BNPL is becoming an increasingly mainstream part of how South Africans manage their spending and household cash flow.
With annual inflation at 4.4% in August, the repo rate now at 7.25%, and petrol prices up to over R30 a litre, consumers have even more reason to think carefully about when they spend and how they pay.
PayJustNow, which serves around 4.5 million customers, recorded its highest-ever transaction value in July. An active customer has used the platform an average of 5.08 times over the past 12 months, while PayJustNow consistently records payment completion on more than 98% of total transaction value.
These BNPL figures support the view that the service is becoming part of how households manage their spending.
Dean Hyde, COO at PayJustNow, says consumers are still participating in the economy and paying closer attention to affordability and timing.
“Consumers are under pressure and are thinking more carefully about how a purchase fits alongside everything else they need to pay for that month. We are seeing people use flexibility to manage purchases they can afford across known payment dates. When using BNPL the cost of the purchase and the repayment schedule are clear from the start,” says Hyde.
That shift is also visible in where PayJustNow can now be used. The platform has expanded beyond its early fashion and e-commerce base into a much wider range of everyday needs and planned purchases.
Through Netcare Medicross, customers can use PayJustNow for GP and dental services, while its healthcare expansion now also includes Netcare diagnostics and emergency services. PayJustNow is also now available at Ackermans nationwide, following a successful pilot that began in December 2025, expanding its use for family purchases, including clothing and school uniforms.
Online shopping remains an important part of the picture. The launch with OneDayOnly in October gives customers another option for planned purchases at a time when households are looking closely at value and trying to make available cash go further.
Hyde says the growth in use needs to be considered alongside how customers are repaying.
“More people using BNPL is only a positive if they are keeping up with what they owe. Payment completion remains above 98% of the total transaction value, which provides an important measure of how the product is being used. The value for the customer is having more control over the timing of a purchase, with a clear view of what they need to pay and when.”
That behaviour is likely to become more relevant as South Africans head into the year-end shopping period and back-to-school spending.
Household budgets remain under pressure, and consumers are looking for practical ways to plan purchases around available cash flow. The widening range of places where BNPL can be used shows how the category is moving beyond occasional online retail and becoming part of how consumers manage planned spending.
