M-PESA charges in Kenya are tiered — meaning the fee you pay depends on which type of transaction you're doing (Send Money, Paybill, Withdraw, or Buy Goods) and which KES bracket the amount falls into. This is the complete 2026 fee schedule, with every bracket for every transaction type, what changed from 2025, and the small things that catch most Kenyans off guard.
The four M-PESA transaction types
Every M-PESA transaction is one of four types. The fee structure is different for each:
- Send Money — M-PESA to another M-PESA user (registered).
- Paybill — Lipa na M-PESA Pay Bill (utilities, banks, government, schools, churches).
- Withdraw at Agent — Take cash out of M-PESA via an agent.
- Buy Goods (Till) — Lipa na M-PESA Buy Goods (supermarkets, restaurants, retail).
Send Money is the most expensive at higher amounts. Paybill is cheaper than Send Money for the same amount. Withdraw at Agent is the most expensive of all. Buy Goods is free for customers.
Send Money charges 2026
Send Money applies when transferring M-PESA to another registered M-PESA user (a phone number). All fees include the 15% KRA excise duty bundled in.
| Amount (KES) | Fee (KES) |
|---|---|
| 1 – 49 | 0 |
| 50 – 100 | 0 |
| 101 – 500 | 7 |
| 501 – 1,000 | 13 |
| 1,001 – 1,500 | 23 |
| 1,501 – 2,500 | 33 |
| 2,501 – 3,500 | 53 |
| 3,501 – 5,000 | 57 |
| 5,001 – 7,500 | 78 |
| 7,501 – 10,000 | 90 |
| 10,001 – 15,000 | 100 |
| 15,001 – 20,000 | 105 |
| 20,001 – 35,000 | 108 |
| 35,001 – 50,000 | 108 |
| 50,001 – 250,000 | 108 |
Send Money to an unregistered number (a non-M-PESA user) costs more — Safaricom adds a withdrawal fee at the recipient's end since they need to collect cash from an agent.
Paybill charges 2026
Paybill applies when paying a Lipa na M-PESA Pay Bill business — KPLC, water companies, banks, schools, churches, government services. Fees are typically 30-50% lower than Send Money for the same amount because the merchant pays a settlement fee on their side.
| Amount (KES) | Fee (KES) |
|---|---|
| 1 – 49 | 0 |
| 50 – 100 | 0 |
| 101 – 500 | 5 |
| 501 – 1,000 | 10 |
| 1,001 – 1,500 | 15 |
| 1,501 – 2,500 | 20 |
| 2,501 – 3,500 | 25 |
| 3,501 – 5,000 | 34 |
| 5,001 – 7,500 | 42 |
| 7,501 – 10,000 | 48 |
| 10,001 – 15,000 | 57 |
| 15,001 – 20,000 | 62 |
| 20,001 – 35,000 | 67 |
| 35,001 – 50,000 | 67 |
| 50,001 – 250,000 | 105 |
Zero-rated paybills: Some government paybills (eCitizen 206206 and the consolidated government services paybill 222222) are zero-rated — Safaricom waives the customer fee. KRA payments through paybill 572572 may also be zero-rated depending on the tax type. If you see a fee where you expected zero, confirm with the receiving institution.
Withdraw at Agent charges 2026
Withdrawing cash from an M-PESA agent is the most expensive M-PESA transaction. Plan your cash-outs accordingly — withdrawing once for KES 10,000 is much cheaper than withdrawing five times for KES 2,000.
| Amount (KES) | Fee (KES) |
|---|---|
| 1 – 49 | 0 |
| 50 – 100 | 11 |
| 101 – 2,500 | 29 |
| 2,501 – 3,500 | 52 |
| 3,501 – 5,000 | 69 |
| 5,001 – 7,500 | 87 |
| 7,501 – 10,000 | 115 |
| 10,001 – 15,000 | 167 |
| 15,001 – 20,000 | 185 |
| 20,001 – 35,000 | 197 |
| 35,001 – 50,000 | 278 |
| 50,001 – 250,000 | 309 |
Agent "tips": Some agents ask for an extra KES 10-50 on top of the official fee, especially in remote areas. This is not a Safaricom charge — the agent is asking for an unofficial tip. You can refuse. Use a different agent if pressured.
ATM withdrawal: M-PESA-linked card withdrawals (KCB, Equity, Co-op cards linked to M-PESA) use a different fee schedule — usually KES 35-90 per ATM withdrawal, often cheaper than agent withdrawal for amounts above KES 5,000.
Buy Goods (Till) — free for customers
Lipa na M-PESA Buy Goods (any 5-7 digit till number) is free for the customer. Safaricom waived customer fees on Buy Goods in 2018 to encourage merchant adoption, and the policy holds in 2026.
- Customer pays: KES 0
- Merchant pays: 0.5-1% settlement fee (varies by tier)
- No bracket — same for KES 100 or KES 250,000
This is why supermarkets, restaurants, fuel stations, and most face-to-face merchants prefer till numbers over paybills. The customer experience is friction-free.
