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Best Ways To Send Money From Germany to M-Pesa in Kenya

Feb 15, 2024
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One of the most common challenges that Kenyans living and working abroad face is finding a way to send money back home to their loved ones. Germany is one of the European countries with many Kenyan workers.

To send money from Germany to Kenya, you first have to deal with exchanging Euros for shillings, which can be pretty tricky and expensive, not to mention inconvenient. One of the best and fastest ways to send money to your family and friends in Kenya is to use M-Pesa.

For you to send money from Germany to Kenya via M-Pesa, you need a third-party service since M-Pesa does not work globally. Thankfully, dozens of platforms have made it easier than ever to transfer money worldwide 👇

Find the best way to send money from Germany to M-Pesa in Kenya:

Key Facts About Sending to M-Pesa

👥 Number of M-Pesa users

52.4 million

💸 Avg. cheapest cost to M-Pesa

4.0%

📅 Year founded

2007

💻 Providers sending to M-Pesa

Seven (compare them here)

⏱ Int'l transfers arrive

In minutes

🌍 M-Pesa headquarters

Kenya

7 Best Ways to Send Money From Germany to Kenya via M-Pesa

When it comes to sending money internationally, several options are available to you. You can choose from traditional, trusted legacy platforms like MoneyGram and Western Union or opt for the newer players in the market like Skrill and WorldRemit. Below, we review seven of the most convenient ways to send money from Germany to Kenya.

1. WorldRemit

WorldRemit is a global money transfer platform that allows you to send money quickly and conveniently worldwide. It’s a flexible and reliable service trusted by millions of users worldwide. This is one of your best options for sending money from Germany to Kenya via M-Pesa. 

It’s relatively easy to get started on WorldRemit. Simply download the app and sign up on the platform through a quick and easy process. You’ll be required to provide personal information, which will be used for verification, before you can start using the service to send money.

Once your account is set up, you can access several options for sending money from Germany to Kenya. You can also send money to over 130 destinations worldwide on the WorldRemit platform. After verifying your identity, you can top up your account using debit, credit, or pre-paid cards.

You can choose to send the money via bank transfer or mobile transfer. The latter is preferred because the money will reach your recipient instantly, while bank transfers take a day or more to be processed.

You’ll be shown all the applicable fees before you make the transfer.

  • Average cost: standard $3.99 transfer fee
  • Transfer limits: KES 150,000 per transfer

2. Remitly

Remitly is an online money transfer service based in the U.S. It facilitates global money transfers and supports M-Pesa as one of the options for sending money to Kenya. You can access Remitly in Germany and Kenya, making it an ideal choice for sending money between the two countries.

Sending money using Remitly is a simple, straightforward process. Start by creating an account using your email address. You’ll also be required to provide personal details to help verify your identity. Once the account is set up, you’ll have several transfer options, including M-Pesa. 

You’ll pay for the transfer by topping up your Remitly account through bank transfer, debit, credit, and pre-paid cards. Before transferring the money, you’ll be shown a detailed overview of the total amount, including transfer fees. 

Remitly has competitive exchange rates and relatively low fees, which makes it one of the best ways to send money from Germany to Kenya.

  • Average cost: 3.1% for 100 Euros. The more money you send, the lower the percentage cost.
  • Transfer limits: $2,999 in 24 hours and $10,000 in 30 days

3. Skrill

Skrill is a relatively new but reliable virtual payment platform that you can use to send money to more than 40 countries. Skrill has competitive exchange rates and is very popular because the sender and recipient are not charged for money transfers. 

It’s quick and easy to get started on Skrill. Register your account on their official website or download the Skrill app from Google Play Store or App Store. These are both convenient options that you can use to send money from Germany to Kenya through M-Pesa or bank transfer. 

To deposit money into your account, you can use the mobile payment option by clicking “Mobile Wallets” or use bank transfer instead. As a virtual payment platform, you can also use Skrill for other financial services like paying for goods and services. 

  • Average cost: 3.99% exchange fee
  • Transfer limits: KES 70,000 per transfer and a maximum of KES 300,000 per day

4. Wise

Initially, Transferwise, Wise is a foreign exchange platform that allows users to transfer money to more than 175 countries worldwide. You can use Wise to send money from Germany to Kenya via bank transfer or mobile money. 

