Klarna Expands Beyond Payments With Premium Membership Plans
New Model for Non-Credit Rewards
Klarna has rolled out a four-tier membership programme across the United Kingdom and the European Union, offering travel, lifestyle, and cashback benefits without linking rewards to borrowing. The plans — Core, Plus, Premium, and Max — provide structured access to perks traditionally offered through credit cards, but with fixed monthly fees instead of credit-linked spending thresholds.
The two new upper tiers, Premium and Max, expand Klarna’s services beyond its “purchase now, pay later” base into broader digital banking. Benefits include , travel insurance, and digital subscriptions to publications such as The New York Times, Vogue, GQ, and Headspace. Members can also convert cashback directly into rewards with travel and hospitality partners including Air France-KLM, British Airways, United Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and hotel chains such as Accor, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Radisson, Global Hotel Alliance, and Wyndham.
Investor Takeaway
Monthly Pricing and Benefits
The Premium tier costs €17.99 a month, offering users benefits valued at more than €2,000 per year. The Max plan is priced at €44.99 a month and includes perks exceeding €5,000 in annual value. These tiers include travel cover, lounge access, ClassPass memberships, and access to several digital media subscriptions.
Klarna said the model eliminates “hidden fees and spending requirements” common to traditional credit card reward programmes. Instead of tying perks to debt, the company offers transparent, pre-set benefits through a subscription model designed to simplify how users access lifestyle and financial services.
Building Consumer Loyalty Beyond Payments
David Sandström, Klarna’s chief marketing officer, said the company’s goal is to make benefits previously reserved for elite credit card holders more widely accessible. “For decades, exclusive perks such as airport lounge access, concierge-style subscriptions, and premium travel insurance were only available to elite credit card holders. Klarna is changing that,” he said. “Consumers can enjoy travel, lifestyle, and digital experiences in one seamless plan, without the burden of credit-based rewards or hidden costs.”
Klarna said its membership user base has surpassed one million globally, a milestone it described as part of its longer-term transition into a . Officials said the programme reflects its focus on transparency and consumer control, decoupling “premium experiences” from credit-driven models that encourage higher spending.
Investor Takeaway
Industry Context
The rollout follows a period of recovery for Klarna later than its 2022 valuation drop and renewed profitability in 2024. Analysts say the membership model could assist stabilize recurring in markets where credit card usage is declining. The programme also arrives amid rising competition from fintechs such as Revolut, Monzo, and N26, which have all introduced tiered subscription products blending banking and lifestyle perks.
With its new structure, Klarna continues to move toward a subscription-based model that reduces dependence on transaction fees and short-term lending, a strategy viewn as key for its future public market ambitions.
