BNPL That Builds Credit: Which Providers Report, How They Report, and How to Benefit Safely

Intro — Why BNPL reporting matters in 2025

Buy‑now‑pay‑later (BNPL) services are no longer invisible to the credit ecosystem. Starting in 2024–2025 several major BNPL players and at least one credit bureau began making BNPL loan information part of consumer credit files, and credit‑scoring firms are building BNPL‑aware models that will roll out in late 2025. These shifts mean your on‑time BNPL behavior can potentially help build credit — and late or misreported BNPL activity can hurt it.

This guide explains which providers currently report (or offer reporting options), how that reporting typically looks on credit files, what changes to expect from scoring vendors, and practical, low‑risk strategies to benefit from BNPL without adding unwanted risk.

Which BNPL providers report (or offer reporting) — concise breakdown

Not all BNPL vendors take the same approach. Some furnish account/payment data to one or more national credit bureaus; others do not report routine, on‑time Pay‑in‑4 activity and only report severe delinquencies or collections. Here are the high‑impact examples consumers should know about:

• Affirm — Affirm began furnishing pay‑over‑time information to Experian starting April 1, 2025, and has said it will expand reporting to other bureaus; Affirm’s move is intended to let consumers receive credit for positive repayment behavior.
• Apple Pay Later — Apple started furnishing Pay‑in‑4 loan information to Experian (consumer reports began including Apple Pay Later data with a BNPL designation effective March 1, 2024). Experian notes that, initially, BNPL entries are visible on reports but are not included in traditional scores until scoring vendors adopt BNPL‑friendly models.
• Sezzle (Sezzle Up) — Sezzle offers an opt‑in credit‑building program (often called Sezzle Up) that reports payment behavior to the major bureaus; reporting is generally optional and requires enrollment. That makes Sezzle one of the more widely cited consumer options for BNPL credit‑building.
• Afterpay / Block (US) — Afterpay generally does not report routine, on‑time Pay‑in‑4 activity to U.S. credit bureaus, though late payments and accounts sent to collections can be reported. Reporting practices can differ by country because local regulation and bureau practices vary.
• Klarna — Klarna’s reporting is product‑ and market‑specific: some longer‑term Klarna loans have been furnished to TransUnion and other bureaus in certain markets, but Klarna has said in the U.S. it does not broadly report Pay‑in‑4 style transactions until bureaus adopt responsible processing for this data. Expect product‑level variation.
• Other players (Zip, PayPal Pay in 4, Splitit, Snap, etc.) — Most of these providers traditionally have not reported routine Pay‑in‑4 installments to all three major bureaus in the U.S.; some perform soft checks at approval and reserve the right to report late accounts or collections. Practices change quickly — always check the provider’s FAQ and the disclosure you see at checkout.

Bottom line: Affirm and Apple Pay Later are notable for active furnishing (Experian and, in Affirm’s case, expanding), Sezzle offers an opt‑in reporting path, and many other large BNPL brands either do not report routine on‑time pay‑in‑4 activity in the U.S. or report only negative events. Always confirm with the merchant/provider at checkout because reporting options vary by product and country.

How BNPL data appears on credit files and how scores treat it

When a BNPL provider furnishes data it generally appears on your credit report as a BNPL/other installment account or a tradeline with a specific furnishing code. Initially bureaus may show BNPL accounts in a designated BNPL section or as ‘‘other’’ installment loans so lenders can see the activity without scoring engines automatically penalizing or crediting it. Experian explicitly marks Apple Pay Later accounts with a BNPL designation on consumer reports.

Two important implications:

1. Visibility vs. scoring: Inclusion on a bureau file doesn’t automatically mean the item affects your FICO or VantageScore number. Credit‑scoring firms have historically excluded many short BNPL plans from traditional models. That is changing: FICO and others are developing BNPL‑enhanced scores that will incorporate BNPL payment behavior; FICO announced BNPL‑capable variants and product work slated for fall 2025. Expect scoring adoption to be gradual and optional for lenders at first.
2. Data completeness and lender access: A bureau can collect BNPL data from multiple vendors, but lenders only see and use that information if they request the bureau report version that includes BNPL fields. TransUnion has been collecting BNPL term‑loan data from some providers and experimenting with how to present it to users and lenders.

Practical takeaway: even if BNPL payments are reported, their impact on your score depends on (a) which bureau received the data, (b) whether the scoring model a lender uses counts BNPL, and (c) whether you have other credit history. For thin‑file consumers, responsible BNPL reporting could become a meaningful way to build tradelines; for established borrowers, BNPL entries may change file composition but won’t immediately overhaul scores.

How to benefit safely — step‑by‑step consumer playbook

If your goal is to use BNPL to build (or not harm) credit, follow these practical steps:

• Confirm reporting before you buy: At checkout or in the BNPL app, look for statements about reporting ("reports to Experian/TransUnion/Equifax" or "optional reporting/credit‑building program"). If it’s not clear in the app, contact customer service. (Providers’ public FAQs and press releases are also useful.)
• Opt in only when it helps: Use opt‑in reporting features (for example, Sezzle Up) only if you can reliably make on‑time payments — reporting benefits only accrue with positive payment history; late payments may be reported too.
• Treat BNPL like credit: Set calendar reminders or autopay to avoid missed installments. Even if a provider doesn’t report on‑time payments, late payments can be sent to collections and show up on reports.
• Monitor credit files weekly: Sign up for free monitoring (many bureaus allow free daily Experian checks) and pull full reports from each bureau at least quarterly to verify BNPL entries are accurate. If you see a forged or incorrect BNPL tradeline, dispute it promptly under the FCRA.
• Know alternatives for credit building: If your purpose is strictly to build traditional scores, compare BNPL reporting to more predictable options — secured cards, credit‑builder loans, rent‑reporting services, or products explicitly designed to furnish positive payment data to the bureaus. BNPL can help, but it’s product‑specific and less consistent.
• Watch for product‑level differences: The same company may report some products (monthly installment loans) but not others (pay‑in‑4). When in doubt, ask: "Will this specific transaction be furnished to Experian/TransUnion/Equifax, and will it be included in the consumer credit file used by lenders?"

Following these steps helps you capture upside (credit for consistent repayments) while minimizing downside (surprises from unreported balances or late‑payment records).

If something goes wrong: If a BNPL trade line is wrong — identity mismatch, wrong balance, or incorrect payment status — use the bureau dispute forms and ask the BNPL furnisher for proof of accuracy. If the furnisher can’t verify, the bureau must remove or correct the entry. Save payment receipts and correspondence as evidence.