Apple Pay Later plans will show up on credit reports

Apple Pay Later

Until now, if you used a short-term buy now, pay later (BNPL) or pay-in-4 (Pi4) loan, such as those available through Klarna, Affirm, or Apple Pay, these loans were not reflected on your credit report.

However, this is about to change. Experian, in partnership with Apple, will include a user's BNPL information on consumers' credit reports.

Starting February 28, Apple Pay Later loans borrowed today onward will appear on a consumer's Experian credit report with a BNPL designation. Currently, the Apple Pay Later loan information will not be factored into existing traditional credit scores but may in the future as new credit scoring models are developed.

"We designed Apple Pay Later with our users' financial health in mind, and an important part of this is ensuring that their loans are reflected in their overall financial profiles," Jennifer Bailey, Apple's vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, said in a statement.

"By reporting Apple Pay Later loans to Experian, we aim to help promote greater transparency and responsible lending for both the borrower and the lender, while providing users with the opportunity to further build their credit."

Apple Pay Later was soft launched in March 2023, allowing select users to pay for goods in four installments at 0% interest. The service fully launched to US-based customers that October.