Verified 29 September 2026

Why the price you see is not the price you pay

By Michael Mwangi · Game top-ups with M-PESA hub · paybillke is an independent guide and is not affiliated with Game top-ups with M-PESA.

Almost all game currency is priced in US dollars and converted to shillings at the point of sale, so the figure you saw quoted online is rarely the figure that leaves your M-PESA. A gift card adds a second markup on top, because the shop selling it takes a cut.

The three prices that are not the same

The sticker price is usually in US dollars, set by the game.

The store price is what Google Play or Apple quotes you after conversion, and it can include local taxes.

The reseller price is what a gift-card shop charges, which includes their margin and is usually the highest of the three.

These can differ by a lot. Work out the middle one before you accept the third.

Do the conversion yourself first

Take the dollar price, convert it, and you have a floor to judge any reseller quote against. Our currency converter uses a live rate. If a shop wants substantially more than the converted figure, you are paying for convenience, and you should know that you are.

Why the same pack costs different amounts

Game publishers often price the same amount of currency differently by platform, because each store takes a different cut. Buying the same pack on a console, on the web and in an app can produce three different prices for the same thing. That is the publisher’s choice, not a fault in your payment.

We do not publish a price table

Deliberately. Game currency prices change without notice, differ by platform and move with the exchange rate. A table here would be wrong within weeks, and a stale price is worse than no price. Convert the current dollar figure instead.

Where this comes from

Two primary sources carry this page. Safaricom’s own Google Play and M-PESA FAQ documents M-PESA Xpress billing, and Apple’s own payment methods page for Kenya lists what an Apple Account can use here. Both were read on 29 September 2026. We publish no reseller number on any page in this cluster, and we explain why on the gift cards page.

Frequently asked

How much is 1,000 Robux in Kenyan shillings?

It depends on the dollar price at the time and the rate at conversion, and it differs between buying in-app and buying a gift card. Take the current dollar price and convert it. We do not publish a fixed figure because it would be wrong quickly.

Why is the gift card more expensive?

The shop selling it takes a margin. That is the cost of the convenience.

Why does the same pack cost different amounts on different devices?

Publishers price by platform because each store takes a different cut.