Klarna vs Affirm Payments: Which BNPL Provider Is Better in 2026?

The global Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) market reached approximately $560 billion in gross merchandise volume in 2025, growing at a projected 20.7% CAGR. So it's no wonder why BNPL payment providers like Klarna and Affirm command significant attention in the industry.

Klarna and Affirm Payments are transforming the eCommerce landscape with a suite of features designed to meet the diverse needs of their customers. But the affirm vs klarna debate is more nuanced than it might first appear. Both platforms offer BNPL installments, but they differ significantly in fees, merchant reach, interest rates, and target markets.

That's the question we want to help you answer in today’s guide. We'll explore the strengths, benefits, and challenges of Klarna and Affirm, offering a clear comparison to help you decide which platform best fits your payment needs. Whether you're choosing klarna or affirm as a merchant, or affirm or klarna as a shopper, this guide covers everything you need to know.

Visão geral e principais recursos do Klarna

Klarna is a leading Buy Now, Pay Later payment provider enabling consumers to purchase items from eCommerce and physical stores without paying the full amount upfront. Founded in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2005,  Klarna's growth spurt began with the streamlining of invoice payments for eCommerce customers. The reduced payment friction meant more sales and high conversions for the business.

But Klarna's rapid expansion came after the team introduced the BNPL model in the early 2000s, onboarding over 850,000 global merchant partners and ~114 million customers across 26 countries, with ~34 million based in the U.S. Klarna went public on the New York Stock Exchange in September 2025, the largest fintech IPO of the year, raising $1.37 billion and reaching a market valuation of over $17 billion on its first day of trading.

In March 2025, Klarna secured an exclusive partnership with Walmart through OnePay, a significant move that previously belonged to Affirm. Klarna reported $2.8 billion in revenue in 2024, with $105 billion in gross merchandise volume processed.

Klarna's BNPL model has proven especially beneficial to online retailers, reducing cart abandonment rates, which had plagued the industry due to complicated checkout processes. Klarna’s higher-converting checkout experience allows shoppers to pay for purchases in four interest-free installments every two weeks or settle the entire amount within 30 days. Klarna is said to process two million transactions daily, with big-name users including Nike, Adidas, H&M, and now Walmart.

How Does Klarna Work? Key Features

Klarna gives users a convenient payment process, whether they're purchasing from an eCommerce website, a mobile app, or a physical store. Understanding how Klarna works is straightforward: shoppers choose Klarna at checkout and select a repayment plan.

Klarna empowers users to avoid predatory debts by enabling them to track orders, payment programs, payment history, and access customer support all within the Klarna app. Notable Klarna features include the following:

• Pague em 4: Os consumidores podem dividir as compras em quatro parcelas sem juros, sendo que a primeira deve ser paga no momento da finalização da compra e as três seguintes a cada duas semanas.
• Pague em 30 dias: os clientes podem fazer suas compras agora e pagar em até 30 dias, caso fiquem satisfeitos com a compra.
• Empréstimos de longo prazo: a Klarna oferece opções para financiar compras de maior valor ao longo de um período prolongado — geralmente variando de 6 a 36 meses, com taxas de juros competitivas a partir de 7,99% — por meio de seu parceiro, o WebBank.
• Klarna Card: Consumers can use a Klarna virtual card for installment payment and financing even if the store they're transacting with has yet to integrate the service. As of 2025, Klarna also launched a U.S. debit card pilot with FDIC-insured funds.
• KlarnaUSD Stablecoin: Launched in November 2025, Klarna released its own stablecoin on Stripe's blockchain to reduce costs on international payments.
• AI Shopping Assistant: Klarna has deployed an OpenAI-powered shopping assistant to help users manage spending and discover products.

For banks, fintechs, and merchants, Klarna's open banking makes finance "more accessible, fair, and simple for everyone." Klarna achieves this by enabling companies to leverage its connectivity to develop new products that benefit end users. Klarna says 15,000 partners are currently using its open banking API service. Half of the top 100 U.S. online retailers used Klarna's payment tools over the past year, and two-thirds ran advertising campaigns on its platform.

