PesaLink Charges Calculator 2026: Fees for Every Kenyan Bank
Pick your bank and type an amount to see what a PesaLink transfer costs, then compare every Kenyan bank for the same amount.
Rates checked 20 Oct 2026 against official sources (listed below).
KCB Bank charges for KES 10,000
KES 20
About KES 23 with 15% excise duty added
Flat fee since May 2026.
Every bank for KES 10,000
Cheapest first, with excise duty added where banks charge it on top.
Flat KES 20 banks (Tuma Direct na 20)
KES 23
KCB Bank, Co-operative Bank, NCBA (NCBA Now app), Absa Bank Kenya, Stanbic Bank, Diamond Trust Bank (DTB), Prime Bank, HFC (HF Group), National Bank of Kenya, ABC Bank, Access Bank Kenya, Bank of Baroda, Commercial International Bank (CIB), Citibank Kenya, Consolidated Bank, Credit Bank, Ecobank Kenya, Paramount Bank, SBM Bank, UBA Kenya, Victoria Commercial Bank, Caritas Microfinance Bank, Choice Microfinance Bank, Faulu Microfinance Bank
GTBank Kenya
KES 23
Standard Chartered
KES 46
I&M Bank
KES 50.60
Equity Bank
KES 57.50
Family Bank
KES 57.50
Fee bands by bank
As each bank publishes them, before excise duty.
I&M Bank
| 10 – 500 | Free |
| 501 – 10,000 | 44 |
| 10,001 – 50,000 | 66 |
| 50,001 – 100,000 | 87 |
| 100,001 – 200,000 | 109 |
| 200,001 – 500,000 | 131 |
| 500,001 – 999,999 | 163 |
Equity Bank
| 1 – 1,000 | Free |
| 1,001 – 100,000 | 50 |
| 100,001 – 999,999 | 100 |
Family Bank
| 10 – 500 | Free |
| 501 – 10,000 | 50 |
| 10,001 – 50,000 | 60 |
| 50,001 – 100,000 | 70 |
| 100,001 – 200,000 | 100 |
| 200,001 – 500,000 | 150 |
| 500,001 – 999,999 | 200 |
Flat KES 20 banks (Tuma Direct na 20)
| 1 – 1,000 | Free |
| 1,001 – 999,999 | 20 |
GTBank Kenya
| 1 – 1,000 | Free |
| 1,001 – 5,000 | 5 |
| 5,001 – 999,999 | 20 |
Standard Chartered
| 10 – 500 | Free |
| 501 – 10,000 | 40 |
| 10,001 – 50,000 | 80 |
| 50,001 – 100,000 | 120 |
| 100,001 – 200,000 | 160 |
| 200,001 – 500,000 | 200 |
| 500,001 – 999,999 | 250 |
Fees for the sending bank's app, internet banking and USSD, checked 19 October 2026 against each bank's published tariff or announcement. Receiving money by PesaLink is free. Banks quote most fees before the 15% excise duty on money transfer charges, so the calculator adds it. Reports say the flat KES 20 applies to transfers between participating institutions; if the receiving bank isn't on the scheme, your bank may charge its older rate. Your app shows the exact fee before you confirm. Branch (over-the-counter) transfers cost more.
The full explanation, with worked examples and what to watch for: How to Use PesaLink in Kenya: Send, Link Your Phone, Limits and Fees (2026)
About this calculator
Since 2026, KCB, Co-op Bank, NCBA, Absa, DTB and about 20 other banks charge nothing up to KES 1,000 and a flat KES 20 above that, up to KES 999,999. Sending KES 10,000 costs KES 20 at those banks (about KES 23 with excise duty), KES 40 at Standard Chartered, KES 44 at I&M and KES 50 at Equity or Family Bank.
PesaLink charges by bank at a glance
What each bank charges to send by PesaLink, as published, before excise duty. Checked October 2026.
| Bank | KES 1,000 | KES 5,000 | KES 20,000 | KES 100,000 | KES 500,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCB, Co-op, NCBA, Absa, Stanbic, DTB and other flat-fee banks | Free | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Standard Chartered | 40 | 40 | 80 | 120 | 200 |
| I&M Bank | 44 | 44 | 66 | 87 | 131 |
| Equity Bank | Free | 50 | 50 | 50 | 100 |
| Family Bank | 50 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 150 |
The full list of flat-fee banks: KCB, Co-operative Bank, NCBA, Absa, Stanbic, DTB, Prime Bank, HFC, National Bank, ABC Bank, Access Bank, Bank of Baroda, CIB, Citibank, Consolidated Bank, Credit Bank, Ecobank, Paramount Bank, SBM Bank, UBA, Victoria Commercial Bank, and Caritas, Choice and Faulu microfinance banks. GTBank is cheaper still for small amounts: KES 5 from KES 1,001 to KES 5,000, then KES 20.
What is "Tuma Direct na 20"?
