Alma
French instalment and pay-later checkout for shops and stores, with a public fee table instead of a quote form
Quick Overview
| Company | Alma SAS |
|---|---|
| Category | Buy Now Pay Later Providers |
| Headquarters | Neuilly-sur-Seine, France |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - France (EU) |
| Data Location | Not stated for payment data |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | Payment in 2, 3 or 4 instalments, pay later at 15 or 30 days, 10 or 12 instalments (waiting list), cash payment, modules and API, free sandbox, in-store payment links |
| Pricing | Standard offer up to €1M turnover: no set-up or monthly fee; fees listed per product on the pricing page (3.60% excl. VAT shown for payment in 2 instalments, 4.20% for pay later at 15 days) |
| Best For | French and Benelux online and in-store retailers that want visible fees |
| Replaces | Affirm, Oney, PayPal Pay in 3 |
Detailed Review
Alma is registered as Alma SAS in Neuilly-sur-Seine (RCS Nanterre 839 100 575). It sells four things to merchants: payment in 2, 3 or 4 instalments, pay later after 15 or 30 days, a 10 or 12 instalment financing product that is on a waiting list, and a plain cash payment so that all takings land in one report.
What sets Alma apart in this directory is the pricing page. Where most providers answer a fee question with a demo request, Alma shows a table, states that there is no application, set-up or monthly fee, and says that late payments by shoppers cost the merchant nothing extra.
Fees you can read before you sign
The standard offer applies up to €1M of turnover and the fees are shown per payment product. For payment in 2 instalments the page lists 3.60% excluding VAT, and for pay later at 15 days it lists 4.20%. Alma adds that rates may be adjusted according to the risk identified and that an American Express card or a business card triggers an automatic increase.
Merchants above €1M turnover move to a customised offer with decreasing rates by volume. Fee sharing with the shopper is possible, but the page points out regulatory limits and recommends keeping the full fee on the merchant side to protect conversion.
What the merchant is guaranteed
Alma pays the revenue to the merchant's bank account like a cash sale and collects from the customer itself. The pricing FAQ is explicit that the merchant is paid in full whether or not the customer honours the instalments.
Eligibility checks use cards issued in Europe (Carte Bleue, Visa, Mastercard, American Express) and, depending on the amount, an Open Banking query that returns an answer in under five seconds. Prepaid and single-use virtual cards are not accepted.
Markets and integration
The country selector on almapay.com lists France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany and Portugal. Alma offers e-commerce modules, an API, a documentation site and a free sandbox, and it has a point-of-sale flow where the cashier selects Alma and the customer pays on a link.
Limitations to Consider
Alma is strongest where it began, in France; the longer financing product (5 to 12 instalments) is on a waiting list and only opens after the shorter products are live. The fee table shows percentages that rise for pay later and for American Express or business cards, and there is no B2B product, so a wholesale shop should look at Mondu or Hokodo. It does not describe a Nordic or UK offer.
Who Should Use Alma
Retailers and service businesses in France and neighbouring EU markets that sell mid-priced baskets online and in store and want to know the fee before the contract.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Merchant fees published on the pricing page
- No set-up, application or monthly fee in the standard offer
- Merchant paid in full, including when customers pay late
- Online, in-store and payment-link flows
- Free sandbox for testing the integration
Cons
- Rates rise for pay later and for American Express or business cards
- 10 to 12 instalment financing is still on a waiting list
- Consumer only, no B2B terms
- Custom pricing again above €1M turnover
Alternatives to Alma
Other European buy now pay later providers worth comparing before you decide:
Mondu
Netherlands · B2B invoice, instalment and trade-account payments
Scalapay
Italy · Interest-free pay in 3 or 4 for Italian and EU shops
SeQura
Spain · Pay-later and instalment checkout built in Barcelona
Billie
Germany · B2B pay later, pay in X and pay on account
See all European buy now pay later providers or compare them directly against Affirm on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Alma's pricing page states that there is no subscription or set-up fee and that it earns only a commission on transactions made through its payment solution.
Alma says the merchant has no additional cost for late payment and receives the full amount whether or not the customer honours the schedule.
The country selector on its website lists France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany and Portugal.