Sua integração rápida e fácil permite que os comerciantes aprimorem suas lojas, adicionando a opção de pagamento posterior. Você pode escolher a forma de pagamento mais adequada para seus clientes, criar uma solução personalizada ou integrar-se por meio de provedores de serviços de pagamento em plataformas como Shopify, WooCommerce ou Magento.

Klarna Fees: What Do Merchants Pay?

Klarna's business model is to charge merchants a flat fee per transaction and a percentage of sales, around 5% in the U.S. This is slightly higher than traditional card processors like Stripe or Shopify Payments charge. Understanding Klarna fees is important for merchants evaluating their margins. Klarna says its fees can also vary based on the country and which Klarna service the consumer chooses to use:

• Klarna Pay Later: Klarna's Pay Later option, which allows customers to settle their purchase within 14-30 days,  generally attracts transaction processing fees between 3.29% + $0.30 and 5.99% + $0.30 per transaction.
• Klarna Pay Now: Klarna's Pay Now option, offered through SOFORT, a notable bank transfer system available in Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain, carries a transaction fee of ~2.99% + 40.30 per transaction.
• Financiamento Klarna: A opção de financiamento da Klarna inclui taxas de transação que variam de 3,29% + US$ 0,30 a 5,99% + US$ 0,30.
• Taxas para comerciantes da Klarna: Embora não haja taxas de instalação, as taxas para comerciantes da Klarna variam mensalmente de acordo com o contrato do comerciante e o volume de vendas.
• Chargeback Fees: Klarna charges a ~$15 chargeback fee for every transaction dispute filed against you.

Buyers can also use the Klarna app at other retailers for a $2.12 service fee. There may be other costs, like currency conversion fees for international payments and integration fees. These costs vary based on the platform involved.

Vantagens da Klarna

A Klarna consolidou sua posição como uma das principais provedoras de pagamentos BNPL nos Estados Unidos e no mundo. Entre as principais vantagens da Klarna estão:

• Global availability with ~850,000 global merchant partners and ~114 million customers across 26 countries.
• O checkout rápido reduz o tempo das transações e as taxas de abandono de carrinho, um problema recorrente no comércio eletrônico.
• Multiple repayment options are available; shoppers can choose from Pay in 4, Pay in 30, or longer-term financing plans.
• As taxas de juros zero nos planos “Pague em 4” ou “Pague em 30” promovem a fidelização dos clientes, pois clientes satisfeitos que podem parcelar suas compras têm mais chances de voltar.
• A Klarna protege os comerciantes dos impactos financeiros decorrentes de clientes inadimplentes, assumindo os riscos associados ao seu financiamento.
• O Klarna é fácil de configurar e intuitivo, integrando-se às principais plataformas de comércio eletrônico para uma rápida aceitação de pagamentos.
• As medidas avançadas de prevenção de fraudes da Klarna reduzem as perdas financeiras.
• Verificações de crédito não invasivas com altas chances de aprovação geram receitas para as empresas.
• Klarna went public in September 2025, adding institutional transparency and credibility for merchants evaluating long-term platform risk.

Desvantagens do Klarna

Toda plataforma tem desvantagens que você deve levar em consideração para tomar uma decisão informada. No caso da Klarna, as desvantagens relatadas incluem:

• A Klarna cobra das empresas uma taxa de transação, que corresponde a uma porcentagem do valor total da transação.
• Consumers who miss repayment deadlines incur a $7 fee after 10 days. However, Klarna ensures the total late fees for an order will not exceed 25% of the total purchase amount. Affirm has called attention to these as "junk fees",  a point worth noting when comparing klarna vs affirm.
• Defaulting on repayment may result in a shopper being handed over to a collection agency and reported to the credit bureau, negatively affecting a person's credit score.
• Analistas têm argumentado que, como os serviços BNPL utilizam algoritmos internos em vez das tradicionais verificações de crédito, o sistema pode ser vulnerável a fraudes.

