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Employee purchase programs

Buy through work and pay it off in small payroll deductions: no interest, and usually no credit check. Here's how it works and what it really costs.

See your options

What an employee purchase program is

An employee purchase program is a store you reach through your job. Your employer (or a union, association or government agency) offers it as an optional benefit. You pick something from an online catalog, such as a laptop, a TV, a washer or a sofa, and pay for it with small deductions from your paycheck over several months.

It's buy now, pay later with your paycheck doing the paying. Approval is based on your job rather than your credit score, so it can work for people who can't get a card or a store plan.

How it works

  1. Check that your employer offers one. Look in your benefits portal or perks site, or ask HR. Many large companies, states and universities do.
  2. Sign up and see your limit. Programs usually ask that you're at least 18 and have worked there for a minimum time. Your spending limit is set by your pay and how long you've been there.
  3. Pick what you want. Before you buy, you see the total price and how much will come out of each paycheck.
  4. Pay it off through payroll. The deductions usually run for 6 to 12 months and come out automatically.

What it costs

These programs don't charge interest, and the big ones say they don't charge fees either. The price in the catalog is the whole cost.

That price is where the catch is. Catalog prices can run well above what the same item costs at a regular store, and critics have called that out. Before you commit, compare the catalog price with a store price, and with what a card or a pay-in-4 plan would cost you.

Before you sign up

  • You'll usually need a backup bank account or card. If payroll deductions stop, for example because you change jobs, the program charges that instead until the balance is paid.
  • Deductions come out before your pay reaches your bank, so plan around the smaller take-home amount.
  • Your limit is fixed and shown up front, which keeps you from overspending.

Not the same thing

  • Employee discount programs. Many employers have a perks site with discounts on brands, travel and tickets. You pay up front, so they lower the price but don't spread it out.
  • Earned wage access. Apps such as DailyPay and Payactiv let you take pay you've already earned before payday. Fees can apply, especially for instant transfers.
  • Payroll-deducted loans. Some employers offer small loans repaid from your paycheck. They charge interest, so compare the APR.
  • Company stores. Some universities and large employers run their own tech stores that accept payroll deduction for computers.

Facts checked November 2026. Every employer's program is a little different, so your plan's own terms are the ones that count.

Your options

Two ways to buy now and pay from your paycheck.

Purchasing Power

The best-known employee purchase program, offered through employers, associations and government agencies.

Payments
Payroll deductions over 6–12 months
Interest
None
Credit check
None; eligibility is based on your job
Spending limit
Set by your pay and how long you've worked there
Visit Purchasing Power ↗

Perpay

No employer program needed: part of each paycheck goes to Perpay by direct deposit.

Payments
A split of your direct deposit each payday
Interest
None on marketplace orders
Credit check
Built around your paycheck, not your score
Needs
A payroll that lets you split direct deposit
Visit Perpay ↗ Read more →

Rather not wait for payday?

Pay-in-4 services split a purchase into four payments with no interest when you pay on time, at the stores that offer them. Two of them, Affirm and PayPal Pay in 4, say they never charge late fees.

Compare pay-later services

Quick answers

Does an employee purchase program check my credit?

Usually not. Eligibility is based on your job: things like your age, your pay and how long you've worked there. Purchasing Power says it doesn't use credit scores or credit checks.

What happens if I leave my job?

Payroll deductions stop, and the program charges the backup bank account or card you gave when you signed up until the balance is paid.

Is it cheaper than buying at a store?

Usually not on the price tag. There's no interest, but catalog prices can be higher than store prices. You're trading a higher price for an easy, interest-free plan with no credit check, so compare the total before you buy.

How do I find out if my employer offers one?

Check your benefits portal or employee perks site, or ask HR. You can also search for your employer's name with the words “employee purchase program”.

What if my employer doesn't offer one?

Perpay works through your direct deposit instead of an employer program. Pay-in-4 services such as Affirm and PayPal Pay in 4 are another way to spread out a purchase without interest.