economy
January 22, 2026
You may soon be able to use a buy now, pay later plan for your rent—what to know
Consumers can use buy now, pay later plans for nearly everything these days, potentially including their rent soon.
TL;DR
- Affirm and Esusu are partnering to offer buy now, pay later plans for rent payments.
- Eligible renters can pay rent in two equal, biweekly installments with 0% interest and no late fees through Affirm via Esusu.
- This offering is part of a pilot program with an unannounced launch date.
- Esusu also offers a split pay option for its plus and premium members.
- Rents in the U.S. increased by approximately 3% in December 2025 compared to the previous year.
- Nearly half of renters spent over 30% of their income on housing costs in 2023.
- Financial experts caution that buy now, pay later plans for rent do not solve the underlying affordability issue.
- Experts suggest that relying on these plans for rent could lead to fiscal irresponsibility and overspending.
- Affirm states the new offer provides a transparent and flexible option aligned with paychecks, with individual underwriting to ensure responsible repayment.
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