Visão geral e principais recursos do Affirm

Affirm is another household name in the buy now, pay later financing vertical. PayPal co-founder, Max Levchin, founded the payment network in 2012. The company went public on Nasdaq in January 2021 and has a market capitalization exceeding $28 billion as of early 2026, nearly double Klarna's IPO valuation.

Affirm delivered 46% revenue growth in 2024, reaching $2.32 billion, the fastest growth of any major BNPL provider that year, and crossed into profitability with a net profit of $52 million in fiscal year 2025.

A Affirm quer ser uma alternativa saudável aos cartões de crédito. Os empréstimos da Affirm vêm com um plano de pagamentos fixo, e os consumidores conhecem suas opções antes de finalizar cada transação. Dessa forma, eles nunca pagam mais do que o valor acordado. Os usuários podem realizar transações online ou pelo aplicativo da Affirm em lojas participantes, que podem gerar números de cartão virtuais para compras em qualquer loja que aceite Visa. Além disso, os clientes da Affirm podem escolher planos de pagamento de até 48 meses, o que é mais flexível do que as opções tradicionais de “Pague em 4” usadas por concorrentes como a Klarna.

Ao criar uma conta na Affirm, eles avaliam e atribuem a você um limite de gastos personalizado. Embora o limite de gastos varie de pessoa para pessoa, o limite de gastos de um usuário na Affirm não pode exceder US$ 17.500.

Affirm now has approximately 23 million active users and 377,000 merchant partners, with deep integrations at Amazon, Shopify, and, until March 2025, Walmart.

Principais recursos do Affirm

Affirm is for purchase financing with partner merchants. Unlike some platforms that provide short-term loans alongside bill payment or money transfer services, Affirm focuses solely on shopping financing. Notable Affirm features include the following:

• Sem taxas: Os clientes não pagam taxas de atraso, taxas de pagamento antecipado, taxas anuais nem taxas de abertura ou encerramento de conta.
• Pay in 4: Affirm's "Pay in 4" option lets you pay in four equal installments over six weeks, with zero interest or fees for purchases between $50 and $1,000.
• Cartão Affirm: Os consumidores podem usar os cartões de débito Affirm para efetuar pagamentos integrais, como os cartões de pagamento tradicionais, ou optar por planos flexíveis pelo aplicativo.
• Financiamento mensal: A Affirm permite que os consumidores financiem compras de até US$ 17.500, com prazos de pagamento que variam de 3 a 48 meses a uma Taxa de Juros Anual (TJA) de aproximadamente 30%. Isso depende do seu nível de risco e do estabelecimento comercial envolvido.

Affirm typically allows merchants to determine credit limits for their shoppers, with a maximum threshold of $17,500. They’ve partnered with thousands of retailers across categories like apparel, travel, electronics, home, and fitness. You can shop using Affirm online or with the mobile app, and for in-store purchases, you can use the virtual card.

How Much Does Affirm Charge Merchants?

Affirm does not charge any fees to shoppers. So how much does Affirm charge merchants? The BNPL provider charges a percentage of each transaction. Here's the breakdown:

• Affirm Loan Interest Rates: Affirm's APR ranges from 0% to 36%, depending on a user’s credibility. A user can pay more for Affirm compared to credit cards with an average APR of 19.07%, according to Federal Reserve data.
• Taxas de processamento de transações da Affirm: A taxa de processamento de transações da Affirm para comerciantes é de aproximadamente 6% + US$ 0,30 por compra. Esse valor pode variar de acordo com o risco avaliado, o porte da empresa e o programa selecionado.

A Affirm oferece planos personalizados com soluções sob medida para grandes empresas, com uma estrutura de taxas diferente. Outras taxas incluem taxas de intercâmbio e taxas de administração de empréstimos cobradas de investidores terceirizados.

