Kenya's rapidly expanding digital economy requires capable payment gateways that can handle the growing volume of online transactions. Discover the top 5 online payment platforms in Kenya right now.
Kenya’s digital economy is growing at a rapid pace. In 2023, the digital penetration rate stands at 32.7 percent, with 1.3 million users added in the period between 2022 and 2023.
These numbers show how much the country’s economy now relies on the internet for growth. More Kenyans are conducting their business online, sending and receiving payments through e-wallets and other digital banking platforms.
Can the current online payment providers in Kenya support our growing digital economy? Which payment gateways have the best features and tools for businesses and ordinary people looking to send and receive payments online conveniently?
This article will compare the 5 best e-wallets and online payment platforms in Kenya. We will rate them on their fees and features to help you decide which one is best for your needs.
Let’s get started.
Which Payment Gateway is the Best in Kenya?
Kenyans have a few options for payment gateways to use for sending and receiving payments. Naturally, the question many ask is, which one of these online payment platforms is the best?
This is not an easy question to answer as each payment gateway, e-wallet, and digital bank will have its strong suits. It is more helpful to choose one that best meets your specific needs.
- Do you want an online payments platform that s great at processing business payments?
- Do you serve international clients and require a payment gateway that allows you to receive payments through M-Pesa?
- Do you prefer an all-in-one solution that allows you to collect payments on your website, send payments in bulk, create invoices, and send payment links to clients?
- Do you simply want to pay bills and send and receive payments through your mobile phone?
- Do you want the reassurance of local, 24/7 customer support?
Here are the 5 best online payment processors in Kenya, in no particular order:
PayU
PayU s a Netherlands-based online payment service provider to merchants that serves high-growth markets in Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
PayU says it ‘allows you to streamline and consolidate all aspects of your payment stack into one, customizable payment platform’.
The company has expanded its reach across the globe and continues to grow at a rapid pace. Over the next several years, PayU plans to continue expanding in new markets, investing in R&D to stay competitive in the face of new competitors.
Some of PayU’s services that have made it a favourite in Kenya and elsewhere it operates are mobile money transfers and instant loans. Below we discuss its other features.
Key features
- Supports several currencies
As PayU expands into other markets, it continues to add other currencies to its already large basket. Customers can now withdraw and make payments in 100 different currencies.
This helps to ensure that customers in various markets have access to the payment provider’s full suite of services. Having a global presence has allowed PayU to build an impressive network of partners and suppliers, enabling it to provide convenient, cost-effective service.
- Robust security
PayU transactions are safe and secure, so you can be confident that your transactions cannot be intercepted by fraudsters. The company takes responsibility for protecting your information, money, and card data and employs various security measures to ensure its users' information is always well-protected.
In addition, PayU uses the highest industry standards for encryption and other security measures to protect users' information from unauthorized access and maintain the security of sensitive data.
- Centralized integration
Through centralized integration, merchants and buyers across the globe can process and receive payments online through one API. Using the PayU API, developers can easily integrate their websites with the PayU payment platform to accept online payments.
The PayU API allows developers to access the PayU platform’s payment services, such as real-time, offline, and digital currency payments. The PayU API also provides access to the PayU network of over 2.2 billion potential users. This access allows developers to build and launch new products quicker, reach a wider audience, and build stronger brands.
Pesapal
Pesapal is another trusted online payment provider that offers reliable and safe online payment services to its users in Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Pesapal claims to be the only company in Africa that offers consumer and point-of-sale applications and e-commerce payments support on the same platform. This allows it to provide a single point of contact for all online and offline customer interactions, including mobile wallet payments for the unbanked population.
Key features
POS payments
Pesapal offers POS machines to business owners and consumers to easily receive customer payments. The company's goal is to make it easier for businesses to accept payments while offering competitive rates and a secure customer experience.
Secure online payments for businesses
In addition to providing traditional point-of-sale (POS) terminals, Pesapal offers customers a complete e-commerce experience. With a single tap, consumers can pay for their items, receive rewards and get notifications on their mobile phones.
Bulk bill payments
Through the Pesapal app, customers can make bulk bill payments like paying utility bills, buying prepaid tokens, airtime, and more. You can use the online payment gateway’s bulk payments feature to make time-sensitive payments like payroll.
Customers can even use Pesapal to do quick and easy banking, like transferring money between their bank account and their Pesapal wallet. According to the company, the possibilities are endless.
Popote Pay
Popote Pay is a Kenyan-based payment platform that offers ‘spend management and payables automation services for businesses’. The company has a narrower focus than other payment providers on this list, specializing in helping businesses handle business expenditures.
Popote allows you to ‘access all your sources of funds in one place by linking your various Bank & Mobile money wallets to make payments with business-level limits on amount thresholds’. The company says it addresses payment challenges around petty cash, employee spending, airtime purchases, casual wages, and a/c payables.
Popote offers unprecedented flexibility, allowing users to pay similarly to friends, family, employees, and vendors. It's like having a personal bank without the need for branches and without the need to keep large amounts of cash on hand.
Key features
Bulk payments
Popote Pay allows small and large businesses to make single and bulk payments to multiple recipients at once, whether locally or internationally. It is a great option for businesses that want to send payments to their employees regularly or for businesses with a large clientele that want to send payments to their clients on a large scale.
Loans
Popote has partner banks through which it offers unsecured loans for working capital. The loans are typically approved within 24 hours. This makes the platform a great choice and partner for small and growing businesses.
M-Pesa
A product of telecommunications giant Safaricom, M-Pesa is one of Africa's biggest mobile payment networks. With service now extended to other African countries like Zambia and South Africa, M-Pesa allows customers to transfer money to each other using their mobile phones.
