You may have heard of Zilch, a popular Buy Now Pay Later app. The thing that makes it unique from other platforms is that you can use it to shop at practically any retailer. With its great service, Zilch seems to be a wonderful app to use. Nevertheless, “is Zilch legit?” is a huge concern for most users before using it. In this article, we take a deep look into how Zilch works, its pros and cons and whether it is legit to use.
Table of Contents
What is Zilch?
Zilch, also known as ZilchPay and Zilch Technologies Ltd is a Buy Now Pay Later app that enables users to pay off their purchases over time. This company was established in 2018 in the United Kingdom. It is currently a popular provider of BNPL payments, with over 1 million customers in just 13 months since its launch. Furthermore, as of November 2021, this company has the plan to expand into the US. Unlike other Buy Now Pay Later companies, Zilch is not only available within their retailer partner network. This company allows customers to make purchases at any retailer they want. The user pays for their purchases in 4 installments over 6 weeks.
What services does Zilch provide?
Zilch provides users with a virtual Mastercard which they can connect to GooglePay, ApplePay or SamsungPay for in-store payments via mobile phone. It has a network of over 1000 retailers, which gives you thousands of shopping options, including Amazon, eBay, Next, Asda, Deliveroo and Tesco. This app allows you to pay for goods in four equal payments over six weeks without interest or hidden fees. However, you can opt to pay earlier if they wish. It’s worth noting that there are some purchases you can not use Zilch to pay for. Below are some of the common ones you need to know.
- Alcohol
- Credit card and loan payments
- Coins or precious metals
- Gambling
- Weapons, including parts and accessories
- Illegal items and activities
- Money transferring services
- Narcotics and drugs including paraphernalia
It is advisable to browse the Zilch website to learn the full list of purchases before you start using it.
Is Zilch legit?
After having basic information about Zilch, let’s find out the answer to the most vital question of this article “Is Zilch legit?”. In short, Zilch is a completely legit app for Buy Now Pay Later payment. It is regulated by the FCA and with a Trustpilot Excellent rating. At the time this article was written, it had a 4.6-star rating from more than 43000 reviewers. The best thing is that there are 85% of customers giving it 5 stars while 1 star just accounts for 7%. In addition, in just 13 months since its launch, this company has more than 1 million customers and is a unicorn company, a privately held company with a value of more than $1 billion.
Pros and cons of Zilch
We all know that everything has both sides and Zilch is no exception. Therefore, before you use Zilch, it is of vital importance to flick through its advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of the most common pros and cons of Zilch you need to know.
Pros of Zilch
The first benefit of Zilch is that the company allows you to order your chosen item when you want it and cover the costs later on. Furthermore, there is no interest charged on purchases within its network of retailers. In addition, If you want to pay off your balance before your scheduled repayment date, you can do so for free. Unlike some other buy now pay later providers, it offers the Zilch Anywhere feature for retailers that don’t accept Mastercard or haven’t partnered with this company. Plus, there is no hidden or late fee on the site.
Cons of Zilch
Zilch also has some negative points that need to take into consideration when using the app. This company only allows users to split payments into four equal instalments over six weeks at a rate of 25% of the total cost of the item while you can find a wide range of plans in some other Buy Now Pay Later companies. Additionally, you have to pay a small fee for the Zilch Anywhere feature if you want to use Zilch when shopping on a site that isn’t a partner.
Unlike other BNPL platforms, you cannot stop payments while a retailer processes a refund, which means that you’ll still be charged your two-week instalments until your return is processed. Last but not least, there are some negative comments about its service. The majority of reviewers said that they find it difficult to get in touch with Zilch’s customer service team when they met problems.
Zilch service fee
There is no fee when using Zilch. You don’t need to pay any interest when you make purchases with over 1000 retailers partnering with Zilch. However, you have to pay a fee of £2.50 added when shopping with Zilch Anywhere.
Zilch alternatives
Buy Now Pay Later payment seems to be growing in the last few years, so there are many companies offering this service. Here are some of the best legit Zilch alternatives that you can consider if you experienced dissatisfaction with Zilch.
Klarna
Klarna is a Swedish company established in Stockholm in 2005. The company’s purpose is to simplify the payment and shopping experience. After the first success in some countries, Klarna entered the UK market and has its office in London in 2012. The BNPL products were introduced in 2017. With Klarna service, you can extend the payment to 30 days or pay in 3 instalments with no interest added. The company makes money through the commission of the order value from sellers.
Laybuy
Laybuy is a BNPL provider founded in New Zealand in 2017. This company is currently available in the UK and Australia. As of January 2022, it has almost 13,000 merchants and 930,000 active customers. Unlike Zilch, you only make purchases from merchants that have been approved by Laybuy and do it via the website, app and in-store.
FAQs on Zilch
Is Zilch safe?
Yes. Zilch is extremely safe to use. Zilch is the first Buy Now Pay Later provider to be licensed by the Financial Conduct Authority. When not in use, the Zilch card is locked. To make a purchase, customers first have to log into their account via the Zilch website or app to unlock the account, and then select the store where the purchase will be made. In addition, this company is a partner of Credit Kudos, an open banking provider. Open banking has the same feature as traditional online banking systems. However, it provides safe transactions because it doesn’t store your personal information or bank account details.
What are Zilch customer reviews about?
Zilch has a rating of 4.7 stars on Trustpilot, showing that most customers are happy with the company’s service. A large number of customers are satisfied with its repayment structure and affordable fees. What’s more, some users said that the service is simple to use and set up. Furthermore, they also highlighted that the app was user-friendly and simple to navigate. However, there are also some negative points about a lack of customer service and low response. Some customers said that it is difficult to contact the service team although they offer a wide range of contact options such as email, live chat or Facebook messenger.
Does Zilch perform a credit check?
Zilch runs a credit check to verify your information and determine your creditworthiness. This check won’t affect your credit score and be visible to others on your credit record. However, you can see it in your record when you’ve signed up to access your credit file. Based on its credit check, Zilch will give you its own credit score to determine how much you can spend with them.
How does Zilch make money?
Zilch makes its money in several ways. However, the main way Zilch makes money is from the retailers they have partnered with since they pay a small fee for every transaction that takes place. With Zilch, you can make purchases at more than 1000 retailers, but when you use Zilch Anywhere, you have to pay a fixed service fee.
Where can I use Zilch?
Zilch has a larger partner network, with more than 1000 retailers, so you can use this app anywhere you can use a Mastercard. Furthermore, it also offers the Zilch Anywhere feature for those stores that don’t accept Mastercard or haven’t partnered with this company. However, you have to pay a fee for this option.
Final thoughts on is Zilch legit
We have provided you with a lot of information about Zilch, and how it works as well as given answers to some questions people frequently ask before getting started. I hope that the above information is useful for you to decide whether Zilch is legit and trustworthy to use. This company has an excellent rating on reputable review sites, so there is no doubt to say that it is an ideal option for those who are looking for a Buy Now Pay Later site.