Safaricom top-ups for Kenya start at $5.47, with 6 plans up to $48.43 on this page. It gives the most credit per dollar of the 3 main Kenya operators today. Prices checked 2 November 2026.
| Plan | On the phone | You pay | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airtime top-up | ≈ KES 344 | $5.47 | |
| Airtime top-up | ≈ KES 516 | $7.86 | |
| Airtime top-up | ≈ KES 860 | $12.62 | |
| Airtime top-up | ≈ KES 1,720 | $24.56 | |
| Airtime top-up | ≈ KES 2,580 | $36.49 | |
| Airtime top-up | ≈ KES 3,440 | $48.43 |
Live from Safaricom. Prices are in US dollars and include our service fee; nothing is added at checkout.
Pay with a card from any country. Top up Safaricom numbers in Kenya with a Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay or Google Pay issued anywhere (debit or credit; prepaid and gift cards are not accepted). No local bank account, local wallet or local number needed.
Country code +254: how to call Kenya and its number format.
To top up a Safaricom number from abroad, enter the Kenyan mobile number and pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, with top-ups delivered in minutes from $5.47. Safaricom is detected from the number automatically. Airtime amounts land as 742, 1484, 2227, 2969 or 4453 KES, and the amount shown is what arrives on the phone.
Last checked: September 2026
A Safaricom top-up from abroad is a direct recharge sent to a Kenyan mobile number, paid by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and delivered in minutes. You enter the number, the operator is detected from it, and you choose how much airtime should land. No account with Safaricom and no Kenyan bank card are needed.
Safaricom is the operator detected from the number you enter. Kenya's other networks, Airtel and Telkom, are separate, so the number itself decides where the top-up goes. The amount shown before payment is the amount that lands on the phone.
Safaricom airtime top-ups land as 742, 1484, 2227, 2969 or 4453 KES. These are airtime amounts rather than bundles, so the balance can be used for calls, data, SMS or mobile services as the person on the phone chooses. None of these amounts is reduced by tax, so what is shown is what arrives.
Airtime is the flexible option when you do not know which bundle the person wants. The balance sits on the Safaricom line and can be spent on whatever is needed at that moment.
The amounts start at 742 KES and rise in steps to 4453 KES. Larger amounts suit a longer stay or a household where several people share one phone.
A Safaricom number has 9 digits after the country code. Kenyan numbers are written nationally as 0712 123456, and internationally as +254 712 123456. The leading zero is dropped when the country code is added, so 0712 123456 becomes 254 712 123456. Entering the zero after 254 is the most common reason a top-up fails.
The country code for Kenya is 254. Keep it at the front and leave out the first zero of the national number.
If you only have the number written locally, remove the leading zero and add 254. The example above shows both forms side by side.
Most failed Safaricom top-ups come from a number typed in the wrong format, a number that is not active, or a payment that the bank declined. Check the digits first, then the card. If the number is correct and the payment went through, the airtime is usually on the phone within minutes.
Numbers that have been inactive for a long time may not accept a top-up. In that case the person in Kenya can check the line with Safaricom directly.
If a card is declined, another card or a wallet balance can be used instead. The order is not charged twice when a payment fails.
Payment is taken by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay at the time of the top-up, and the airtime is sent to the number once the payment is confirmed. Card details are handled by the payment provider rather than stored on the phone. The price starts at $5.47, and the amount that lands on the Safaricom line is the amount shown before you pay.
A top-up is a one-off payment, so there is no subscription to cancel afterwards. You can send another top-up at any time.
Keep the confirmation you receive after payment. It shows the number, the amount and the time, which is useful if the person in Kenya needs to check the balance.
Checked against Safaricom's official site on 21 September 2026.
Enter the Safaricom number with the country code 254, choose an airtime amount, and pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The top-up is delivered to the number in minutes. Safaricom is detected from the number, so no operator selection is needed.
Use the international format with the country code 254 and drop the leading zero. A number written nationally as 0712 123456 becomes 254 712 123456. Kenyan mobile numbers have 9 digits after the country code.
Safaricom airtime top-ups land as 742, 1484, 2227, 2969 or 4453 KES. These amounts are not reduced by tax, so the figure shown before payment is the balance that arrives on the line.
A Safaricom top-up is delivered to the number in minutes once the payment is confirmed. If the number is in the correct format and the payment goes through, the airtime normally appears on the phone shortly afterwards.
Yes. Safaricom top-ups can be paid by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The price starts at $5.47, and the amount shown before payment is the amount that lands on the Safaricom number.
Under Safaricom's Conditions of Use a prepaid line expires after 120 days of inactivity counted from the end of the validity period of the last recharge; after expiry Safaricom may deactivate the line and recycle the number, and airtime is forfeited (M-PESA balances are not). Any recharge restarts the clock. Safaricom's Daima service keeps a line active without top-ups: KSh 200 for 6 months, KSh 500 for 1 year, KSh 1,000 for 2 years, via *100*4#.
Send the word BAL by SMS to 144.
Yes, eligible prepaid users can take an Okoa Jahazi airtime advance. Safaricom charges a 10% service fee, and the advance is repaid from the next top-up.
Call 100 for PrePay. From abroad, call +254 722 002 100.
Enter it with the country code +254. A number written locally as 0712 123456 becomes +254 712 123456, so drop the leading 0 after the country code. Kenyan mobile numbers have 9 digits after the country code. The example is a format guide, not a real number.
Enter the number with the country code, pick a plan and pay by card. The operator is detected automatically and the credit goes straight to the phone. You do not need an account or a bank account in Kenya.
Plans currently start from $5.47 and go up to $48.43, including our service fee. The exact price is shown before you pay, with no extra charges at checkout.
Yes. Slashtel tops up any prepaid Safaricom number in Kenya, your own or a family member's. You only need the number; the person does not need an account.
Recharges are delivered instantly and cannot be reversed once they reach a valid number, so check the number before you pay. If the operator rejects the number, Slashtel resends or refunds you in full.
Prices on this page are in US dollars and include the Slashtel service fee. At checkout your card may be shown and charged in your local currency, and the exact amount is confirmed before you pay.
Yes. Payments are processed by Stripe with 3D Secure where your bank supports it, and Slashtel never sees or stores your full card details.
Most recharges arrive within a few minutes. If the phone is switched off, the credit lands when it next connects. You get a confirmation email with your order reference.
If the operator rejects the recharge, we resend it. If it still can't be delivered, write to esim@slashtel.com or message us on WhatsApp with your order reference and we'll sort it out.