What This Update Actually Is
HubSpot has added Affirm and Klarna as installment payment options at checkout on payment links. This is a private beta available to qualified US merchants. Both payment processors, HubSpot Payments and Stripe, are supported.
When a buyer chooses Affirm or Klarna at checkout, they pay in installments over time. You, the merchant, receive the full payment upfront. The trade-off is a 5.99% processing fee per transaction plus any applicable platform fee.
There are two hard limits worth knowing before you get excited. First, Affirm and Klarna only work for one-time payments. They don't support recurring subscriptions. Second, these options are not saved for future transactions. Each purchase requires a fresh approval.
Why HubSpot Shipped This
Here's the real problem. High-ticket deals stall at the payment step. A buyer who is genuinely interested in a $3,000 or $8,000 purchase can still walk away when the full amount is due all at once.
We've seen this pattern across many portals at Sidekick. The quote gets approved, the payment link gets sent, and then... silence. Cash flow concerns on the buyer's side kill deals that were already closed in spirit.
Buy-now-pay-later options have become a normal expectation in B2C. That expectation is bleeding into B2B. HubSpot is meeting it directly inside the Commerce Hub toolkit so you don't have to bolt on a separate financing solution from outside the platform.
How to Use It Step by Step
- Confirm eligibility. Navigate to Settings, then Tools, then Revenue, then Payments. If your business qualifies for Affirm, Klarna, or both, you'll see them listed as available payment method options. Eligibility is determined by HubSpot's underwriting process and is currently limited to US merchants.
- Enable the methods you want. Toggle Affirm, Klarna, or both on inside your payment settings. New payment links you create will inherit these settings automatically.
- Adjust individual links when needed. You can override the global setting on any individual payment link, invoice, or quote. Turn a method on or off for a specific transaction without changing your account-wide defaults.
- Test the buyer experience. Send yourself a test payment link. Go through the checkout flow as a buyer would. Confirm Affirm and Klarna appear correctly before sending links to real buyers.
- Update your sales messaging. Let your sales reps know that installment options are now available. Equip them to mention it proactively during high-value conversations. A buyer who knows they can split a $5,000 payment may say yes faster.
What It Touches in Your HubSpot Strategy
This update lives in Commerce Hub, but the ripple effects reach into Sales Hub and RevOps processes. Here's where to think carefully.
Payment links are the only supported format during this private beta. Invoices and quotes can have Affirm or Klarna toggled on or off per document, but the installment option only surfaces to buyers on payment links right now. Keep that boundary in mind when you're deciding how to structure your checkout flow.
Key Takeaway
The 5.99% fee per transaction is real and should factor into your pricing and margin calculations before you enable these options broadly. Know your numbers first.
On the reporting side, transactions completed through Affirm or Klarna will still appear in your HubSpot Payments activity. You'll want to monitor your net revenue carefully since the fee comes out of each transaction. If you're building revenue dashboards, account for that 5.99% reduction when projecting collected amounts.
This update pairs naturally with the broader HubSpot revenue toolset. If your team is also working with autonomous collections, you'll want to review
This update pairs naturally with the broader HubSpot revenue toolset. If your team is working with autonomous collections, the HubSpot Revenue Agent for accounts receivable is worth reviewing alongside this change. And if invoice accuracy is a concern for high-value deals, AI-assisted invoice corrections with Breeze Assistant addresses mistakes before they reach the buyer.
Key Takeaway
Affirm and Klarna are one-time payment tools only. If recurring billing is part of your model, these options won't apply and you'll need to keep your subscription payment flows separate.
From a sales enablement angle, this change can shorten deal cycles on larger transactions. Humans who hesitate on big upfront payments often need a confidence bridge. Installment options serve as that bridge without requiring you to offer a discount or extend net terms manually.
Reducing payment friction is a conversion lever that often gets overlooked in B2B. If you want to understand why that friction matters so much at the point of purchase, our B2B buyer behavior and brain science pillar gives you the psychology behind why payment flexibility builds buyer confidence.
Who Should Care Most
Not every HubSpot user needs to act on this today. Here's who should move first.
- US-based merchants selling high-ticket products or services via payment links where average transaction values are $1,000 or more. That's where installment options create the most meaningful lift in conversion.
- Revenue operations leaders who want to reduce checkout abandonment without changing the sales process itself. This is a payment settings change, not a workflow rebuild.
- Sales managers whose reps send payment links as part of a close. Equipping reps to mention financing options during calls can move hesitant buyers off the fence.
- E-commerce or services businesses on any HubSpot subscription tier, since payment link access for Affirm and Klarna is tier-agnostic during the beta. You don't need Enterprise to participate.
If your business runs on recurring subscriptions only, this update doesn't apply to your billing model yet. Keep watching for future releases that may extend installment support.
Humans at companies with thin margins should also pause before enabling these options broadly. A 5.99% fee on a $10,000 transaction is $599. Know your margin floor before you flip the switch.
George's Take
I've watched too many deals close in conversation and die at the payment link. The buyer loved the offer, trusted the team, and still hesitated because the full invoice felt heavy on a single day. Affirm and Klarna don't change your price, they change how the price feels to the humans on the other side of that link. That's a real, meaningful difference for businesses selling anything above a few hundred dollars. My only caution: do the math on that 5.99% fee before you treat this as a free win. For the right offer at the right price point, though, this feature can meaningfully shorten time to collected revenue without a single change to your sales process.
“Affirm and Klarna don't change your price. They change how the price feels to the humans on the other side of that payment link. For high-ticket deals, that distinction is everything.”
If you want help thinking through how Affirm, Klarna, and the rest of the Commerce Hub toolkit fit into your checkout and revenue strategy, we're ready to map it out with you. Book a strategy call with the Sidekick team and we'll audit your current payment flow and show you exactly where flexibility can help you flourish.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the processing fee for Affirm and Klarna on HubSpot payment links?
HubSpot charges a 5.99% processing fee per transaction for purchases made through Affirm or Klarna, plus any applicable platform fee. This fee is deducted from the amount you receive, so factor it into your pricing and margin calculations before enabling these options for your payment links.
Can I use Affirm or Klarna for recurring subscription payments in HubSpot?
No. During the current private beta, Affirm and Klarna are only supported for one-time payments on payment links. They cannot be used for recurring subscriptions and are not saved for future transactions. Each purchase requires a new approval from the buyer through the selected installment provider.
Which HubSpot subscription tiers support Affirm and Klarna on payment links?
Affirm and Klarna are available on payment links regardless of your HubSpot subscription tier. You don't need a Professional or Enterprise plan to access this feature. The main eligibility requirements are that your business is based in the US and uses HubSpot Payments or Stripe as your payment processor.
How do I enable Affirm or Klarna in my HubSpot account?
Go to Settings, then Tools, then Revenue, then Payments. If your business is eligible, Affirm, Klarna, or both will appear as options you can toggle on. New payment links inherit your account settings automatically. You can also turn individual methods on or off for specific payment links, invoices, or quotes.
Does HubSpot support Affirm and Klarna for invoices and quotes?
During the private beta, installment payment options through Affirm and Klarna are supported only on payment links. You can toggle these methods on or off at the invoice or quote level as a setting, but the installment option currently only surfaces to buyers at checkout on payment links specifically.
Who is eligible for Affirm and Klarna on HubSpot?
Eligibility is limited to US-based merchants using HubSpot Payments or Stripe. Affirm availability is subject to an eligibility check by Affirm's lending partners. Klarna availability follows similar merchant qualification requirements. If eligible, the options will appear automatically in your HubSpot payment settings during the private beta.
