PING
KES 0.60
per message
Below 5,000 SMS
- Free account setup
- Excel contacts upload
- Account dashboard access
- Basic support
Bulk SMS in Kenya for Business CommunicationBulk SMS in Kenya
Celcom started in Kenya. Bulk SMS Kenya still means messages on Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom and Equitel - OTPs, M-Pesa alerts, school fees, deliveries - with an SMS API when you are ready to automate. Home market, not the ceiling.
Bulk SMS Kenya on Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom and Equitel. OTP, M-Pesa alerts, campaigns - then the same SMS API across Africa.
99.99%
uptime
50+
Countries
850M+
Vol/Month
<5s
TAT
Trusted across African enterprises
Trusted by Aar, Bidco, Creditinfo, Devki, Dhl, Kengen, Kimisitu, Muthokinju, Pathcare, Premier Hosp, Royal Milk, Safeboda, U&I Microfinance, Unaitas, Unicef, Username, Usernamesacco, Yego
- Safaricom
- Airtel
- Telkom
- Equitel
A Kenyan Tuesday
If it has to reach a Kenyan phone, it probably starts as SMS
Banks, shops, schools, clinics and couriers do not buy “bulk SMS” as a slogan. They buy the next message in a real journey - an OTP, a payment, a fee reminder, a delivery ping.
now 482901 is your login code. Don't share it.
OTP SMS for banks and fintechsnow Order 4412 is out for delivery. Track it here.
Order and delivery SMS for shopsnow Fee reminder: KES 12,500 due Friday.
Parent SMS for schoolsnow Appointment tomorrow at 9:00. Reply YES to confirm.
Appointment SMS for clinicsnow Your parcel is 8 minutes away. Please keep your phone on.
Delivery SMS for couriersnow Water rationing tonight, 10pm-4am. Plan ahead.
Citizen SMS for organisations
How Kenya actually sends
Kenya, on Kenyan networks
Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom and Equitel. CA sender IDs. OTP and campaigns on the same stack. Pay in KES.
- 01
The four networks that matter
Direct routes to Safaricom, Airtel Kenya, Telkom Kenya and Equitel - including numbers far outside Nairobi.
- 02
A sender ID people trust
Alphanumeric IDs, CA-aligned. KES 6,500 once per network on published plans. About 5–7 business days.
- 03
OTP is not a campaign
Login codes and M-Pesa-class alerts ride local routes with delivery receipts. Promotional SMS stays consented and separate.
- 04
API, KES, M-Pesa
REST, webhooks, optional SMPP. Top up in Kenyan Shillings. Data handling aligned with the Data Protection Act, 2019.
Why Celcom
Why Kenyan teams stay
- We grew up here
This is the home market, not a translated Africa page.
- Infrastructure, not blasts
Authentication, transactions, updates - then marketing if you want it.
- Dashboard or API
Same Kenya account. Same docs. Automate when you outgrow CSV uploads.
- Then the rest of Africa
Start in Kenya. Keep the same gateway when you add Nigeria, Ghana or beyond.
Products
Pick the door that matches the job
- Campaigns and listsBulk SMS for customer communication
- Your system triggers itSMS API for automated Kenya traffic
- Codes that cannot be lateOTP SMS for customer authentication
- Receipts, balances, statusTransactional SMS for alerts
- When a ping becomes a chatWhatsApp Business API for conversations
- Keys, callbacks, samplesDeveloper docs for Kenya integrations
Bulk SMS plans
Select the perfect plan based on your monthly SMS volume
Competitive per-SMS rates billed in KES, with volume discounts available.
PULSE
KES 0.50
per message
5,000 - 50,000 SMS
- All benefits of PING + plan
- Advanced analytics & reporting
- Instant API access
- Email support
ECHO
KES 0.40
per message
50,000 - 300,000 SMS
- All benefits of PULSE + plan
- SMPP connection access
- Data retention for 3+ years
- Dedicated support channel
WAVE
KES 0.30
per message
300,000 - 1 Million SMS
- All benefits of ECHO + plan
- Choose your preferred currency
- International account setup
- Priority technical support
BLAST
KES 0.25
per message
Above 1 Million SMS
- All benefits of WAVE + plan
- 24/7 dedicated account manager
- Standby escalation team
- Special bonuses & rewards
Volume-Based Savings: Higher volume plans include all benefits from lower tiers plus additional premium features. Credits work for both SMS and Email marketing. Contact us for custom enterprise pricing above 1M credits.
Bulk SMS pricing in Kenya
What moves the KES rate
Published tiers run KES 0.60 → 0.25 as volume grows. Type, route and sender ID still matter. Slide the volume to see published KES cost.
VolumeKES 0.60 under 5,000 SMS, down to KES 0.25 above 1 million.
TypeOTP, transactional and promotional traffic can use different sender IDs.
RouteThese rates are Kenya-to-Kenya on Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom and Equitel.
Sender IDKES 6,500 once per network. No recurring sender-ID fee on published plans.
API or dashboardSame published KES tiers either way.
Quick select volume
Messages
0 - 1,000,000
Active tier:
PULSE
5,000 - 50,000 SMS
Estimated cost (KES)
10,000 SMS × KES 0.50
KES 5,000.00
EUR equivalent
At €0.0060/SMS · indicative
€60.00
KES rates are your billing currency. EUR figures are indicative. Enterprise plans available on request.
Bulk SMS · Sender ID
Custom Sender ID registration
One-time CA-aligned setup: KES 6,500 per network. About 5–7 business days. No recurring sender-ID fee on published plans.
SA
Safaricom
KES 6,500
One-time setup
AI
Airtel
KES 6,500
One-time setup
TE
Telkom
KES 6,500
One-time setup
EQ
Equitel
KES 6,500
One-time setup
After Kenya
Kenya first. Africa when you are ready.
A Nairobi account is not a Nairobi-only future. Same platform, local rules per market.
Frequently asked questions
Is Celcom a bulk SMS provider in Kenya?
Yes. Dashboard and SMS API, routed to Safaricom, Airtel Kenya, Telkom Kenya and Equitel.
How much does bulk SMS cost in Kenya?
Published tiers run from KES 0.60 per SMS below 5,000 messages to KES 0.25 above 1 million. Volume, traffic type, sender ID and destination still change the final bill.
Which Kenyan networks can I send to?
Safaricom, Airtel Kenya, Telkom Kenya and Equitel - including numbers outside Nairobi.
Can I use a Kenyan Sender ID?
Yes. Alphanumeric IDs go through CA-aligned approval. Published setup is KES 6,500 per network, typically 5–7 business days. Bundles on request.
Can Celcom handle OTP and transactional SMS in Kenya?
Yes. Login codes and event-triggered alerts use the same Kenyan routes with delivery receipts. Promotional SMS stays consented and separate.
Do you provide an SMS API for businesses in Kenya?
Yes. REST, webhooks and optional SMPP. API access is included on published plans.
Can a Kenyan business send SMS to other African countries?
Yes. Start here, then send into other Celcom markets on the same account. Local sender ID rules still apply per country.
Can I pay via M-Pesa?
Yes. M-Pesa, bank transfer or card - billed in Kenyan Shillings.
Is my customer data handled under Kenyan law?
Data handling aligns with Kenya's Data Protection Act, 2019. Confirm residency details during onboarding.
Ready when your customers are
Open a Kenya account, top up in KES or M-Pesa, and send. The same SMS API follows you into the rest of Africa.