Klarna vs PayPal referral: which £10 UK invite is easier in 2026?
Both pay the joiner £10, so choose by effort. PayPal is lower-friction — one £5 checkout on an account most people already hold — but the £10 is store credit and the campaign ends 30 June 2026. Klarna pays the same £10 (plus £40 to the referrer) but needs the Klarna Card and three £5 purchases. They're separate programmes, so you can claim both.
Key takeaways
- PayPal: £10 after one £5 GBP checkout within 30 days — lowest friction, but store credit, and the campaign ends 30 June 2026.
- Klarna: £10 to the joiner (£40 to the referrer) after taking the Klarna Card and making three £5 purchases within 30 days.
- Pick PayPal if you want the quickest tenner; pick Klarna if you actually want the Card.
- Separate programmes with separate eligibility — claim both if both suit you.
Our pick here: Klarna pays £10, verified against its own terms.
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. Most people already have a PayPal account and already shop somewhere that accepts it, so 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 PayPal's £10 is non-cash store credit in the Offers section — it applies at your next checkout but can't be withdrawn.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's offer runs to a schedule — the campaign closes 30 June 2026 and rewards are good until 30 September, so claim it with a purchase in mind. For a large purchase, paying the retailer directly on a card keeps Section 75 cover intact. On Klarna's side, new UK rules bring Pay in 3 under FCA supervision on 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.
Side by side
| PayPal | Klarna | |
|---|---|---|
| Reward to you | £10 | £10 |
| Referrer gets | £10 | £40 |
| Qualifying step | One £5+ checkout | 3 × £5+ Card purchases |
| New product needed | No | Klarna Card |
| Form of reward | Store credit | Spendable balance |
| Withdrawable | No | Yes, to a debit card |
| Window | 30 days | 30 days |
| Deadline | Ends 30 June 2026 | None published |
Frequently asked questions
Which £10 is easier to get, Klarna's or PayPal's?
PayPal's, clearly. It needs one £5 GBP checkout on an account most people already hold. Klarna requires taking the Klarna Card and making three separate £5 purchases within 30 days.
Which reward is more useful once you have it?
Klarna's. It lands in your Klarna balance wallet as e-money you can spend or withdraw to a debit card. PayPal's £10 is non-cash store credit in the Offers section, which applies at checkout but cannot be withdrawn.
When does the PayPal offer close?
The campaign ends 30 June 2026 and rewards expire 30 September 2026. Claiming late leaves a short window to spend the credit.
Can I claim both?
Yes. They are independent programmes with separate eligibility, so if both suit your spending there is no reason to choose.
Do I have to use Klarna's Pay in 3 to claim the reward?
No. The Klarna Card can be used in debit mode, drawing on money you already hold in your Klarna balance, which completes the three qualifying purchases without borrowing anything.
Compared, verified and link-tested — here's where to go next.
Last checked 21 September 2026. Figures verified against each brand's own terms. How we check.