Acima Credit lease-to-own service: 2025 review

Written by
Hanneh Bareham
Edited by
Rhys Subitch
Updated on Jan. 8, 2025

At a glance

Find my best rate
Get offers from top lenders
Info Icon
3.8
Bankrate Score
Caret Down Icon
Availability
4.8
Affordability
3.0
Customer Experience
4.7
Transparency
3.3

About Bankrate Score

Full methodology

Bankrate's Take: Acima is a no-credit lease-to-own service that allows customers to finance purchases instantly. It's not a loan or a line of credit, but operates similarly to a point-of-sale loan and comes with high payments. 

Lender Details

Money Bag Icon

Loan amount

$300-$5,000

Rates Icon

APR from

Varies

Clock Wait Icon

Term lengths

12-24 months

Money Bag Icon

Funds available in

As soon as approval

Acima is best for lease-to-own purchases

Acima allows consumers to borrow up to $5,000 for personal and household goods. Depending on the retailer, borrowers may have immediate access to the lease upon checkout and can finance their purchase over a 12 month minimum.

Acima lease uses

Acima is available at over 15,000 retail stores, and is used for personal and household goods. To best ensure your purchase is eligible for leasing through Acima, you can shop through its mobile app or through the Acima MarketPlace online.

Regardless of how you shop, make sure you're aware of the prohibited uses so you don't bank on using the product for an unapproved purchase.

Permitted uses Prohibited uses
Furniture Consumables
Mattresses High-risk tools and items, like chainsaws or trampolines
Tires Items meant to be permanently attached to a home or vehicle
Appliances Services, like repairs or installations
Electronics Firearms and weapons
Jewelry Clothing and apparel
Handbags Gift cards
Camera equipment Ammunition

Where Acima leases stands out 

  • Over 15,000 popular partners: Acima works at many popular retailers, like Best Buy, Ashley Furniture and Goodyear. You can use it to lease eligible purchases online and in-person at participating retailers. 
  • Predictable payments: Your Acima lease agreement includes a set monthly payment based on the term you select. You can choose between 12, 18 or 24 months, and can pay off the lease early depending on your lease agreement. 
  • Option to return: You can return your product in good condition to terminate your leasing agreement without penalty. 

Where Acima leases fall short 

  • Not ideal for most traditional loan purposes: Acima is not a traditional lender, offering a lease-to-own arrangement that's more restrictive than personal loans. While you can finance certain goods, you can't use the money for common services or purchases, like home improvement projects and clothing. 
  • No fee transparency: The fees are not explicitly stated, but its website does say that failed or late payments may accrue fees. 
  • Total cost: Your total lease cost factors in the merchandise's value according to Acima, the cost of the lease service and sales tax in most states. Completing the entire lease will work out to approximately double the original cost of the item. 
  • Not available in all states: Acima is not available in Minnesota, New Jersey, Wisconsin or Wyoming.

Acima customer resources

Customer support

Acima Credit's customer service department can be reached by phone Monday through Friday, from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. MT and on Saturday from 7:30 a.m to 3:30 p.m. MT. 

It also has an online chat option on its website that's available on Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. MT and on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. MT. According to Trustpilot, Acima's response time is fast — it has replied to 99 percent of negative reviews, typically in 24 hours or less. 

Digital experience

Compared to similar lease-to-own companies, Acima has a fairly comprehensive digital experience, offering both an online marketplace and a free mobile app. Because it isn't a loan and doesn't require a hard check, the process of applying is simple and much faster than if you were to apply for a traditional personal loan. 

The mobile app, Acima Leasing, is free for both Apple and Android users, earning a 4.7 out of 5 stars on the Apple store and a 4.0 out of 5 on the Google Play store. 

How this lender compares

logo
3.8
Bankrate Score
APR from
Varies
Loan Amount
$300-$5,000
Term Length
12-24 months
Min Credit Score
Not disclosed
Compare ratesArrow Right Icon
on Bankrate
logo
4.5
Bankrate Score
APR from
8.99%-35.99%
Loan Amount
$2,000-$50,000
Term Length
24-60 months
Min Credit Score
600
Read our reviewArrow Right Icon
on Bankrate
logo
4.7
Bankrate Score
APR from
8.99%-29.49%* with autopay
Loan Amount
$5,000–$100,000
Term Length
24-84 months
Min Credit Score
300
Read our reviewArrow Right Icon
on Bankrate

Acima Credit vs. Prosper

Prosper is a peer-to-peer lending institution that extends personal loans based on credit, while Acima skips the hard credit check and uses your banking information for verification. Prosper interest rates that go up 36 percent, while Acima skips the APR and instead charges flat fees for leasing services, which are also costly. 

However, with Acima, you have a ridgid set payment schedule with the longest term spanning up to 24 months. Prosper spreads its payments out over a term of up to 60 months, giving you more time to pay off that large purchase.

Read a full review about Prosper

Acima Credit vs. Possible Finance

Possible Finance offers small loans to those with little or no credit. You can borrow a maximum of $500, just a fraction of what Acima can offer, and it must be paid off within eight weeks. Meanwhile, Acima focuses on larger amounts of up to $5,000. 

In terms of costs, Possible has finance charges that when calculated alone won't make the amount paid back twice the original amount borrowed. This makes it more affordable than a lease from Acima that's renewed. However, the fees and interest charged by Possible Finance have triple-digit APRs, which makes its loans more expensive than other personal loans.

Read a full review about Possible Finance

Do you qualify for a lease with Acima? 

To be approved for an Acima lease, you must be 18 or older. It also requires that applicants meet the following requirements:

  • An active checking account with $750 or more in monthly income.
  • Three months of consistent income history with the same source of income.
  • Government-issued photo identification. 
  • Social Security number or taxpayer identification number. 

