KSh 5,000 Loan in Kenya: What You Repay at Each Lender

Borrowing KSh 5,000 for a month costs KSh 446.50 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 5,000 costs, lender by lender

Cost of borrowing KSh 5,000 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 446.50	KSh 5,446.50	A facility fee for the month. Safaricom and KCB print slightly different rates; we use the higher one. Source
M-Shwari	KSh 450	KSh 5,375You receive KSh 4,925	One fee for the month, loan fee plus excise. The excise part is taken before the money reaches you. Source
Timiza	KSh 525	KSh 5,525	Access fee plus excise on the fee, collected upfront. The money lands in your Timiza wallet, not M-PESA. Source
Branch	KSh 85 to KSh 880	KSh 5,880	A range set per borrower. New borrowers can start near the top. Source
Fuliza	KSh 950	KSh 5,950	A 1% access fee, then a daily fee that runs every day the balance is outstanding. Source
Zenka	KSh 122.50 to KSh 1,950	KSh 6,950	A range set per borrower, for a loan of up to 61 days, with no processing fee. Source
Tala	From KSh 450	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 5,000 that is about KSh 15.34. Five per cent of each loan is held back as savings, so KSh 5,000 pays out KSh 4,750 and you repay KSh 5,015.34. Repay late and the rate rises. More on the Hustler Fund.

If you cannot repay on time

Late fees differ by lender, and most publish them only in their terms. Two that are published: Absa adds a penalty of 10% of the outstanding principal on a late Timiza loan, and Zenka charges 1.5% a day on the outstanding principal, capped at the principal. A licensed digital lender cannot recover more than the principal, interest up to the size of the principal, and reasonable recovery costs on a loan that has gone bad (Digital Credit Providers Regulations 2022, regulation 19).

Before any listing you get a warning. Read what happens after a missed loan payment for the timeline and your rights.

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 5,000 costs KSh 950. Cleared the same day, it costs only the access fee. See the Fuliza calculator for your own amount.

Before you borrow five 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 5,000 loan?

It depends on the lender. Over 30 days, KCB M-PESA charges KSh 446.50, 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 15.34 in interest.

Can a KSh 5,000 loan get me listed on CRB?

Yes, if it goes unpaid. A licensed digital lender must warn you in writing or by message at least 30 days before listing you, or a shorter period your contract sets, never under seven days. Banks must warn you before a loan becomes non-performing: a month ahead, or two weeks for loans repaid in less than a month.

Is Fuliza cheaper than a loan for KSh 5,000?

Only if you clear it fast. Kept for 30 days, KSh 5,000 on Fuliza costs KSh 950 because the daily fee keeps running. Cleared the same day, you pay only the 1% access fee.

Which loan app gives KSh 5,000 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.