Quick Answer: M-Pesa send money charges in 2026 range from Free (Ksh1–Ksh100 to registered users) to a maximum of Ksh108 for amounts above Ksh50,000. Agent withdrawal fees run from Ksh11 to Ksh309. ATM withdrawals cost between Ksh 35 and Ksh 203. Paybill charges vary by tariff model under Customer Bouquet; customers pay zero. Buy Goods (Till number) transactions are always free for customers; merchants pay a capped percentage fee. All deposits, M-Pesa registration, airtime purchases, balance enquiries, and PIN changes are completely free.
While we have strived to provide full and accurate information about M-Pesa charges in Kenya, if youare in a hurry and don’t want to scroll through the entire article below, here is a quick M-Pesa charges calculator that can help you figure out M-Pesa charges for any Transaction Types:
M-Pesa launched in March 2007 with 300 agents, a basic USSD menu, and one simple promise: move money without needing a bank account. Back then, Safaricom had no idea what it had started. Almost nineteen years later, over 37.9 million Kenyans are active on M-Pesa every month. Today, Safaricom M-Pesa processes billions of shillings annually and sits at the centre of how Kenya saves, spends, borrows, and pays for everything from electricity to school fees.
However, when using Mpesa daily, one thing that remains vital is understanding the Mpesa charges. M-Pesa transaction fees vary by transaction type, e.g., withdrawals from Agent and ATM, sending money charges, etc., and thus knowing how much you are charged before carrying out any transaction remains vital. So How much are M-Pesa transaction fees? Here is all that you need to know and understand
What M-Pesa Charges Are Based On
Before we dive deeper into our guide, let’s quickly understand how M-Pesa charges are built up. First, M-Pesa does not charge a flat rate for every transaction. Instead, Safaricom divides transactions into tiered amount bands, and the fee you pay is determined entirely by which band your transaction amount falls into. Different transaction types send money, agent withdrawal, ATM withdrawal, and Paybill each have their own separate band structure, and the fee logic differs significantly between them.
Every Mpesa transaction fee you pay already includes a 20% government excise duty. This is not an extra charge you see listed separately. Safaricom calculates the base fee, adds 20% to it, and presents you with a single combined figure. So when the tariff table shows Ksh57 for sending Ksh3,501 to Ksh5,000, that Ksh57 is the base fee plus the Kenya Revenue Authority’s excise duty.
To put it simply: if the listed fee is Ksh100, the government has already taken Ksh16.67 of that before Safaricom receives the rest. This excise duty was introduced by the Finance Act and has remained at 20% since. It applies to every send money fee, every agent withdrawal fee, and every ATM withdrawal fee.
M-Pesa Send Money Charges 2026 — Full Tariff Table
These are the official 2026 M-Pesa charges for sending money to registered M-Pesa users, Pochi la Biashara accounts, and Business Till numbers. The same rates apply to cross-network transfers to registered Airtel Money and T-Kash users; the fee bands are identical regardless of the recipient’s supported network. M-Pesa no longer supports sending money to unregistered users; both sender and recipient must be registered on a supported mobile money network to complete any transfer.
| Amount Min (Ksh) | Amount Max (Ksh) | Send Money Fee (Ksh) | Agent Withdrawal Fee (Ksh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 49 | Free | N/A |
| 50 | 100 | Free | 11 |
| 101 | 500 | 7 | 29 |
| 501 | 1,000 | 13 | 29 |
| 1,001 | 1,500 | 23 | 29 |
| 1,501 | 2,500 | 33 | 29 |
| 2,501 | 3,500 | 53 | 52 |
| 3,501 | 5,000 | 57 | 69 |
| 5,001 | 7,500 | 78 | 87 |
| 7,501 | 10,000 | 90 | 115 |
| 10,001 | 15,000 | 100 | 167 |
| 15,001 | 20,000 | 105 | 185 |
| 20,001 | 35,000 | 108 | 197 |
| 35,001 | 50,000 | 108 | 278 |
| 50,001 | 250,000 | 108 | 309 |
Key takeaway from this table: sending Ksh1 to Ksh100 to any registered M-Pesa user is completely free. Once you hit Ksh101, fees begin at just Ksh7. The maximum send money fee is capped at Ksh108, which applies to any amount between Ksh20,001 and Ksh250,000. This means whether you are sending Ksh25,000 or Ksh200,000, you pay the same Ksh108. Agent withdrawal fees are always higher than send fees for the same transaction band, which is why sending to someone who can then pay directly is cheaper than withdrawing cash yourself.
