Calculator
M-PESA Paybill Cost Calculator (Kenya, 2026)
Paying KES 2,500 to any Safaricom paybill costs KES 33 in customer charges (total KES 2,533 debited). Below: the full customer-side band table, the worked example, source, and an interactive tool for any other amount.
Worked example: paying KES 2,500 on a paybill
| Amount you send | KES 2,500 |
| Safaricom customer charge (1,501-2,500 band) | KES 33 |
| Total deducted from M-PESA | KES 2,533 |
The paybill business receives the full KES 2,500. Safaricom charges them a separate merchant fee (out of scope for a customer-side calculator).
Full paybill customer charge band table (2026)
| Amount band (KES) | Customer charge | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 49 | Free | |
| 50 to 100 | Free | |
| 101 to 500 | KES 7 | |
| 501 to 1,000 | KES 13 | |
| 1,001 to 1,500 | KES 23 | |
| 1,501 to 2,500 | KES 33 | Worked example band |
| 2,501 to 3,500 | KES 53 | |
| 3,501 to 5,000 | KES 57 | |
| 5,001 to 7,500 | KES 78 | |
| 7,501 to 10,000 | KES 90 | |
| 10,001 to 15,000 | KES 100 | |
| 15,001 to 20,000 | KES 105 | |
| 20,001 to 35,000 | KES 108 | |
| 35,001 to 50,000 | KES 108 | |
| 50,001 to 250,000 | KES 108 | Capped |
Source: Safaricom Consumer Tariffs. Verified 30 August 2026 against the live tariff page.
Paybill = customer pays send charge, merchant collects
M-PESA Paybill is the channel for paying registered businesses: utilities (KPLC, water utilities), government (KRA, eCitizen, SHA), schools, banks, churches, pay-TV. When you pay a paybill, Safaricom charges you a customer send fee from the table above, up to a cap of KES 108. The paybill business receives the full amount you sent and pays Safaricom its own merchant collection fee separately.
The two smallest bands (1-49 and 50-100) are free. From there the fee scales gradually, hitting KES 33 at the 1,501-2,500 band, KES 100 at 10,001-15,000, and capping at KES 108 for anything KES 20,001 and above.
Buy Goods (Lipa na M-PESA Till) is different: the customer pays zeroand the merchant absorbs 0.55%. If you have a choice between paying a paybill and a till for the same business, the till is usually cheaper for you. Full comparison in our paybill vs Buy Goods charges guide.
Try your own amount
Enter any amount and the calculator returns the exact customer fee using the 2026 Safaricom tariff shown above.
KSh
Result
Fee
KES 10
Total cost
KES 1,010
The fee is 1.00% of the amount sent.
Free for transactions up to KES 100.
Some paybills (e.g., government services on eCitizen) are zero-rated, Safaricom waives the customer fee. Confirm with the receiving entity.
Fees are typically lower than Send Money for the same amount.
Updated for 2026 Safaricom tariffs. Verify on safaricom.co.ke before sending large amounts.
How much does it cost to pay KES 2,500 on M-PESA paybill?
KES 33. That is the Safaricom customer charge for the 1,501-2,500 band. You are deducted KES 2,533 in total from M-PESA. The bill business receives the full KES 2,500 (they pay Safaricom a separate merchant fee).
What is the maximum M-PESA paybill customer fee?
KES 108. This applies to the top three bands (KES 20,001-35,000, KES 35,001-50,000, and KES 50,001-250,000). Beyond that band the customer fee is capped and does not scale further.
Are any paybill payments free for the customer?
Yes, two bands: KES 1-49 and KES 50-100 are both free. Some paybills (e.g. eCitizen 222222 and other government paybills) are also zero-rated by Safaricom even at higher amounts; the paybill business absorbs the customer fee. The tariff page and the paybill's own instructions state when this applies.
Is the paybill fee the same for every paybill?
For standard commercial paybills, yes. The customer fee is determined by the amount sent, not by which paybill receives it. KPLC, KRA, school fees, churches, banks all sit on the same Safaricom customer-side band table. Zero-rated government paybills are the exception.
Why is paybill cheaper than Send Money?
Safaricom structures the paybill product so the receiving business pays a merchant fee on top of the customer fee. The customer-side schedule is lower to encourage paybill use for utility, tax, and recurring bills where the business already pays Safaricom.
Does the fee include excise duty?
Yes. The 1% excise on M-PESA fees (paid to KRA) is bundled into the displayed fee. What the calculator shows is what you actually pay.