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Wise Kenya fees calculator (2026)

Enter any source amount in USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, AUD, or AED and see the exact KES that lands in M-PESA after Wise's small fixed fee + 0.43% variable fee + their FX margin. Mid-market reference rates baked in; for the live quote, wise.com remains authoritative.

Wise fees calculator

Net to recipient's M-PESA

KES 64,188

Total all-in cost: KES 562 (0.87% of the send)

You send (USD)
$500
Mid-market FX (May 2026 reference)
1 USD = KES 129.50
Wise fee (0.43% + $1.20)
-$3.35
FX margin (0.2% below mid)
Effective rate: 1 USD = KES 129.24
Net to M-PESA
KES 64,188

Note: Mid-market-FX + small fixed fee + 0.43% variable. The "no hidden fees" claim is broadly true vs PayPal: Wise's FX is materially tighter to interbank mid-market than any traditional rail. Card funding adds 1.2-2.4% on top; bank-funded is the cheapest path.

FX rates baked in are mid-market reference values as of June 2026 and shift daily. For the actual rate on your transfer date, the displayed quote in Wise is authoritative. This calculator is for modelling expected cost, not a binding quote.

vs PayPal Kenya

Wise typically delivers significantly more KES than PayPal Kenya for the same source amount.

vs Sendwave

Sendwave wins for small sends (under ~$200); Wise wins above ~$300-500.

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Compare remittance

Open Wise and the other top remittance providers

Wise is usually cheapest above the $200 mark. For smaller sends, Sendwave often wins. Open both to capture promotional FX on your first transfer.

WI

Wise

Mid-market FX, transparent fees. UK, US, EU, AU, CA.

Visit Wise
SW

Sendwave

Diaspora-Africa specialist. Often cheapest under $200.

Visit Sendwave
LF

Lemfi

Strong UK-Kenya corridor, mobile-first app.

Visit Lemfi
WR

WorldRemit

Wider receive options including bank deposit and cash pickup.

Visit WorldRemit
RE

Remitly

US-focused remittance with promotional FX for first transfers.

Visit Remitly
WU

Western Union

Legacy provider with the widest cash-pickup network for non-M-PESA family.

Visit Western Union
TT

TapTap Send

Africa-focused mobile app with fee-free transfers on many corridors.

Visit TapTap Send
NL

NALA

East-Africa-focused app with strong UK and US corridor coverage.

Visit NALA
MG

MoneyGram

Global legacy provider with deep cash-pickup network across Kenya.

Visit MoneyGram
CC

Chipper Cash

Pan-African app, originally peer-to-peer across Africa, now with diaspora sends.

Visit Chipper Cash
SK

Skrill

E-wallet first, used for international transfers and online betting payouts.

Visit Skrill
SV

Sendvalu

Germany-based, EU-to-Africa corridors with cash-pickup partner network.

Visit Sendvalu

By paybillke · Updated May 2026 · Wise live-quote reference

Independent. Not affiliated with any company listed.

Wise pricing page; mid-market FX reference; FCA + FinCEN regulatory disclosures

Logic and copy © 2026 paybillke. Verified weekly. If you spot an error, use the report tool.

How we verify →

Why Wise is structurally cheaper

Wise's pricing model is a small fixed fee + a small variable fee + the tightest FX margin of any major remittance rail into Kenya. The single biggest cost gap vs PayPal is not the headline fee but the FX margin: Wise sits ~0.1-0.3% above interbank mid-market, PayPal sits 3-4% above. On a $1,000 transfer that's a difference of roughly KES 3,500 in the recipient's pocket.

The math is also unusually transparent. Wise displays the fee, the margin, and the exact KES the recipient will receive before you confirm: no hidden bracket adjustments after funding clears. The "no hidden fees" marketing is broadly true compared to the alternatives.

When Wise loses

  • Tiny sends ($20-100): the fixed-fee portion eats more proportionally. Sendwave often wins under $200 thanks to a near-zero flat fee.
  • Card-funded sends: adds 1.2-2.4% on top. Always fund by bank transfer if possible.
  • Niche corridors: Wise doesn't cover all sender countries; WorldRemit reaches more.

The Wise Business angle

Wise Business is the standard answer to "PayPal doesn't do business accounts in Kenya, what now?" Multi-currency hold, batch payments, API access, KES debit card. KE e-commerce and freelance operations route receivables through it.

Frequently asked

Are these fees accurate as of 2026?

The fee structure is current (small fixed + 0.43% variable + ~0.1-0.3% FX margin). Exact figures shift slightly per corridor; wise.com's pricing page and the live quote are the source. We refresh the reference numbers quarterly.

How does this compare to Sendwave?

Breakeven is around $200-300 per send. Sendwave wins below that thanks to a near-zero flat fee model. Above that, Wise's 0.43% percentage fee scales better and wins. Try both calculators with your actual send size: the answer is amount-dependent.

How does this compare to M-PESA Global?

M-PESA Global is competitive from Vodafone-network senders (UK, Germany on Vodafone SIMs). Wise is cheaper from non-Vodafone networks and most US sends. The Wise advantage on FX margin is genuine.

Does Wise charge the Kenyan recipient anything?

No. Delivery to the M-PESA wallet is free for the recipient. The recipient pays the standard M-PESA cash-out fee when they later withdraw at an agent, but Wise itself charges zero on arrival.

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