The most common question I get is, “How do you make money online in Kenya?” The second most common question is, “How does that online cash get to your hands?” Well, here are a couple of options you can use to withdraw online cash.
1. Skrill
Skrill provides a very easy way for you to withdraw your online cash. Once you get cash to your Skrill, you can withdraw it in different ways, such as mobile wallets, bank, crypto, etc.
Kenyans can withdraw from Skrill to MPESA.
This used to be lightning fast.
However, after a few years, the Skrill to M-PESA method stopped being instant and started having a few hitches, with people getting errors or payment delays.
It still works, though, even if it delays a bit. These delays and poor are what made Upwork remove it as a payment method.
The first thing that you will need to do is to set up your Skrill profile, making sure you add your card and bank account details in the relevant fields.
Ask your local bank for their SWIFT code which you will need to use on this setup. You can also do a Google search for your bank’s SWIFT code.
Once you have added your bank account, you are ready to withdraw from your freelancing website.
After you make all verifications, you can also add your MPESA number in the “Mobile Wallets” section. Once you do this, you’ll be able to withdraw money from Skrill to MPESA and receive it within an hour.
2. Payoneer
Most freelancing websites such as as Upwork, Freelancer and Fiverr give you the option of using Payoneer.
The withdrawal process is easy. Just click on the “Withdraw” link on your preferred freelancing website and opt to withdraw using Payoneer.
Once the cash is sent to Payoneer, you can go to your Payoneer Account and process the withdrawal. There are two options for loading:
- Immediate Load: You can choose for Payoneer to always be loaded automatically by opting for “Immediate Load” which will cost you a certain amount per load, depending on the website you’re withdrawing from.
- Standard Load: You can also opt to load manually using the “Standard Load” option which will cost less (or even free) per load, but it will take 2 days before the cash gets to your account.
Once you have the cash loaded, you can then withdraw from any eligible outlet such as Barclays, CfC, KCB and PesaPoint.
The Payoneer option is really great as you can see in this article. Make sure you sign up as soon as you start your freelancing business so that you can take advantage of the many Payoneer benefits.
Additionally, Payoneer gives you a US bank account number through its Global Payment Service. In sites like Upwork, you can opt for ACH bank transfer (US Bank transfer) which is free.
When you withdraw to this (Payoneer) US bank account, you’ll receive the cash in your Payoneer account on the same day and can withdraw from Payoneer via the ATM or straight to your local bank.
I saved the best for last:
You can withdraw from Payoneer straight to your bank account at no extra cost. And you get the cash at excellent rates. This takes up to one business day to process, though you can get it in a few hours.
3. PayPal
PayPal is one of the most common withdrawal methods. In fact, some people assume that this is the only available method. They end up losing out on the benefits of the other methods outlined here.
When you select this method, you’ll receive the cash from your online freelancing account (or from your client) to your PayPal account.
You can then withdraw from PayPal to M-PESA and get the cash in a few minutes to 3 days depending on the amount.
Alternatively, you can withdraw from PayPal to Equity Bank, which takes 3 working days.
Read: How to withdraw money from PayPal in Kenya.
4. M-PESA
This was not an option in most sites, but in early 2017, Upwork added MPESA as a withdrawal method.
Note that the exchange rates are still not the best, thus other withdrawal options beat this.
But in case you want to receive your money faster, you can opt for MPESA and get your cash a few minutes after withdrawal. Sometimes it can take a couple of hours, though.
When withdrawing money from Upwork, you can also opt to withdraw from Upwork to PayPal to M-PESA to get a better rate.
5. Bank Transfer
Some sites such as Upwork and Fiverr allow you to receive your cash through bank transfer.
If you use this method, you’ll receive the cash straight in your Kenyan bank in 1-3 days. Sometimes less. For exampe, many times you may get your money from Upwork to your bank account in a matter of hours.
When filling up the form to be able to receive a bank transfer, you’ll get terms such as “SWIFT code” and “bank code”. Simply Google or talk to your bank (call or inbox them on social media) so that they give you these codes.
6. Transferwise
I’ve been testing out Transferwise for a while and it’s currently my favorite!
The issue here, though, is that you can’t use it to withdraw money from freelancing websites, yet.
It’s therefore a fantastic way to get money from direct clients. When they send you money via Transferwise, you receive it straight to M-PESA or your bank account.
The best news is you get the very best exchange rates. And you get the cash on the same day (business days). In fact, if your client is sending from TransferWise to your M-PESA, you can even get the cash instantly.
A client will need some details from you if you want them to pay you via TransferWise. This will depend on whether you want to receive the cash in your bank account or M-PESA.
The basic details you’ll give them include:
– Full name
– Email address
– Country
– City
– Address
– Postal code
– Bank name and account number or M-PESA mobile number (starting with 254)
Make sure the details you give them match those in your Transferwise account.
7. Paxful
Times are changing, and cryptocurrency is becoming a thing. Consider asking your clients to pay you via Bitcoin. You can then sell it via a Bitcoin marketplace.
My favorite marketplace is Paxful.
Why should you consider getting paid this way?
Two reasons:
- You can sell the bitcoins at above market rates in places like Paxful
- You avoid the crazy restrictions and limitations that may come with some of the other methods mentioned here
This way, you can control the amount you recieve. And you don’t have to worry about someone locking up your cash for flimsy reasons.
Once you receive the bitcoins on your Paxful wallet, head over to “Sell Bitcoin” and look for a buyer with excellent rates and possibly hundreds of great reviews.
