Equity vs NCBA: which is right for you?
Equity and NCBA target overlapping but different customer profiles. Equity has the bigger base and pan-African reach. NCBA, formed from the NIC-CBA merger in 2019, owns the algorithmic infrastructure behind a huge slice of Kenyan mobile credit (M-Shwari, KCB M-PESA, Fuliza). The choice is between retail scale and digital-credit sophistication.
Equity Bank
bank,247247
Kenya's biggest bank by customer numbers, the original mass-market retail bank.
Detail pageNCBA Bank
bank,880100
The 2019 merger of NIC and CBA, and the lending bank behind M-Shwari.
Detail pageWhich is better for what
Quick guide by use case. Pick the row that matches your situation.
For everyday retail banking
Equity has more branches and a wider customer base, simpler to use day to day.
For someone already on M-Shwari, Fuliza, or KCB M-PESA
NCBA is on the back end of all three. Holding an NCBA account gives clearer visibility of the underlying credit.
For a young digital-first customer
NCBA NOW lets you open and run an account from the app, with no branch visit.
For a regional traveller
Equity operates in 6 African countries; NCBA is mostly Kenya-focused.
At a glance
| Equity | NCBA | |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | bank | bank |
| M-PESA paybill | 247247 | 880100 |
| Detail page | View | View |
Common questions
What is Equity Bank's M-PESA paybill?
Equity Bank's paybill is 247247. Account number is your bank account number.
What is NCBA Bank's M-PESA paybill?
NCBA's paybill is 880100. Account number is your bank account number.
Is NCBA the same as M-Shwari?
No. M-Shwari is a Safaricom product with NCBA as the lending bank, and NCBA is one of the banks behind Fuliza. KCB M-PESA is KCB's own product.
What is LOOP?
LOOP is a separate digital money service with its own paybill, regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya. Neither LOOP nor NCBA states a link between them on their own sites, so treat them as separate when you pay.
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