Top 10 CareCredit Alternatives in 2025: A Comprehensive Comparison

Quick Answer

Top CareCredit Alternatives Include:

Cherry Financing, Denefits, Sunbit, Afterpay, Affirm, Sezzle, Cleargage, Splitit, ZipCo, and iCare Financial. Each offers unique features, from interest-free plans, no credit checks, or soft credit checks, customized terms, and more.

CareCredit medical credit cards help millions of users pay for medical bills and health & wellness services instantly. This payment method is widely accepted across the U.S. It helps break down the cost of services into easier installments. 

However, using medical credit cards can be costly in different ways if you are not careful. So, while CareCredit is a big name, you may wanna explore if there are any better alternatives to CareCredit out there. And you’re right! There are many different financing options available that are similar to CareCredit but may benefit you when the credit score hurdles stand in the way or when CareCredit is not a viable option for you.

In this blog, let’s dive into the leading CareCredit alternative financing options that can help make payments easier for you.

CareCredit Alternatives:

How Other Companies Like CareCredit Differentiate

Here Is a Detailed Look at the Top CareCredit Alternative Methods to Pay

1. Cherry Financing

As a leading financing solution in the BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) landscape for medical practices, Cherry Financing offers patients the flexibility of paying for big medical expenses in fixed installments. 

Unlike CareCredit, Cherry financing does not require a hard credit check, but a soft credit check is usually required. The approval is subject to eligibility, as applicants must meet specified criteria.

✅ Key Advantages:

• Plan Term/Duration: Short- and long-term payment plans are available, i.e., 3, 6, 12, 18, and up to 60 months.

• Credit Check: Soft credit checks only—no hard credit inquiries.

• APR: May offer some plans with 0% APR for a specified timeframe during the promotional period. Standard payment plans may include 0% to 35.99% APR.

• Approval Rate: 75% to 80% is the typical approval rate for Cherry financing, subject to eligibility.

• Early Payoff: Patients can make early payoffs without any pre-payment penalties.

❌ Limitations:

• May not be viable for those with low or poor credit scores

• The maximum financing amount is $10,000 or a higher limit of up to $35,000, only at some practices.

• A down payment is usually required, specified by the provider.

Quick Comparison: Cherry Financing vs CareCredit

2. Denefits Financing Options

Denefits offers ‘No Credit Check’ financing options that make it affordable for more people to access the necessary care and services without credit barriers. Additionally, the Denefits' flexible payment plans can be tailored to perfectly fit the customers’ needs while aligning with the financial goals of businesses. 

For instance, Denefits offers patient financing options tailored to boost healthcare accessibility. However, it can also fit easily with law practices, educational institutions, and other businesses’ financing needs. Hence, it provides a win-win solution that benefits both customers and businesses.

Denefits financing options are a good alternative to CareCredit, as they require no credit checks. While CareCredit may typically reject the application or charge a high interest rate on a medical credit card for bad credit applicants, Denefits financing offers more inclusive payment options for all. Regardless of the credit scores, more people can opt for Denefits financing.  

✅ Key Advantages:

• Flexible Payment Plans: No rigid payment structure; the payment plans can be customized to fit every customer’s needs. The monthly plans offer payment flexibility without financial friction.

• Plan Term/Duration: The payment plan duration can be adjusted as per the customer’s preferences. Standard and customized payment plans are available for short- and long-term, i.e., 3 months to 48 months or more.

• Credit Check: No credit checks are required, so most applicants qualify easily.

• APR: Offers deferred interest plans with zero interest for 12 months, as well as payment plans with standard or low interest rates.

• Approval Rate: Most customers get instant approval with a 95% approval rate.

• Early Payoff: Customers can pay off early to avoid interest charges without prepayment penalties.

• Industries Supported: Denefits financing options are available for a range of service-oriented industries like healthcare practices, dental clinics, opticians, veterinary care, educational institutions, and more.

• Positive Payment Reporting: Your timely payments are reported to credit bureaus, which helps improve your credit score.

❌ Limitations:

• Payment plans for under $300 are not available.

3. Sunbit Solutions

Sunbit is another well-known name among other companies like CareCredit in the BNPL industry. They offer flexible payment plan options tailored to the needs of customers. They offer a range of financing options, such as no-interest plans for 6, 12, or 18 months (depending on the promotional period). The second option is long-term plans of 18–72 months. 

✅ Key Advantages:

• Plan Term/Duration: Offers payment plans from 3 months up to 72 months.

• APR: Offers 6, 12, 18, or 24 month plans with no interest (for specified promo period), and for long-term plans, i.e., 18–72 months, an interest rate between 9.99% to 35.99% applies based on eligibility.

• Credit Check: A soft credit check is used to determine eligibility.

• Approval Rate: Almost 90% of applicants get approved with ease.

• Industries Served: Supports providers from different industries, including healthcare, dental, automotive, and more.

❌ Limitations:

• High-interest charges, especially for those with bad credit scores.

• It may not be the best fit for services over $20,000, as it’s the maximum financing limit of Sunbit.