M-Pesa ATM Withdrawal Charges 2026
Mpesa ATM withdrawals let you withdraw cash from any Visa-enabled ATM in Kenya using your Mpesa account via the Mpesa-linked card or cardless ATM options. ATM withdrawal fees are separate from agent withdrawal fees and follow a different 4-band structure. These fees are as follows:
| Amount Min (Ksh) | Amount Max (Ksh) | ATM Withdrawal Fee (Ksh) |
|---|---|---|
| 200 | 2,500 | 35 |
| 2,501 | 5,000 | 69 |
| 5,001 | 10,000 | 115 |
| 10,001 | 35,000 | 203 |
ATM withdrawals are the most expensive way to access your M-Pesa cash. The minimum ATM withdrawal is Ksh200, and the minimum fee is Ksh35. For large amounts above Ksh10,000, you pay Ksh203 per withdrawal, significantly higher than what you would pay to withdraw the same amount at an M-Pesa agent. For this reason, unless you specifically need ATM cash, withdrawing at a nearby agent is almost always cheaper.
How to Withdraw Cash via M-Pesa at an ATM
- Dial *334# or open the M-Pesa app on your phone
- Select Withdraw from the menu
- Select ATM Withdrawal
- Enter the amount you want to withdraw
- Enter your M-Pesa PIN to confirm a one-time authorisation code is generated on your screen
- Go to any Visa-enabled ATM in Kenya and select the cardless withdrawal option
- Enter the authorisation code and collect your cash. The ATM fee is deducted from your M-Pesa balance immediately
The authorisation code is time-sensitive, so complete the ATM transaction promptly after generating it on your phone.
M-Pesa Paybill Charges 2026
Paybill charges are not the same as send money fees. This is one of the most widely misunderstood aspects of M-Pesa, and getting it wrong costs both businesses and customers real money. When a business registers for a Paybill number, Safaricom requires them to select one of three tariff models: Mgao, Business Bouquet, or Customer Bouquet. Each model determines who pays what. Here is what to know about each one of these Tarrifs
Mgao Tariff — Customer and Business Split the Fee
Under the Mgao Tariff, the total transaction fee is split equally between the customer and the business. Here are the full 2026 Mgao Tariff charges:
| Amount Band (Ksh) | Business Fee (Ksh) | Customer Fee (Ksh) | Total Fee (Ksh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – 100 | Free | Free | Free |
| 101 – 500 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| 501 – 1,000 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| 1,001 – 1,500 | 14 | 14 | 28 |
| 1,501 – 2,500 | 20 | 20 | 40 |
| 2,501 – 3,500 | 32 | 32 | 64 |
| 3,501 – 5,000 | 34 | 34 | 68 |
| 5,001 – 7,500 | 47 | 47 | 94 |
| 7,501 – 10,000 | 54 | 54 | 108 |
| 10,001 – 15,000 | 60 | 60 | 120 |
| 15,001 – 20,000 | 63 | 63 | 126 |
| 20,001 – 35,000 | 65 | 65 | 130 |
| 35,001 – 50,000 | 65 | 65 | 130 |
| 50,001 – 250,000 | 65 | 65 | 130 |
Business Bouquet Tariff — Customer Pays All
Under the Business Bouquet Tariff, the business pays nothing. The customer bears the entire transaction fee. This is the most common Paybill model used by large organisations in Kenya, including utilities, banks, hospitals, schools, and government entities. The customer fees under this model match the standard send money fee structure exactly:
| Amount Band (Ksh) | Business Fee (Ksh) | Customer Fee (Ksh) | Total Fee (Ksh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – 100 | Free | Free | Free |
| 101 – 500 | Free | 7 | 7 |
| 501 – 1,000 | Free | 13 | 13 |
| 1,001 – 1,500 | Free | 23 | 23 |
| 1,501 – 2,500 | Free | 33 | 33 |
| 2,501 – 3,500 | Free | 53 | 53 |
| 3,501 – 5,000 | Free | 57 | 57 |
| 5,001 – 7,500 | Free | 78 | 78 |
| 7,501 – 10,000 | Free | 90 | 90 |
| 10,001 – 15,000 | Free | 100 | 100 |
| 15,001 – 20,000 | Free | 105 | 105 |
| 20,001 – 35,000 | Free | 108 | 108 |
| 35,001 – 50,000 | Free | 108 | 108 |
| 50,001 – 250,000 | Free | 108 | 108 |
Customer Bouquet Tariff — Business Pays All, Customer Pays Zero
