Limits

How your spending limit works — and grows

There is no published number, because the limit is set per account and moves with your repayment history. Here is what actually raises it, what pulls it back, and why a first order is capped lower than you would expect.

Apply Now How approval works

$200–$5K

Platform range

Lower

On a first order

Grows

With on-time payments

Per account

Not published

What uses your limitOpen plans

Pay in 3 · $600 order$400 outstanding

Pay in 4 · $320 order$240 outstanding

Pay Later · $250 order$250 outstanding

Total held against your limit

$890

FREES UP AS YOU PAY

The basics

Your limit is a total, not a per-order cap

It covers everything you have running at once. Two $400 plans use more of it than one $400 plan, even though each order is the same size.

It is the outstanding amount that counts — as you pay installments, that portion frees up again straight away.
It is set per account, from your history with us rather than from a credit file. How approval works →
The retailer has a say too — stores set their own minimums and maximums inside the $200 to $5,000 range.
Longer financing is assessed separately by our banking partner, which is why a $4,000 order can be possible when a $4,000 split is not.

See financing terms →

Same $800, two ways$800

One plan$800 held

Two plans$800 held

After 1 payment$533 held

After 2 payments$267 held

Illustrative. What matters is the outstanding total across all open plans, not how many plans there are.

Moving the number

What raises your limit and what lowers it

None of these need an application. The limit responds to behaviour.

Action	Effect	How quickly
Completing a plan on time	Raises	Usually within a plan or two
Paying an installment	Frees up that amount	Immediately
Using a reliably verified card	Helps	Immediately
Running several plans at once	Reduces available	Immediately
A missed payment	Lowers	Immediately
A plan going overdue	Can block new plans	Until it is cleared

If you are declined

What to do when an order will not go through

A decline at checkout is nearly always about the amount, not about you.

Check the app first

Your available amount is visible before you shop. Looking takes ten seconds and avoids the awkward moment at checkout.

Split the basket

Two orders inside your limit often work where one larger order does not.

Clear something first

Paying off an open plan frees up that amount immediately.

Try a longer plan

Monthly financing is assessed separately and can cover an amount a short split cannot. See terms →

Check the retailer cap

Some stores set a maximum below your personal limit, so the order may be capped by them.

Give it time

One or two completed plans is usually enough to move the number. Keeping plans on track →

A higher limit is not a target. The number reflects what we think an account can carry, not what you should spend. If several plans are already running, more room available is not the same as more room in your budget.

Responsible spending

Questions

Spending limit FAQ

What people ask after a first order is capped.

What is my Scalapay spending limit?+

Your limit is the total you can have running across open plans at any one time. It is set per account rather than published as a fixed number, and it changes as your repayment history builds. You can see your current available amount in the app.

Why is my first order limit so low?+

A first order has no repayment history behind it. Starting lower is how the plan stays affordable for you and sustainable for us. Most limits rise after one or two completed plans.

How do I increase my spending limit?+

Pay on time, complete plans rather than leaving them running, keep the number of concurrent plans low, and use a card that verifies reliably. There is no form to fill in — the limit moves on behaviour.

Can my limit go down?+

Yes. A missed payment, a plan that goes overdue, or several plans running at once can all reduce what is available, sometimes temporarily.

Does my limit reset when I pay off a plan?+

Paying off a plan frees up the amount that plan was using, so your available limit goes back up immediately even if your overall ceiling has not changed.

Is the limit the same at every store?+

Not always. Retailers set their own minimum and maximum order values inside the $200 to $5,000 range, so a store can cap an order below your personal limit.