Organizer guide: How Affirm works as a payment option for ticket buyers
Affirm is now available as a built-in payment option on Showpass, giving ticket buyers the flexibility to pay over time. This can help increase conversions, especially for higher-priced events, by removing financial barriers at checkout.
What is Affirm?
Affirm allows ticket buyers to split their purchase into smaller payments. Depending on eligibility, they can:
- Pay in 4 interest-free biweekly payments, or
- Choose monthly installments over 3 to 60 months (with interest rates ranging from 0% to 36% APR)
This gives buyers the ability to book now and pay later without an upfront cost.
Why offer Affirm?
Offering flexible payment options can boost sales and reduce cart abandonment. For organizers, the benefits include:
- No added cost: Affirm fees are passed directly to the ticket buyer.
- No setup required: Affirm is automatically enabled for eligible transactions.
- Upfront payment: You receive the full order value upfront, with payouts following your standard schedule.
Availability and eligibility
- Launch date: April 22, 2025
- Order minimum: $50 CAD
- Order maximum: $20,000 CAD (subject to approval)
- Currencies supported: CAD and USD
- Available on: Showpass desktop web checkout only
- Not supported on: Showpass mobile app or embedded purchase widgets
- Eligibility: Determined by Affirm at checkout based on the ticket buyer's credit profile
How Affirm appears at checkout
When eligible, ticket buyers will see Affirm as a payment option alongside credit cards. If selected, they’ll go through Affirm’s approval process and choose their preferred payment plan. Once complete:
- The full order value is collected at checkout
- Your payout is processed according to your standard Showpass payout schedule
- Affirm manages all buyer financing, collections, and repayment
Key details for organizers
- Organization-wide enablement: Affirm is turned on by default for all events. It cannot be toggled per event.
- Stripe users: If you use your own Stripe account, you can enable Affirm through your Stripe dashboard (Stripe eligibility and MCC apply).
- Checkout limitations: Affirm is only available via desktop web checkout.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Do I still get paid upfront if a buyer uses Affirm?
Yes. The full order amount is processed at checkout, and your payout follows the usual Showpass schedule.
Do I need to do anything to enable Affirm?
No. Affirm is automatically enabled for eligible orders over $50 CAD as of April 22, 2025.
Is there any cost to me?
No. Any applicable processing fees are paid by the ticket buyer, unless you've chosen to absorb the payment processing fee(s) into the ticket price.
What happens if a buyer misses a payment or cancels?
Affirm handles all repayment and collection. You’re not responsible for buyer financing issues.
Can I turn off Affirm for a specific event?
Affirm is organization-wide and cannot be disabled at the event level. If you have specific needs, submit a support request.
Is Affirm available internationally?
Affirm supports transactions in both Canadian and U.S. dollars.
Can buyers use Affirm on mobile or embedded widgets?
Not currently. Affirm is only available on desktop web checkout.
Need support? Our team is here to help. Get in touch with us by filling out this contact form.