Under the Customer Bouquet Tariff, the business absorbs the entire transaction fee, and the customer pays absolutely nothing. This is the most customer-friendly Paybill model, typically used by businesses that want to remove any payment friction for their customers. If you pay a Paybill and no fee is deducted from your M-Pesa, you are on Customer Bouquet:
| Amount Band (Ksh) | Business Fee (Ksh) | Customer Fee (Ksh) | Total Fee (Ksh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – 100 | Free | Free | Free |
| 101 – 500 | 7 | Free | 7 |
| 501 – 1,000 | 13 | Free | 13 |
| 1,001 – 1,500 | 23 | Free | 23 |
| 1,501 – 2,500 | 33 | Free | 33 |
| 2,501 – 3,500 | 53 | Free | 53 |
| 3,501 – 5,000 | 57 | Free | 57 |
| 5,001 – 7,500 | 78 | Free | 78 |
| 7,501 – 10,000 | 90 | Free | 90 |
| 10,001 – 15,000 | 100 | Free | 100 |
| 15,001 – 20,000 | 105 | Free | 105 |
| 20,001 – 35,000 | 108 | Free | 108 |
| 35,001 – 50,000 | 108 | Free | 108 |
| 50,001 – 250,000 | 108 | Free | 108 |
M-Pesa Buy Goods (Till Number) Charges 2026
Buy Goods transactions via Lipa na M-Pesa Till numbers work on a completely different model from Paybill, and from the customer’s perspective, it is far simpler: customers always pay zero. There is no fee deducted from your M-Pesa when you pay a business using their Till number through the Lipa na M-Pesa Buy Goods option. The full transaction cost is absorbed by the merchant.
The merchant pays a percentage-based fee that is capped to protect businesses on large transactions:
| Amount Range (Ksh) | Merchant Fee Rate | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 – 199 | 0.25% of transaction | Ksh1,000 → merchant pays Ksh2.50 |
| 200 – 250,000 | 0.5% of transaction, capped at Ksh200 | Ksh10,000 → merchant pays Ksh50; Ksh250,000 → merchant pays Ksh200 |
This percentage model with a KSh 200 cap makes Buy Goods highly cost-effective for merchants handling large transactions. A business receiving Ksh100,000 via a Till number pays only Ksh 200, the same maximum fee as a transaction of Ksh 40,000 or Ksh250,000. The cap protects merchants at every transaction size above Ksh 40,000.
Paybill vs Buy Goods — Which Is Better for Your Business?
The right choice depends on your transaction profile and your relationship with customers:
- Use Buy Goods (Till) if you want customers to pay zero fees, as it increases payment adoption and removes friction at the point of sale. Best for retail, food businesses, and service providers with a regular customer base.
- Use Paybill (Customer Bouquet) if you want customers to pay zero, but also need an account reference field for reconciling payments, best for businesses that need to match payments to specific invoices or account numbers.
- Use Paybill (Business Bouquet) if you want zero cost to your business, and customers are used to covering the fee for utilities, financial institutions, and large organisations where fee transparency is standard.
- Use Paybill (Mgao) if you want to share the cost fairly with customers, a middle ground that is less common but suits certain business models.
M-Pesa Transaction Limits 2026
Knowing the charges is only half the picture. Every transaction type on M-Pesa also has hard limits: a minimum amount you can send or withdraw, a maximum per transaction, and a daily ceiling on how much you can move. Hitting one of these limits mid-transaction is one of the most common M-Pesa frustrations, and it is entirely avoidable once you know the numbers.
| Transaction Type | Minimum (Ksh) | Max Per Transaction (Ksh) | Daily Limit (Ksh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Send Money (registered users) | 1 | 250,000 | 500,000 |
| Agent Withdrawal | 50 | 250,000 | 500,000 |
| ATM Withdrawal | 200 | 35,000 | 100,000 |
| Deposit at Agent | 1 | 250,000 | 500,000 |
| Paybill / Buy Goods | 1 | 250,000 | 500,000 |
| M-Pesa Account Balance | — | 500,000 (maximum) | — |
The Ksh500,000 account balance cap matters most for businesses and individuals who receive large payments via Paybill or Till numbers. Once your M-Pesa balance reaches Ksh500,000, incoming transactions will be rejected until you withdraw or transfer funds.
