Cash flow is one of the most familiar — and most frustrating — challenges for small businesses (SMBs). From a restaurant stocking up before a busy catering weekend or a contractor covering material costs while waiting on a milestone payment, many SMBs face periods where expenses arrive well before revenue does. All while more than half (56%) of small and mid-market businesses are owed money from unpaid invoices, according to a
For many SMBs, offering flexible payment options to their customers has become a practical necessity to close the gap between making payments and getting paid. It's also increasingly becoming an expectation. A study published by Numerator last year found that 72% of Americans plan to use Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) in the coming year.1 What may be even more of an eye-opener for SMBs — more than one-third of consumers (40%) would abandon a purchase if BNPL was not available.2
Offering flexible payments can unlock conversions and revenue while reducing time spent on follow-ups. But SMBs don't need another complicated system to manage, they need a solution that fits the way they already run the business. That's where accountants come in: as the most trusted advisor on cash flow, they can recommend the right payment approach, explain the tradeoffs and help clients adopt it with minimal operational disruption.
The BNPL advisory opportunity for accountants
As SMBs evaluate flexible payment strategies, accountants are well positioned to play a more consultative role. Many business owners may not realize that some BNPL solutions allow customers to pay over time while the business still receives the payment upfront. Not only does this reduce collection concerns and minimize disruption to cash flow, but it also creates a better customer experience which can lead to more repeat business, conversions and referrals.
This is where accountants can provide meaningful guidance. Advising clients on payment offerings moves the conversation beyond bookkeeping into operational and growth strategy. Accountants can help clients evaluate whether flexible payments align with their customer base, margins and sales model. Accountants can also help educate SMBs on the broader business value that flexible payment models unlock, specifically leveraging BNPL as a tool to win more work, increase revenue and foster brand advocacy with customers.
BNPL may be especially valuable for SMBs with higher-ticket services, longer sales cycles or customers sensitive to upfront costs, such as contractors, medical practices or specialty retailers. For businesses with small average tickets or extremely tight margins, the bigger question is often whether offering BNPL meaningfully changes conversion, basket size and cash-flow timing relative to existing payment methods. Helping clients evaluate this business case allows accountants to deliver more value and guide decisions that support growth.
The Intuit and Affirm partnership*
The new Intuit QuickBooks and Affirm partnership gives accountants a practical way to help clients introduce pay-over-time solutions within workflows they already use. By partnering with Affirm, Intuit is making BNPL a native payment option within QuickBooks Online invoices. For eligible businesses already using QuickBooks Payments, Affirm is enabled as a payment option, making setup straightforward: clients can enable Affirm globally or choose it invoice by invoice.
When an invoice arrives, customers can choose to pay with Affirm alongside traditional payment options such as credit cards and bank transfers. They go through a quick eligibility check, which takes less than a minute and has no impact on their credit score. Once the customer selects a payment plan, they pay over time in simple monthly installments — with no late fees or compounding interest* — while the business receives the payment upfront.
On the accounting side, Affirm transactions reconcile inside QuickBooks similarly to other payment methods, allowing businesses to maintain existing workflows. Invoices are automatically marked as paid, giving both accountants and SMB clients greater visibility into receivables and a clearer picture of incoming revenue.
What accounting firms should do next
Accountants can help SMB clients get ahead of cash flow concerns by proactively discussing payment strategy. Starting conversations related to how their clients are managing receivables, customer purchasing behavior and payment friction can help business owners identify gaps and solutions before it's too late.
Practical next steps may include identifying clients that could benefit from more flexible payment offerings, evaluating the operational impact of those solutions and incorporating payment strategy reviews into regular client check-ins.
Tools such as the QuickBooks and Affirm integration also make those conversations more tangible and realistic. Rather than recommending standalone systems or operational changes, accountants can help clients optimize solutions that seamlessly integrate into their existing financial workflows. Firms that can help SMBs evaluate and implement these kinds of solutions may be better positioned to deepen client relationships, expand advisory services and create additional long-term value beyond traditional accounting work.
Learn more about the Intuit QuickBooks and Affirm partnership
1 Numerator, Insights into Buy Now, Pay Later: Growth & Trends 2025 (February 2025)
2 PYMNTS, Decoding BNPL Users: Necessity, Convenience and Risk Signals (June 2025)
*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
Buy now, pay later features have limited availability and are subject to change. Features may be more broadly available soon.
About Intuit
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