Klarna vs PayPal referral: which £10 UK invite is easier in 2026?

These two pay the same headline figure to the new joiner — £10 — so the decision is purely about how much work each asks of you, and what form the money takes.

Same £10, very different effort

PayPal gives both sides £10 once the new joiner makes a single £5 GBP checkout within 30 days. Almost every UK shop takes PayPal at checkout, so once the account is open the qualifying step is barely a step at all.

Klarna also gives the joiner £10 (and the referrer £40), but only after you take the Klarna Card and make three separate £5 purchases within 30 days. That's more deliberate effort — and only worth it if you actually want the Card.

What the money is

This matters as much as the amount. PayPal's £10 is non-cash store credit in the Offers section — it applies at your next checkout but can't be withdrawn. Klarna's £10 lands in your Klarna balance wallet as spendable e-money you can even withdraw to a debit card. So Klarna's reward is the more flexible of the two.

Dates and details worth knowing

PayPal runs Invite Friends in campaign windows, and one is live in the app in September 2026 — claim it with a purchase in mind, and spend the credit before the expiry date in your Offers section. For a large purchase, paying the retailer directly on a card keeps Section 75 cover intact. On Klarna's side, Pay in 3 has been FCA-regulated since 15 July 2026, and using the Card in debit mode for the referral sits outside that entirely.

The verdict

Want the quickest, lowest-effort tenner? PayPal — just mind the deadline. Want a slightly larger, more flexible reward and don't mind taking a new card? Klarna. They are independent programmes, so if both fit your spending, claim both.

To claim it, use the PayPal code qgwoE or join through topreferrals.co.uk/go/paypal (you get £10).

To claim it, use the Klarna code lTicTmR4qMdin7v- or join through topreferrals.co.uk/go/klarna (you get £10).