Customers can also make payments at both physical and online stores that accept M-Pesa, a service that has helped spur commerce in M-Pesa’s primary markets of Kenya and Tanzania.
Over 90% of mobile money transactions in Kenya are processed through M-Pesa. The system has also expanded to other African countries and is now used by over 50 million people and 400,000 agents across seven countries.
Key features
Cross-border payments
M-Pesa is one of Africa's few mobile money platforms that process cross-border payments. This service allows users to send payments internationally through M-Pesa’s international remittance partners.
For example, if you’re based in Kenya and want to send money to a loved one in Nigeria, M-Pesa will make this happen in minutes through its partnership with Western Union. This saves people time and money.
You can find a list of international remittance partners on the M-Pesa website. The remittance partners offer varying services and currencies, so it’s worth browsing the list to find the one that works best for you. Learn more about M-Pesa Global here.
Bill and tax payments
Using M-Pesa, you can make bill and tax payments from the comfort of your home. Your mobile wallet only needs to be fully funded. As well as buying and sending airtime to loved ones, you can pay almost any bill with your M-Pesa number, including your mobile phone bill, electricity bill, and other utilities.
Loans
Customers who perform large transactions on their M-Pesa account build a good credit score, allowing them to access loans through M-Pesa’s bank partners. A good credit score also unlocks access to other services that M-Pesa offers users.
M-Pesa’s mobile wallet service has helped improve financial inclusion in Kenya and other African countries, allowing the unbanked population to save and make payments safely and conveniently.
Open API hub
M-Pesa has an open API hub that allows developers to test and launch M-Pesa services on third-party platforms. This means merchants can easily embed M-Pesa as a payment option on their websites and online stores.
Learn how you can integrate M-Pesa’s API on your website and deploy it as a payment option quickly and without messing with any code here.
IntaSend
We have mentioned Popote as the best local solution for spend management and payables automation for business and M-Pesa as the best mobile wallet in Kenya. IntaSend is Kenya’s most trusted, all-in-one online payments provider, offering digital wallets, mobile money transfers, and bill payments. IntaSend is the best e-wallet provider in Kenya.
You can use IntaSend to send money to your family and friends, create invoices, make bulk business payments, and receive payments from your local and international clients through your preferred payment methods.
IntaSend’s digital banking platform is incredibly robust, offering services to thousands of people and businesses across Kenya. IntaSend offers various online payment services, including
- payment APIs,
- multiple methods of receiving payments, including Bitcoin,
- invoicing system that also allows users to send payment links to clients.
IntaSend is one of Kenya's few digital banking platforms that provide 24-hour customer service. Let’s explore the features that have made IntaSend one of Kenya's top payment service providers.
Key features
Round-the-clock customer support
Always-on, high-quality customer support is one of IntaSend’s core values. The company strives to provide customers with the best possible experience, with a support team that never sleeps.
Instant and scheduled payouts
Once your payments have been cleared, IntaSend ensures they appear on your dashboard immediately, allowing you to withdraw immediately. If you so wish You can withdraw into your bank account or M-Pesa or schedule bank deposits for later dates. This puts you in total control of your funds.
Scheduled payouts help businesses and individuals that want to keep a tighter handle on their funds. It allows you to make available in your bank account (or debit card) only those funds you want to use for a given period.
Multiple ways to get paid
The best digital wallet in Kenya, IntaSend offers multiple payment ways to get paid, with support for Visa and Mastercard, ACH, as well as M-Pesa. You can even accept Bitcoin payments through your IntaSend account.
The cryptocurrency option is particularly convenient for people with international clients who prefer to pay through Cash App, which has Bitcoin trading and payments support.
Payment integration API
IntaSend offers SDKs and tools for developers to implement code and no-code payment integrations. The SDKs ensure quick and seamless your preferred platform payment process or e-commerce CMS. These options include:
- PHP SDK,
- WooCommerce and Shopify plugins,
- JavaScript SDK, and
- Python SDK.
Learn more about IntaSend’s APIs for online payments here.
Getting Started With IntaSend: FAQs
How do I start using IntaSend?
IntaSend has a quick and easy sign-up process. All you need to sign up is your personal information - email address, phone number, and preferred password.
You will be asked to fill in a few details about your business, and confirm your registration from a confirmation email that you will receive as part of the signup process.
How much does it cost to sign up with IntaSend?
It costs nothing to create an account with IntaSend. Registration is completely free. However, you will be charged for transactions you perform via IntaSend, which could be card payments, mobile money transactions, or ACH.
Which documents do I need to register with IntaSend?
Identity verification is a high priority on IntaSend. After completing an individual verification step, depending on your account type, the documents you may be asked to provide include your business registration and KRA Tax Certificates. Learn more about account verification and required documents here.
How long does it take for an IntaSend account to be approved?
After creating an account, you need to submit your verification documents. Our compliance team will review and invite you for a live screening meeting. This process normally takes 1 business day.
Receive Your Payments, Pay Suppliers and Vendors, and Make Online Payments Quickly and Securely with IntaSend
When it comes to your money, every delay, failed transfer, or rejected payment can mean a lost customer or business opportunity. You need a payment provider that understands local conditions to protect your funds and make quick and easy online payments in Kenya.
With IntaSend you can be sure there will always be a local support technician to help smooth any bumps and make sure your online payments are processed with challenges. We are committed to ensuring that Kenya’s digital economy continues to grow, using our suite of robust online payment tools for businesses and individuals.
Sign up with IntaSend today and enjoy smooth and quick online payments, transfers, and e-wallet services.
