Stripe in Kenya: is it available, and how to get paid
Not directly. Stripe lists Kenya in its Extended network, which sends businesses there to Paystack instead of a Stripe sign-up. Of the merchants of record we checked, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy and Polar pay out to founders in Kenya. For local customers, Paystack and Flutterwave take payments in KES.
Global options for founders in Kenya
| Provider | What it is | For Kenya | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | payment processor | Via partner | Marked Extended network; the country links to paystack.com/stripe/kenya instead of Stripe sign-up | stripe.com |
| Stripe Atlas | US company formation | Yes | No founder-country exclusion found; Atlas terms only name Prohibited Jurisdictions (Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Crimea), none of which is this country | stripe.com |
| Paddle | merchant of record | Yes | Not on Paddle's unsupported seller countries list | paddle.com |
| Lemon Squeezy | merchant of record | Yes | On the bank payout list (PayPal payouts also offered) | docs.lemonsqueezy.com |
| Polar | merchant of record | Yes | On Polar's payout countries list | polar.sh |
| Dodo Payments | merchant of record | No | Kenya isn't on Dodo Payments's country list. | docs.dodopayments.com |
| Wise Business | business account | No | Not on the list. You may be able to register and send money, but not hold money or get account details to receive | wise.com |
| PayPal | wallet | Yes | Country site offers Send & Request payments and a Business menu with Accept Payments | paypal.com |
Local gateways in Kenya
| Gateway | Takes | Fee | Who can sign up | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paystack | Cards, M-PESA, Apple Pay and international Mastercard, Visa and American Express cards; KES or USD pricing | Local: 2.9% for cards, 1.5% for M-PESA. International: 3.8% (Mastercard, Visa, Apple Pay, American Express). USD transactions also 3.8%. | Unregistered founders can open a Starter Business (collection limit KES 600,000, no transfers); a Registered Business has no collection limit. | support.paystack.com |
| Flutterwave | Debit and credit cards, M-Pesa, mobile money, bank account and bank transfer (options listed on its pricing page) | Local cards: 3.2% per transaction. Wallets and mobile money: 2.9% per transaction. International: 4.8% per transaction. Pricing excludes VAT and other local taxes. | Not stated | flutterwave.com |
Worth knowing in Kenya
| What | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Local method | M-PESA Paybill (Lipa na M-PESA) is Safaricom's service for businesses to collect customer payments through M-PESA. | safaricom.co.ke |
| Getting paid in USD | Paystack lets Kenya-based businesses price in USD and be paid out in USD to a USD account at a Kenyan bank. | support.paystack.com |
Fees on the global options
| Provider | Headline fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe | 2.9% + 30¢ per successful domestic card transaction (US pricing page; currency not named) | stripe.com |
| Stripe Atlas | $500 one-time setup fee including government fees and the first year of registered agent, then $100 a year (currency not named) | stripe.com |
| Paddle | 5% + 50¢ per checkout transaction (currency not named) | paddle.com |
| Lemon Squeezy | 5% + 50¢ per transaction (currency not named); small extra fees can apply in edge cases | lemonsqueezy.com |
| Polar | 5% + 50¢ per transaction on the free Starter plan for organisations created on or after 27 May 2026, plus 1.5% for non-US cards (currency not named) | polar.sh |
| Dodo Payments | 4% + 40¢ per transaction, plus 1.5% for cards and payment methods outside the US (currency not named) | dodopayments.com |
| PayPal | US rates: 2.99% + fixed fee for card payments, 3.49% + fixed fee for PayPal Checkout; sellers in other countries pay their country's rates | paypal.com |
Questions about getting paid in Kenya
- Is Stripe available in Kenya?
- Not directly. Stripe lists Kenya in its Extended network, which sends businesses there to Paystack instead of a Stripe sign-up. Checked on Stripe's global availability page on 27 October 2026.
- What can I use instead of Stripe in Kenya?
- To sell software or digital products worldwide, a merchant of record that pays out to Kenya: Paddle, Lemon Squeezy and Polar. To take payments from local customers, local gateways such as Paystack and Flutterwave.
- Which merchants of record pay out to Kenya?
- Paddle, Lemon Squeezy and Polar. Dodo Payments doesn't, according to its own country list.
- How much does Paystack charge?
- Local: 2.9% for cards, 1.5% for M-PESA. International: 3.8% (Mastercard, Visa, Apple Pay, American Express). USD transactions also 3.8%. That's as published on support.paystack.com. Who can sign up: Unregistered founders can open a Starter Business (collection limit KES 600,000, no transfers); a Registered Business has no collection limit.
- Can I receive PayPal payments in Kenya?
- Yes. Country site offers Send & Request payments and a Business menu with Accept Payments.
- Can I use Stripe Atlas from Kenya?
- Yes. No founder-country exclusion found; Atlas terms only name Prohibited Jurisdictions (Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Crimea), none of which is Kenya.
Other countries
Argentina · Bangladesh · Colombia · Egypt · Georgia · Ghana · India · Indonesia · Morocco · Nepal · Nigeria · Pakistan · Peru · Philippines · South Africa · Sri Lanka · Turkey · Ukraine · Vietnam
To choose between a merchant of record, a US company and a local gateway, read Stripe not available in my country.
- Stripe
- Via partner
- Currency
- KES (Kenyan shilling)
- Merchants of record paying out
- 3 of 4
- Checked
Providers change their country lists and fees. Check each provider's own page before you sign up. Spotted something out of date? Tell us in the members' chat.