4. AfterPay

Afterpay is largely used for online and in-store purchases to split the cost of a product or service into smaller installments. Typically, Afterpay lets customers pay in two ways, like “Pay in 4” where customers make 4 equal interest-free installments within 4–6 weeks. They also offer long-term payment plans with “Pay Monthly” for amounts over $400. You can choose a 6 or 12 month plan with Afterpay. Although they don’t require a hard credit check, a soft credit check is needed to qualify.

✅ Key Advantages:

• Plan Term/Duration: Short-term 4–6 week no-interest plans and long-term plans up to 12 months are available.

• Credit Check: A soft credit check is required to assess eligibility.

• APR: “No interest option” for short-term plans, while standard interest charges on long-term plans can be anywhere from 0% to 35.99%, based on eligibility. 

• Approval Rate: On average, approx. 70% of applicants get approval after a soft credit check.

• Spending Limit: Initially, new users have a $600 spending limit. However, making timely repayments can help build a positive payment history and extend the spending limit over time. 

❌ Limitations:

• A rigid payment structure and due date cannot be adjusted to match customer preferences.

• Not ideal for high-ticket items, i.e., over $4000, as this is the standard maximum spending limit for Afterpay. 

5. Affirm

Among other companies like CareCredit, Affirm is also a key BNPL player that offers installment-based payment options. It is similar to CareCredit as it lets customers use a card to access the services and pay over time.

It is widely used by shoppers and merchants across the US and Canada. 

It mainly offers three types of financing options, including “Pay in 4” (paying in four biweekly payments), “Pay in 30” (paying the due amount in a single payment within 30 days), and “Pay Monthly” (monthly installment plans for 3 to 60 months).

The “Pay in 4” and “Pay in 30” options are short-term and interest-free, whereas standard interest rates apply on long-term plans, i.e., 3, 6, 12, 18 months, and so on. The interest rates depend on eligibility after a soft credit check.

✅ Key Advantages:

• Plan Term/Duration: Offers short-term options starting from 30 days to 4–6 weeks and long-term plans for 3 months to 60 months.

• APR: Has short-term plans with no-interest charges and long-term plans with standard interest rates (0% to 36%).

• Credit Check: No hard credit check, but a soft credit check is needed to qualify, though it doesn’t impact the credit scores.

• Approval Rate: Approval depends on various factors; hence, 100% approval is not guaranteed.

• Instant Financing: The Affirm card works similarly to a credit card, with quick financing at your fingertips.

• No Late Fee or Prepayment Penalty: Affirm does not charge fees on late payments, prepayment, or account maintenance. 

❌ Limitations:

• A down payment (i.e., up to <50% of the total purchase amount) may be required for larger purchases. For instance, on an $800 purchase, $160 would be the down payment.

• The maximum cart size limit is $30,000, where $20,000 is financed by Affirm and $10,000 is the down payment for the customer. Hence, it’s not ideal when you need financing for more than $20,000.

• Lower and higher financing limits differ for every merchant.

6. Sezzle

Sezzle is another BNPL player in the financing landscape, which is among companies like CareCredit that help break down the cost of products or services into smaller installments. It operates across the U.S. and Canada and is used for in-store and online transactions. Similar to Afterpay and Affirm, Sezzle also has an option to make 4 interest-free payments in 6 weeks. Additionally, it offers monthly plans for 3–48 months with plans starting at $150. 

✅ Key Advantages:

• Plan Term/Duration: No interest plans for 4–6 weeks and long-term options for 3 months to 48 months with standard interest.

• Credit Check: A soft credit check is performed to assess risk and verify identity before approval. 

• APR: The standard APR is applied to plans based on eligibility, i.e., up to 34.99%. A higher APR is applicable for applicants with bad credit. 

• Approval Rate: The approval is determined based on a soft credit inquiry and other factors.  

• Automated Payments: You can connect your bank account, debit card, or credit card to make automated installment payments. 

• Convenience: You can use the checkout feature to shop from the participating retailer’s website, use the Sezzle virtual card for in-store shopping, or shop through the Sezzle app.

❌ Limitations:

• The maximum order limit is $2,500, though new users may start at a much lower limit.

• The maximum financing limit is $15,000 for monthly payment plans.

7. ClearGage

ClearGage specializes in making patient billing smoother and offers patient financing options. This makes it convenient for patients to settle their healthcare costs over time via easy monthly payments, helping them access the care they need, when they need it. Similar to Denefits, ClearGage allows providers to customize the payment plans to fit the patients’ budgets.

✅ Key Advantages:

• Affordable Options: A range of payment plan options tailored for patients makes care affordable.

• Plan Term/Duration: Offers plans for up to 48 months.

• APR: The APR starts as low as 9.99% for ClearGage financing. They also offer promotional plans with no interest for a specified time frame.

• Credit Check: You can pre-qualify with a soft credit check. However, when you enroll for a ClearGage loan, it will appear as a hard credit inquiry on your credit report.

• HIPAA Compliance: ClearGage is HIPAA compliant to ensure patient data privacy and security. 

❌ Limitations:

• Not ideal for patients needing financing for more than $10,000, as it is the maximum financing limit for ClearGage.