Keep in mind that the company will consider multiple financial factors and will look at your credit for approval including reviewing your credit report, but applying alone won't impact your credit. This is because Acima uses a soft credit check to view your report.

How to apply for a lease with Acima 

Shop in person or look online for the “Pay with Acima” button at the bottom of the screen to use the funds. Your approval is valid for 45 days. 

  1. Shop with an approved store: Choose your retailer using the store locator or the online Acima MarketPlace. Make sure the item you want to finance is under $5,000, partners with Acima and is eligible for financing.
  2. Add information and finalize your application: Apply online or in person. You can apply for financing at checkout and will need to input a few personal details. If approved, you'll receive instant financing. 
  3. Review the lease details: Once approved, the lease agreement will be available for review via the mobile app or by signing in to your online account. A physical copy can be provided to you if you are shopping in person.

How Bankrate rates Acima

Overall Score 3.0 Explanation
Availability 4.8 Acima is easily accessible at many popular retailers and makes it easy to gain approval with basic banking requirements.
Affordability 3.0 It is hard to evaluate Acima’s pricing structure because its fees vary by agreement based on individual approval. However, because you are buying items at a markup, it does not rank high on the overall affordability scale.
Customer Experience 4.7 Acima offers both phone and online support for its leaseholders. However, days and times are limited, with no support on Sundays.
Transparency 3.3 Acima does not disclose its fees upfront; instead, you must apply in order to receive a fee schedule specific to your leasing agreement.

Methodology

Bankrate's trusted personal loans industry expertise

Read our full methodology

48

years in business

45

lenders reviewed

20

loan features weighed

900

data points collected

Bankrate considers 20 factors when reviewing lenders. Credit requirements, APR ranges, fees, loan amounts and flexibility are all taken into account so that ratings are representative of how competitive lenders are for a wide range of credit profiles and budgets. The Bankrate Score for personal loans consists of four categories:

  • Availability: What the minimum loan amounts are, its eligibility requirements and loan turnaround are considered in this category.
  • Affordability: The interest rates, penalties and fees are measured in this section of the score. Lower rates and fees and fewer potential penalties result in a higher score.
  • Customer experience: This category covers customer service hours, if online applications are available, online account access and mobile apps.
  • Transparency: This category is measured by how accessible credit requirements, rates and fees are on the lender's page. We also considered whether prequalification was available, as all these factors are key for consumers to make an informed decision.

Editorial disclosure: All reviews are prepared by Bankrate.com staff. Opinions expressed therein are solely those of the reviewer and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including rates and fees, presented in the review is accurate as of the date of the review. Check the data at the top of this page and the lender’s website for the most current information.

What customers think

What people are saying across the web about Acima Credit 

Acima's reviews are mixed. The company earns a middling 3.8 of 5 stars on Trustpilot as of June 13, 2024, with most negative reviews centered on the high leasing fees. Customers called out the fact that leasing with Acima will at least double the item's original price if paid off after the initial 90 days.

"I have demonstrated my loyalty to Acima by consistently paying on time through the auto-pay feature. However, I cannot recommend them to anyone. The late fees are exorbitant, and even the charges before the deadline are unreasonable. I am relieved that my association with them has ended. Regarding customer service, it's a mixed experience — sometimes unprofessional, other times friendly."

— Trustpilot User

However, the positive reviews outweigh the negative, with 70 percent of the over 19,700 Trustpilot reviews coming in at 5 out of 5 stars. Many positive reviews call out the 90-day option as being beneficial for their personal situation, while others highlight good customer service interactions.

"I have had excellent service from Acima in providing funds for important car repairs that I was able to pay off twice in three months with a little profit to them. The 12 month payment option is expensive and it is best to pay off the lease in 3 months but one must do what one must do."

— Trustpilot User

Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate. Please see the issuer’s website for updated terms and conditions.

Community Acima Credit scores

CTA Acima Credit
PERSONAL LOAN

Acima Credit

Dive into community reviews below and see what others think about Acima Credit.

4.1 Star Icon
25 ratings
Info Icon
Score breakdown
5 stars
40%
4 stars
44%
3 stars
8%
2 stars
4%
1 star
4%
Score by category
Overall rating 4.1 / 5
Fees & closing costs 3.7 / 5
Funding time 4.1 / 5
Customer service 3.9 / 5
Application process 4.2 / 5
Online portal or mobile app 4 / 5
Verified Badge Icon

In July 2024, Bankrate collaborated with a third-party vendor to survey 1.3K loan borrowers nationwide. Bankrate and our vendor collected and summarized borrower responses to five questions on a 5-point scale, three yes/no questions, as well as open-ended reviews of their loan experience. Responses are based on individual borrower’s product details, and therefore cannot be verified for accuracy. User ratings are unedited and have not been reviewed or approved by the associated lenders, nor do these ratings reflect Bankrate’s own expert review of these loan products.

Community Reviews

See what users like you are saying about Acima Credit.
Search Icon
Caret Down Icon
Anonymous Borrower
August 20, 2024
Describe your experience with customer service
They are very efficient in responding
Loan purpose
Emergency loan
Score by category
Fees & closing costs 5 / 5
Funding time 4 / 5
Online portal or mobile app 4 / 5
Customer service 5 / 5
Application process 4 / 5
Anonymous Borrower
August 20, 2024
Describe your experience with the application process
I believe this is a good company to receive a loan. This process is easy and intuitive.
Loan purpose
Cash for a big purchase
Score by category
Fees & closing costs 5 / 5
Funding time 4 / 5
Online portal or mobile app 5 / 5
Customer service 3 / 5
Application process 5 / 5
CTA We wanna know what you think about Acima Credit

We wanna know what you think about Acima Credit

Have experience with Acima Credit? Let us know your thoughts