Safaricom built three separate tools under Lipa na M-Pesa, and every Kenyan business eventually has to pick one.
Till Number, PayBill, and Pochi la Biashara all move money from customer to business, but they were designed for different situations.
Understanding how they differ will save you time, money, and confusion at the counter.
Pochi la Biashara: The Starting Point
Pochi la Biashara is a business wallet that sits inside your personal M-Pesa line. You do not receive a new number.
Customers send money to your regular phone, and the funds are automatically separated from your personal balance.
There is no registration process beyond a quick setup on the phone menu, and no business documents are required.
This makes Pochi the natural choice for boda boda riders, food vendors, market traders, and freelancers who want to keep business money organised without formal paperwork.
Customers pay the standard M-Pesa send money fee when paying into a Pochi account.
The trader pays nothing monthly, can withdraw straight from the wallet at any agent, and can use the balance to pay bills or buy goods directly.
Till Number: Built for Retail Counters
A Till Number, officially Lipa na M-Pesa Buy Goods, is designed for physical retail.
Shops, restaurants, salons, and supermarkets use it because it is quick and familiar for customers.
Payment is completely free for the customer. Safaricom removed customer charges on Buy Goods years ago, which speeds up the checkout process.
The business instead pays a settlement fee, generally between 0.5 and 1.5 percent of the transaction value, deducted before the funds are paid out.
Registering a Till requires visiting a Safaricom shop with a KRA PIN certificate, a business registration certificate or single business permit, an ID, and proof of business address.
Activation usually takes 48 to 72 hours, and the registration itself is free.
PayBill: Built for Accounts, Not Counters
A PayBill is a six or seven digit business number used whenever a payment needs to be tied to a specific account.
Utility companies, schools, landlords, SACCOs, and lenders rely on this because it lets them match each payment to the right customer or invoice.
READ ALSO:Till Number vs PayBill vs Pochi la Biashara: Which One Should Your Business Use in 2026?
Unlike a Till, a PayBill requires the customer to enter an account number along with the amount.
Who pays the transaction fee depends on the tariff the business selects. Some businesses absorb the cost entirely, some pass it fully to the customer, and others split it.
This means two PayBill numbers can behave very differently, so it is worth confirming the tariff before sending a large payment.
Comparing the Three Side by Side
Think of Pochi as the entry point for informal or small scale trading. It requires no paperwork, keeps funds separate from day one, and suits anyone still testing a business idea.
Think of a Till as the tool for face to face retail. It offers customers a free, fast checkout experience and gives a business a more professional identity than a personal phone number.
Think of a PayBill as the tool for structured billing. It sacrifices some checkout speed in exchange for automatic reconciliation, which matters enormously for businesses managing many accounts at once, such as landlords or schools.
Cost varies by product and by how a business configures it. Pochi and PayBill on certain tariffs cost the trader nothing directly, since the customer covers the fee.
A Till always costs the trader a settlement fee, though it removes any charge for the customer, which can improve conversion at the point of sale.
Which One Should You Choose
Start with Pochi la Biashara if you are running a small or informal operation and want simplicity above everything else.
Move to a Till Number once you have a fixed retail location and steady walk in customers who value a fast, free checkout.
Choose a PayBill if your business depends on matching payments to specific accounts, such as rent, tuition, subscriptions, or loan repayments.
Many established businesses eventually use more than one.
A shop might keep a Till at the counter for everyday sales while running a PayBill for corporate clients who need proper invoicing.
There is no single correct answer for every business. The right combination depends on how your customers prefer to pay and how much reconciliation your operation actually needs.
Review your options as your business grows, since the product that suited you as a beginner may not be the one that serves you best a year later.
Leave a Reply