Calculator
M-PESA Paybill Cost Calculator (Kenya, 2026)
Paying KES 2,500 to a paybill carries a charge of KES 20 on Safaricom's Paybill Standard Tariff. The business that owns the paybill decides who pays it: you, the business, or both of you in a split. Below are the worked example, the full band table and a calculator for any amount.
Worked example: paying KES 2,500
| Tariff the business chose | You pay (KES) | Business pays (KES) | Taken from your M-PESA (KES) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Bouquet | 20 | 0 | 2,520 |
| Mgao (split) | 13 | 7 | 2,513 |
| Customer Bouquet | 0 | 20 | 2,500 |
Under every option the total charge is KES 20. Only who pays it changes.
Paybill charges by amount (2026)
| Amount (KES) | Total charge (KES) | Mgao: customer (KES) | Mgao: business (KES) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 to 100 | Free | 0 | 0 |
| 101 to 500 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 501 to 1,000 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1,001 to 1,500 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| 1,501 to 2,500 | 20 | 13 | 7 |
| 2,501 to 3,500 | 25 | 16 | 9 |
| 3,501 to 5,000 | 34 | 16 | 18 |
| 5,001 to 7,500 | 42 | 17 | 25 |
| 7,501 to 10,000 | 48 | 18 | 30 |
| 10,001 to 15,000 | 57 | 18 | 39 |
| 15,001 to 20,000 | 62 | 19 | 43 |
| 20,001 to 25,000 | 67 | 20 | 47 |
| 25,001 to 30,000 | 72 | 20 | 52 |
| 30,001 to 35,000 | 83 | 21 | 62 |
| 35,001 to 40,000 | 99 | 23 | 76 |
| 40,001 to 45,000 | 103 | 23 | 80 |
| 45,001 to 50,000 | 108 | 24 | 84 |
| 50,001 to 70,000 | 108 | 24 | 84 |
| 70,001 to 250,000 | 108 | 24 | 84 |
On Business Bouquet you pay the total charge. On Customer Bouquet the business pays it. Source: Safaricom Paybill Standard Tariff, linked from Safaricom's Business Paybill page. Checked 25 October 2026.
Who pays the paybill charge
Safaricom sets one total charge for each amount band. The business that owns the paybill picks one of three tariffs when it signs up, and that choice decides who pays:
- Business Bouquet: no charge to the business. The customer pays it all.
- Customer Bouquet: no charge to the customer. The business pays it all.
- Mgao: the charge is split between the customer and the business, as in the table above.
So two paybills can cost you different amounts for the same payment. The figure in this calculator is the total charge, which is the most you will pay. Payments of KES 100 and below are free, and the charge stops rising at KES 108 from KES 45,001.
Buy Goods (a Lipa na M-PESA till) is different: the customer pays nothing and the merchant pays, except at fuel stations, where the customer pays. Full comparison in our paybill vs Buy Goods charges guide.
Try your own amount
Enter any amount and the calculator returns the total paybill charge from the table above. That is the most you pay; the business may pay some or all of it.
KSh
Result
Fee
KES 10
Total cost
KES 1,010
The fee is 1.00% of the amount sent.
Free for payments of KES 100 and below.
This is the total charge. The business chooses who pays it: you (Business Bouquet), the business (Customer Bouquet) or both, split by band (Mgao). So it is the most you pay.
Source: Safaricom Paybill Standard Tariff, linked from the Business Paybill page, checked 25 October 2026.
Updated for 2026 Safaricom tariffs. Verify on safaricom.co.ke before sending large amounts.
How much does it cost to pay KES 2,500 to a paybill?
KES 20 in total, on Safaricom's Paybill Standard Tariff for KES 1,501 to 2,500. You pay all of it if the business is on Business Bouquet, nothing on Customer Bouquet, and KES 13 on Mgao, where the business pays the other KES 7.
What is the highest paybill charge?
KES 108. It applies to every payment from KES 45,001 up to KES 250,000, the most M-PESA allows in one transaction.
Are any paybill payments free?
Yes. Payments of KES 100 and below carry no charge. Above that, a business on Customer Bouquet pays the whole charge, so you pay nothing at any amount.
Who decides who pays the paybill charge?
The business that owns the paybill. Safaricom's tariff gives it three choices: Business Bouquet (the customer pays everything), Customer Bouquet (the business pays everything) or Mgao (the charge is split between the two).
Is the paybill charge the same as Send Money?
No. Paybill has its own tariff. On KES 2,500 the paybill charge is KES 20 in total, while sending the same amount to another M-PESA user costs KES 33.