What began as a checkout convenience for sneakers and sofas is now threading its way into grocery aisles, utility bills and subscription renewals, as paying over time assumes a regular place in household budgeting.
According to PYMNTS Intelligence’s February 2026 Pay Later Ecosystem Report, buy now, pay later (BNPL) and card installment plans have moved beyond seasonal splurges and into everyday money management, reshaping how consumers smooth cash flow and how banks and FinTechs think about post-purchase engagement
The report defines “Pay Later” broadly, spanning traditional credit cards, credit card installment plans, private-label cards, store-branded installment programs and BNPL. While these tools differ in structure, they share a common premise: part of the purchase is paid at checkout, with the remainder spread over time.
BNPL typically offers short-term, interest-free plans such as four equal payments over six weeks, funded by merchant fees, with longer plans carrying interest. Credit card installment plans, by contrast, usually consolidate balances onto a monthly card statement and can revert to revolving credit if payments are missed. In practice, consumers increasingly treat both as interchangeable budgeting instruments.
That behavioral shift is most pronounced among millennials and bridge millennials, the cohort spanning older millennials and younger Gen X. Well over 4 in 10 millennials (45%) and bridge millennials (42%) used credit card installment plans in the prior three months, and one-quarter of each group also relied on BNPL. These rates exceed those of Gen X and Gen Z, even as overall adoption edged down slightly during the holiday period.
Financial lifestyle also matters. Among consumers living paycheck to paycheck, 36% used credit card installments and 18% used BNPL, compared with 25% and 9%, respectively, among those with more financial breathing room.
From Discretionary to Essential
Perhaps the most consequential change lies in what types of expenses people are financing.
Everyday essentials now account for a meaningful share of pay-over-time activity, marking a departure from BNPL’s origins in apparel and electronics. The report finds that consumers increasingly use these plans for groceries, utilities and subscription services, folding installment credit into recurring household obligations rather than treating it as an occasional bridge for larger purchases. This shift carries financial consequences.
Users who apply BNPL to essential or recurring expenses are more likely to pay interest than those who confine it to discretionary categories, reflecting both the frequency of these transactions and their role in managing cash flow between paychecks. For many households, paying over time has become less about indulgence and more about maintaining day-to-day stability.
That shift carries financial implications. Slightly more than 3 in 10 BNPL users paid interest at least once in the previous three months, and 28% paid account or usage fees. Bridge millennials were the most likely to incur interest charges at 39%, followed by millennials at 34%. Baby boomers trailed far behind at 14%.
Expense type makes a clear difference. Consumers using BNPL for essential or recurring purchases were more likely to pay interest (32%) than those reserving it for discretionary spending (25%). Among those financing both essentials and optional items, that figure rose to 40%.
For banks, FinTechs and merchants, the message is unambiguous. Paying over time has entered the monthly budget, and helps consumers stock the pantry, among other everyday expenses.
At PYMNTS Intelligence, we work with businesses to uncover insights that fuel intelligent, data-driven discussions on changing customer expectations, a more connected economy and the strategic shifts necessary to achieve outcomes. With rigorous research methodologies and unwavering commitment to objective quality, we offer trusted data to grow your business. As our partner, you’ll have access to our diverse team of PhDs, researchers, data analysts, number crunchers, subject matter veterans and editorial experts.