You can use Wise to send money to your recipients in Kenya, provided you have an account. Start by registering an account for free, after which you’ll be asked to provide details for identity confirmation. Once your account is up and running, you’ll choose the amount you want to send, enter your recipient’s details, and then pay the transfer fee. 

You can use your debit card, credit card, or online banking to pay for the money you want to transfer. Wise uses the inter-bank rate for the transfer, so you get to save money. You’ll be charged a flat fee or a percentage of the amount you want to transfer. Different currency pairings have different charges. 

  • Average cost: Depends on the currency pair
  • Transfer limits: KES 150,000 per transfer, KES 300,000 per day

5. Paysend

Paysend is one of the newer money transfer platforms, but it’s a fast, secure means to send money from Germany to Kenya through M-Pesa. Paysend users can send money to more than 100 countries.

With Paysend, you can use their official website or mobile app to transfer money online using your smartphone, laptop, or tablet. It’s a fast and hassle-free way to send money to your recipients in Kenya through M-Pesa. 

Paysend’s competitive exchange rates and relatively low fees make it a fairly affordable means to send money globally. It doesn’t charge you any transfer fees if you’re sending money to a bank account. 

Paysend promises super-fast transactions, but there could be factors that could lead to delays. Still, mobile money transfers like M-Pesa reach recipients instantly. 

  • Average cost: $2 flat rate
  • Transfer limits: $999 a day

6. Western Union

Western Union is a legacy money transfer service that has been in service for decades. It’s one of the traditional and most-trusted means to send money worldwide. You can use Western Union to send money from Germany to Kenya through M-Pesa. 

The traditional way to send money via Western Union is to visit one of their agents with physical cash. Nowadays, you can register an account on their official website or mobile app. These new options make it faster and easier to make global money transfers. 

Once you’ve set up your account, you can enter your recipient’s country and the transfer option, in this case, Kenya and M-Pesa, respectively. Western Union gives you three options; Cash Pickup, Mobile Wallet, and Bank Account.

You can use your credit card, debit card, or bank transfer to pay for the transfer. Before sending the money, you must review and confirm the amount, the transfer fee, and the exchange rate. 

  • Average cost: Transfer fee starting at $4.99
  • Transfer limits: $2,500 for M-Pesa transactions

7. MoneyGram

MoneyGram comes second after Western Union as the most extensive money transfer platform. It operates in more than 200 countries globally and has agents in Germany and Kenya. As such, it’s a viable option for sending money from Germany to Kenya.

You can use any of MoneyGram’s thousands of agents and service locations, but it’s easier and faster to make the transfer using your phone. All you’d have to do is visit the MoneyGram official website or download the mobile app, register, and create your account. 

You can use MoneyGram to send money from Germany to Kenya via cash pickup, mobile transfer, and bank transfer. MoneyGram charges transfer fees depending on your selected method and the amount you want to send. You can pay for the transfer and transfer fees through bank transfer, credit, or debit card. 

  • Average cost: 2.6% of the transfer amount
  • Transfer limits: KES 300,000 a day

Final Thoughts

Legacy platforms and online money transfer platforms have made it conveniently easy to transfer money across the world. As a Kenyan living in Germany, you can send money to recipients in Kenya using fast and secure platforms.

All these platforms work differently, and transfer fees differ, so you should compare your options before settling for one. Some of the factors you should consider include the platform’s availability, ease of use, and fees.

When thinking about costs, look at exchange rates and transfer fees. These will determine the overall cost of using the platform.

Transfer cheaply to a loved one's M-Pesa account in Kenya:

FAQ About Sending Money to M-Pesa

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Why Trust Monito?

You’re probably all too familiar with the often outrageous cost of sending money abroad. After facing this frustration themselves back in 2013, co-founders François, Laurent, and Pascal launched a real-time comparison engine to compare the best money transfer services across the globe. Today, Monito’s award-winning comparisons, reviews, and guides are trusted by around 8 million people each year and our recommendations are backed by millions of pricing data points and dozens of expert tests — all allowing you to make the savviest decisions with confidence.

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