• The financing process may take some time, and after approval, you may receive financing after a minimum of 2 business days; hence, instant financing on the same day is not possible.

8. Splitit

Among the other CareCredit competitors, Splitit is a key technological solution that leverages the customer’s credit card to split the payments into manageable chunks. It is available at select merchants, so when a customer buys something at the checkout, the option to split payments into installments appears, making the buying decision easier. With Splitit, customers can avoid credit checks and interest charges, as there’s no need for financing from a third-party provider.

✅ Key Advantages:

• Plan Term/Duration: Installments can range from 3 months up to 24 months. Installment plans up to 36 months may also be available at some retailers.

• APR: Splitit divides the transaction cost into interest-free installments (besides the interest on credit cards typically charged by providers).

• Credit Check: No credit check is required to qualify, as the transaction cost is split into installments.

• Approval Rate: The transaction approval is based on the credit balance on the credit card. 

• No Down Payment: When a customer chooses to split payments with Splitit, no down payment is charged upfront.

❌ Limitations:

• Only available at selective participating merchants

• Requires a credit card with a sufficient credit limit to cover the entire purchase cost

9. Zip Co.

Zip Co. (previously known as QuadPay) is another alternative to CareCredit, especially for consumers seeking flexible financing options beyond traditional healthcare credit cards. Zip Co. operates across the U.S., with services extending to Australia and New Zealand. It has positioned itself as a major player in the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) space.

While CareCredit primarily requires a credit check, Zip Co relies on a soft credit check, which does not impact the applicant’s credit scores. It simplifies the customer experience, enabling real-time approvals, transparent fees, and no hidden costs. 

They offer three types of plans:

1. Zip Pay: It works as an online shopping wallet with a spending limit of $350 to $2,000.

2. Zip Money: It's a line of credit for larger transactions with a spending limit of $1,000 to $5,000.

3. Zip Plus: A digital card with a higher spending limit, i.e., from $2,000 to $8,000. 

✅ Key Advantages:

• Card & Digital Wallet: With a Zip physical card or digital wallet, users can split their payments into 4 or 8 equal installments.

• Plan Term/Duration: Customers can pay 4–8 interest-free installments paid weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. 

• APR: It offers a short-term, no-interest payment option.

• Industries Supported: Supports a wide range of services, including medical services, dental care, and even retail.  

• Feasibility: It's a feasible option for individuals who may not qualify for CareCredit and prefer an alternative without long-term credit lines.  

❌ Limitations:

• Not ideal for high-ticket purchases over $8000

• Long-term financing options are not supported

10. iCare Financial

This is another financing solution that facilitates “no credit check” patient financing. iCare Financial allows providers to offer easy payment plans to patients without any credit checks, making care more easily accessible. They also offer medical loans on installments for terms ranging from 3 to 60 months. 

✅ Key Advantages:

• Plan Term/Duration: They offer 6, 12, 18, or 24-month plans.

• Credit Check: Does not require a credit check to assess eligibility.

• APR: Qualifying applicants can get payment options at 0% interest.

• Approval Rate: The application process is quick and easy. Most patients get instant approval 

• Upfront Payment: iCare usually requires a small upfront payment as the down payment for monthly plans. Though they may offer some promo plans with no upfront payments. 

• Industries Supported: It focuses on dental patient financing, veterinary financing, medical patient financing, automotive, and consumer verticals. 

❌ Limitations:

• Patients have reported issues with the autopayment process.

• Providers have also reported issues regarding inefficient collections for overdue patient payments.

• Provides financing for various medical treatments up to $20,000, as it’s the maximum financing limit.

Bottom Line

Choosing the right financing solution really comes down to your unique needs—whether it's flexibility, fast approval, or no credit checks. While CareCredit works well for many, there are various alternatives available that don’t require a hard credit check, such as Cherry Financing, AfterPay, Affirm, Sezzle, Cleargage, and Sunbit. And if you want to avoid the credit hassle altogether, “no credit check” financing solutions like Denefits, Zip Co., Splitit, and iCare Financial can help. The right payment plan solution can certainly make all the difference when it comes to making services accessible and reducing financial stress. 

If you want to learn more about a CareCredit alternative like Denefits, feel free to reach out!

CareCredit Alternative FAQs for More Insights

1. What Is the Maximum CareCredit Financing Limit?

The maximum credit limit for CareCredit is $25,000.

2. What Is a CareCredit Alternative for Dental Expenses without a Credit Check?

Denefits’ payment plans work as a great alternative to paying for dental treatments, as you get instant approval—no credit check needed. 

3. Which Is the Best CareCredit Alternative for Bad Credit?

Denefits, Sunbit, and iCare Financial can help as CareCredit alternatives for bad credit and provide more inclusive financing options to meet the needs of customers. 

4. How to Get Approved for CareCredit with Bad Credit?

It can be challenging, but it's not impossible. You can provide the documented proof of financial responsibility demonstrating your ability to manage credit. However, you may be charged a higher interest rate. So, you may want to explore alternatives like Denefits that offer no credit check financing options.