DStv paybill 444900: how to pay via M-PESA in Kenya (2026 complete guide)

DStv is the most-watched pay-TV service in Kenya, and M-PESA is the way the vast majority of subscribers pay each month. Once you know the paybill (444900) and your smartcard number, the whole transaction takes under a minute. This guide covers the exact steps, every package price for 2026, how to find your IUC if you've lost it, ExtraView multi-room cost, setting up autopay via M-PESA Ratiba, paying from abroad, and what to do when reactivation doesn't happen automatically.

The exact steps

1. Open M-PESA. On Safaricom SIM phones this is in the SIM toolkit menu. On Android, you can also use the M-PESA app or Safaricom OneApp.
2. Choose Lipa na M-PESA. Then select Pay Bill. Don't pick "Buy Goods", that's for tills, not paybills.
3. Enter the business number: 444900. This is the official MultiChoice DStv Kenya paybill. Triple-check this number before sending, paybill scams in Kenya often use near-look-alike numbers.
4. Enter your DStv smartcard / IUC number as the account. See how to find your IUC below if you don't know it.
5. Enter the package amount. Exact match required, see the price list below. Overpayment credits to your account; underpayment will not activate.
6. Enter your M-PESA PIN and confirm. You'll receive an SMS confirmation from M-PESA, then a second SMS from DStv confirming activation.

Find your DStv IUC / smartcard number

IUC ("Individual Unique Customer") number and smartcard number mean the same thing on DStv: the 10-digit number that identifies your decoder to MultiChoice. You need it every time you pay. Five ways to find it:

1. On the smartcard itself. Eject the smartcard from the decoder (it slides in/out on the side or back). The 10-digit number is printed on the front.
2. On the decoder screen. Press the INFO or Menu button on the remote, then navigate to Help → Customer Info. The smartcard / IUC number appears at the top.
3. In the My DStv app. Sign in, tap My Account. The IUC is shown alongside your account status and package.
4. On any previous M-PESA SMS. Search your inbox for "444900". The account field on past payments is your IUC.

DStv Kenya package prices (2026)

Pay these exact amounts for the corresponding package:

Prices are reviewed annually, typically January or April. If the amount you pay doesn't match the current package price, DStv either holds the credit (if overpaid) or does not activate (if underpaid). Always confirm prices on dstv.com/ke before paying, especially in January and April when changes typically land.

DStv ExtraView: paying for a second decoder

ExtraView lets you connect up to two additional decoders to your main subscription, all watching the same content on different TVs. You only pay one package fee, plus a small per-extra-decoder access fee:

• Main decoder: your standard package price (Family, Compact, etc.)
• Second decoder (ExtraView): roughly KES 1,000 to 1,300/month extra in 2026
• Third decoder (ExtraView+): roughly another KES 1,000 to 1,300/month

Important: ExtraView decoders must be linked to your main account at a DStv-accredited installer first. Linking is a one-time setup; the monthly access fee runs from then onward. When paying via M-PESA, your usual paybill (444900) + main smartcard charge covers the whole household.

If a second decoder is showing "E16" (no subscription) while your main is active, the most likely cause is that the linking lapsed (sometimes after a month of unpaid extra-access). Call DStv on +254 711 066 000 to re-link.

Paying multiple months at once

You can pay for several months in a single M-PESA transaction by paying the multi-month total. For example, three months of DStv Compact = 3 × KES 4,200 = KES 12,600. DStv credits the full amount to your smartcard and counts down month by month.

Useful for diaspora-paying households, businesses with predictable cashflow, or households that want to lock in a price before an annual price hike. Note that DStv occasionally runs "pay 11, get 12" loyalty offers around year-end, check the My DStv app before paying 12 months upfront separately.

Autopay: set up recurring DStv via M-PESA Ratiba

If you'd rather not remember to pay every month, set up M-PESA Ratiba (Safaricom's standing-instruction feature) and DStv pays itself automatically from your M-PESA balance each month:

1. Dial *334# on your Safaricom line.
2. Choose M-PESA Ratiba (option varies by menu version, look for "Ratiba" or "Standing Order").
3. Select Pay Bill as the destination type.
4. Enter 444900 as the business number.
5. Enter your DStv smartcard / IUC number as the account.
6. Enter the exact package amount (e.g. KES 4,200 for Compact).
7. Choose the date of the month you want it to run (most people pick the day after their salary lands).
8. Confirm with M-PESA PIN.

Each month on the chosen date, M-PESA deducts the amount and pays DStv automatically. If your balance is too low on the day, Ratiba retries for the next few days. You can pause or cancel any standing instruction from the same *334# menu.

DStv app vs paybill vs USSD: which is fastest?

Reactivation: how it works and how to fix it when it stalls

Once your M-PESA payment confirms, DStv processes activation within 5 minutes for most customers. The decoder needs to be powered on and connected to the satellite signal during activation. If your decoder was unplugged for several days, give it 10 to 15 minutes to download the activation signal from the satellite.

