diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/modules/payments-checkout.ts b/packages/sdk/src/modules/payments-checkout.ts
index a9b1df43..236a3e4e 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/modules/payments-checkout.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/modules/payments-checkout.ts
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ export interface MountCheckoutDeps {
 
 async function scriptUrlFor(
   provider: "paypal" | "stripe",
-  deps: MountCheckoutDeps
+  deps: Pick<MountCheckoutDeps, "getConfig">
 ): Promise<string> {
   const value = (await deps.getConfig())?.[provider]?.script_url;
   let url: URL | undefined;
@@ -337,6 +337,25 @@ async function mountPayPal(
   };
 }
 
+/**
+ * Fetches the payments config and loads the provider's script ahead of mountCheckout().
+ * @internal
+ */
+export async function preloadCheckout(
+  provider: "paypal" | "stripe",
+  deps: Pick<MountCheckoutDeps, "getConfig" | "loadScript">
+): Promise<void> {
+  if (typeof window === "undefined" || typeof document === "undefined") return;
+  const read = () => (provider === "paypal" ? browserGlobals().paypal : browserGlobals().Stripe);
+  try {
+    if (!read()) {
+      await deps.loadScript(await scriptUrlFor(provider, deps));
+    }
+  } catch {
+    // A hint only: mountCheckout() fetches and loads again and reports the failure.
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Mounts the embedded checkout that createCheckout() returned.
  * @internal
diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/modules/payments.ts b/packages/sdk/src/modules/payments.ts
index 4355218e..666961bd 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/modules/payments.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/modules/payments.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {
   loadScript,
   mountCheckout,
   PaymentsCheckoutConfig,
+  preloadCheckout,
 } from "./payments-checkout.js";
 import {
   CancelSubscriptionOptions,
@@ -101,6 +102,9 @@ export function createPaymentsModule(
         loadScript,
       });
     },
+    preloadCheckout(provider) {
+      return preloadCheckout(provider, { getConfig, loadScript });
+    },
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/modules/payments.types.ts b/packages/sdk/src/modules/payments.types.ts
index e027f21f..dc1a2cf6 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/modules/payments.types.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/modules/payments.types.ts
@@ -568,6 +568,26 @@ export interface PaymentsModule {
     checkout: MountableCheckout,
     options?: MountCheckoutOptions
   ): Promise<CheckoutMount>;
+
+  /**
+   * Loads the provider's checkout script before you mount a checkout.
+   *
+   * Call it when the checkout page or form opens, while the buyer is still filling it in. A later {@linkcode mountCheckout | mountCheckout()} then skips loading the script and renders sooner.
+   *
+   * It never rejects, so you don't need to await it or catch errors. If the script can't load, `mountCheckout()` tries again and rejects with the error. In the backend it does nothing.
+   *
+   * @param provider - The provider the app is connected to.
+   * @returns Promise resolving once the script has loaded or failed to load.
+   *
+   * @example
+   * ```tsx
+   * // Start loading PayPal when the checkout form opens
+   * useEffect(() => {
+   *   base44.payments.preloadCheckout('paypal');
+   * }, []);
+   * ```
+   */
+  preloadCheckout(provider: "paypal" | "stripe"): Promise<void>;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/sdk/tests/types/payments.types.ts b/packages/sdk/tests/types/payments.types.ts
index de00516b..bc09edfd 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/tests/types/payments.types.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/tests/types/payments.types.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ base44.payments.refund;
 // @ts-expect-error The service role runs in backend code, where there is nothing to mount.
 base44.asServiceRole.payments.mountCheckout;
 
+base44.payments.preloadCheckout("paypal");
+
+// @ts-expect-error Only connected checkout providers have a script to preload.
+base44.payments.preloadCheckout("wix");
+
 base44.asServiceRole.payments.listPurchases({ buyer_email: "buyer@example.com" });
 
 // @ts-expect-error Only the service role can filter by another buyer's email.
diff --git a/packages/sdk/tests/unit/payments.test.ts b/packages/sdk/tests/unit/payments.test.ts
index 97e5d2b2..a2eec6fc 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/tests/unit/payments.test.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/tests/unit/payments.test.ts
@@ -773,3 +773,60 @@ describe("payments config", () => {
     expect(scope.isDone()).toBe(true);
   });
 });
+
+describe("preloadCheckout", () => {
+  const appId = "test-app-id";
+  const serverUrl = "https://base44.app";
+  const configPath = `/api/apps/${appId}/payments/config`;
+  const scriptUrl = "https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/web-sdk/v6/core";
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    nock.cleanAll();
+    vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+  });
+
+  async function setup() {
+    vi.resetModules();
+    const { createClient: create } = await import("../../src/index.ts");
+    const scripts: any[] = [];
+    vi.stubGlobal("window", {});
+    vi.stubGlobal("document", {
+      createElement: () => ({ remove: vi.fn() }),
+      head: { appendChild: (script: any) => scripts.push(script) },
+    });
+    const base44 = create({ serverUrl, appId, token: "user-token", analytics: { enabled: false } });
+    return { base44, scripts };
+  }
+
+  test("fetches the config and loads the script once across calls", async () => {
+    const { base44, scripts } = await setup();
+    const scope = nock(serverUrl).get(configPath).once().reply(200, { paypal: { script_url: scriptUrl } });
+
+    const preload = base44.payments.preloadCheckout("paypal");
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(scripts).toHaveLength(1));
+    scripts[0].onload();
+    await expect(preload).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+    base44.payments.preloadCheckout("paypal");
+
+    expect(scripts[0].src).toBe(scriptUrl);
+    expect(scripts).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(scope.isDone()).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test("resolves without loading anything when the config has no valid script URL", async () => {
+    const { base44, scripts } = await setup();
+    nock(serverUrl).get(configPath).reply(200, { paypal: { script_url: "https://evil.example.com/sdk.js" } });
+
+    await expect(base44.payments.preloadCheckout("paypal")).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+    expect(scripts).toHaveLength(0);
+  });
+
+  test("resolves when the config fetch fails", async () => {
+    const { base44 } = await setup();
+    nock(serverUrl)
+      .get(configPath)
+      .reply(503, { error: { code: "provider_unavailable", message: "Down", details: {} } });
+
+    await expect(base44.payments.preloadCheckout("paypal")).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});