What is Buy Now, Pay Later?
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) adds Affirm as a checkout option on eligible invoices. Here's how it works at a high level:
Your client chooses to pay with Affirm at checkout and is approved for financing.
You receive the full invoice amount upfront, just like any other payment method.
Your client pays Affirm back over time, according to the terms Affirm offers them.
You're never waiting on installment payments — Affirm handles that relationship directly with your client.
Who's eligible
Buy Now, Pay Later is approved by Stripe and Affirm. HoneyBook will pass along your request on your behalf, so eligibility depends on your account status with them.
Account-level eligibility
Whether Affirm is available to turn on depends on your bank account and where you are in the request process. Here's what you'll see in Company Settings at each stage:
Status | What you'll see |
No bank account connected | Nothing yet — connect your bank account first to request Affirm. |
Never requested | A button to request Affirm. |
Approved | A toggle, switched on by default. |
Under review | A toggle, switched off, with a tooltip letting you know your request is pending. |
Declined, or you've turned it off | A toggle, switched off. |
Invoice-level eligibility
Even once Affirm is approved on your account, it only appears as a checkout option on an invoice when:
The invoice is a single payment (Affirm doesn't support payment plans or milestone/split invoices)
The payment amount is between $50 and $30,000
If you haven't requested Affirm yet, invoices will link back to Company Settings so you can get started. If your request is still under review, you'll see the toggle switched off with a tooltip letting you know.
📣 Note Affirm doesn't extend eligibility to every type of business. Industries such as commercial photography, video production, consulting, and other B2B or professional services are ineligible. Members outside the US also aren't eligible. |
Setting up Affirm on your account
If your account is eligible, turning on Affirm may trigger a quick verification step with our payment processor, Stripe. Here's what to expect:
You may be prompted to add additional information on your Bank Details page.
You may receive an email letting you know that changes were made to your account and that additional requirements are needed.
Is something wrong with my account if I get this email or prompt? No — this is a normal, expected part of turning on Affirm, not a sign that anything is wrong with your account. Simply follow the prompt or email instructions to add the requested information, and Affirm will be enabled once it's complete.
What you'll see as the member
Affirm will appear as a checkout option on eligible single-payment invoices sent to your client. You can track a payment made with Affirm the same way you track any other payment, in Finance > Payments.
Once your client completes checkout with Affirm, you receive your full payment upfront, just like with any other payment method. Affirm is a checkout-only option offered to your client — it won't appear in your list of saved payment methods.
What your client sees at checkout
Your client opens the invoice and selects Affirm as their payment method.
They're redirected to Affirm to complete an approval process.
Once approved, they're redirected back to HoneyBook, and the invoice is automatically marked as paid.
Your client then manages their installment payments directly with Affirm — this doesn't involve HoneyBook or require any action from you.
Still have questions? Feel free to send us a message by clicking the Question Mark icon on any HoneyBook page. Our team is always happy to help!