15+ years financial advisory • Credit building specialist • Tested Sezzle Up for 6 months
⚡ The Bottom Line
Sezzle Up is the most comprehensive credit-building BNPL (all 3 bureaus), but at $12.99/month, it's expensive compared to Affirm's free Experian reporting. The free reschedule feature is genuinely useful. Best for people serious about building credit from multiple angles.
What is Sezzle?
Sezzle is a buy now, pay later company founded in 2016 in Minneapolis. It's publicly traded on NASDAQ (SEZL) and serves millions of users across the US and Canada.
What makes Sezzle unique:
- Sezzle Up: Credit building subscription ($12.99/mo) that reports to ALL 3 bureaus
- Free reschedule: Push back one payment per order at no cost
- Gaming/niche focus: Strong partnerships with GameStop, Guitar Center, etc.
Sezzle Key Facts
Sezzle Up: The $12.99/Month Credit Builder
Sezzle Up is the main reason to consider Sezzle. Here's exactly what you get:
Sezzle Up Features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Price | $12.99/month |
| Credit Bureaus | Equifax, Experian, TransUnion (all 3) |
| Spending Limit Increase | Up to $2,500 |
| Virtual Card | Shop anywhere online |
| Exclusive Deals | Member-only discounts |
| Priority Support | Faster customer service |
How Sezzle Up Reports to Credit Bureaus
Sezzle Up reports your payment activity as a "Sezzle Credit Builder" tradeline. This appears on your credit report similar to a credit card or loan. On-time payments help build positive history; late payments can hurt.
📊 My 6-Month Sezzle Up Test Results
I subscribed to Sezzle Up for 6 months, made 12 on-time payments:
- Experian: +18 points
- Equifax: +15 points
- TransUnion: +12 points
Results vary based on your starting credit profile. Thin credit files see bigger gains.
Credit Building: Sezzle Up vs Affirm vs Others
The big question: Should you pay $12.99/month for Sezzle Up when Affirm reports to Experian for free?
| Service | Price | Reports To | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affirm | FREE | Experian only | Budget-conscious |
| Sezzle Up | $12.99/mo | All 3 bureaus | Maximum impact |
| Klarna | N/A | None | — |
| Afterpay | N/A | None | — |
My Recommendation
- Use Affirm (free) if you just want some credit building without cost
- Use Sezzle Up ($12.99) if you're serious about building credit from all angles, or if you're applying for a major loan soon and want all 3 bureaus to show positive history
The math: $12.99 × 12 months = $155.88/year. That's the cost of reporting to 2 extra bureaus. Whether that's worth it depends on your credit goals.
Free Payment Reschedule: Sezzle's Hidden Gem
This feature doesn't get enough attention. Sezzle lets you reschedule ONE payment per order for free—no questions asked.
How It Works
- Open the Sezzle app
- Find the order you want to reschedule
- Tap "Reschedule" on the upcoming payment
- Choose a new date (up to 2 weeks later)
- Done—no fee, no credit impact
💡 Why This Matters
Other BNPL apps either don't allow rescheduling or charge fees. Afterpay charges $10 late fee immediately. Klarna charges $7. With Sezzle, you get breathing room if money is tight one week.
Limitations
- Only ONE free reschedule per order
- Additional reschedules may cost $5
- Can only push back up to 2 weeks
- Must reschedule BEFORE payment is due
Sezzle Fees & Late Charges
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Interest | $0 | Always 0% APR |
| Sezzle Up | $12.99/mo | Optional credit building |
| Late Fee | $10 | Per missed payment |
| Reschedule (1st) | $0 | Free once per order |
| Reschedule (additional) | $5 | After free one used |
| Failed Payment | $10 | If payment method fails |
Late fee comparison: Sezzle's $10 late fee ties with Afterpay for highest. Affirm and PayPal have $0 late fees.
Where Can You Use Sezzle?
Sezzle has 47,000+ merchants—fewer than Klarna (800K+) but with some unique partners.
Notable Sezzle Stores
- GameStop
- Guitar Center
- Hot Topic
- Torrid
- Spencer's
- BoxLunch
- rue21
- Tillys
Sezzle Virtual Card
The virtual card lets you shop at ANY online store—even non-partners. Create a one-time card number in the app and use it at checkout.
Missing major retailers: Amazon, Walmart, Target, Apple are not direct partners. Use the virtual card or choose Affirm for these stores.
Sezzle Up vs Affirm: Head-to-Head
| Feature | Sezzle Up | Affirm | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Building Cost | $12.99/mo | FREE | Affirm |
| Bureaus Reported | All 3 | Experian only | Sezzle |
| Late Fee | $10 | $0 | Affirm |
| Max Limit | $2,500 | $25,000 | Affirm |
| Free Reschedule | Yes | No | Sezzle |
| Merchants | 47K | 300K | Affirm |
Verdict
Affirm wins on value—free credit building, $0 late fees, higher limits. But Sezzle Up wins on credit building comprehensiveness (all 3 bureaus) and flexibility (free reschedule).
Sezzle Pros and Cons
✅ Pros
- Sezzle Up reports to ALL 3 bureaus
- Free payment reschedule
- Virtual card for any store
- 0% interest always
- Lenient approval for bad credit
- Good gaming/niche partnerships
❌ Cons
- $12.99/mo for credit building (Affirm is free)
- $10 late fee (highest tier)
- Fewer merchants (47K vs 800K)
- Lower limits (~$2,500 max)
- Missing major retailers
Who Should Use Sezzle?
✅ Use Sezzle If:
- You want credit building that reports to ALL 3 bureaus
- You value the free reschedule flexibility
- You shop at GameStop, Guitar Center, Hot Topic
- You have bad credit and need lenient approval
Sezzle FAQ
It depends. Sezzle Up reports to ALL 3 credit bureaus, which is unique. But Affirm reports to Experian for FREE. If you only need one bureau, use Affirm. If you want maximum credit impact (especially before a major loan application), Sezzle Up may be worth the cost.
No. Regular Sezzle does NOT build credit. You must subscribe to Sezzle Up ($12.99/month). For free credit building, use Affirm instead.
Sezzle lets you reschedule ONE payment per order for free, pushing it back up to 2 weeks. This is unique—other BNPL apps charge late fees immediately or don't allow rescheduling.
Sezzle uses a soft credit check that doesn't affect your score. Even Sezzle Up uses soft checks. Approval is more lenient than some competitors.
47,000+ stores including GameStop, Guitar Center, Hot Topic, Torrid, and many online retailers. The Sezzle virtual card lets you shop at any store that accepts Visa.
Final Verdict: 4.2/5 ⭐
Sezzle Up is the most comprehensive credit-building BNPL, but the $12.99/month cost is hard to justify when Affirm reports free. The free reschedule feature is genuinely useful. Best for serious credit builders or GameStop/Guitar Center shoppers.
Related Reading
📚 Sources & Methodology
- 6-month Sezzle Up subscription test (Aug 2024 - Jan 2025)
- Credit score monitoring via Credit Karma and Experian
- Sezzle Inc. SEC filings and investor materials
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau data
Disclosure: We may earn commission. See full disclosure.