Vantagens da Affirm

A Affirm oferece taxas a partir de 0% para prazos de até 48 meses. Integrá-la à sua loja é particularmente vantajoso para vendedores de itens de alto valor, com preços acima de US$ 500, e para aqueles que têm como público-alvo os consumidores da Geração Z, que gastam menos de US$ 100. Entre as principais vantagens da Affirm estão:

• Começar é muito fácil; o processo de cadastro exige poucos passos e poucos dados.  
• A Affirm realiza uma análise de crédito superficial dos compradores para determinar sua capacidade de crédito sem afetar suas pontuações de crédito.
• Buyers can split costs into four interest-free biweekly payments, with the first installment due at purchase, or choose extended repayment over three or more months –meaning high conversion for merchants.
• Affirm's “Pay in 4” service attracts no interest, making it appealing to Gen Z and Millennial shoppers. This could translate into repeat purchases for you.
• Shoppers do not pay any fees for late repayments, prepayment, account opening, or closure. This is a key differentiator in the affirm vs klarna fee debate.
• Affirm achieved net profitability in fiscal year 2025,  a major milestone that adds long-term stability and confidence for merchant partners.
• The platform has positive ratings and integrates with major stores, including Amazon and Shopify.

Desvantagens do Affirm

Os provedores de serviços BNPL, como a Affirm, têm sido alvo de críticas por diversos motivos. As principais desvantagens da Affirm são as seguintes:

• A Affirm oferece opções sem juros, mas alguns planos de prazo mais longo são mais caros do que o financiamento por cartão de crédito, com taxas de juros de até 36%.
• Embora a Affirm não cobre multas por atraso, o não pagamento por mais de 120 dias pode fazer com que seu empréstimo seja encaminhado para cobrança, o que pode prejudicar sua pontuação de crédito.
• A Affirm cobra das empresas uma taxa de transação, que corresponde a uma porcentagem do valor total da transação.
• O reembolso de um pedido feito pela Affirm é equivalente a um reembolso de cartão de crédito, mas a Affirm retém as taxas de cada transação.
• Affirm lost its exclusive Walmart BNPL partnership to Klarna in March 2025, which was a notable blow to its U.S. retail footprint.

Klarna x Affirm: as principais diferenças

The BNPL services that Klarna and Affirm provide are quite comparable to a large extent. But differences abound. When examining klarna vs affirm closely, key differences emerge across fees, reach, and purchase size. Let's examine these distinctions to help you decide which platform is best for you.

Opções de pagamento

• Klarna:
  
  • Oferece diversos planos de pagamento flexíveis, incluindo “Pague em 4”, “Pague em 30 dias” e opções de financiamento de longo prazo por meio do WebBank.
  • É necessário um adiantamento de 25% do valor da transação.
  • Não estabelece um valor mínimo de gastos nem possui um limite de gastos pré-definido. Em vez disso, sempre que você efetuar o pagamento do empréstimo, é tomada uma decisão de aprovação automática que determina quanto você pode gastar.

• Afirme:
  
  • Offers Pay in 4, Pay in 2 plan, Pay in 30 plan, or long-term loans that typically span 3 to 48 months.
  • Os clientes podem utilizar o plano BNPL em transações elegíveis acima de US$ 100 e financiar compras de até US$ 17.500.
  • Permite compras sem pagamento inicial.

Taxas de juros e tarifas

• Klarna:
  
  • Geralmente oferece planos de pagamento sem juros para opções de curto prazo.
  • Financiamentos de prazo mais longo têm juros a partir de 7,99% e podem chegar a 29,99%.
  • Cobra uma taxa de US$ 7 após 10 dias de atraso no pagamento.
  • Pode comunicar atrasos e inadimplências à agência de crédito.
  • As taxas cobradas aos comerciantes variam mensalmente, dependendo do contrato do comerciante e do volume de vendas.

• Afirme:
  
  • Geralmente, oferecem pagamentos com juros zero (0%) para empréstimos do tipo “Pague em 4”.
  • Long-term financing interest rates up to  36% APR.
  • Não cobra multas por atraso nem juros compostos sobre pagamentos atrasados.
  • As taxas cobradas aos comerciantes variam de acordo com o risco avaliado, o porte da empresa e o programa escolhido.

Both platforms charge a $15 chargeback fee.

