Katapult
US lease-to-own payment option: shoppers with little or no credit lease electronics, furniture and appliances, then buy them out or return them.
Our take: Katapult's appeal is access: a decision in seconds, pre-approval that doesn't affect your credit score, and no interest or late fees.
Katapult (often searched as "kartapult") is a US lease-to-own payment option. You apply for free, lease the item at checkout, and make recurring payments until you own it, buy it out early or return it. There is no interest or APR, but Katapult says the path to ownership costs more than the cash price.
Kartapult was a different product: an ad-management tool for D2C brands from ANS Commerce in India. Flipkart shut ANS Commerce down in February 2025, and kartapult.io now redirects to an unrelated site, so don't sign up there.
katapultlabs.ai is also unrelated: it is a product-building agency. The lease-to-own company is at katapult.com, which only accepts visitors from the US.
A no-credit-check lease-to-own option that unlocks purchases for thin-credit shoppers; flexible and fast, but paying it out long-term gets expensive.
Our score
Reviewed by the Conversion Gems editorial team. Hover a facet to focus it; click to pin.Tap a facet to focus it.
Community ratings
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G24.8 / 5 aggregate · across 1 source
Third-party ratings shown verbatim; aggregate weighted by review volume.
What it is, and why we rate it
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Our takeKatapult's appeal is access: a decision in seconds, pre-approval that doesn't affect your credit score, and no interest or late fees.
Best / not good for
- Shoppers with poor or no credit history
- People who want to buy out early or return items
- Buying durable goods (electronics, furniture, appliances)
- Anyone who can pay cash or qualify for low-interest credit
- Shoppers who would carry a lease to full term (it costs more than the cash price)
- Residents of Minnesota, New Jersey, Wisconsin or Wyoming, or anyone outside the US
Friction report
Trade-offs to know before signing up.
- Time to valueFast: apply online or in the Katapult app, get a decision in seconds, and check out with a partner retailer.
- Scale breakpointThe longer you lease, the more you pay over the cash price; only durable goods qualify, and Katapult isn't available in 4 US states.
- Walled gardenLow: it's a per-purchase lease you can buy out or return, not a long-term subscription.
How Katapult lease-to-own works
- Apply: Apply at a partner retailer's checkout or in the Katapult app. You need to be 18+, with a US address, SSN or ITIN, a phone that receives texts, photo ID and a credit or debit card. You aren't charged to apply.
- Lease: Pay the first lease payment at checkout, then recurring payments on your card. Leases renew for up to 12 to 18 months depending on the price and your state.
- Own, buy out or return: At each payment you can keep leasing, buy the item, or return it. Buying within 3 months costs the cash price plus the first 3 months of lease cost, which Katapult says saves the most.
- Credit checks: Katapult says pre-approval doesn't affect your credit score, but "no credit required" doesn't mean no credit history is reviewed, and it may report your lease to credit agencies.
A look inside
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kartapult the same as Katapult?
How does Katapult lease-to-own work?
Is a Katapult lease a good deal?
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Alternatives
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