Send money from M-PESA to any Kenyan bank: complete paybill directory

Every Kenyan bank operates a paybill that lets you deposit M-PESA funds straight into a bank account — no need to visit a branch or use the bank app. Once you know the paybill, the flow is identical across banks: open M-PESA → Pay Bill → enter the bank's paybill → enter the recipient's account number → amount → PIN. This master guide lists the verified paybill for every major Kenyan bank, plus the small variations and edge cases worth knowing.

Bank paybill directory

That's 28 banks, every CBK-licensed deposit-taking bank with a publicly-active M-PESA paybill. The list updates as banks change paybills or new banks register — check the linked paybill page for any changes.

Universal step-by-step flow

This works the same for every bank above:

1. Open M-PESA on your phone (SIM toolkit, M-PESA app, or Safaricom OneApp)
2. Select Lipa na M-PESA → Pay Bill
3. Enter the bank's business number (paybill) from the table above
4. Enter the recipient's bank account number as the "account"
5. Enter the amount in KES
6. Enter your M-PESA PIN and confirm
7. Wait for two SMS — M-PESA transaction code, then bank deposit notification

Fees — the same for every bank

Standard M-PESA paybill tariff applies regardless of which bank you're sending to. From the 2026 charges schedule:

• KES 1-100: free
• KES 101-500: KES 5
• KES 501-1,000: KES 10
• KES 1,001-1,500: KES 15
• KES 1,501-2,500: KES 20
• KES 2,501-3,500: KES 25
• KES 3,501-5,000: KES 34
• KES 5,001-7,500: KES 42
• KES 7,501-10,000: KES 48
• KES 10,001-15,000: KES 57
• KES 15,001-20,000: KES 62
• KES 20,001-50,000: KES 67
• KES 50,001-250,000: KES 105

The bank does not charge an additional fee on incoming M-PESA paybill deposits — the M-PESA fee is the only fee. The merchant settlement fee is paid by the bank, invisible to you.

Three ways: paybill, app pull, or wire

Paybill (the M-PESA → Bank route)

Best for: sending to any account holder, your own or someone else's. Single transaction, fee charged to sender, funds reflect in minutes. Works for amounts up to KES 250,000 per transaction.

Bank app pull from M-PESA

Best for: moving M-PESA into your own bank account when you're already in the bank app for other banking. Slightly different fee structure (often a flat KES 30-50). Doesn't work for sending to someone else.

Bank-to-bank wire

Best for: amounts above KES 250,000 (M-PESA cap), foreign currency transfers, or institutional payments. Slower (1-3 business days for some routes), more expensive (typical wire fee KES 200-500), but no per-transaction cap.

Five universal mistakes

1. Wrong paybill — typo or look-alike. Some banks have visually similar paybills. Equity 247247 vs. KCB 522522 vs. KCB M-PESA 522559 vs. Co-op 400200. Triple-check before sending. The list above is the verified set.
2. Wrong account number. Banks reverse some name/account mismatches but not all. Confirm with the recipient and use the exact format from their card/statement.
3. Account number with spaces or dashes. M-PESA paybill account fields accept only digits. Strip formatting.
4. Sending to a closed account. Most banks auto-reverse closed-account deposits to the sender's M-PESA within 24-72 hours. Confirm the account is active before sending large amounts.
5. Sending more than KES 250,000 in one go. Per-transaction M-PESA cap. For KES 500,000 or more, split or use a bank-to-bank wire.

Loan repayment vs. bank account deposit

Some banks have separate paybills for loan repayment vs. regular account deposit. Common examples:

• KCB Bank: 522522 (account deposit) · 522559 (KCB M-PESA loan)
• Equity: 247247 (account deposit) · 247263 (Eazzy Loan)
• Absa Timiza: 300067 for Timiza loan, 303030 for Absa Bank account
• Family Bank, NCBA, others: typically use the same paybill with account number routing

Always check whether your transfer is for loan or account purposes and pick the correct paybill. Sending a loan repayment to the account paybill (or vice versa) means manual reallocation — slow and risk-prone.

Sending from abroad

Diaspora users have three workable approaches to depositing to a Kenyan bank account from overseas:

1. M-PESA Global → relative pays paybill. Send M-PESA from your overseas line, family member pays the bank paybill locally. Lowest fee for most amounts.
2. Wise / Sendwave / WorldRemit / Lemfi. Most major remittance services deposit directly into Kenyan banks. Cheaper than wire transfer for amounts under KES 200,000.
3. SWIFT wire. For institutional or large amounts. Higher fee but generates clearest paper trail.

See our diaspora remittance guide for fee comparisons.

Sending from bank to M-PESA

Every bank also supports the reverse direction — bank account to M-PESA — through their own app or USSD. The process and fee are determined by the bank, not Safaricom. Typical bank-to-M-PESA fees: KES 30-110 depending on amount.

FAQ

Which is the fastest method?

Paybill 522522 / 247247 / 400200 etc. — funds reflect 1-15 minutes typically. Bank app pulls are similar. Wire transfers are slower.

Which is the cheapest?

For amounts under KES 5,000 — paybill route. For amounts above KES 250,000 — bank-to-bank wire (the M-PESA cap forces the choice).

My bank isn't on the list. What do I do?

Check the bank's website footer or call their customer service. If they don't have an M-PESA paybill, they likely accept M-PESA via Equity-Eazzy-Pay-style routing through a partner bank. Alternative: SWIFT wire from your overseas account.

Can I split a deposit across multiple bank accounts?

Yes — send separate M-PESA paybill transactions to each. Each transaction is independent.

Resources

• All bank paybills on paybillke (browseable)
• KCB-specific guide
• Equity-specific guide
• Co-op-specific guide
• M-PESA charges 2026 — fee schedule
• Sending money to Kenya from abroad