Availability and Acceptance

• Klarna:
  
  • Caters to a diverse customer base and partners with ~850,000 merchants across 26 countries.
  • Amplamente adotado nos principais setores de varejo, viagens e hotelaria, saúde e bem-estar, e automotivo.
  • 114 million active consumers as of 2025.
  • Listed on the NYSE under ticker KLAR as of September 2025.
  • Exige que os usuários sejam residentes nos Estados Unidos ou em seus territórios, tenham pelo menos 18 anos, possuam um cartão ou conta bancária válida, tenham um histórico de crédito positivo e possam receber códigos de verificação por mensagem de texto.
  • Índices de aprovação mais elevados.

• Afirme:
  
  • Destina-se principalmente a empresas que vendem diretamente a consumidores dos Estados Unidos e do Canadá.
  • Does not work with high-risk eCommerce verticals.
  • Approximately 23 million active users and 377,000 active merchants as of early 2026.
  • Exige que os usuários sejam residentes nos Estados Unidos, no Canadá ou na Austrália, tenham pelo menos 18 anos, possuam um cartão ou conta bancária válida, tenham um histórico de crédito positivo e possam receber códigos de verificação por mensagem de texto.
  • Índices de aprovação mais baixos.

Público-alvo

• Ambas as plataformas atraem principalmente o público mais jovem.
• Klarna says 80% of its Instagram account followers are under 34 years old, 60% of its customers are women, and 40% are men.
• A Affirm informa que seus serviços atraem especialmente a geração Y e a geração Z, sendo que 46,14% dos usuários se identificam como homens e 53,86% como mulheres.

Is Klarna or Affirm Better? The Final Verdict

Klarna and Affirm Payments have transformed how consumers make payments and experience products they love. They are safe to use and packed with features, and the interest rates are generally manageable. Integrating them into your store helps you improve your AOV and minimize cart abandonment. So, is Klarna or Affirm better for your business? And is Affirm or Klarna better as a consumer? The answer depends on your use case. Here's our verdict on which is better, Klarna or Affirm:

Quando escolher a Klarna

• Subscription service: Klarna enables customers to subscribe to services, tokenizing payment preferences for automatic renewals. Shoppers can manage their settings in the Klarna App.
• Produto sob demanda: utilizar o Klarna como método de pagamento preferencial em uma carteira digital agiliza a compra com um clique de itens sob demanda, oferecendo opções flexíveis de finalização de compra.
• Open banking service provider: Vendors offering Pay Now services can have their users bypass card networks by paying Klarna directly from their bank account.
• PMEs com operações internacionais: a Klarna oferece uma cobertura mais ampla.
• Businesses targeting Walmart shoppers: Following Klarna's exclusive Walmart/OnePay partnership secured in March 2025, Klarna is now the BNPL provider of choice for the world's largest retailer.

Quando escolher a Affirm

• Large purchases: Shoppers often use Affirm for large online transactions, providing a reliable and cost-effective solution. Affirm's average order value of $276 is nearly triple Klarna's ~$101, making it ideal for high-ticket merchants.
• Emergências: Os usuários da Affirm contam com a plataforma para arcar com despesas inesperadas, como consertos de carro ou emergências médicas.
• Transações locais nos EUA ou no Canadá: Se sua clientela estiver localizada nos EUA e no Canadá e você tiver uma excelente classificação de crédito, a Affirm pode ser a melhor opção para você.
• Zero-fee environments: If your customers are sensitive to late fees and penalties, Affirm's no-fee model is a clear differentiator over Klarna.
• Amazon merchants: Affirm's deep Amazon integration makes it the default BNPL option for one of the world's largest marketplaces.

Como a Chargeflow apoia os comerciantes que oferecem BNPL

A Chargeflow ajuda os provedores de serviços do tipo “Compre agora, pague depois” a recuperar estornos indevidos e fraudulentos de forma totalmente automatizada. O modelo de preços baseado no sucesso garante que você só pague pelos casos ganhos, e nossas taxas de sucesso em disputas têm superado consistentemente as médias do setor.

Take control of your chargebacks today! Our advanced technology, seamless integration, and exceptional dispute win rate are ideal for eCommerce businesses looking to improve payment processes and protect sales revenue. Here’s how to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions: Klarna vs Affirm

What is the difference between Klarna vs Affirm?

