Pesapal vs IntaSend
Pesapal or IntaSend for your paid community?
Both work with Ubunya: members who pay are let in automatically, and lose access when their membership ends. Here's how they differ on fees, payment methods, tax and payouts.
The short answer
Choose Pesapal if
- East African businesses that want card and M-Pesa payments from a local provider.
- Members are happy to pay again each month or year rather than save a card.
Choose IntaSend if
- Kenyan communities whose members pay mostly by M-Pesa.
- Members are happy to pay again each month or year rather than save a card.
Side by side
| Pesapal | IntaSend | |
|---|---|---|
| Handles sales tax and VAT (merchant of record) | No, you do | No, you do |
| Card fee | Not published. Pesapal charges a per-transaction fee but publishes no rates; ask their sales team. | 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 | cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), M-Pesa, mobile money, mobile banking | M-Pesa, Airtel Money, MTN Mobile Money, Orange Money, bank transfer, Pesalink |
| Recurring billing | Recurring payments by Visa or Mastercard only; the payer approves the schedule on Pesapal's page. | 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, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe | Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, DRC |
| Payouts | Bank account in the country you registered in, within about 3 working days | M-Pesa, bank account, Paybill or Till (payouts limited to Kenyan clients) |
| Free test mode | Yes | Yes |
| Connecting it to Ubunya | Paste your consumer key and secret. We register the payment notification URL for you. | Paste your publishable and secret keys, then add our webhook in IntaSend with a challenge word. |
| Prices on your community | You type the prices in: monthly, yearly or one-time. | You type the prices in: monthly, yearly or one-time. |
| Renewals in Ubunya | Each payment buys one month or year; members pay again by M-Pesa, Airtel Money or card when it ends. | Each payment buys one month or year; members pay again by M-Pesa when it ends. |
| Members' billing page | None: members pay again from your community page. | None: members pay again from your community page. |
From Pesapal's and IntaSend's own websites, checked November 2026. Prices change; check theirs before you sign up. Compare all 11 providers.
Questions
Which handles tax, Pesapal or IntaSend?+
Neither is a merchant of record: you're the seller, so sales tax and VAT are yours to handle.
Can members pay with M-Pesa on Pesapal or IntaSend?+
Pesapal: yes. IntaSend: yes.
Can I use Pesapal or IntaSend with Ubunya?+
Yes, both. Connect your own account under Manage → Payments. Pesapal: Paste your consumer key and secret. We register the payment notification URL for you. IntaSend: Paste your publishable and secret keys, then add our webhook in IntaSend with a challenge word.
What happens when a member stops paying?+
Their access stays until the end of what they paid for, plus the grace days you set (three by default). Then the community closes to them. Staff never lose access.
More comparisons
Charge for your community with the account you already have
Connect it under Manage → Payments. Paying members are let in automatically.