In this guide · 5 sections
If you’re comparing Bulk SMS providers in Kenya, the first question is usually the simplest: how much will it cost to reach my customers? The answer depends on four things, and once you know them you can estimate your bill in a minute.
The four things that decide your Bulk SMS cost
1. The network you’re sending to
Each SMS is delivered through a mobile network, and rates differ between Safaricom, Airtel and the other Kenyan networks. Most contact lists include more than one network, so your bill is the sum of what you send to each.
2. How much you send
Bulk SMS is priced in tiers. The more credit you top up, the lower the rate per message. With Ndovubase there are four plans, decided by the size of your top-up.
3. How long your message is
A standard SMS carries up to 160 characters. Longer messages are usually sent as two or more linked parts, and each part counts as an SMS. Keeping promotions under 160 characters is the easiest way to keep costs down.
4. VAT
Rates are usually quoted excluding VAT. Kenya’s standard VAT rate is 16%, so budget for it on top of the per-SMS price.
Ndovubase Bulk SMS rates
These are our published rates per SMS, excluding VAT:
| Network | Basic (KES 0 – 19,999) | Plus (KES 20,000 – 99,999) | Premium (KES 100,000 – 399,999) | Max (KES 400,000+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safaricom | KES 0.80 | KES 0.70 | KES 0.60 | KES 0.40 |
| Airtel Kenya (local traffic) | KES 0.80 | KES 0.80 | KES 0.70 | KES 0.60 |
| Other Kenyan networks | KES 0.80 | KES 0.80 | KES 0.70 | KES 0.60 |
Airtel Kenya international traffic is USD 0.056 per SMS on every plan. There are no setup fees: you pay only for what you send. The current rates are always on our Bulk SMS pricing page.
Worked examples on Safaricom
Here’s what single-part messages to Safaricom numbers would cost at our published rates:
- 10,000 SMS on the Basic plan at KES 0.80: KES 8,000, plus KES 1,280 VAT, for KES 9,280 in total.
- 50,000 SMS on the Plus plan at KES 0.70: KES 35,000, plus KES 5,600 VAT, for KES 40,600.
- 200,000 SMS on the Premium plan at KES 0.60: KES 120,000, plus KES 19,200 VAT, for KES 139,200.
- 1,000,000 SMS on the Max plan at KES 0.40: KES 400,000, plus KES 64,000 VAT, for KES 464,000.
You can run your own numbers, for any network and message length, with the cost calculator on our Bulk SMS page.
Cheap or reliable? What to check besides the price
A low rate only helps if your messages arrive and customers recognise them. Before you choose a provider, check that you get:
- A custom sender ID, so messages arrive under your business name instead of a number.
- Delivery reports, so you can see which messages were delivered.
- Published pricing and no setup fees, so you know what you’ll pay before you start.
- Opt-out handling, such as STOP keyword support, to stay within Communications Authority of Kenya rules.
- An API, if you want to send receipts, alerts or OTPs straight from your own system.
- Local support you can reach when a campaign is time-sensitive.
Getting started
To start sending, create an account, top up, upload your contacts and send or schedule your first campaign. If you’d like a quote for a large or recurring volume, tell us what you send and our team will get back to you.
