Bulk SMS Kenya
Bulk SMS in Kenya at KES 0.55 per SMS, under your own business name
Send fee reminders, appointment alerts and offers to any phone in Kenya, even feature phones with no data. We register your sender ID with Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom for a one-off KES 7,500. You top up with M-Pesa and pay KES 0.55 per SMS, with no monthly fee.
Simple bulk SMS pricing
Per SMS
KES 0.55
per 160-character SMS, all networks
Sender ID
KES 7,500
once, your business name as the sender
Top up from
KES 500
with M-Pesa, credit never expires
- No monthly or setup fee for SMS
- Same price on Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom
- Prices exclude VAT
Try it
Write your SMS and see what it costs
Type a message or pick a template. We count characters and SMS parts the same way the networks bill them, at KES 0.55 per SMS.
Use {{first_name}} to greet each person by name.
Standard text (GSM-7): 160 characters per SMS, 153 per part when longer.
Unicode: 70 characters per SMS, 67 per part when longer.
These characters switch the whole message to Unicode:
- Characters
- 121/160
- SMS parts
- 1
- Cost per person
- KES 0.55
3 to 11 letters or numbers, no spaces.
At KES 0.55 per SMS, excluding VAT. Each part of a long message is billed as one SMS.
Preview
Shown with the sample name Wanjiru. Long names can add a part, so keep a little room.
Choose how you want to start
Pick a package and tell us the name you want. We handle the paperwork with Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom, then open your SMS portal once it is approved.
Register a sender ID
KES 7,500 once
Your own name on every SMS. Top up from KES 500 whenever you need.
Register my sender IDSender ID + starter credit
Most popularKES 7,500 + KES 5,000 credit
Register your name and load SMS credit in one M-Pesa payment. Start sending the day it is approved.
Get the starter packageMove my sender ID
KES 7,500 once
Already sending under your name with another provider? We move it here. Safaricom allows one provider per sender ID, so we coordinate the switch.
Move my sender IDGet your sender ID
Tell us the name you want on your SMS
No account needed yet. Send your details and we take it from here on WhatsApp: documents, registration with the networks, then your SMS portal.
Why send bulk SMS with chat.or.ke
- Your name, not a number
- Messages arrive from your registered sender ID, such as "GREENHILL" or "UMOJASACCO": up to 11 letters or numbers, no spaces, approved by each network.
- Strong on Safaricom, where the traffic is
- About 94% of SMS in Kenya travels on Safaricom (CA figures, January to March 2026). Our gateway delivers on Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom in all 47 counties.
- Personalised at scale
- Fill in each person's name, balance or appointment time automatically with {{first_name}} and other variables from your contact list.
- Delivery reports
- See what was delivered, what failed and why, per campaign and per number. Export it all to CSV.
- Consent and opt-outs built in
- Kenyan law requires consent for marketing. Contacts who send STOP to your WhatsApp or SMS line, or who you mark as opted out, are left out of every future campaign.
- Pay with M-Pesa
- Top up your prepaid wallet by M-Pesa STK push. Each SMS is deducted as it is sent, with a full statement in your dashboard.
From enquiry to your first SMS
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Tell us the name you want
Fill in the short form below or message us on WhatsApp. No account needed. We check the name against the network rules: up to 11 characters, no spaces and no generic words such as INFO.
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We handle the paperwork
You send your business registration certificate, a signed authorisation letter on your letterhead and a few sample messages. We file the application with Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom for a one-off KES 7,500.
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Approval, then your portal
Safaricom reviews sender IDs in twice-weekly batches. Airtel and Telkom usually take 1 to 2 weeks. Once approved, we email your portal sign-in. Top up with M-Pesa, import contacts from Excel and send at KES 0.55 per SMS.
Bulk SMS cost calculator
- Estimated monthly cost
- KES 2,200.00
- Per year
- KES 26,400.00
- SMS a month
- 4,000
At KES 0.55 per SMS, excluding VAT. Your sender ID is a one-off KES 7,500.
Bulk SMS for your sector
- Sender ID registration Register your business name as an SMS sender ID in Kenya for a one-off KES 7,500. Rules, documents and timelines.
- Bulk SMS prices Flat KES 0.55 per SMS on every network, no monthly fee, top up with M-Pesa. How SMS is charged.
- Bulk SMS for schools Fee reminders, results, closing dates and emergencies to every parent's phone.
- Bulk SMS for churches Service times, events, harambee updates and contribution acknowledgements to your congregation.
- Bulk SMS for SACCOs and chamas Payment confirmations, loan reminders, AGM notices and dividends for members.
- Bulk SMS for clinics and hospitals Appointment reminders, clinic days, results-ready notices and health campaigns.
- Bulk SMS for shops and businesses Offers, new stock, loyalty rewards and order updates for customers who opted in.
- Bulk SMS for landlords and property managers Rent reminders, payment confirmations, water and power notices and maintenance updates for tenants.
- Bulk SMS for NGOs and community programmes Programme reminders, community alerts, volunteer coordination and supporter updates, on any phone.
- Bulk SMS for transport and logistics Parcel arrival notices, collection codes, delivery updates and route changes for matatu SACCOs, couriers and logistics firms.
