Later Apps vs. Credit Cards: The Pros and Cons | WSJ

Buy now, pay later companies like Affirm, Klarna and Afterpay boomed during the pandemic as consumers looked for an accessible alternative to credit cards. But even as their customer bases grow, these companies are struggling to turn a profit. PayPal, Apple and even credit card companies themselves are trying to get in on the action. WSJ explains how these services work, how they differ from traditional credit card payments and why some consumers have concerns. 0:00 Breaking up full payments 0:39 Rise of buy now, pay later 3:00 Consumer concerns 4:01 Buy now pay later companies 4:51 What’s next? News Explainers Some days the high-speed news cycle can bring more questions than answers. WSJ’s news explainers break down the day's biggest stories into bite-size pieces to help you make sense of the news. #BNPL #Affirm #WSJ