Orange Money and MyZaka Charges in Botswana 2026 (Plus Smega)
Orange Money charges in Botswana: P6 flat to send, P6–P114 to cash out. MyZaka: P5 to send, P6–P175 to withdraw. Above P2,000, Orange is much cheaper.
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Orange Money charges in Botswana are a flat P6 to send to another Orange Money user, and P6 to P114 to cash out, depending on the amount, per Orange's own tariff simulator. Mascom's MyZaka charges a flat P5 to send to a registered MyZaka user and P6 to P175 to withdraw. Up to P1,000 the two cost almost the same. Above P2,000, Orange is clearly cheaper to cash out: withdrawing P5,000 costs P90 on Orange Money against P125 on MyZaka. Figures checked in October 2026.
Orange Money vs MyZaka charges at a glance
| What you do | Orange Money | MyZaka (Mascom) |
|---|---|---|
| Send to a user on the same network | P6 flat | P5 flat |
| Withdraw P100 | P6 | P6 |
| Withdraw P500 | P13 | P12 |
| Withdraw P1,000 | P23 | P22 |
| Withdraw P2,000 | P42 | P45 |
| Withdraw P3,000 | P69 | P85 |
| Withdraw P5,000 | P90 | P125 |
| Withdraw P8,000 | P104 | P150 |
| Most you can move in one transaction | P9,501 including the fee | P10,000 |
Sources: Orange Money tariff simulator (Orange Botswana, last updated September 2025) and Mascom's MyZaka tariffs, both checked in October 2026.
Orange Money charges in Botswana
Sending money with Orange Money
Sending to another Orange Money user costs a flat P6 for any amount from P25 up to the maximum. Sending P50 costs P6, and so does sending P9,000.
Sending to someone who doesn't have Orange Money costs more, because they collect the cash with a passcode at an Orange shop or agent:
| Amount sent to a non-Orange Money customer | Charge |
|---|---|
| P25 – P125 | P13 |
| P126 – P250 | P19 |
| P251 – P500 | P25 |
| P501 – P1,000 | P36 |
| P1,001 – P2,000 | P68 |
| P2,001 – P4,000 | P125 |
| P4,001 – P6,000 | P140 |
| P6,001 – P8,000 | P170 |
| P8,001 – P9,301 | P200 |
If the person you're paying can register for Orange Money, do it. At P1,000, the difference is P36 against P6.
Orange Money cash-out charges
| Amount you withdraw | Orange Money cash-out charge |
|---|---|
| P25 – P125 | P6 |
| P126 – P250 | P8 |
| P251 – P500 | P13 |
| P501 – P1,000 | P23 |
| P1,001 – P2,000 | P42 |
| P2,001 – P4,000 | P69 |
| P4,001 – P6,000 | P90 |
| P6,001 – P8,000 | P104 |
| P8,001 – P9,387 | P114 |
Orange's simulator notes that the maximum transaction amount "should be inclusive of the transfer fee". That's why the largest withdrawal is P9,387: the amount plus the P114 fee comes to P9,501.
MyZaka charges (Mascom)
MyZaka send money charges
Sending to a registered MyZaka customer costs a flat P5 for any amount from P25 to P10,000. Mascom has also cut the minimum transfer from P25 to P6.
Sending to an unregistered person costs more. You pay, and they withdraw for free:
| Amount sent to an unregistered customer | Charge to sender |
|---|---|
| P25 – P125 | P12 |
| P126 – P250 | P16 |
| P251 – P500 | P20 |
| P501 – P1,000 | P30 |
| P1,001 – P2,000 | P60 |
| P2,001 – P4,000 | P100 |
| P4,001 – P6,000 | P140 |
| P6,001 – P8,000 | P170 |
| P8,001 – P10,000 | P200 |
MyZaka withdrawal charges
| Amount you withdraw | MyZaka withdrawal charge |
|---|---|
| P25 – P125 | P6 |
| P126 – P250 | P8 |
| P251 – P500 | P12 |
| P501 – P1,000 | P22 |
| P1,001 – P2,000 | P45 |
| P2,001 – P4,000 | P85 |
| P4,001 – P6,000 | P125 |
| P6,001 – P8,000 | P150 |
| P8,001 – P10,000 | P175 |
Other MyZaka fees
According to Mascom, all MyZaka prices include VAT and agents may not charge anything extra.
- Registration and loading money into your account: free
- Buying airtime and paying your Mascom bill: free
- Paying a DStv bill: P5
- Buying prepaid electricity: P2.50
- Dormant account fee: if your MyZaka account has no transactions for 12 months, Mascom charges P10 a month until you transact again or the balance reaches zero.