It's the 2026 campaign, run through PesaLink's operator IPSL (owned by the Kenya Bankers Association), in which banks cut PesaLink fees to compete with M-Pesa for everyday transfers. SBM Bank moved first, DTB followed in April, KCB joined in May 2026, and by mid-September Business Daily counted 25 banks and microfinance banks, including Co-op Bank and NCBA.
The deal is simple: free up to KES 1,000, then KES 20 per transfer whatever the amount, up to the PesaLink maximum of KES 999,999. Most banks quote that KES 20 before excise duty, so expect about KES 23 on your statement.
Two things are still unclear, so check your app's confirmation screen:
- The receiving bank. Business Daily describes the price as applying to transfers between participating institutions. If you send to an Equity, I&M, Standard Chartered or Family Bank account, your bank may charge its older tiered fee.
- How long it lasts. Some banks have called it an offer. None has published an end date.
PesaLink charges for banks not on the flat fee
- Equity Bank: free up to KES 1,000, KES 50 from KES 1,001 to KES 100,000, and KES 100 above that. Equity's tariff guide quotes these before taxes.
- Standard Chartered: free up to KES 500, then KES 40 to KES 250 in seven bands. Its guide adds 15% excise duty on money transfers.
- I&M Bank: free up to KES 500, then KES 44 to KES 163, before excise duty.
- Family Bank: free up to KES 500, then KES 50 to KES 200.
Equity is the odd one out: its fee only steps up twice, so for large amounts it beats every tiered bank. KES 500,000 costs KES 100 at Equity against KES 131 at I&M and KES 200 at Standard Chartered.
Is PesaLink cheaper than M-Pesa?
For anything above KES 1,000 sent from a flat-fee bank, yes, by a wide margin. Sending KES 10,000 from M-Pesa to another M-Pesa user costs KES 90 (see our M-Pesa charges calculator). The same KES 10,000 by PesaLink from KCB or Co-op costs KES 20 plus excise. At KES 100,000, M-Pesa charges KES 108 to send; PesaLink from a flat-fee bank is still KES 20.
The catch: PesaLink moves money between bank accounts (and some SACCO and fintech accounts), not into M-Pesa wallets. To pay someone on M-Pesa from your bank, you use your bank's "send to mobile money" option, which has its own fees.
How to pay less for bank transfers
- Send from a flat-fee bank. If you bank with Equity, I&M, Standard Chartered or Family Bank and move money often, an account at a flat-fee bank pays for itself quickly.
- Use the app, not the branch. Over-the-counter PesaLink and RTGS transfers cost far more than digital ones. Equity, for example, charges KES 500 for RTGS.
- Send large amounts in one go. At a flat-fee bank, KES 900,000 costs the same KES 20 as KES 2,000, so there's no point splitting a payment.
- Check the confirmation screen. Bank apps show the charge before you confirm. If it isn't the KES 20 you expected, the receiving bank may not be on the scheme.
Frequently asked questions
How much does PesaLink charge?
It depends on the sending bank. At KCB, Co-op Bank, NCBA, Absa, DTB and about 20 other banks, it's free up to KES 1,000 and KES 20 (about KES 23 with excise duty) for anything from KES 1,001 to KES 999,999. Equity charges KES 50 or KES 100, and Standard Chartered, I&M and Family Bank charge KES 40 to KES 250 depending on the amount.
What are KCB PesaLink charges?
KCB has charged a flat KES 20 since May 2026 for transfers from KES 1,001 to KES 999,999, and nothing below that.
What are Equity Bank PesaLink charges?
Free up to KES 1,000, KES 50 from KES 1,001 to KES 100,000, and KES 100 from KES 100,001 to KES 999,999, before taxes. Equity hasn't joined the flat KES 20 scheme.
What are Co-op Bank PesaLink charges?
Co-op Bank joined the flat fee in September 2026: free up to KES 1,000 and KES 20 above that. Older figures of KES 42 to KES 152 that you'll see online are out of date.
What is the PesaLink limit?
KES 999,999 per transaction. Your bank can set a lower daily limit for security, and you can ask it to raise yours.
What are NCBA PesaLink charges?
On the NCBA Now app, PesaLink has been free up to KES 1,000 and KES 20 plus excise duty above that since 11 August 2026. NCBA's Connect+ business banking still uses the older tiered prices.
Is there excise duty on PesaLink charges?
Yes. Kenya charges 15% excise duty on money transfer fees, and most banks quote PesaLink fees before it. A KES 20 fee shows as about KES 23 on your statement, and a KES 50 fee as about KES 57.50.
How much does it cost to send PesaLink to M-Pesa?
PesaLink itself only moves money between bank (and some SACCO and fintech) accounts, so it can't pay into an M-Pesa wallet. Banks' "send to M-Pesa" option is a separate service with its own, usually higher, fee.
Is receiving money through PesaLink free?
Yes. The sender pays the fee; money arrives in the receiving account instantly, 24 hours a day, including weekends and public holidays.