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Personal Finance · head to head

Afterpay vs Skrill

Afterpay logo

Afterpay

Personal Finance

Buy now pay later app splitting purchases into four instalments, owned by Block

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Skrill logo

Skrill

Personal Finance

Fast and secure money transfer

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Afterpay a missed instalment triggers a late fee, and while total late fees on a purchase are capped, repeated missed payments across multiple purchases can add up to a meaningful cost that the interest-free marketing does not foreground.; Skrill a currency conversion fee of 4.49 percent applies to most conversions
  • They diverge on capability: Afterpay covers Four-instalment split, Skrill covers Money transfers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Afterpay and Skrill actually diverge.

Attributes where Afterpay and Skrill differ
AttributeAfterpaySkrill
Pricing modelFree to shoppers with no interest on the standard plan; merchant pays a per-transaction fee, late fees apply to missed paymentstransaction
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2001

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Personal Finance).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Afterpay

  • Four-instalment split
  • No interest on standard plan
  • Late fee structure
  • Merchant transaction fee
  • Afterpay Card
  • Spending limit management

Only in Skrill

  • Money transfers
  • Digital wallet
  • Currency conversion
  • Prepaid card
  • Bank accounts
  • Credit cards
  • Web support
  • IOS support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Afterpay

  • A shopper wanting to spread the cost of a purchase over six weeks without paying interest, provided every payment is made on timenot Skrill
  • A merchant accepting Afterpay to capture shoppers who would otherwise abandon checkout, in exchange for a higher per-transaction fee than card processingnot Skrill
  • A younger buyer without an established credit history using instalment purchases as an alternative to a credit cardnot Skrill
  • Someone tracking their spending who wants to understand that a missed Afterpay payment can now affect a credit report, not just incur a feenot Skrill

Skrill

  • Sending money internationally from a prepaid digital walletnot Afterpay
  • Funding and withdrawing from online merchants and gaming sitesnot Afterpay
  • Buying and selling cryptocurrency inside a wallet accountnot Afterpay

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Afterpay

  • A missed instalment triggers a late fee, and while total late fees on a purchase are capped, repeated missed payments across multiple purchases can add up to a meaningful cost that the interest-free marketing does not foreground.
  • Afterpay has updated its reporting policies so that late payment history can be shared with credit bureaus in some markets including the US, meaning a product marketed as simple instalments can now affect a credit score.
  • Merchants pay a transaction fee commonly in the 4 to 6 percent range plus a fixed fee, well above standard card processing, a cost that is typically absorbed into retail pricing rather than disclosed to the shopper choosing to use Afterpay.
  • Spending limits and approval are based on repayment history within the app rather than a full credit check, which can make it easier to accumulate multiple concurrent instalment obligations across different purchases than a shopper realises.
  • It is only usable at participating retailers or via the Afterpay Card, so coverage is narrower than a general-purpose credit or debit card despite behaving like one at checkout.

Skrill

  • A currency conversion fee of 4.49 percent applies to most conversions
  • An inactivity fee of EUR 5.00 is deducted monthly after six months with no login or transaction
  • Card deposits carry a 2.50 percent fee
  • SWIFT bank withdrawals cost 2.80 percent with a minimum fee of EUR 3.5
  • Skrill to Skrill transfers cost 2.99 percent with a EUR 0.50 minimum on standard accounts, reduced to 1.45 percent only for True Skriller accounts
  • Crypto trading fees are tiered by VIP status, from 1.50 percent standard down to 1.30 percent at Gold and Diamond VIP

Pricing, plan by plan

Afterpay

Free
  • Pay in 4Free
    • No interest charged if all four instalments are paid on time
    • Late fee charged per missed payment, capped as a proportion of order value
    • Missed payment history can be reported to credit bureaus in some markets

Skrill

Free
  • Free AccountFree
    • Money transfers
    • Digital wallet
  • Premier Account$undefined/month
    • Higher limits
    • Special rates

Which should you pick?

Choose Afterpay if

  • You need four-instalment split.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want no interest on standard plan.
Afterpay review

Choose Skrill if

  • You need money transfers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want digital wallet.
Skrill review

Questions people ask

Is Afterpay or Skrill better?
Neither clearly leads. Afterpay starts at Free and Skrill at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Afterpay or Skrill?
Afterpay starts at Free and Skrill at Free.
Does Afterpay or Skrill run on more platforms?
Afterpay runs on iOS, Android, Web. Skrill runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Afterpay for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Afterpay best used for?
Afterpay is most often used for a shopper wanting to spread the cost of a purchase over six weeks without paying interest, provided every payment is made on time, a merchant accepting afterpay to capture shoppers who would otherwise abandon checkout, in exchange for a higher per-transaction fee than card processing, a younger buyer without an established credit history using instalment purchases as an alternative to a credit card, someone tracking their spending who wants to understand that a missed afterpay payment can now affect a credit report, not just incur a fee. Of those, a shopper wanting to spread the cost of a purchase over six weeks without paying interest, provided every payment is made on time and a merchant accepting afterpay to capture shoppers who would otherwise abandon checkout, in exchange for a higher per-transaction fee than card processing are not what Skrill is typically brought in for.
What can Afterpay do that Skrill cannot?
Afterpay covers Four-instalment split, No interest on standard plan, Late fee structure, Merchant transaction fee. Skrill covers Money transfers, Digital wallet, Currency conversion, Prepaid card.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Afterpay: Does Afterpay charge interest?

Not on the standard four-instalment Pay in 4 plan if every payment is made on time; longer instalment plans in some markets can carry interest, and missed payments incur late fees regardless.

Skrill: Is Skrill free to use?

Skrill operates on a freemium model. The digital wallet is free to open and use for basic features. The site refers to a fees page where transfer, conversion, and service fees are disclosed.

Source
Afterpay: Can Afterpay affect my credit score?

Afterpay has updated its policies so that late payment history can be reported to credit bureaus in some markets including the US, which can affect a credit score even though the core product is marketed as interest-free.

Skrill: What are Skrill's fees for transfers and conversions?

Skrill lists transfer, conversion, and service fees but does not display the specific amounts on the homepage. Detailed fee structures are available on Skrill's dedicated fees page at /en/siteinformation/fees/.

Source
Afterpay: Who actually pays for Afterpay to be free for shoppers?

Merchants pay a per-transaction fee, commonly 4 to 6 percent plus a fixed fee, which is generally built into retail pricing rather than shown to the shopper.

Skrill: What services does Skrill offer?

Skrill provides international money transfers, online payment processing, cryptocurrency buying and selling, loyalty rewards through the Knect points program, and a mobile app. These services are included in the free account.

Source
Skrill: Is Skrill regulated?

Yes. Skrill Limited is authorized by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 for issuing electronic money and payment instruments. It is also registered with the FCA as a cryptoasset firm.

Source
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