Payment gateways in Kenya
We compared 5 gateways on what a payment costs in Kenya, one kind of payment at a time. Every number says where it came from and when it was checked.
Our read · M-Pesa payment of KES 5,000
Lowest fee for an M-Pesa payment of KES 5,000: Kopo Kopo and M-Pesa Daraja
Kopo Kopo and M-Pesa Daraja each charge KES 27.50 on KES 5,000 in Kenya, the lowest of the 5 gateways with a verified fee for it (checked 25 Oct 2026). Fee is one part of the cost: settlement time, limits and licences are shown beside it, and none of them reorders the list.
- Lowest for a card payment of KES 5,000: Paystack (KES 145)
Thimania is free to use. Rankings follow the fees we checked, never who pays us. Any link to a provider is on its profile, where we say whether we earn from it.
Gateways in Kenya for an M-Pesa payment of KES 5,000
Ranked by the fee on KES 5,000, cheapest first.
| Gateway | Fee on KES 5,000 lower is better | Settlement time | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Kopo Kopo | KES 27.50 Best | 1 min | 25 Oct 2026 Help centre: charges on payments |
| 1. M-Pesa Daraja | KES 27.50 Best | 1 min | 25 Oct 2026 M-PESA Business Hub FAQs |
| 3. Cellulant | KES 75 | Not yet verified | 24 Oct 2026 Tingg help centre: pricing rates for card, bank and mobile money |
| 3. Paystack | KES 75 | 2 days | 22 Oct 2026 Provider fee page |
| 5. IntaSend | KES 150 | 1 min | 22 Oct 2026 Provider fee page |
Not ranked for this payment, because we have no verified fee for it: DPO Pay, Pesapal.
Gateways in Kenya for a card payment of KES 5,000
Ranked by the fee on KES 5,000, cheapest first.
| Gateway | Fee on KES 5,000 lower is better | Settlement time | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Paystack | KES 145 Best | 2 days | 22 Oct 2026 Provider fee page |
| 2. Cellulant | KES 160 | Not yet verified | 24 Oct 2026 Tingg help centre: pricing rates for card, bank and mobile money |
| 3. IntaSend | KES 175 | Not yet verified | 22 Oct 2026 Provider fee page |
Not ranked for this payment, because we have no verified fee for it: DPO Pay, Kopo Kopo, M-Pesa Daraja, Pesapal.
How we compared them
A fair comparison needs the same payment, so each gateway is priced for exactly the kind of payment and amount above, from the rate it publishes for it. The fee is calculated from that rate, including any fixed fee, minimum or cap. A gateway with no verified rate for a payment is listed under the table, not ranked.
What the fee leaves out: VAT and other taxes, setup and monthly fees, payout charges and rates negotiated for large merchants. Check those on the gateway's own page before you sign up. Each profile shows what we found, and the date.