Skip to content
paybillke
Verified 12 September 2026

Till vs Pochi la Biashara

By Dennis Kiptoo · M-PESA Till hub

Pochi la Biashara is a personal till tied to one phone number, activated in the M-PESA app or on *334# in two minutes, with a daily limit around KES 300,000. A Buy Goods till is a proper business number needing ID, KRA PIN and a business permit, but it gives you free customer payments, multiple operators, a business app, statements and higher scale.

Choose Pochi if

You are a mama mboga, boda rider, online seller or freelancer wanting instant separation of business and personal M-PESA with no paperwork.

Choose a till if

You are a registered retail business wanting free customer payments, staff operators, and proper records. Customers paying Pochi pay a send charge (under Safaricom's promo to 31 October 2026, nothing up to KES 200 and never more than KES 50); customers paying a till pay nothing.

Upgrade path

Many hustlers start on Pochi, register the business, then upgrade to a till once free customer payments and staff access matter.

Frequently asked

Does Pochi need documents?

No, it activates instantly from the app.

Is paying Pochi free for customers?

Only for small amounts. Under Safaricom's promo to 31 October 2026, payments of KES 200 and below are free and the charge above that is capped at KES 50.

When should I upgrade?

When you register the business and want free customer payments.

Related

Verified 12 September 2026. Independent guide, not Safaricom. Confirm current merchant band table, reversal shortcode and any till-name-change process on safaricom.co.ke.