Every Kenyan seller ends up choosing how customers pay: a Lipa na M-PESA Buy Goods till, Pochi la Biashara, or a PayBill. The right answer changed in August 2026, when Safaricom cut the charges on all three for small businesses. Here is who pays what now.
The three options in one line each
- Buy Goods till: a dedicated business till number. Free for the customer; the business pays a small fee on larger collections.
- Pochi la Biashara: a business wallet on your existing M-PESA line — no paperwork. Free for the business; the customer pays a fee like sending money.
- PayBill: a business number plus an account reference, built for bills and accounts. The charge can sit with the customer or the business.
What each costs, from August 2026
| Customer pays you | KSh 450 | KSh 1,000 | KSh 10,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Till — customer pays | Free | Free | Free |
| Till — you pay | Free | KSh 5.50 | KSh 55 |
| Pochi — customer pays | KSh 7 | KSh 13 | KSh 50 |
| Pochi — you pay | Free | Free | Free |
| Send money (personal) — customer pays | KSh 7 | KSh 13 | KSh 90 |
- Till: since 7 August 2026, the business pays nothing on collections up to KSh 500 (it used to be KSh 200), then 0.55%, never more than KSh 200.
- Pochi: from 1 August to 31 October 2026, paying a Pochi is free up to KSh 200 and never more than KSh 50. After that, unless Safaricom extends it, Pochi payments go back to normal send-money rates (KSh 90 on KSh 10,000).
Work out any amount with the M-Pesa charges calculator.
Which to choose
- Selling everyday items under KSh 500? A till is now free for both of you. That is the strongest case for a till yet.
- Just starting, no business registration? Pochi needs no paperwork and costs you nothing to receive. Your customers carry the charge, which some will notice.
- Taking bigger orders? A till costs you 0.55% (KSh 55 on KSh 10,000) while your customer pays nothing — usually the better trade for winning the sale.
- Selling on account or by invoice? A PayBill, where each payment carries an account number.
Moving money out of a Business Till also got cheaper on 7 August 2026 — KSh 45 instead of KSh 90 to send KSh 10,000 to a phone.
Taking payment online
Your Duka shop takes M-Pesa at checkout, so a customer can order and pay from your shop link, and you see every paid order in one place.