FlexShopper vs Rent-A-Center: Online vs In-Store Rent-to-Own
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The Online vs In-Store Rent-to-Own Decision
FlexShopper and Rent-A-Center are both rent-to-own providers, but they represent fundamentally different shopping experiences. FlexShopper operates entirely online; Rent-A-Center operates through physical storefronts. Each approach has distinct advantages that make one clearly better than the other depending on your situation.
Selection and Product Availability
FlexShopper wins on selection — dramatically. Because FlexShopper sources products from major online retailers (essentially acting as a financing layer over a broad product marketplace), their selection includes thousands of bed frame options across every style, size, and price range. You’re effectively shopping from the inventory of major furniture retailers with lease-to-own payment options applied.
Rent-A-Center carries curated store inventory — typically a few dozen bed frame and bedroom set options per location. Selection is limited to what fits in the store and what fits the RTO retail model. You don’t have access to the full market of bed frame options.
Pricing Comparison
Both programs have total costs that significantly exceed retail price at full term. FlexShopper’s weekly rates are generally competitive with Rent-A-Center for equivalent items, and FlexShopper’s 90-day early purchase option often produces better total costs than Rent-A-Center’s equivalent early purchase pricing. However, comparisons depend heavily on the specific item — price each option for your actual intended purchase before deciding.
Delivery and Setup
Rent-A-Center includes delivery and setup in their rental price — a team comes to your home, places the furniture, and takes away the packaging. For shoppers who don’t have a vehicle large enough to transport furniture or who don’t want to assemble it, this white-glove service has real value.
FlexShopper ships products directly from retailers to your door — standard carrier delivery without professional setup. Assembly is your responsibility. For simple bed frames that assemble in 30 minutes, this is fine. For more complex furniture, the lack of setup service is a disadvantage.
Availability
Rent-A-Center requires a local store — not available in all areas. FlexShopper ships to all 50 states and has no geographic limitations. For shoppers in rural areas or smaller cities without Rent-A-Center locations nearby, FlexShopper may be the only accessible rent-to-own option.
Bottom Line: Choose FlexShopper for selection and convenience (no store visit required). Choose Rent-A-Center if you need same-day delivery, want professional setup, or prefer the in-person negotiation flexibility of a physical store.
Browse FlexShopper Bed Frames →
The Shift to Online Lease-to-Own
The rent-to-own market has undergone a significant structural change over the past decade. Traditionally, rent-to-own meant visiting a physical store — a Rent-A-Center, Aaron’s, or similar chain — selecting from the inventory on the showroom floor, and taking items home with a payment agreement. This model still exists, but online alternatives like FlexShopper have created a new category of lease-to-own that operates entirely through e-commerce.
The differences between these approaches affect everything from product selection to convenience to how the payment process works. Understanding both models helps shoppers choose the one that better fits their situation and preferences.
FlexShopper operates as an online marketplace where customers can shop from a broad catalog of products — furniture, electronics, appliances, and more — and use a lease-to-own agreement to take items without paying the full price upfront. The experience resembles standard online shopping: browse, add to cart, apply for the lease, and arrange delivery. The key distinction from traditional retail is the payment structure — weekly payments over a lease term, with the option to purchase early.
Rent-A-Center operates primarily through physical stores, with a complementary online component. Customers visit a location, select from current store inventory, and take items home the same visit. The in-store model allows customers to physically inspect items before taking them, which is a meaningful advantage for furniture specifically — seeing a bed frame or sofa in person reveals dimensions, finish quality, and condition in ways that product photos do not.
Selection, Pricing, and Convenience Compared
FlexShopper’s online catalog is significantly larger than any individual Rent-A-Center store can carry. If you want a specific brand, model, or style of furniture, FlexShopper is more likely to have it — the selection reflects the breadth of e-commerce rather than what fits in a physical showroom. For shoppers who already know what they want and have done their research online, this is a meaningful advantage.
Rent-A-Center’s in-store inventory is curated but limited. The furniture available skews toward practical, volume-oriented pieces rather than design-specific selections. For shoppers who are flexible on brand and style and primarily need functional bedroom or living room furniture quickly, this is usually adequate. For those seeking a specific aesthetic or brand, the in-store selection often falls short.
Convenience favors FlexShopper for remote shoppers and those without easy access to a Rent-A-Center location. The application and checkout process is entirely online, and delivery is arranged directly. Rent-A-Center’s in-store experience is convenient for those near a location and who want same-day access without waiting for delivery scheduling.
Third Option: Retailer-Based Lease-to-Own
Both FlexShopper and Rent-A-Center serve the same fundamental need, but there is a third approach worth considering for bedroom furniture specifically: lease-to-own programs integrated into mainstream furniture and mattress retailers.
Programs like Acima operate through furniture and mattress stores, allowing you to shop at retailers whose furniture selection and quality often exceed both FlexShopper’s online catalog and Rent-A-Center’s store inventory. The lease-to-own mechanism is similar — payments over time, no traditional credit requirement — but the shopping experience and product quality can be meaningfully better.
Making the Right Choice for Your Situation
The best rent-to-own approach depends on what you are buying and how you prefer to shop. For furniture specifically — where seeing and feeling the piece matters — in-store or retailer-based programs typically deliver better outcomes than purely online alternatives. Physical inspection reveals quality in ways product descriptions and photos do not.
Regardless of which platform or program you use, applying the same evaluation criteria matters: understand the total payment amount over the full term, know what your 90-day early purchase option costs, and confirm what happens if you need to return the item before the term ends. These terms vary by program and affect the real cost significantly.
For bedroom furniture specifically, the quality of what you are financing matters as much as the payment structure. A comfortable, well-made bed frame and mattress financed at a slightly higher total cost is a better outcome than a lower total cost on a subpar setup you will want to replace in two years.