Afterpay and Zip in WHMCS: What Is Possible and What Needs a Custom Module

Short answer: WHMCS has no official Afterpay or Zip module. Both providers publish merchant APIs, though, so a custom WHMCS gateway module can let customers pay an invoice with either one. The catch is that neither supports automatic recurring charges, so buy now, pay later suits one-off or upfront invoices, not monthly renewals.

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) is a common way to pay in Australia, and WHMCS users often ask whether they can offer it. Here's what's realistic and what a custom module involves.

Is there an Afterpay or Zip module for WHMCS?

At the time of writing we couldn't find an official WHMCS module for Afterpay or Zip, and neither appears among WHMCS's built-in payment gateways. You may come across third-party modules that route BNPL payments through another processor. If you do, check the developer's support history, which WHMCS versions it's compatible with, and whether it uses the provider's current API.

If no existing module fits, a custom gateway module is the usual approach. WHMCS has a documented framework for payment gateway modules, and both Afterpay and Zip document their online checkout APIs.

Two ways to connect BNPL to WHMCS

Option 1: Directly through the Afterpay or Zip API

You get a merchant account with the provider and build a WHMCS module for their API. This gives the most control over checkout, branding and reporting.

Option 2: Through a payment processor that offers BNPL

Some processors offer Afterpay and Zip as payment methods inside their own platform. Stripe, for example, lists both for Australian accounts. If you already take cards through that provider, BNPL can sit alongside your existing setup.

Either way, the provider decides which merchants are eligible. Check eligibility for your business type before any development starts.

How the payment flow works

Both providers use a redirect-and-confirm flow. In plain terms:

1. The customer chooses Afterpay or Zip on a WHMCS invoice. The module creates a checkout with the provider, sending the invoice amount, currency (AUD) and the invoice number as the reference.
2. The customer is redirected to the provider. They log in, pass the provider's own approval checks and accept a repayment plan.
3. The customer returns to WHMCS. The provider sends back a token or checkout ID and a status.
4. The module confirms the payment on the server. For Afterpay, that means a capture call. Afterpay's docs say this must happen within a set window after checkout. For Zip, the module creates a charge against the approved checkout.
5. WHMCS records the payment. The module's callback validates the response, checks the invoice ID, makes sure the transaction hasn't already been recorded, logs it and adds the payment to the invoice.

Afterpay also offers deferred capture, where you authorise first and capture later. Its docs note that authorisations expire after a fixed period. For most WHMCS invoices, immediate capture is simpler.

The big limitation: recurring billing

This is the part that matters most for hosting, domains and SaaS.

WHMCS automates renewals by charging a stored payment method on the due date. BNPL doesn't work that way. Each purchase needs the customer to log in and approve a new plan with the provider. Stripe's documentation lists Afterpay as single-use with no recurring payments, and lists Zip as not supporting recurring payments.

In practice:

• Every renewal invoice needs the customer to act. They have to click through and approve Afterpay or Zip each time. WHMCS can't charge it automatically.
• Monthly hosting is a poor fit. Asking someone to approve a new BNPL plan every month adds friction rather than removing it.
• Annual or upfront invoices fit better. These include yearly hosting plans, multi-year domain bundles, setup fees, website builds and other one-off project invoices.

A good custom module can handle this by only showing BNPL on invoices where it makes sense. For example, it can hide BNPL on invoices that are part of an automatic monthly renewal, or only show it above a minimum amount.

Other rules to plan for

Transaction limits

Each provider sets minimum and maximum amounts, and these vary by product and can change. Your module should check the invoice total against the current limits and hide the option when the invoice falls outside them.

Who you sell to

Stripe lists Afterpay as available for B2C sales only, not B2B. If most of your WHMCS customers are businesses, check this carefully with your provider before you build anything.

Restricted business categories

Afterpay and Zip both publish lists of prohibited and restricted business types. Check them before building.

Refunds and disputes

Refunds and disputes have time limits set by each provider. Your module should support refunds from the WHMCS admin area (WHMCS gateway modules can include a refund function), so a refund in WHMCS also refunds the BNPL plan.

Branding and messaging

Both providers have branding guidelines for how their names and logos appear on your site. Follow them on your order form and invoice pages.

Regulation

Since 10 June 2025, BNPL providers in Australia have needed an Australian credit licence, according to ASIC. Most of those obligations sit with the provider, not the merchant, but always follow your merchant agreement and the provider's guidance on how you present their product.

What a well-built custom module should include

If you decide to go ahead, here's a practical checklist:

• Sandbox first. Build and test against the provider's sandbox before going live.
• Server-side verification. Never mark an invoice paid just because the customer landed on a "success" URL. Confirm the payment status with the provider's API on the server.
• Duplicate protection. Check the transaction ID before adding a payment, so a repeated callback can't record it twice.
• Clear logging. Log every request and response in the WHMCS gateway log.
• Amount and currency checks. Confirm the captured amount and AUD currency match the invoice.
• Eligibility rules. Show BNPL only on invoices that suit it (amount range, one-off invoices, customer type).
• Refund support. Let staff refund from WHMCS, with the result synced back.
• Graceful declines. If the provider declines, send the customer back to the invoice with your other payment options still visible.

Alternatives worth considering

If recurring billing is your main concern, BNPL may not be the right tool. For Australian customers, these options often suit renewals better:

• Tokenised card gateways such as eWAY or Stripe, which can charge renewals automatically.
• Stripe BECS Direct Debit, available in WHMCS's Stripe Dynamic Payments module from v9.0.3, for customers who'd rather pay from their bank account.
• PayID or BPAY with automated reconciliation, for customers who prefer bank transfers.

Our guide to Australian payment gateways for WHMCS compares all of these.

How Berisco can help

Berisco develops custom WHMCS modules, including payment gateways, webhooks and billing automation. We also build e-commerce websites where BNPL is often a natural fit. If you want to know whether Afterpay or Zip makes sense for your WHMCS setup, see our WHMCS development services or request a quote.

Frequently asked questions

Does WHMCS support Afterpay?

Not out of the box. A custom gateway module can connect to the Afterpay API, or to a processor that offers Afterpay.

Can Zip be used for WHMCS recurring billing?

Not automatically. Zip payments need the customer to approve each purchase, so WHMCS can't charge renewals by itself. Customers can still pay individual renewal invoices with Zip if your module offers it.

Is Afterpay suitable for web hosting payments?

It suits annual plans, setup fees and one-off project invoices better than monthly hosting. Check eligibility too: Stripe lists Afterpay as available for business-to-consumer sales only.

Do I need a merchant account with Afterpay or Zip?

Yes. Either apply directly with the provider or turn the method on through a processor that offers it, such as Stripe. The provider decides whether your business is eligible.

How does WHMCS know a BNPL payment succeeded?

A properly built module checks the payment status with the provider on the server. It then validates the invoice, checks for duplicate transactions, and records the payment in WHMCS automatically.

What's a better option for automatic renewals in Australia?

A tokenised card gateway such as eWAY or Stripe, or Stripe BECS Direct Debit. All of these can charge renewals without the customer having to log in.