Klarna: BNPL Giant — Payment Service Review with Affiliate Program
What Is Klarna
Klarna is a Swedish fintech giant that made “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) mainstream. Founded in 2005 by Sebastian Siemiatkowski, by 2026 it serves 150+ million users in 45 countries and processes transactions for 500,000+ merchants.
Unlike traditional credit cards, Klarna offers buyers three interest-free payment options: pay immediately, split into 4 installments, or pay in 30 days. The merchant gets paid immediately — Klarna takes on the risk.
Klarna vs Affirm: BNPL Service Comparison for E-commerce in 2026
Klarna vs Affirm: BNPL for E-commerce
BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) is the fastest-growing fintech segment. Klarna and Affirm are two leaders with different strategies. Klarna goes wide: 45 countries, 500K+ merchants. Affirm goes deep: US + Canada, but with high average order value and strong analytics. Which is better for your store?
Comparison Table
| Criteria | Klarna | Affirm |
|---|---|---|
| Geography | 45 countries | US + Canada |
| Active Users | 150M+ | 25M+ |
| Merchants | 500K+ | 300K+ |
| Average Order | -300 | -1,500 |
| BNPL Options | Pay in 4, Pay in 30d, Finance | Pay in 4, Monthly Finance |
| Buyer Interest | 0% | 0-36% APR |
| Merchant Fee | 2.5-4.5% | 3-6% |
| Integration | Fast (widget + API) | Fast (widget + API) |
| Affiliate Program | CPA -150 | Rev share 0.5-2% |
Where Klarna Wins
International Reach
45 countries vs two for Affirm. If your store sells to Europe, Australia, or Latin America — Klarna is the only choice. Affirm simply doesn’t work outside North America.