For imaging centers and radiology practices, the four patient-financing providers worth comparing are CareCredit, Affirm, PatientFi, and Cherry. CareCredit wins on patient recognition (many already carry the card). PatientFi wins on high-ticket elective imaging and mid-tier credit. Affirm offers transparent fixed-APR terms with no deferred-interest gotcha. Cherry is the cleanest mobile-first front-desk flow. Merchant discount fees run 5–15%. Don't pick just one — enrolling with 2–3 lifts combined patient approval to ~75–85%. This is separate from how patient financing works and from financing the imaging equipment itself.
If you run an imaging center or radiology practice and you've decided to offer patient financing, the next question is which provider — or which combination. This page compares CareCredit, Affirm, PatientFi, and Cherry head-to-head on the factors that actually affect your net revenue and patient approval rate: merchant discount fees, term options, deferred-interest structure, underwriting depth, and front-desk experience. For the broader “what is patient financing and should we offer it” question, start with patient financing for imaging & radiology centers.
CareCredit vs PatientFi vs Affirm vs Cherry: Side by Side
| Provider | Merchant discount fee | Terms | Deferred interest? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CareCredit (Synchrony) | 5–12% | 6/12/18/24-mo deferred-interest promos + 24–60-mo fixed APR | Yes (classic gotcha) | Patient recognition; patients who already hold the card |
| Affirm | 6–12% | 3–36-mo fixed APR | No — rate is the rate | Transparent terms; patients who use Affirm in retail |
| PatientFi | 8–15% | 12–60-mo fixed APR, extended for high ticket | No | High-ticket elective imaging ($3K–$10K); mid-tier credit |
| Cherry | Competitive, varies by tier | 3–60-mo fixed APR | No | Mobile-first front-desk flow; lower-ticket procedures |
Figures are typical 2026 ranges; your actual MDF schedule depends on patient credit tier, term length, and your negotiated agreement.
CareCredit: The Recognition Leader
CareCredit (a Synchrony product) is the most consumer-recognized healthcare financing brand in the U.S. A meaningful share of your patients already carry a CareCredit card from a dentist, vet, or prior imaging visit — which removes friction at the front desk. The trade-off is the deferred-interest promotional structure: if a patient misses payoff on a 0% promo by even a dollar, retroactive interest applies. Train staff to explain this clearly, or steer balance-sensitive patients to a fixed-APR option instead.
- MDF: 5–12% by tier and term.
- Strength: brand trust, fast familiar approval, widest deferred-interest promo menu.
- Watch out: deferred-interest complaints if staff oversell the “0%” without explaining the payoff condition.
PatientFi: The High-Ticket Specialist
PatientFi underwrites specifically for elective healthcare, so it tends to approve mid-tier-credit patients that CareCredit declines, and it supports longer terms that make a $4,000–$8,000 advanced MRI or interventional procedure affordable on a monthly basis. MDF is higher (8–15%), but for high-ticket elective imaging the incremental approvals usually outweigh the fee. This is the strongest second-look provider to pair with CareCredit.
Affirm: The Transparent-Terms Option
Affirm carries strong consumer brand awareness from retail buy-now-pay-later and brings the same transparent, fixed-APR structure to healthcare — no deferred-interest mechanics. Patients see exactly what they'll pay. Good for practices that want to avoid the CareCredit deferred-interest explanation entirely and for patients who already trust the Affirm brand.
Cherry: The Mobile-First Newcomer
Cherry is built around point-of-service ease — a clean tablet/QR-code flow that lets patients apply in the waiting room in a couple of minutes. Terms run 3–60 months fixed APR. Best for practices that prioritize a frictionless patient experience and have a higher mix of lower-ticket procedures.
Which Combination to Enroll With
No single provider approves every patient — each covers its own credit tiers. Stacking providers is how centers push combined approval to ~75–85%:
- Most imaging centers: CareCredit (front-line recognition) + PatientFi (high-ticket / second look). Covers the bulk of cases.
- Add Affirm if you want a no-deferred-interest option for balance-sensitive patients.
- Add or swap Cherry if front-desk speed and a mobile-first flow matter more than brand recognition.
- Don't over-stack. A fourth provider rarely improves coverage enough to justify the extra monthly reconciliation.
How to Enroll (Any Provider)
Enrollment is similar across providers and imaging/radiology practices are treated as a low-risk segment:
- Documents: business license, NPI, malpractice insurance, sample patient agreements, and a bank account for ACH funding.
- Timeline: 5–15 business days for CareCredit and Affirm; PatientFi can run 3–5 weeks due to deeper healthcare underwriting.
- Setup: you receive a provider portal, a point-of-service widget/QR/tablet flow, staff training, and your MDF schedule.
- Go live: present financing as a standard payment option before the patient sees the price, using a short non-pressure script.
Don't Confuse Patient Financing With Equipment Financing
Patient financing is a customer-facing program you set up directly with each provider — we don't broker patient-financing relationships. The other side of the coin is financing the imaging equipment itself: the MRI, CT, X-ray, or ultrasound machine the practice buys. That's what Axiant brokers, along with working capital for the practice. If you're scaling procedure volume with patient financing, you'll often need equipment capacity to match — get matched with healthcare-equipment lenders.
Frequently Asked Questions
PatientFi vs CareCredit — which is better for an imaging or radiology center?
CareCredit wins on patient recognition — many patients already carry the card, so approval feels familiar and fast. PatientFi wins on higher-ticket elective imaging ($3K–$10K) and mid-tier credit because its healthcare-specific underwriting approves patients CareCredit declines. Most centers enroll with both: CareCredit as the front-line option, PatientFi as the second look for patients who don't qualify or want longer terms without CareCredit's deferred-interest structure.
How does an imaging center enroll in CareCredit?
Apply as a CareCredit provider/merchant with your business license, NPI, malpractice insurance, and a bank account for ACH funding. Approval for healthcare practices is typically 5–15 business days. Once approved you get a provider portal, point-of-service application widget or tablet flow, staff training, and a merchant discount fee schedule. Imaging centers are a known low-risk segment, so enrollment is usually straightforward.
What does each patient-financing provider cost the practice?
Practices pay a merchant discount fee (MDF) deducted from each financed transaction: CareCredit 5–12%, Affirm 6–12%, PatientFi 8–15%, Cherry competitive/varies by tier. Longer terms and deferred-interest promotions cost the practice more MDF. There is generally no per-application fee and no credit risk to the practice once the patient is approved and the procedure is delivered.
How many patient-financing providers should an imaging center offer?
Two to three. A single provider approves only its own credit tiers; stacking CareCredit + Affirm + PatientFi lifts combined patient approval to roughly 75–85% because each provider catches patients the others decline. Adding a fourth rarely improves coverage enough to justify the extra reconciliation overhead.
Is patient financing the same as financing the imaging equipment?
No. Patient financing is a consumer-credit product your patients use to pay for procedures over time. Equipment financing is how the practice itself borrows to buy the MRI, CT, X-ray, or ultrasound machine. They are separate products — Axiant brokers the equipment-financing and working-capital side; patient financing is set up directly with each provider.