Zip review: Easy four-part financing

Written by: Jacqueline DeMarco
• Updated •2 min read
This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.
Young man shopping on the internet on a digital tablet while lying back on his sofa at home.Image: Young man shopping on the internet on a digital tablet while lying back on his sofa at home.

In a Nutshell

Zip, formerly known as Quadpay, enables shoppers to split purchases into four equal payments over six weeks. But you need to link a card for payment and every purchase needs to be approved.
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What you need to know about a Zip personal loan

Zip, formerly known as Quadpay, is a “buy now, pay later” form of financing that allows you to make a purchase and split your payment into four equal interest-free installments. The service may help you cover important purchases, but it comes with several downsides.

Who is Zip good for?

We generally don’t recommend “buy-now, pay-later” apps like Zip if you can avoid them. While the service offers no-interest payments and minimal fees, it might only delay interest payments or bigger fees if you’re not able to make payments on your linked credit or debit card. It’s worth considering a personal loan or 0% APR credit card as another option, if you’re able to qualify.

Still, Zip might be a useful tool for making important purchases in an emergency. The service is simple to use and offers a spread-out payment schedule, so it’s a decent option when you’re able to make the biweekly payments but unable to pay for the whole purchase all at once.

*Approval Odds are not a guarantee of approval. Credit Karma determines Approval Odds by comparing your credit profile to other Credit Karma members who were approved for the personal loan, or whether you meet certain criteria determined by the lender. Of course, there’s no such thing as a sure thing, but knowing your Approval Odds may help you narrow down your choices. For example, you may not be approved because you don’t meet the lender’s “ability to pay standard” after they verify your income and employment; or, you already have the maximum number of accounts with that specific lender.

About the author: Jacqueline DeMarco is a freelance writer based in southern California who graduated from the University of California Irvine with a degree in literary journalism. She writes about a wide range of topics, including fin… Read more.