Cherry is a patient financing platform that lets you split the cost of medical, dental, and aesthetic procedures into monthly payments. You apply through your provider’s unique link, get approved with a soft credit check, then choose a payment plan with terms ranging from 1 to 60 months and APRs between 0% and 35.99%. Here’s how the entire process works from application to final payment.
What Cherry Covers
Cherry is designed for healthcare and wellness services that insurance often doesn’t cover or only partially covers. The platform works across several industries: dental and orthodontics, medical aesthetics, plastic surgery, vision, hearing, and veterinary care. Some non-medical businesses also accept Cherry.
Within medical aesthetics alone, eligible services include Botox, dermal fillers, CoolSculpting, laser hair removal, chemical peels, PRP therapy, microneedling, medical weight loss programs (including GLP-1 medications like semaglutide), HydraFacials, and skincare products sold as part of a treatment plan. Surgical procedures like facelifts, liposuction, breast augmentation, and tummy tucks can also be financed when offered by licensed providers.
How to Apply
To apply, you need to meet four basic requirements: be at least 18 years old, live in the United States, have a bank-issued debit or credit card (prepaid cards don’t qualify), and have a mobile phone to receive text messages during checkout.
Your provider will give you a unique application link, or you can search for Cherry providers using the Cherry Finder tool on their website. The application triggers a soft credit check, which does not affect your credit score. This is different from a hard inquiry, which lenders use for mortgages or car loans and which can temporarily lower your score by a few points.
Once you’re approved, your provider sees the approval on their end automatically. You don’t need to share any confirmation code or paperwork. Approvals last at least 30 days, giving you time to schedule your procedure. One thing to know: approvals are tied to a specific provider. If you want to use Cherry at a different office, you’ll need to apply separately there.
Choosing a Payment Plan
After your appointment, the provider sends a checkout link to your phone via text. Through that link, you pick the payment plan length that fits your budget. Plans range from 1 month to 60 months, and the APR you’re offered falls somewhere between 0% and 35.99% depending on your creditworthiness and the plan you select. A shorter plan generally means a lower rate, while stretching payments over several years will typically carry a higher APR.
You can also complete checkout by logging into the Payment Plans page on Cherry’s website, but either way you need to finalize within 7 days or the link expires.
Down Payment and Fees
Every Cherry plan requires a down payment, which counts toward your total purchase price. The down payment amount is based on two factors: your total purchase price and the plan length you choose. It matches one monthly payment, so if your plan breaks down to $150 a month, your down payment is $150.
You can pay the down payment with a debit card or credit card. If you use a traditional debit card linked to a bank account, there’s no processing fee. If you use a credit card, Cherry charges a 2.99% processing fee on the down payment. For a $200 down payment, that’s roughly $6 extra.
Making Monthly Payments
After your down payment, Cherry automatically charges your card on file each month according to the schedule you agreed to. If you need to change your payment method, you can update it through your account. If you decide to revoke your automatic payment authorization, you’ll need to email Cherry’s support team and set up an alternative way to pay. Keep in mind that it can take up to 10 days for the revocation to process, so any payment scheduled before that window may still go through.
How Cherry Affects Your Credit
The initial application uses a soft credit check, so applying won’t ding your score. But once you’ve confirmed a payment plan, Cherry starts reporting your activity to all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion), typically beginning about 30 days after the plan is confirmed. Reports go out weekly based on your due date.
This means on-time payments can help build your credit history over time. It also means missed or late payments will show up on your credit report and could hurt your score. Treat Cherry payments with the same priority you’d give a credit card bill or car payment.
Cancellations and Refunds
Cherry’s terms don’t outline a standard refund policy on their end. If you need a refund for a service you financed, your first step is to work directly with your provider. Any unpaid balance that was due before a cancellation or account termination still has to be paid. You can close your Cherry account at any time by emailing support@withcherry.com, but closing the account doesn’t erase outstanding payment obligations. Cherry does have the ability to reverse erroneous charges to your card if a billing mistake occurs.
What the Process Looks Like Start to Finish
- Before your appointment: Get your provider’s Cherry link and apply. You’ll know within minutes if you’re approved, and the check won’t affect your credit score.
- At your appointment: Let the provider know you’re paying with Cherry.
- After your appointment: The provider sends a checkout link to your phone. Open it, pick your plan length, review the APR and monthly payment, and pay your down payment.
- Each month after: Cherry automatically charges your card. Payments are reported to the credit bureaus weekly.
- When the plan ends: Your balance hits zero, and reporting reflects a completed account.
The entire application and checkout process happens on your phone, with no paper forms to sign at the front desk. For procedures that can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars out of pocket, Cherry gives you a way to spread that cost over time, though the total amount you pay will be higher than the sticker price if your plan carries interest. On a $3,000 procedure financed at 20% APR over 24 months, for example, you’d pay roughly $600 to $650 in interest over the life of the plan. A 0% APR offer, if you qualify, costs nothing extra beyond the purchase price.