For years, Safaricom’s M-PESA has dominated mobile money in Kenya, but Airtel is making an aggressive play to change that. With the new Smarta Bundles, Airtel Kenya isn’t just offering the usual mix of data, calls, and SMS — it’s throwing in some seriously attractive Airtel Money perks. And as someone who has been using the bundle for the past week having been loyal to M-PESA for years, I can confidently say that Safaricom users are missing out.
‘Rudishiwa transaction fees’ is the real game-changer
While all Airtel-to-Airtel transactions are free of charge, we all know how annoying bank-to-wallet transaction fees can be. Whether it’s moving money from your bank to M-PESA or making payments via Paybill, those small deductions add up. Airtel Money, however, is taking a different approach with Smarta Bundles users getting a 100% refund on these transaction fees — reimbursed as airtime.
That means if you transfer money from your bank to your Airtel Money wallet, whatever fee you’re charged gets sent back to you as airtime. The same applies when withdrawing money at an Airtel Money agent or paying via Paybill, even if the Paybill belongs to a Safaricom number. This is a major win for those who make frequent transactions and feel the pinch of service charges.
Airtel Money works everywhere… almost
One of the biggest arguments against switching to Airtel Money has always been the lack of agent coverage. It’s true — compared to Safaricom’s extensive network of M-PESA agents, Airtel Money is still catching up. However, the ability to pay directly to Safaricom Paybill and Till numbers removes a major barrier. This means you can pay for everything without worrying about compatibility issues.
The only real limitation? Withdrawing cash still requires an Airtel Money agent. But if you mostly use mobile money for digital transactions rather than cash withdrawals, this shouldn’t be a deal-breaker.
A bundle that actually makes sense
Beyond the mobile money perks, Smarta Bundles deliver solid value for your mobile needs. At Kshs 1,000 per month, you get 30GB of data (1GB per day), 400 minutes to any network, and 2,000 SMS. The Kshs 1,500 option doubles the daily data to 2GB per day (60GB total) and bumps up the all-network minutes to 900. This isn’t just competitive — it’s disruptive.
Another highlight is the rollover feature: any unused daily data stacks up, so you don’t lose what you don’t use immediately. Unlike other data bundles that expire into thin air, this one keeps your unused resources until the bundle period ends.
Why stick to M-PESA?
Let’s be honest — M-PESA isn’t cheap. From transaction fees to withdrawal charges, users have been conditioned to accept these costs as normal. But Airtel’s Smarta Bundles are proving there’s a way to cut costs without sacrificing convenience.
If you’re already spending Kshs 1,000+ per month on bundles, why not get one that refunds your transaction fees and still lets you make Paybill and Till payments across all networks? If Airtel Money agent availability isn’t a deal-breaker for you, then this is a no-brainer.
Smarta Bundles might not completely replace M-PESA for everyone just yet, but for those looking to stretch their money further, it’s a smarter choice.