The core difference in klarna vs affirm comes down to geographic reach, fee structures, and purchase size. Klarna serves 114 million consumers across 26 countries and charges consumers late fees starting at $7 after 10 days. Affirm serves approximately 23 million users primarily in the U.S. and Canada, charges zero fees to consumers, and is better suited for higher-ticket purchases averaging $276 per order.

Is Klarna or Affirm better for merchants?

Whether Klarna or Affirm is better for merchants depends on your customer base and average order value. If you sell internationally or to a broad demographic, Klarna offers more global reach and higher approval rates. If you sell high-ticket items in the U.S. and want a no-fee model your customers will appreciate, Affirm is the stronger choice.

Is Affirm or Klarna better for consumers?

For consumers deciding between Affirm or Klarna, the key question is: do you want zero fees or more flexible repayment options? Affirm never charges late fees, hidden fees, or prepayment penalties. Klarna offers more payment plan variety and is accepted at more global retailers, but does charge late fees.

How much does Affirm charge merchants?

Affirm's merchant transaction fee is approximately 6% + $0.30 per purchase. This is slightly higher than Klarna fees, which typically range from 3.29% + $0.30 to 5.99% + $0.30. Both platforms charge a $15 chargeback fee. Affirm may offer custom pricing for enterprise merchants.

What are Klarna fees for merchants?

Klarna fees for merchants vary based on which product is used. Klarna Pay Later fees range from 3.29% + $0.30 to 5.99% + $0.30 per transaction. Klarna Pay Now (via SOFORT) is approximately 2.99% + $0.30. There are no setup fees, but monthly fees vary by agreement and sales volume. A $15 chargeback fee applies per dispute.

How does Klarna work?

At checkout, shoppers select Klarna as their payment method and choose a plan: Pay in 4 (four interest-free biweekly payments), Pay in 30 (pay in full within 30 days), or monthly financing (6–36 months through WebBank). Klarna pays the merchant upfront and collects repayments from the consumer. Shoppers can manage payments, track orders, and access support in the Klarna app.

Which is better, Klarna or Affirm, for high-ticket items?

For high-ticket purchases, Affirm is generally better. Affirm supports financing up to $17,500 with terms of up to 48 months, and its average order value of $276 is significantly higher than Klarna's ~$101. If you're asking which is better, klarna or affirm, for a $1,000+ purchase, Affirm's longer-term plans tend to be more competitive, though interest rates can reach 36% APR on extended plans.

Did Klarna take Walmart from Affirm?

Yes. In March 2025, Klarna secured an exclusive partnership with Walmart through its OnePay fintech subsidiary, replacing Affirm as Walmart's BNPL provider. This was one of the biggest competitive shifts in the klarna vs affirm landscape in recent years and significantly boosted Klarna's U.S. market position ahead of its September 2025 IPO.

Market Data

• Chargeflow BNPL Statistics 2026: https://www.chargeflow.io/blog/buy-now-pay-later-statistics

Klarna Data

• Klarna Wikipedia (2025 IPO, user/merchant counts, countries, stablecoin, AI assistant): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klarna
• Morningstar — Klarna IPO valuation analysis: https://www.morningstar.com/stocks/whats-behind-klarnas-14-billion-ipo-valuation
• Digital Commerce 360 — Klarna IPO $20B valuation: https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2025/09/12/klarna-ipo-20-billion-valuation/
• PM Insights — Klarna IPO & Walmart partnership: https://www.pminsights.com/insights/klarna-leads-triple-fintech-ipo-wave-this-week

Affirm Data

• Affirm Investor Relations — revenue, profitability, fee structure: https://investors.affirm.com/news-releases/news-release-details/affirm-difference-building-new-kind-payments-network-money-and
• Business of Apps — BNPL market share & revenue stats: https://www.businessofapps.com/data/buy-now-pay-later-app-market/

Comparative Data

• Oreate AI — Klarna vs Affirm avg order value, user counts: https://www.oreateai.com/blog/klarna-vs-affirm-a-deep-dive-into-the-bnpl-giants/

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