Buy Now Pay Later cost calculator
BNPL is fee-free if you never miss a payment. See what it actually costs if you do.
What this means for you
See how the fees compare between Afterpay and Laybuy for the same purchase and missed payments.
Compare providers
Same purchase, same number of missed payments — see how the two providers' fees stack up.
| Provider | Fees | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| Afterpay | $0 | $0 |
| Laybuy | $0 | $0 |
Your currently-selected provider is highlighted. Laybuy spreads payments over more weeks with a lower flat fee cap; Afterpay's fee can be higher but is spread across fewer instalments.
Assumptions & sources
Published Afterpay and Laybuy late fee schedules for NZ customers.
1 July 2026
17 July 2026
Afterpay: $17 per missed payment (an initial $10 fee plus $7 if still unpaid after about a week), capped at the lesser of 25% of the order or $68. Laybuy: $10 flat per missed payment, capped at $40.
Late fees only, based on the number of missed payments you specify.
Any account suspension effects, impact on future BNPL approval, or interactions with your bank's own overdraft or dishonour fees if a payment fails.
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Read article →Why BNPL feels free until it isn't
Buy Now Pay Later providers make their money mainly from merchant fees, not from customers, which is why there's no interest charge if you pay on time. The risk is entirely in missed payments — late fees are flat dollar amounts rather than percentage-based interest, which means they hit hardest on smaller purchases and add up fast if you're juggling several BNPL purchases at once and miss payments on more than one.
BNPL purchases also don't build any credit history the way responsible credit card use can, and multiple concurrent BNPL commitments can be easy to lose track of since each provider tracks your payments separately — worth keeping a simple list if you use more than one.
Frequently asked questions
Yes — no interest is charged, and if every instalment is paid on time there's no fee at all. Costs only appear if you miss a payment.
A late fee applies and your account may be paused from new purchases. Afterpay charges an initial fee plus more if still unpaid after about a week, capped at the lesser of 25% of the order or $68. Laybuy charges a flat fee per missed payment, capped at $40.
