Payment gateways in Kenya
Taking membership payments in Kenya
Most members in Kenya pay with M-Pesa. These are the payment gateways a Ubunya community in Kenya can connect, and how each one handles M-Pesa, cards, payouts and renewals.
M-Pesa can't renew on its own
M-Pesa payments are approved one at a time on the member's phone, so no gateway can charge them again automatically. On Ubunya an M-Pesa payment buys a month or a year; members see when it ends and pay again from your community page.
Members who pay by card on Paystack renew automatically, like a normal subscription.
Which to pick
Paystack if you want cards and M-Pesa in one place, with card subscriptions that renew. Pesapal if you want a long-standing Kenyan provider with M-Pesa, Airtel Money and cards. IntaSend if your members pay almost entirely by M-Pesa.
Creem accepts sellers from Kenya and handles tax as a merchant of record, but takes cards and wallets, not M-Pesa.
Side by side
| Provider | Handles sales tax and VAT (merchant of record) | Card fee | Members can pay with | Recurring billing | Who can sign up as a seller |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paystack | No, you do | 2.9% local cards, 3.8% international cards, 1.5% M-Pesa (Kenya). Kenya rates shown; other countries have their own rates. Transfers out cost KES 20–350 depending on amount and destination. | cards, M-Pesa, Airtel Money, mobile money, Apple Pay, bank transfer, USSD, Pesalink, EFT | Subscriptions by card (and direct debit in Nigeria); M-Pesa and mobile money can't auto-renew. | Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Rwanda |
| Pesapal | No, you do | Not published. Pesapal charges a per-transaction fee but publishes no rates; ask their sales team. | cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), M-Pesa, mobile money, mobile banking | Recurring payments by Visa or Mastercard only; the payer approves the schedule on Pesapal's page. | Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
| IntaSend | No, you do | 3% (M-Pesa and mobile money). KSh 100 per M-Pesa payout. Its pricing page says it doesn't process card payments, though its developer docs describe cards. | M-Pesa, Airtel Money, MTN Mobile Money, Orange Money, bank transfer, Pesalink | Has subscription plans in its API, but those charge cards, which its site says it doesn't process; mobile money can't auto-renew. | Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, DRC |
| Creem | Yes | 3.9% + 40¢. No extra fee for international cards. Payout fee is 7 USD/EUR or 1%, whichever is higher. | cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay | Subscriptions by card or wallet. | 87 countries, including Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa |
Paystack
- Handles sales tax and VAT (merchant of record)
- No, you do
- Card fee
- 2.9% local cards, 3.8% international cards, 1.5% M-Pesa (Kenya). Kenya rates shown; other countries have their own rates. Transfers out cost KES 20–350 depending on amount and destination.
- Members can pay with
- cards, M-Pesa, Airtel Money, mobile money, Apple Pay, bank transfer, USSD, Pesalink, EFT
- Recurring billing
- Subscriptions by card (and direct debit in Nigeria); M-Pesa and mobile money can't auto-renew.
- Who can sign up as a seller
- Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Rwanda
Pesapal
- Handles sales tax and VAT (merchant of record)
- No, you do
- Card fee
- Not published. Pesapal charges a per-transaction fee but publishes no rates; ask their sales team.
- Members can pay with
- cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), M-Pesa, mobile money, mobile banking
- Recurring billing
- Recurring payments by Visa or Mastercard only; the payer approves the schedule on Pesapal's page.
- Who can sign up as a seller
- Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
IntaSend
- Handles sales tax and VAT (merchant of record)
- No, you do
- Card fee
- 3% (M-Pesa and mobile money). KSh 100 per M-Pesa payout. Its pricing page says it doesn't process card payments, though its developer docs describe cards.
- Members can pay with
- M-Pesa, Airtel Money, MTN Mobile Money, Orange Money, bank transfer, Pesalink
- Recurring billing
- Has subscription plans in its API, but those charge cards, which its site says it doesn't process; mobile money can't auto-renew.
- Who can sign up as a seller
- Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, DRC
Creem
- Handles sales tax and VAT (merchant of record)
- Yes
- Card fee
- 3.9% + 40¢. No extra fee for international cards. Payout fee is 7 USD/EUR or 1%, whichever is higher.
- Members can pay with
- cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay
- Recurring billing
- Subscriptions by card or wallet.
- Who can sign up as a seller
- 87 countries, including Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa
From each provider's own website, checked November 2026. Prices change; check theirs before you sign up. Compare all 11 providers.
Questions
What is the best payment gateway in Kenya for a membership?+
For M-Pesa, Paystack, Pesapal and IntaSend all work. Paystack also renews card subscriptions automatically; Pesapal and IntaSend are Kenyan and built around M-Pesa.
Which payment gateways in Kenya accept M-Pesa?+
Paystack, Pesapal and IntaSend all accept M-Pesa, and Pesapal and IntaSend take Airtel Money too.
Can members pay a monthly subscription with M-Pesa?+
Yes, but each month is a separate payment the member approves on their phone. Ubunya gives access for the month paid and reminds them on the community page when it ends.
Head to head
Charge for your community with the account you already have
Connect it under Manage → Payments. Paying members are let in automatically.