If reactivation hasn't happened within 15 minutes, run through this in order:

1. Confirm your M-PESA SMS shows the payment went to 444900 (not another paybill).
2. Confirm the smartcard number in the SMS matches your decoder's smartcard.
3. Confirm the package amount in the SMS matches the current price for your tier.
4. Unplug the decoder for 30 seconds and plug back in. This forces a fresh signal pull from the satellite.
5. Check the decoder for an error code on screen (see below).
6. Dial *423# from your registered number and choose the option to fix errors or reconnect.
7. If still inactive: WhatsApp DStv on +254 755 896 248 with your smartcard number, surname and M-PESA transaction code.

Common DStv error codes

• E16: No subscription detected. Usually means payment hasn't reached the smartcard yet, or the smartcard isn't linked to a paid account. Dial *423# to fix errors, or use Fix Errors Online in MyDStv.
• E30: Smartcard pairing issue. The smartcard isn't recognised by this decoder. Usually requires swapping the smartcard between decoders or calling DStv.
• E48-32: No signal. Check the LNB cable connection at the back of the decoder, then the dish alignment if multiple decoders are affected.
• E142: Decoder needs a firmware update. Leave it on the search screen for 30 minutes, it pulls firmware over the satellite.

Five common DStv payment mistakes

1. Wrong smartcard number. Multi-decoder households sometimes pay one smartcard while watching another. Check the decoder you're paying for.
2. Paying GOtv paybill by mistake. GOtv (sister product) is paybill 423655, not 444900. They're separate platforms with separate accounts. Money sent to the wrong paybill must be reversed manually, a 24 to 72 hour Safaricom dispute process.
3. Using a till number instead of paybill. Some users see "DStv" on a kiosk till and pay the till instead of 444900. Tills route to merchants, not your DStv account. Always use Pay Bill, not Buy Goods.
4. Paying mid-billing-cycle without recalibrating. If you pay 5 days into a new month, DStv backdates the new period to the day of last expiry, you don't "buy 5 extra days". Pay before expiry to avoid the gap.
5. Underpaying by KES 50 to 100 thinking it's a rounding error. DStv activation is exact-match. KES 4,150 will not activate Compact (KES 4,200). Pay the full price.

Suspend, pause, or cancel your DStv subscription

DStv lets you suspend a subscription temporarily (you stop paying, your slot is held) or cancel entirely.

• Suspend (Holiday mode): log in to the My DStv app or self-service web portal at dstv.com/ke and choose Suspend. You can suspend for up to 6 months per year, useful if you travel or rent out the house. No fee.
• Cancel: just stop paying. DStv automatically deactivates at the end of the paid period. There's no monthly cancellation fee or notice period to worry about, unlike a bank account.
• Downgrade instead of cancel: if cost is the issue, drop to a smaller package (e.g., Premium → Compact saves KES 7,500/month). Change the package in the My DStv app, then pay the new lower amount next billing date.

Paying DStv from abroad (diaspora)

Three common ways diaspora subscribers keep family DStv running:

1. M-PESA Global: if you have a registered M-PESA account abroad (UK, UAE, South Africa, etc.), pay paybill 444900 directly from your overseas M-PESA balance. Same process as paying from Kenya, with a small FX margin baked into the Safaricom rate.
2. My DStv app via card: log in with the family's DStv account and pay with your Visa or Mastercard. Small card-processing surcharge in some flows.
3. Send money to a family member who pays the paybill: cheapest for most corridors. Use Wise or Sendwave to deposit to a Kenyan M-PESA wallet, then the family member pays 444900 manually. Wise typically wins on larger amounts; Sendwave is faster for smaller monthly transfers.

See our cheapest send to Kenya guide for current corridor pricing across UK, US, UAE, and Australia.

Other ways to pay DStv

M-PESA paybill 444900 is the most common, but DStv accepts:

• Airtel Money, same paybill 444900 via Airtel-Safaricom interoperability.
• The My DStv app, pay by card, M-PESA STK push, or Airtel Money. Adds a small convenience fee in some flows.
• DStv Self-Service web portal, log in at dstv.com/ke, pay by card or generated M-PESA prompt.
• Bank standing order, set up a recurring payment from KCB, Equity, or any major Kenyan bank to DStv's collection account. Useful for businesses.
• DStv-accredited shops, agents accept cash and process payment for a small fee.

Frequently asked questions

Resources

• DStv paybill page (444900), full details and CTA
• DStv vs GOtv vs StarTimes comparison
• How to pay GOtv via M-PESA
• M-PESA Ratiba calculator
• Cheapest way to send money to Kenya (diaspora)
• dstv.com/ke, official portal
• DStv Kenya support, +254 711 066 000