The dormant fee catches people who forget about an old line. If you have money sitting in a MyZaka account you don't use, move it out or make a transaction once a year.
What about Smega (BTC)?
BTC's Smega is Botswana's third mobile money service. BTC's website blocks automated access, so we couldn't check its official tariff for this guide. Tracker sites report a send fee of about P5 and cash-out from about P6 for the smallest amounts. The same trackers list Orange Money fees that don't match Orange's own simulator, so treat their Smega numbers as rough. Smega, like Orange Money and MyZaka, shows the exact fee on the confirmation screen before you enter your PIN, so check it there.
Which is cheaper in Botswana: Orange Money or MyZaka?
- Sending to the same network: MyZaka, by P1 (P5 against P6).
- Withdrawing up to P1,000: about the same. MyZaka is P1 cheaper at P251–P1,000; both charge P6 and P8 on the smallest bands.
- Withdrawing P1,001–P2,000: Orange, by P3 (P42 against P45).
- Withdrawing more than P2,000: Orange, by a lot. P3,000 costs P69 against P85; P5,000 costs P90 against P125; P8,000 costs P104 against P150.
- Sending to someone not on the network: MyZaka is cheaper in most bands (P30 against P36 at P1,000), and the MyZaka recipient withdraws free.
The full cost of sending cash. Say you send P1,000 to your sister in Maun and she cashes it out. On Orange Money, that's P6 + P23 = P29. On MyZaka, it's P5 + P22 = P27. Either way, about 3% of the money goes in fees.
How to pay less
- Withdraw in one go, not in pieces. On Orange Money, taking out P4,000 at once costs P69. Two withdrawals of P2,000 cost P84.
- Watch the band edges. Withdrawing P2,000 on Orange costs P42. Withdrawing P2,001 costs P69. Leaving P1 in the wallet saves P27.
- Get regular contacts onto your network. Same-network sends are P5 or P6 flat. Sending to unregistered people costs up to P200.
- Use the network you'll cash out on. If you need large amounts in cash, Orange Money's withdrawal fees above P2,000 are much lower.
- Check the confirmation screen. All three services show the fee before you enter your PIN.
What to watch out for
- Agents charging extra. Mascom says agents may not add fees beyond the published tariff. If an Orange agent asks for more than the simulator shows, use another agent.
- Old tariff charts. Several "2026" fee pages for Botswana still show older Orange cash-out fees (for example P92 for P2,001–P4,000). Orange's own simulator shows P69.
- Dormant MyZaka accounts. The P10 monthly fee after 12 idle months can slowly drain an old balance.
- PIN scams. No network will phone you and ask for your PIN. Someone claiming to have "sent money by mistake" should be checked against your actual balance, not an SMS.
Mobile money pricing varies a lot across Southern Africa. Lesotho's M-Pesa switches to a percentage above M5,000 (M-Pesa and EcoCash charges in Lesotho). Zimbabwe's EcoCash charges a percentage plus a 2% tax (EcoCash charges). Zambia adds a flat government levy to transfers (Airtel Money charges in Zambia). If family abroad send you money, compare remittance apps on total cost using our guide to the cheapest ways to send money to Africa. To see what comes off your salary before it reaches your wallet, check the BURS PAYE tax table, which gained a 27.5% band in July 2026. More Botswana guides are on our Botswana page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Orange Money charge to send money in Botswana?
A flat P6 to another Orange Money user, for any amount from P25 up to the maximum. Sending to someone without Orange Money costs P13 to P200, depending on the amount.
How much is the Orange Money withdrawal charge for P1,000?
P23. P1,000 is the top of the P501–P1,000 band. Withdrawing P1,001 moves you into the P42 band.
What are MyZaka withdrawal charges?
From P6 for P25–P125 up to P175 for P8,001–P10,000. Withdrawing P1,000 costs P22 and P5,000 costs P125, according to Mascom's tariff table.
How much does MyZaka charge to send money?
P5 flat to a registered MyZaka customer, for any amount from P25 to P10,000. Sending to an unregistered person costs P12 to P200, but they withdraw it for free.
Is Orange Money cheaper than MyZaka?
For withdrawals above P2,000, yes, by a wide margin: P90 against P125 at P5,000. For sending money and small withdrawals, MyZaka is P1 cheaper or the same.
Is there a fee for an inactive MyZaka account?
Yes. If a MyZaka account has no transactions for 12 months, Mascom charges P10 a month until you transact again or the balance reaches zero.
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