KRA excise duty bundled in
Every M-PESA transaction fee shown above already includes the 15% KRA excise duty. Safaricom collects the duty as part of the fee and remits it to KRA. You don't pay anything extra; the displayed fee is what you pay total.
Excise duty was raised from 12% to 15% in the 2023 Finance Act and has held at 15% in 2026. Any future change would feed through into the fees above.
What changed from 2025 to 2026?
The 2026 schedule is largely unchanged from 2025. The bracket structure is the same. Specific 2025-vs-2026 movements were minimal — Safaricom held most fees flat. Where changes occurred:
- Send Money KES 50-100 → still free (no change)
- Paybill KES 101-500 → KES 5 (no change)
- Withdraw at Agent KES 50-100 → KES 11 (no change)
- Higher brackets above KES 50,000 — minor adjustments at the margin
See our M-PESA tariff 2026 explainer for a side-by-side 2025-vs-2026 comparison and analysis of the changes.
Five ways to reduce M-PESA charges
- Use Buy Goods (till) instead of Paybill where possible. If a merchant accepts both, paying via till is free. Paybill is paid.
- Consolidate withdrawals. One withdrawal of KES 10,000 (KES 115 fee) is cheaper than 5 withdrawals of KES 2,000 each (KES 145 total in fees). Plan your cash needs.
- Stay below the bracket boundary. Sending KES 1,000 costs KES 13 (Send Money), but KES 1,001 costs KES 23. The bracket boundary at KES 1,001 doubles the fee. Same logic at every bracket boundary.
- Use M-PESA-linked bank cards for ATM withdrawal. KCB, Equity, and Co-op all offer cards that withdraw from M-PESA balance at an ATM, often cheaper than agent withdrawal at amounts above KES 5,000.
- Pay zero-rated government paybills directly. KRA, eCitizen, and many government services are zero-rated. Don't use a third-party billing service that adds a markup — go direct.
Example transactions — what each costs in 2026
| Use case | Amount | Type | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch at a restaurant | KES 500 | Buy Goods | KES 0 |
| Pay KPLC bill | KES 2,000 | Paybill | KES 20 |
| Send to family | KES 5,000 | Send Money | KES 57 |
| Withdraw cash | KES 5,000 | Withdraw | KES 69 |
| Pay school fees | KES 30,000 | Paybill | KES 67 |
| Send to friend | KES 30,000 | Send Money | KES 108 |
| Withdraw rent | KES 30,000 | Withdraw | KES 197 |
| Pay supplier | KES 100,000 | Paybill | KES 105 |
M-PESA limits in 2026
- Per-transaction limit: KES 250,000 — set by Safaricom and approved by CBK.
- Daily limit: KES 500,000 for fully verified accounts. Lower for unverified or partially-verified accounts.
- Monthly limit: No specific Safaricom monthly cap, but cumulative AML monitoring kicks in at high volumes.
- M-PESA balance maximum: KES 500,000 at any one time.
For amounts above KES 250,000, you'll need to split into multiple transactions or use a bank wire. M-PESA Global has separate limits for international transfers.
FAQ
What is the M-PESA paybill charge for KES 1,000?
KES 10. The paybill bracket for KES 501-1,000 charges a flat KES 10.
Are M-PESA transactions free for amounts under KES 100?
Send Money and Paybill — yes, free for KES 1-100. Withdraw at Agent — no, the KES 50-100 bracket charges KES 11.
Why is Buy Goods free?
Safaricom waived customer fees on Buy Goods in 2018. The merchant pays the transaction fee instead — typically 0.5-1% of the transaction amount.
What is the maximum M-PESA transaction?
KES 250,000 per transaction, KES 500,000 daily for fully verified accounts.
Are Airtel Money fees the same as M-PESA?
Similar but not identical. Airtel Money is generally slightly cheaper for paybill transactions and has different bracket structures. See our M-PESA vs Airtel Money comparison.
Where can I verify these fees?
On Safaricom's official tariff page: safaricom.co.ke/personal/m-pesa/m-pesa-rates. We update this article whenever Safaricom announces changes.
Resources
- M-PESA fees calculator — enter any amount
- M-PESA withdrawal charges 2026 — focused guide
- M-PESA tariff 2026 explained — what changed
- M-PESA vs Airtel Money — fee comparison
- Safaricom official tariff page
Related reading
Curated external sources we cite. Open in a new tab.
Safaricom M-Pesa Rates (Official)
The official Safaricom M-Pesa tariff schedule. Authoritative source.
safaricom.co.ke · reference
M-Pesa Cost Calculator
Detailed cost calculator for sending and withdrawing M-Pesa transactions.
mpesa.or.ke · calculator
M-Pesa Paybill Calculator
Calculator focused on Paybill transactions specifically.
mpesa.or.ke · calculator