Zilch - Get £5 to spend on a new virtual card

Zilch reports payment data to credit reference agencies. So if you pay on time (or early), that may help build a positive credit history.

But — if you miss payments or repay late, that can negatively impact your credit score.

Yes — in effect, when you use “Pay over 6 weeks” or “Pay over 3 months,” you are borrowing: you pay part upfront, and Zilch covers the rest for you until the instalments are repaid.

The borrowing is interest-free (or at least no interest is charged in standard instalment plans), although there may be small fees depending on the payment plan or retailer.

Zilch is not exactly a traditional credit card — it’s more like a hybrid between a debit-card-style virtual card and a “buy-now-pay-later” (BNPL) credit facility.

When you use “Pay Now,” it works like a debit/virtual card; when you use “Pay over 6 weeks / 3 months,” it works like short-term credit (but with different repayment terms than a typical credit card).

The Zilch app is where you manage your Zilch account/card: you get your virtual card there, choose payment options (Pay Now or instalments), track repayments, view your available credit, etc.

Through the app you can also add the card to digital wallets (Apple/Google/Samsung Pay), making it usable for tap-and-pay in stores or online, subject to retailer acceptance.

The app manages repayments automatically for instalment purchases — payments are collected as scheduled.

Yes, Zilch has a refer a friend offer.

Right now, you can get £5 added to your Zilch card just for signing up.

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