For small and mid-market business owners, cash flow doesn’t feel like a line on a spreadsheet. It feels like something you’re constantly managing in real time. When money comes in on time, everything flows; when it doesn’t, even a short delay can ripple into payroll, inventory, and day-to-day operations.
And delays are far from rare when running a business.
According to Intuit’s Small Business Late Payments Report, 56% of small businesses are currently owed money from unpaid invoices, with an average outstanding balance of $17,500 per business. Nearly half report invoices that are more than 30 days overdue. And for a lot of business owners, that doesn’t just sit in a report somewhere. It shows up as tough decisions about what gets paid first.
That gap between completing a job and getting paid isn’t just inconvenient. It creates real pressure. In fact, a separate Intuit Business Owners survey found that 39% of business owners said a single late payment has threatened their ability to cover payroll or pay bills.
Even when customers fully intend to pay, timing isn’t always on their side. Rising costs and ongoing economic pressure can delay payments, leaving businesses waiting on revenue they’ve already earned and accounted for.
The friction in traditional invoicing
Many invoicing tools haven’t evolved at the same pace as customer expectations. Traditional invoices still require full payment upfront, often with limited payment-method options, which can create friction when customers need more flexibility.
When payment options are limited, delays become more likely. Not because customers don’t want to pay, but because the timing doesn’t always line up. For businesses, that stretches the time between completing work and receiving funds, often forcing owners to rely on credit cards, loans, or personal income to bridge the gap.
Bringing flexibility directly into invoicing
At the forefront of this evolution is a new partnership between Intuit and Affirm that adds Affirm’s buy-now-pay-later offering directly into the QuickBooks Payments experience.1 Now, eligible businesses using QuickBooks Payments can automatically offer customers the ability to split payments over time directly from the invoices they send, alongside other flexible payment methods like credit card or ACH, at affordable rates.
When a customer selects this option, the business receives payment upfront2, while the customer enjoys the flexibility to pay Affirm over time. The process fits into the existing payments workflows businesses are already using, without requiring additional integrations or a major change in how they operate, and transactions reconcile directly in QuickBooks Online with no added work, saving businesses time and speeding up overall cash flow.
What does this change mean for small and mid-market businesses?
For many businesses, the difference between getting paid today versus weeks later is significant. With Affirm’s pay-over-time capabilities now integrated directly into QuickBooks Payments, businesses can give customers more ways to pay — while still getting paid upfront — helping to streamline cash flow and stay ahead instead of constantly playing catch-up.
Offering more flexible payment options can increase the likelihood of on time payments, which can result in improved cash flow predictability as more than half of small businesses report that cash flow is not a problem when their invoices are paid upon receipt.3 Predictable cash flow can also help business owners reduce reliance on credit to cover short-term gaps, minimize the time spent chasing unpaid invoices, and empower them to make more confident decisions about hiring, purchasing, and growth. QuickBooks data shows that businesses most affected by late payments are 1.7 times more likely to rely on credit cards. That reliance often comes with potential additional costs, such as fees or interest, making delays even more expensive over time.
By introducing greater flexibility in how customers pay, businesses gain another lever to keep revenue flowing without adding operational complexity.
A small shift with meaningful impact
Flexible payment options might not completely eliminate late payments. But for many businesses, including those managing larger invoices or project-based work, they can reduce one of the biggest sources of financial uncertainty. More importantly, they signal a broader shift in how businesses think about getting paid. Invoicing is no longer just a back-office function most businesses set and forget; it’s becoming an extension of the customer experience and a lever for improving financial outcomes.
As more businesses look for ways to stabilize cash flow and operate with greater confidence, the ability to offer more flexible payment options is quickly becoming the standard for both businesses and customers.
Money movement services are provided by Intuit Payments Inc., licensed as a Money Transmitter by the New York State Department of Financial Services. For details about our money transmission licenses, or for Texas customers with complaints about our service, please visit https://www.intuit.com/legal/licenses/payment-licenses/.
1Payment options through Affirm are subject to an eligibility check, may not be available everywhere, and are provided by these lending partners: affirm.com/lenders. For example, a $1,000 purchase might cost $90.26/mo over 12 months at 15% APR. Options depend on the purchase amount, and a down payment may be required. Affirm availability and eligibility may vary. Restrictions apply. See affirm.com/terms#use. For licenses and disclosures, see affirm.com/licenses.
Buy now, pay later features have limited availability and are subject to change. Features may be more broadly available soon. If you do not currently see Affirm in your QuickBooks Online account, please email [email protected] to request access
2 Subject to payments processing fees.
3According to data from the 2025 Intuit QuickBooks Late Payments Report
