Comparison

FinanceLayer vs. third-party BNPL

Third-party BNPL providers underwrite the loan and charge you a percentage of every order. FinanceLayer lets you underwrite — the customer pays you on schedule via ACH, and you keep the margin.

Merchant-funded pay-in-4

Pay-in-4 for your store.Without the 6% fee.

FinanceLayer turns your Shopify store into its own installment lender. You set the terms. Customers pay by ACH — no Affirm, no Klarna, no Afterpay percentage cut.

On a $1,000 order
4 installments · net to merchant
April 2026
A
Affirm
5.99% + $0.30
−$60.30
$939.70
K.
Klarna Pay-in-4
3.29–5.99% + $0.30
−$60.20
$939.80
Afterpay
4–6% + $0.30
−$50.30
$949.70
FIN
FinanceLayer + ACH
0.8% · capped at $5 per installment
−$5
$995
You keep
+$55 / order vs Affirm
scales with AOV — +$295 on a $5,000 order
Head-to-head · Per-order economics

Same payment plan. Six-times lower cost to you.

BNPL providers underwrite the loan and charge you a percentage of every order. FinanceLayer lets you underwrite — and keep the margin.

Merchant keeps ≥99% of order revenue

FinanceLayer
MerchantLayer
Affirm
Pay-in-4
Klarna
Pay-in-4
Afterpay
Pay-in-4
Shop Pay Installments
Shopify + Affirm

Merchant defines installment terms

FinanceLayer
MerchantLayer
Affirm
Pay-in-4
Klarna
Pay-in-4
Afterpay
Pay-in-4
Shop Pay Installments
Shopify + Affirm

ACH collection (not card)

FinanceLayer
MerchantLayer
Affirm
Pay-in-4
Klarna
Pay-in-4
Afterpay
Pay-in-4
Shop Pay Installments
Shopify + Affirm

Your branding on the agreement

FinanceLayer
MerchantLayer
Affirm
Pay-in-4
Klarna
Pay-in-4
Afterpay
Pay-in-4
Shop Pay Installments
Shopify + Affirm

No customer account signup required

FinanceLayer
MerchantLayer
Affirm
Pay-in-4
Klarna
Pay-in-4
Afterpay
Pay-in-4
Shop Pay Installments
Shopify + Affirm

Flat monthly fee · no per-order cut

FinanceLayer
MerchantLayer
Affirm
Pay-in-4
Klarna
Pay-in-4
Afterpay
Pay-in-4
Shop Pay Installments
Shopify + Affirm

E-signed ACH authorization (audit trail)

FinanceLayer
MerchantLayer
Affirm
Pay-in-4
Klarna
Pay-in-4
Afterpay
Pay-in-4
Shop Pay Installments
Shopify + Affirm

Available on every Shopify plan

FinanceLayer
MerchantLayer
Affirm
Pay-in-4
Klarna
Pay-in-4
Afterpay
Pay-in-4
Shop Pay Installments
Shopify + Affirm

Merchant fee on a $1,000 order

FinanceLayer
MerchantLayer
$5
Affirm
Pay-in-4
$60.30
Klarna
Pay-in-4
$60.20
Afterpay
Pay-in-4
$50.30
Shop Pay Installments
Shopify + Affirm
~$86

Merchant fees sourced from public pricing pages (affirm.com/business/pricing, klarna.com/business, afterpay.com/merchant, shopify.com/shop-pay-installments) as of April 2026. Shop Pay Installments merchant fee estimated from Shopify's stacked Payments + Affirm rate disclosures. Compliance note: FinanceLayer is scheduling and documentation software, not a lender. Merchants using 5+ installments or charging interest should consult counsel on TILA and state RISA requirements.

Customer Experience

Legally binding. Brand-free. One click.

Each plan is an e-signed ACH authorization. Your branding. Your terms. The customer never has to create an account.

  • E-SIGN Act compliant
    Timestamp, IP, and agreement hash stored immutably.
  • Your branding, not a BNPL logo
    Your store name, logo, colors — not a third-party brand's.
  • Mobile-first signing
    Phone, tablet, desktop — works everywhere.
No BNPL fees · No hard credit check
You underwrite. You set the terms. The customer pays you — not a third party that takes a percentage of every order.
AC
ACME Supply Co.
Payment Plan Agreement
FP-1042-2026
Installment Payment Agreement

This agreement authorizes ACME Supply Co. to collect installment payments via ACH bank transfer.

Total amount$1,000.00
Down payment$0.00
Installments4 × $250
FrequencyEvery 14 days
Funding sourceChase Checking ••••4827
Total paid$1,000.00 (0% interest)
#1
Apr 14
$250
#2
Apr 28
$250
#3
May 12
$250
#4
May 26
$250
ACH Authorization. I authorize ACME Supply Co. to initiate debit entries to my Chase checking account for the amounts and dates shown above. I may cancel by contacting support at least 3 business days before a scheduled payment.
Alex Kim
Customer Signature
Signed Apr 14, 2026 · 10:42 PT
IP 174.21.•••.24
Agree & authorize $1,000 plan

Key differences

Third-party BNPL
  • Third party underwrites the loan
  • Percentage cut on every order (typically 4–6% + $0.30)
  • Provider branding on the checkout agreement
  • Customer signs up for the provider's account
  • Chargeback and dispute rules set by the provider
FinanceLayer
  • You underwrite — or apply your own approval rules
  • Flat monthly subscription, no percentage cut
  • Your branding on the agreement and customer emails
  • No third-party account for the customer to create
  • ACH collection via Stripe Financial Connections

Compliance note: FinanceLayer is scheduling and documentation software. It is not a lender. Merchants using 5+ installments or charging interest should consult counsel regarding Truth-in-Lending Act (TILA) and state retail installment sales act (RISA) requirements.

Run your own pay-in-4 program

Install FinanceLayer from the Shopify App Store and create your first installment plan in minutes.