- Bulk SMS for hotels, restaurants and tours Booking confirmations, check-in details, table reminders and offers to past guests who agreed to hear from you.
- Bulk SMS for insurers, brokers and agents Premium due reminders, renewal notices and claim status updates, with policy details kept off SMS.
Bulk SMS guides and free tools
- How to send bulk SMS in Kenya A step-by-step guide: sender ID, clean contact list, consent, 160-character messages, timing and delivery reports.
- Bulk SMS rules in Kenya Consent under the Data Protection Act, CA opt-in rules, opt-outs, ODPC cases and a compliance checklist.
- Short code vs sender ID Alphanumeric sender ID, 5-digit short code or premium-rate SMS? One-way vs two-way, compared.
- Kenya SMS statistics 2026 Mobile subscriptions, operator shares and SMS volumes from CA sector statistics, and what they mean for business.
- SMS character counter Tool Free tool: count characters and SMS parts as you type, find the characters that switch a message to Unicode, and see the cost.
- Sender ID name checker Tool Free tool: check a sender ID name against the networks' rules on length, characters, generic words and protected names before you apply.
Bulk SMS anywhere in Kenya
Kenya had 84.1 million active mobile subscriptions in January to March 2026 (CA). chat.or.ke delivers to numbers on Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom in all 47 counties. Schools, churches, SACCOs, clinics, landlords and shops use it in:
- Nairobi
- Mombasa
- Kisumu
- Nakuru
- Eldoret
- Thika
- Machakos
- Nyeri
- Meru
- Kisii
- Kakamega
- Kitale
- Garissa
- Malindi
- Naivasha
- Embu
- Bungoma
- Kericho
How much does bulk SMS cost in Kenya with chat.or.ke?
Each SMS costs KES 0.55, excluding VAT, on Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom. There is no monthly fee. Registering your own sender ID is a one-off KES 7,500. You top up a prepaid wallet with M-Pesa from KES 500, and unused credit does not expire.
What is the cheapest bulk SMS in Kenya?
Prices vary by provider and are often tiered by volume. Ours is one flat KES 0.55 per SMS on every network, with no monthly fee, no minimum volume and credit that never expires, so a small school pays the same rate as a large retailer. Your real cost also depends on length: keep each message to 160 standard characters, with no emoji, and it counts as one SMS.
What is a sender ID?
A sender ID is the name that appears instead of a phone number when your SMS arrives, for example "GREENHILL". It is up to 11 letters or numbers with no spaces, must relate to your business or brand, and is registered with each mobile network. People cannot reply to a sender ID; for replies, use the WhatsApp Business inbox in the same chat.or.ke account.
How do I register a sender ID with Safaricom?
Businesses do not apply to Safaricom directly. A licensed SMS provider files the application with each network on your behalf. Send us the name you want, your business registration certificate and a signed authorisation letter on your letterhead. We submit it to Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom and follow it up. No account is needed until it is approved.
Do I need to create an account first?
No. Send us the sender ID you want using the form or WhatsApp, and we take care of the registration. Your portal account is created and emailed to you once the networks approve the name.
How long does sender ID registration take?
Safaricom reviews new sender IDs in batches twice a week, so a complete application is often approved within days. Airtel and Telkom usually take 1 to 2 weeks. Missing or unsigned documents are the most common cause of delay.
Can I send bulk SMS without a sender ID?
Not under your own name. Safaricom requires business sender IDs to be registered in advance, and about 94% of SMS traffic in Kenya runs on Safaricom. Register your sender ID first. While it is being approved, we can help you prepare your contact list and first message.
Do I need separate sender IDs for promotions and alerts?
On Safaricom, yes. One sender ID cannot carry both promotional and transactional traffic. A shop that sends offers and order updates would register two names, for example TAMUFASHION for offers and TAMUORDERS for order updates.
Is bulk SMS legal in Kenya?
Yes, with consent. The Data Protection Act 2019 (section 37) requires express consent before personal data is used for commercial purposes, and the opt-in principle in the CA Consumer Protection Regulations (regulation 17(4)) is generally applied to SMS marketing too. Every promotion should also tell people how to opt out. Our guide to the rules explains the details.
How many characters fit in one SMS?
One SMS holds 160 standard (GSM-7) characters. Longer messages are split into parts of 153 characters, and each part is charged as one SMS. A single emoji or "smart" quote copied from Word switches the whole message to Unicode, which fits only 70 characters per SMS. chat.or.ke shows the count before you send.
Can I import my contacts from Excel?
Yes. Save your Excel sheet as CSV with names and phone numbers and upload it. chat.or.ke converts formats such as 07..., 01..., +254... and 254... automatically and removes duplicates.
Do you send to people who asked to stop?
No. Contacts who opt out, or who send STOP to your WhatsApp or SMS line, are excluded from every future SMS and WhatsApp campaign. Safaricom customers can also block promotional SMS themselves through the *456# menu.
Bulk SMS
Your name on every SMS, sorted for you
Tell us the sender ID you want. We handle the networks and open your portal once it is approved.