As a tattoo artist you can offer payment plans without lending money yourself: with Klarna the client pays, for example, in three interest-free instalments while you get the full amount right away and Klarna carries the risk. The easiest way is a payment link the client opens on their own phone, for the deposit as well as for the rest after the session. In Taddoo, Klarna is already part of the deposit link and the payment link at checkout.
- Instalments through Klarna mean the client pays over time while you get the whole amount at once.
- The risk sits with Klarna, not with you. You lend nothing and never chase instalments.
- Klarna runs through a payment link on the client's phone, not through a card reader.
- It pays off most for big pieces and multi-session work where the total would otherwise scare clients off.
- The fee is a bit higher than for cards. Build it into your rate or let the client cover it as a surcharge.
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A back piece for 2,400 francs, euros or dollars is not a wish for many clients, it is a bill. They want the tattoo, just not all at once. This is where you lose work without noticing: the request never comes, or the project gets smaller than it should be. Payment plans solve that, and with Klarna you don't have to become a bank.
Run instalments yourself or through Klarna?
Plenty of artists know the 'just send me 200 every month' deal. It sounds friendly and often ends in messages nobody likes to write. With Klarna it works differently: Klarna pays you out and collects the instalments from the client itself.
| Your own instalments | Instalments via Klarna | |
|---|---|---|
| When do you get the money? | Bit by bit, over months | Right away, the full amount |
| Who carries the risk if the client stops paying? | You | Klarna |
| Who reminds the client about open instalments? | You | Klarna |
| Bookkeeping effort | Many part payments | One payment |
| Cost | No fee, but time and losses | A fee per payment, a bit higher than cards |
How does Klarna work for a tattoo, step by step?
- Deposit: the client books through your booking link and pays the deposit. On the payment page they can choose Klarna.
- Session: you tattoo as usual, nothing changes.
- The rest: at checkout you show a payment link as a QR code instead of using Tap to Pay, or send it on WhatsApp. The client opens it on their own phone and picks Klarna, for example three instalments.
- Payout: you receive the full amount like a card payment, minus the fee. Klarna collects the instalments from the client.
What does Klarna cost and who pays the fee?
For the client, the three instalments are interest-free. The merchant, so you, pays the fee, and it is usually a bit higher than a normal card payment. The exact rates are on your payment provider's pricing page and depend on the country. For a big piece it almost always pays off: one extra booking a month covers the fees of many instalment payments.
- Build it in: add the fee to your hourly rate, just like with cards.
- Pass it on: in Taddoo the client covers the fee on online links as a small surcharge by default, switchable to you.
From which amount and in which countries?
Klarna is available to clients in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the rest of the EU, the UK, the US, Canada and Australia. Which plans a client sees is up to Klarna and depends on country and amount. In the UK, pay in 3 goes up to 2,000 GBP; in Switzerland up to 5,000 CHF. For a tattoo over several sessions the client simply pays each session separately.
How do I tell my clients?
Payment plans only help if clients know about them before they shrink their project. Mention it where the price comes up for the first time.
The back piece comes to about 2,400 CHF over three sessions. You can also pay each session with Klarna in three interest-free instalments. Just let me know and I'll send you the link.
Big project, small budget? You can also pay in instalments with Klarna.
Frequently asked questions
Can you pay for a tattoo in instalments?
Yes, if the artist offers a payment link with Klarna. The client pays, for example, in three interest-free instalments and the artist gets the full amount right away.
Do I carry any risk as an artist if the client doesn't pay?
No. Klarna pays you out and carries the risk. Open instalments are between the client and Klarna.
Does Klarna work with Tap to Pay or a card reader?
No, Klarna needs a payment link the client opens on their own phone. In Taddoo you create it at checkout as a QR code or send it on WhatsApp.
Can the client pay the deposit with Klarna too?
Yes. The deposit payment page offers Klarna just like the payment link for the rest, as long as Klarna is active on your Stripe account.
What does Klarna cost me?
For the client the instalments are interest-free, the merchant pays the fee. It is usually a bit higher than a card payment and depends on the country. You can build it into your price or pass it on as a surcharge.
By the Taddoo team, built by artists and booking managers for artists. Published October 21, 2026, last updated October 21, 2026.
