M-PESA Till Number Charges 2026 – Buy Goods Fees for Customers and Merchants

M-PESA Till Number Charges 2026

Understand Buy Goods fees, customer charges, merchant payment rules and fuel station exceptions before paying.

This guide explains M-PESA Till Number charges 2026 for customers and merchants in Kenya. A Till Number is commonly used under Lipa na M-PESA Buy Goods by shops, supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacies, salons, petrol stations, online sellers and other businesses.

For many ordinary Buy Goods payments, customers are not charged a transaction fee. However, fuel station Till payments may be treated differently, and merchants may have their own business tariff costs. Always confirm the final charge on the M-PESA confirmation screen before entering your PIN.

Important Notice: This is an independent information guide only. Till Number charges, business tariffs and fuel station rules can change. Always confirm the final charge from the M-PESA confirmation prompt or official Safaricom/M-PESA platforms.
Common use Buy Goods
Customer fee Usually free
Key exception Fuel stations

What is an M-PESA Till Number?

An M-PESA Till Number is a business number used by customers to pay merchants through Lipa na M-PESA Buy Goods. Instead of sending money to a personal phone number, the customer pays the business Till Number and receives a payment confirmation.

Simple meaning: A Till Number is best for everyday merchant payments such as buying goods in a shop, paying at a restaurant, buying medicine at a pharmacy, paying at a salon or paying a local business.

M-PESA Till Number Charges Estimator

This simple estimator helps customers and merchants understand the possible customer cost and merchant-side fee impact. It does not pull live Safaricom tariffs. It uses simple planning assumptions and should not replace the M-PESA confirmation screen.

Enter payment amount and choose payment type.
Estimator disclaimer: This estimator is for planning only. It does not replace Safaricom’s official tariff documents, merchant agreement or the M-PESA confirmation prompt.

M-PESA Till Number Charges Summary

Payment Type Customer Charge Important Note
Standard Lipa na M-PESA Buy Goods payment Usually free for the customer Confirm merchant name and amount before PIN.
Payments of Ksh 200 and below Generally free for customers Check the official confirmation prompt.
Fuel station Till payments May attract customer charges Always confirm the charge shown before PIN.
Merchant-side Till costs Usually handled through business tariff arrangements Merchants should confirm exact tariff from Safaricom.

How to Pay Using an M-PESA Till Number

  1. Open M-PESA on SIM Toolkit, M-PESA app, MySafaricom app or USSD.
  2. Select Lipa na M-PESA.
  3. Select Buy Goods and Services.
  4. Enter the merchant Till Number.
  5. Enter the amount you want to pay.
  6. Review the merchant name, amount and any charge shown.
  7. Enter your M-PESA PIN only if all details are correct.
Most important check: Confirm the merchant name and amount before entering your PIN. Do not rely only on what someone says verbally.

Till Number Charges vs PayBill Charges

Feature Till Number PayBill
Main purpose Buying goods and services from a merchant Paying bills, invoices and account-based payments
Account number Usually not required Usually required
Common users Shops, supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacies, salons and local merchants Schools, utilities, hospitals, landlords, institutions and online service providers
Customer charge Usually free except possible fuel station cases Depends on PayBill tariff arrangement
Best check before PIN Merchant name and amount Business name, account number, amount and charge

Till Number Charges vs Send Money Charges

Feature Till Number Send Money
Best for Paying a business for goods or services Sending money to another person or registered mobile money user
Recipient type Business or merchant Individual or mobile money user
Customer charge Usually free for standard Buy Goods payments Usually depends on send-money transaction bands
Best check before PIN Merchant name and amount Recipient name, phone number, amount and charge

Common Till Number Uses in Kenya

  • Paying at supermarkets and retail shops
  • Buying food at restaurants and hotels
  • Paying salons, barbershops and beauty businesses
  • Buying medicine at pharmacies
  • Paying for clothes, shoes and electronics
  • Paying delivery businesses and small online sellers
  • Paying fuel stations, while checking whether a charge applies
  • Paying small businesses that do not need an account number

Till Number Safety Tips

  • Confirm the Till Number belongs to the correct merchant.
  • Check the merchant name displayed by M-PESA before entering your PIN.
  • Do not pay a Till Number sent by an unknown person without verifying it.
  • Keep your M-PESA confirmation message until the merchant confirms payment.
  • Do not share your M-PESA PIN or OTP with anyone.
  • Be extra careful when paying fuel stations because a charge may apply.
Fraud warning: Scammers may display or send fake Till Numbers. Always confirm the merchant name on the M-PESA confirmation screen before entering your PIN.

Till Number Example: Paying Ksh 1,000 at a Shop

Payment type Standard Buy Goods Till
Amount Ksh 1,000
Customer charge Usually Ksh 0 for ordinary Buy Goods payments
Important check Confirm merchant name and amount before PIN

Till Number Example: Paying at a Fuel Station

Payment type Fuel station Till payment
Amount Fuel amount
Customer charge May apply depending on fuel station Till setup
Important check Review the M-PESA confirmation prompt before entering PIN

Till Number Example: Merchant Planning

Merchant concern Business-side collection cost and net amount received
What to check Business Till tariff, settlement rules and withdrawal or transfer costs
Best action Confirm exact merchant charges with Safaricom or official business tariff documents

Related M-PESA Tools

Use our other guides to compare Till Number, PayBill, Send Money and withdrawal charges.

M-PESA Calculator PayBill Charges Send Money Charges Withdrawal Charges

Frequently Asked Questions

What are M-PESA Till Number charges?

M-PESA Till Number charges are fees that may apply when paying or receiving money through a Lipa na M-PESA Buy Goods Till. Standard customer Buy Goods payments are usually free, except possible fuel station cases.

Is paying a Till Number free?

For ordinary Buy Goods payments, customers are usually not charged. However, fuel station Till payments may have charges, so always check the M-PESA confirmation prompt.

What is the difference between PayBill and Till Number?

PayBill is commonly used for bill and account-based payments where an account number is needed. Till Number is commonly used for buying goods and services from merchants.

Do merchants pay Till Number charges?

Merchants may have business-side tariff costs depending on their Safaricom business arrangement. Merchants should confirm the exact costs from official Safaricom business tariff documents.

Are fuel station Till payments charged?

Fuel station Till payments may attract customer charges. Always check the charge displayed on the M-PESA confirmation screen before entering your PIN.

How do I know the exact Till Number charge?

The safest way is to check the M-PESA confirmation prompt before entering your PIN. The prompt should show the merchant name, amount and any applicable charge.

Is this an official Safaricom page?

No. This is an independent guide. Always confirm current Till Number charges from official Safaricom or M-PESA platforms.

Official References

This guide is a simplified independent resource only. It does not replace official Safaricom, M-PESA, legal, banking, tax or financial advice.