What is Klarna?
Klarna is a buy now, pay later provider that lets shoppers choose flexible payment options at checkout. Depending on the store and the available options, customers can pay in full, pay later (for example, in 30 days), or split a purchase into installments (such as “Pay in 4”). If you’re browsing buy now, pay later websites or comparing buy now, pay later apps, Klarna is one of the bigger buy now, pay later companies that shows up early, because it’s both a checkout method for merchants and a consumer shopping app. Klarna’s app also highlights shopping benefits, such as exclusive deals and cashback offers.
Overview
Offer flexible checkout options, boost conversions, and manage payments with Klarna’s buy-now-pay-later and payment processing platform.
TL; DR
- Buy Now, Pay Later options
- Full payment, pay-in-3 & financing
- One-click checkout & auto-fill
- Fraud protection & risk evaluation
- Order tracking & post-purchase tools
Klarna is a payment and checkout platform that lets merchants offer flexible payment options like BNPL, pay-in-3, financing, and full upfront payment. It simplifies checkout, reduces friction, and helps businesses increase conversions and average order value.
Everything That’s Included in Klarna Pricing in 2026
| Pay in full (standard checkout) | |
| Pay in 4 installments | |
| Pay later (for example, “pay in 30 days”) | |
| Financing / Pay over time | |
| Klarna as a checkout payment method at participating stores | |
| Klarna app to manage purchases and payment schedules | |
| One-time card (virtual card) for shopping in supported markets | |
| In-store payment options like QR code (where supported) | |
| Cashback offers at participating stores (through the app) | |
| Deals/offers surfaced in the Klarna app (availability varies) |
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Claim here All deals are FREE. No credit card required.Why You Need a Buy Now, Pay Later Option for Your Online Store
Most checkout drop-offs aren’t philosophical. They’re situational: the total is higher than expected, payday is a week away, or the customer just wants a little breathing room. Buy now, pay later services exist for that exact moment, giving shoppers an alternative to paying everything upfront. For a store, adding a pay-later option can be useful when you sell higher-priced items, bundles, or anything that triggers “I’ll come back later” hesitation. It’s also become a familiar pattern across many buy now, pay later sites and websites, so some customers actively seek it as a preferred way to pay. That’s where Klarna typically comes in. Klarna is one of the better-known buy now, pay later companies, and it’s often considered alongside other BNPL apps when a merchant is deciding which BNPL option to support. Separate note on costs: if you’re also reviewing your checkout stack beyond BNPL, Elevate.store currently has a deal on Stripe: $20K in fee-free card processing credits. That won’t replace a BNPL option, but it can reduce payment processing costs while you’re optimizing checkout.
Important Klarna features
- Pay later options: Lets eligible shoppers delay payment.
- Installments (for example, Pay in 4): Lets customers split a purchase into multiple payments, where supported.
- Financing / longer-term payment plans: Additional pay-over-time options in supported markets.
- Klarna at checkout: Klarna can appear as a payment choice at participating online stores, so customers can choose a pay-later method during checkout.
- Klarna app: A consumer app that lets users view purchases and manage payment schedules in one place.
- One-time/virtual card (supported markets): Klarna offers a one-time card feature in some regions so customers can use Klarna’s pay-later options at more stores.
- In-store payments: Klarna supports in-store payment experiences in some markets (for example, via QR-based flows).
- Deals/offers surfaced in-app: Klarna may surface shopping offers in its app; availability varies by retailer and region.
- Cashback offers: Klarna also promotes cashback at participating stores in some markets, typically via the app.
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Klarna vs Stripe isn’t a strict “pick one” comparison. In a typical checkout stack, Stripe handles payment processing (especially card payments), while Klarna is something you add at checkout to give customers a pay-later / installment option (where available). So the real question is: do you want to offer Klarna as a buy now, pay later option while using Stripe for payment processing? The table below helps you decide what each tool does in the checkout flow.
| Klarna | ||
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Buy now, pay later provider | Payment processing platform |
| What it changes in checkout | Adds Pay Later / installment choices for eligible shoppers | Powers payment acceptance and checkout flows (setup-dependent) |
| Primary value | Payment flexibility for customers | Reliable payment processing infrastructure |
| Card payments | Not the core focus; Klarna is about Pay Later | Core Stripe use case |
| Pay Later / BNPL | Core Klarna feature | Not a core product; Stripe supports payment methods depending on setup |
| Typical place in your stack | Add-on payment method shown at checkout | The underlying processor powering checkout |
| When it’s most useful | Higher AOV carts, customers who prefer installments | Any store that needs card-first online payment processing |
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Claim here All deals are FREE. No credit card required.Frequently Asked Questions
What is Klarna and how does it work?
Which country owns Klarna?
What payment options does Klarna offer?
Common options (availability varies by market/store) include:
- Pay in full
- Pay in 4 (installments)
- Pay in 30 days (a form of pay later)
- Pay over time/financing (where offered)
Is Klarna better suited for certain types of eCommerce businesses?
Klarna is usually considered by stores that want to offer buy now, pay later services as a checkout choice, especially when they sell higher-priced items, bundles, or anything where customers might prefer flexibility. It’s also common for brands to evaluate Klarna alongside other buy now pay later apps and pay later apps when deciding what to support at checkout.