For ATM withdrawals specifically, the per-transaction limit of Ksh35,000 is significantly lower than the agent withdrawal limit. If you need to withdraw more than Ksh35,000 via ATM in a single day, you will need to make multiple transactions, and the Ksh100,000 daily ATM cap is the absolute ceiling. For any cash need above Ksh35,000 in one go, an M-Pesa agent is your only option and at lower fees too.
What Is Free on M-Pesa in 2026
Not everything on M-Pesa costs money. These transactions are completely free in 2026:
- Sending money to registered M-Pesa users for amounts between Ksh1 and Ksh100
- All M-Pesa deposits (depositing cash into your M-Pesa at an agent)
- M-Pesa registration
- Buying airtime through M-Pesa
- M-Pesa balance enquiry
- Changing your M-Pesa PIN
- Receiving money into your M-Pesa account (all amounts)
- Paying a Paybill on Customer Bouquet (business absorbs the cost)
- Paying for any Buy Goods (Till number) via Lipa na M-Pesa
Questions & Answers About M-Pesa Charges 2026
M-Pesa does not have an automatic reversal button, but you can recover a wrong transaction by acting quickly. First, call Safaricom customer care on 100 (free from Safaricom line) or 0722 000 100 immediately after sending to the wrong number. Safaricom can place a hold on the funds if the recipient has not yet withdrawn. Second, you can dial *334# and navigate to Help > Reversal Request to submit a formal reversal. If the recipient is known to you, you can also contact them directly and request them to send the money back. Note that Safaricom cannot reverse a completed agent withdrawal — speed is critical. Always double-check the recipient number before confirming any M-Pesa transaction.
Sending Ksh1,000 to a registered M-Pesa user costs Ksh13. The Ksh501–Ksh1,000 band carries a flat fee of Ksh13, which already includes the 20% excise duty. The same KSh13 applies whether you are sending to another M-Pesa user, an Airtel Money user, or a T-Kash user.
Sending Ksh10,000 to a registered M-Pesa user costs Ksh90. This falls in the Ksh7,501–Ksh10,000 band. If, instead of sending you KSh 10,000 from an agent, the withdrawal fee for that same band is Ksh115 significantly higher than the send fee, which is why paying someone directly is always cheaper than withdrawing first and handing over cash.
The send money fee for Ksh20,000 is Ksh105, as it falls in the Ksh15,001–Ksh20,000 band. If you withdraw Ksh20,000 at an agent, the fee is KSh185 for the same band. Note that sending Ksh20,001 or more costs just Ksh108, so the difference between sending Ksh20,000 (Ksh105) and Ksh20,001 (Ksh108) is only Ksh3, meaning there is very little reason to avoid going over this band boundary.
Withdrawing Ksh200 at an M-Pesa agent costs Ksh29. Ksh200 falls within the Ksh101–Ksh500 agent withdrawal band, which carries a flat fee of Ksh29 regardless of where your amount sits in the band. If you choose to withdraw Ksh200 from an ATM instead, the fee is Ksh35, making the ATM option more expensive even for this small amount. For amounts between Ksh50 and Ksh100, the agent withdrawal fee is only Ksh11, so it is worth consolidating small needs where possible.
The M-Pesa daily transaction limit in 2026 is KSh 500,000. This is the maximum total of all send money, withdrawal, and payment transactions combined within a 24-hour period. The maximum amount you can send in a single transaction is Ksh250,000. Your M-Pesa account balance cannot exceed Ksh500,000 at any time; incoming payments will be rejected once this ceiling is reached. For ATM withdrawals specifically, the daily limit is lower at Ksh100,000, with a per-transaction maximum of Ksh35,000.
There are two ways to access your M-Pesa statement in 2026. Via USSD: Dial *334#, select My Account, then M-Pesa Statement, choose either a mini statement (your most recent transactions) or a full statement covering a specific date range, which will be sent to you via SMS or email. Via the Safaricom App: Open the app, navigate to the M-Pesa section, and tap Statements. You can view transactions on screen or export them. For a formal transaction history needed for bank reconciliation or legal purposes, contact Safaricom on 100 to request an official stamped statement.
Safaricom PLC is the owner and operator of M-Pesa in Kenya. In September 2025, Safaricom completed the acquisition of 100% of M-Pesa Holding Company Limited, the corporate trustee that holds M-Pesa customer funds from Vodafone Holdings B.V., giving Safaricom full control of the trust structure.
M-Pesa was created by Nick Hughes and Susie Lonie of Vodafone’s global research and development team.