PayJustNow Expands BNPL to Healthcare and Retail, Serves 4.5M Customers with 98% Payment Completion
PayJustNow, which serves around 4.5 million customers, recorded its highest-ever transaction value in July, while its active customers used the platform an average of 5.08 times over the past 12 months. The company also reports payment completion on more than 98% of total transaction value.
The figures point to growing repeat use of instalment payments, although transaction activity alone does not establish whether BNPL is improving household affordability or changing overall spending patterns.
From retail purchases to everyday needs
PayJustNow's expansion into healthcare and value-focused retail illustrates how BNPL providers are seeking to increase their relevance beyond occasional online purchases.
Through Netcare Medicross, customers can use the platform to pay for GP and dental services. Its healthcare offering has also expanded to include Netcare diagnostics and emergency services.
In retail, PayJustNow is now available at Ackermans nationwide, following a pilot launched in December 2025. The partnership extends the payment option to family purchases, including clothing and school uniforms.
The platform has also expanded its online retail presence, with its October launch on OneDayOnly adding another channel for customers making planned purchases.
For BNPL providers, these partnerships create opportunities to reach consumers at different points in their spending journey. For retailers and service providers, flexible payment options can offer another way to facilitate purchases, although their effect on sales, customer retention and average transaction values will depend on how consumers use them.
Affordability and repayment remain central
The expansion comes as consumers continue to weigh purchases against household expenses. Annual inflation stood at 4.4% in August, while fuel costs and other recurring expenses remain important considerations for household budgets.
Dean Hyde, chief operating officer at PayJustNow, says consumers are paying closer attention to how purchases fit into their monthly cash flow.
“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.
PayJustNow's reported payment completion rate is one measure of repayment performance, but it does not by itself reveal the full picture of customer affordability, including whether consumers are managing multiple credit commitments or experiencing financial strain elsewhere.
The distinction is important as BNPL becomes available for a wider range of purchases, including healthcare and school-related expenses, where spending may be necessary rather than discretionary.
Hyde says the company's growth needs to be considered alongside customers' ability to meet their obligations.
“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.”
Year-end shopping puts flexible payments in focus
The months ahead will test the role of instalment payments as consumers navigate year-end shopping, festive spending and the back-to-school period.
For BNPL providers, the opportunity lies in becoming a more widely accepted payment option across retail and services.
But as adoption grows, the category's longer-term position will depend not only on transaction volumes and merchant partnerships, but also on repayment performance and the extent to which customers can use instalments without placing additional pressure on their finances.
PayJustNow's expansion reflects a broader shift in the payments market: flexibility is increasingly being built into everyday transactions, making responsible use and transparent repayment terms central to the category's continued growth.