Interest-Free Installments

This document provides an overview of this service. For technical and implementation details, refer to the Pricing API documentation.

Interest-Free Installment Options

PayU offers two types of Interest-Free Installments so merchants can provide financing options without additional interest for the buyer. Each type differs in terms of configuration, scope, and flexibility:

• Specific Interest-Free Installments: Also known as Promotions. Merchants can configure them using targeted plans based on specific BINs, issuers, or acquirers. This type allows more granular customization and is available in Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru.

• General Interest-Free Installments: Also known as Meses sin Intereses (MSI) in Mexico. Merchants can apply them globally to all issuers or card franchises of a payment method. This option offers simpler configuration and is only available in Argentina and Mexico.

The table below compares the main features of both options:

	Specific Interest-Free Installments (Promotions)	General Interest-Free Installments (MSI)
Availability by country	Argentina  Colombia  Mexico  Peru	Argentina  Mexico
Applicability	By BIN, issuer, or acquirer	By payment method or franchise
Conditions	Configurable rate per issuer	Single rate for all issuers
Configuration	Per promotion	Per account
Flexibility	High	Low
Additional options	Multiple promotions, BIN uploads, by account, by days, time range, or amounts	Not applicable
Example	5% interest for ABC Bank Visa cards, in 6 installments	6 months interest-free with all cards

What Is a Promotion?

At PayU, a promotion does not refer to a discount on the product price. Instead, the term describes a special financing configuration that allows Interest-Free Installments under specific conditions.

In the Pricing API, these promotions are included in the promos array and correspond to Specific Interest-Free Installments.

Characteristics of a Promotion

Specific Interest-Free Installments, promotions, or simply promos have the following characteristics:

• They apply only to certain issuers, BINs, or banks.
• They have a defined validity period.
• They may require a minimum purchase amount or a minimum number of installments.
• They are configured in the PayU system based on specific commercial agreements.

Example of a Promotion

A merchant may offer 6 interest-free installments if the customer uses a Mastercard from ABC Bank. Even though the product price does not change, this condition is handled as a technical promotion in PayU.

How Interest-Free Installments Work in PayU

To apply interest-free deferred payments in your store, follow these steps:

1. Query the available options in the Pricing API.
2. Identify the promotion or option that fits your business model and display it to your customer at checkout.
3. When processing the payment, include the selected promotion ID and number of installments.

MSI (Meses sin Intereses)

In Mexico, General Interest-Free Installments are commonly known as Meses sin Intereses (MSI). This modality allows merchants to offer fixed installment plans (3, 6, 9, 12, or 18 months) with no interest, without needing to reference a promotion ID.

Each MSI plan requires a minimum purchase amount:

• 3 installments > $300 MXN
• 6 installments > $600 MXN
• 9 installments > $900 MXN
• 12 installments > $1200 MXN
• 18 installments > $1800 MXN

Next Steps

Integrate this feature using the Pricing API. For more information on the MSI modality, visit this specific section.