M-PESA Till vs Paybill: Which Is Better for Your Kenya Business? (2026)
M-PESA Till Number vs Paybill comparison for Kenyan businesses. Transaction limits, fees, settlement time, customer experience. Which should you choose? Real data from businesses.
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Table of Contents
Quick Answer
M-PESA Till Number (Buy Goods) is better for most Kenyan retail businesses because customers don't need a Paybill number — they just scan or enter your Till. Paybill is better for B2B, invoices, and businesses where customers need to include an account number. Till has a KES 300,000 daily limit; Paybill has no limit. Both are free to register at Safaricom shops.
Key Takeaways
- 1.M-PESA Till Number (Buy Goods) is better for most Kenyan retail businesses because customers don't need a Paybill num...
- 2.Choose a Till Number if you run a retail shop, restaurant, salon, printing business, or any business where customers ...
- 3.Choose a Paybill if you run a B2B business, send invoices, accept school fees, manage subscriptions, or need customer...
- 4.Yes
M-PESA Till Number (Buy Goods) is better for most Kenyan retail businesses because customers don't need a Paybill number — they just scan or enter your Till. Paybill is better for B2B, invoices, and businesses where customers need to include an account number. Till has a KES 300,000 daily limit; Paybill has no limit. Both are free to register at Safaricom shops.
M-PESA Till vs Paybill: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Till Number (Buy Goods) | Paybill |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Retail, walk-in customers | B2B, invoices, subscriptions |
| Customer needs account number? | No | Yes |
| Daily transaction limit | KES 300,000 | No limit |
| Settlement to bank | Daily (auto) | Manual withdraw or auto |
| Registration cost | Free | Free (KES 5,000-10,000 for some types) |
| Customer experience | Faster (scan or enter Till) | Slower (enter Paybill + account) |
| Refunds | Easy via M-PESA reversal | Harder (manual) |
| Receipt to customer | Automatic SMS | Automatic SMS |
When to Choose a Till Number
Choose a Till Number if you run a retail shop, restaurant, salon, printing business, or any business where customers walk in and pay. The Till is simpler for customers — they just enter the Till number (no account number needed). Money settles to your bank account automatically every day. The KES 300,000 daily limit is fine for most retail businesses.
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When to Choose a Paybill
Choose a Paybill if you run a B2B business, send invoices, accept school fees, manage subscriptions, or need customers to include an account number (e.g., student ID, invoice number). Paybill has no daily limit and money stays in M-PESA until you withdraw — giving you more control over cash flow.
Can You Have Both?
Yes. Many Kenyan businesses have both a Till Number (for walk-in customers) and a Paybill (for invoices and B2B). Safaricom allows you to register both for the same business. There's no additional cost for having both.
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