From Klarna to Affirm to Afterpay, various "buy now, pay later" services are popping up as a popular alternative to traditional credit cards, especially among younger consumers.
One reason young people in particular are drawn to buy now, pay later payment plans is because many watched their parents struggle with credit card debt amid the 2008 economic recession, says Christine Roberts, head of Citizens Pay, a buy now, pay later option offered by Citizens Bank.
When it comes to expensive purchases, "this generation very much wants to understand the time frame of payments," Roberts says.
Credit cards, on the other hand, typically calculate a minimum monthly payment based on the overall card balance rather than individual purchases.
However, as with credit cards, buy now, pay later users may risk accumulating debt without realizing it if they're not careful.