KSh 1,000 Loan in Kenya: What You Repay at Each Lender

Borrowing KSh 1,000 for a month costs KSh 89.30 at KCB M-PESA, the lowest price that is published and the same for every borrower. App lenders that price per borrower can charge several times that. The Hustler Fund is cheaper again, but it is a 14-day loan, not a monthly one.

What KSh 1,000 costs, lender by lender

Cost of borrowing KSh 1,000 for 30 days, from each lender's own published price. Cheapest maximum first.
Lender	Cost	You repay (most)	How it works
KCB M-PESA	KSh 89.30	KSh 1,089.30	A facility fee for the month. Safaricom and KCB print slightly different rates; we use the higher one. Source
M-Shwari	KSh 90	KSh 1,075You receive KSh 985	One fee for the month, loan fee plus excise. The excise part is taken before the money reaches you. Source
Timiza	KSh 105	KSh 1,105	Access fee plus excise on the fee, collected upfront. The money lands in your Timiza wallet, not M-PESA. Source
Branch	KSh 17 to KSh 176	KSh 1,176	A range set per borrower. New borrowers can start near the top. Source
Fuliza	KSh 190	KSh 1,190	A 1% access fee, then a daily fee that runs every day the balance is outstanding. Source
Zenka	KSh 24.50 to KSh 390	KSh 1,390	A range set per borrower, for a loan of up to 61 days, with no processing fee. Source
Tala	From KSh 90	Not published	Tala publishes only its lowest rate, so the most it can cost is not known in advance. Source

Prices read from each lender's own page, last checked 2026-10-15. Where a lender publishes a range, you see the range; your own offer depends on your history with them.

Hustler Fund: cheaper, but shorter

The Hustler Fund charges 8% a year for the days you hold the loan, over a 14-day term. On KSh 1,000 that is about KSh 3.07. Five per cent of each loan is held back as savings, so KSh 1,000 pays out KSh 950 and you repay KSh 1,003.07. Repay late and the rate rises. More on the Hustler Fund.

The KSh 1,000 CRB rule, and its catch

Kenya's credit reference rules say a lender may not send negative information to a credit bureau where the amount does not exceed one thousand shillings (CRB Regulations 2020, regulation 18(2); the same line is in the Digital Credit Providers Regulations 2022, regulation 14(3)).

The catch: on a KSh 1,000 loan, fees and late charges can take what you owe above that line. And even when you stay under it, the lender keeps its own record, charges its late fee and usually cuts or freezes your limit. Treat the rule as a safety net, not a plan.

Fuliza: cheap for a day, expensive for a month

Fuliza is an overdraft with a 1% access fee and a daily fee for every day the balance is out. Kept for 30 days, KSh 1,000 costs KSh 190. Cleared the same day, it costs only the access fee. See the Fuliza calculator for your own amount.

Before you borrow a thousand shillings

Check the total on the confirmation screen. Licensed digital lenders must show you the total cost before you accept.
Only use a lender on the CBK list of licensed digital credit providers, or a bank product.

Frequently asked questions

How much do I repay on a KSh 1,000 loan?

It depends on the lender. Over 30 days, KCB M-PESA charges KSh 89.30, the lowest fixed published price, while app lenders that price per borrower can charge several hundred shillings at the top of their ranges. Hustler Fund is cheaper still but is a 14-day loan: about KSh 3.07 in interest.

Can a KSh 1,000 loan get me listed on CRB?

The CRB rules bar lenders from reporting negative information where the amount does not exceed KSh 1,000. But fees can push what you owe above KSh 1,000, and an unpaid loan still costs you late fees and your limit. Repay it.

Is Fuliza cheaper than a loan for KSh 1,000?

Only if you clear it fast. Kept for 30 days, KSh 1,000 on Fuliza costs KSh 190 because the daily fee keeps running. Cleared the same day, you pay only the 1% access fee.

Which loan app gives KSh 1,000 instantly?

All of the lenders in the table pay out within minutes once you have a limit. Your first limit depends on your history with that lender, not on the app you pick.