Proceed with selling. Make sure you actually receive the payment (via M-PESA, bank, Chipper, or wherever else you prefer) before releasing the bitcoins.
Paxful protects the buyer by holding your bitcoins in escrow till you’re paid. So, they have nothing to worry about.
Since they know the bitcoins are safely being held by Paxful, it’s safe for them to go ahead and pay you. Once (and only once) you receive the payment, you can go ahead and release the bitcoins to the buyer.
I’d recommend you try out this method. You’ll be amazed at the fantastic rates you can get. The process is also relatively fast.
Set them all up, then be choosing the one that suits your situation
As time goes, more methods keep coming up. It’s now so easy to access payments from online work websites or direct clients.
Make sure you check your favorite site’s relevant pages to see the fees levied on each of the above methods. My recommendation is you set them all up and use each depending on your preferences at the time.
For example, if you want cash from Upwork fast, you may opt for M-PESA, but this will get you a lower rate. If your payment is huge, you can go for ACH (using Payoneer’s Global Payment Service) or direct bank transfer which will be affordable and fetch you better rates.
If you’re just starting out and you’re receiving small amounts e.g. $20, $50, $100, etc., you’d be safe with PayPal since PayPal to M-PESA/Equity has negligible charges.
Where Skrill in an option, it works as well. It has great rates, low fees and you can get the cash in a few minutes by withdrawing from Skrill to MPESA. The only challenge is that sometimes it delays.
Payoneer has been solid since I first used it back in 2011. And now that you can get cash from Payoneer to your bank at zero fees and wonderful rates, it’s definitely a catch.
Transferwise is fast becoming a favorite to many. It certainly is my best ever. If your client agrees to send you money using Transferwise, you’ve struck gold my friend!
And yes, if you’re one of those progressive people who want to try out bitcoins, then Paxful is the option for you.
Is there any other method that has come up? What do you like or dislike about the above methods? Let’s continue this conversation on the comments section.
Great and informative article as always Walter!
Thanks Rodgers!
Hi Walter,
Thanks for this great information here. I’m in the course and this information will be handy to me.
Anytime, Enoch.
Keep winning!
Great information Mr Walter, thank you.
Thanks Calvin!
Hello Walter, am glad I came across this today. Last week I transferred 102$ from my Skrill account. On Tuesday I received 3945 Ksh. Calling equity they said they received 4000 en something from skrill. Sending an email to skrill., they say after their charges they transferred 97.66$ to my equity account. In fact, I have a zero balance on my Skrill. Now am wondering where about my money..how can I claim my balance from Equity?
Hi Gladys,
Sorry for that.
You will have to keep pushing both Equity and Skrill till they get to the bottom of this.
All the very best.
Never use skrill-equity. charges a way too high. I lost 80$ in 870$ transaction.
Whoa, that was huge! Thanks for sharing, Chris.
This is the best information i have got after my PayPal account was closed. Thanks Walter…now to Payooner and Skrill.
Sorry for what happened with PayPal. Glad this helps!
I like skrill from the description. I have had issues with delay payments while using Payoneer. Thankss for the info.
You’re most welcome, Ida.
information is great
Thanks Caren.
Glad have joined training believe to be a great writer soonest
Awesome. Keep doing your best Caren.
Hello Walter, does Payoneer use any bank> for example withdrawal from Payoneer to Faulu Bank or is only on the major banks?
Hi Tonny,
If Faulu can receive international transfers, it should work. Confirm that first.
Hi Walter,
Just started the training but seeing light at the end of the tunnel.Thanks once again for your generosity and willingness to empower us.God bless you and give you long life
Hi Betsy,
You’re always welcome.
God bless you too amazingly.
Are really payoneer and mpesa linked or you have to used bank to withdraw
Hi Lecily,
Not linked to M-PESA.
ATM or bank only.
This is awesome, been waiting for this for a long time. Good info. God bless you
Always a pleasure, Stephen. God bless you too.
Hi Walter. Am still near here doing the lessons. I believe I will be successful. I have learnt a lot and got some answers to my many questions. God bless you.
Hi Makena,
Awesome. God bless you too.
HI Walter,
Just started the training and can say it’s interesting. Thanks for your willingness to empower.
Hi Leah,
Awesome. All the very best.
Hi Walter
I read your article and got so excited that I could withdraw from Amazon kdp to a local bank through payoneer. I’d an old account with payoneer whose card is already expired. I couldn’t find the receive/ withdraw menu so I opened support center. To my surprise they say “This service is unfortunately unavailable for your payoneer account. How many account types are there and did I open the wrong account?
Hi Alphan,
Sorry for that.
If you have access to the Global Payment Service in your Payoneer account, then you definitely can use this.
Hi guys..
Just a quick question. Has anyone ever successifully withdrawn some funds from Skrill to bank account in kenya? How long did it take to reflect on ur bank account?
Hi Charles,
I once did it and it took 3 days.
still training in the training and have already known how ill get my money as soon as i start .kudos walter
Awesome. Always a pleasure, Damaris!
Hi Akolo,
Great breakdown here, thanks. I have some questions:
1) My preferred bank (CBA) has a beneficiary and intermediary bank details with having its own swift code. What could be the correct one here?
2) As I was setting up the Skrill account, it asked for the currency type and I chose USD. Didn’t think to look for KES (not sure if the option was there). Is that okay or did I miss something?
Thanks.
Hi John,
Thanks for your kind words.
1. Call them to confirm this.
2. USD is fine
Many thanks.
Hi Walter,
Thank you for the great information. I have two questions regarding this. To register for the payment methods, should my email name match that in the bank account? Can i opt to use my passport instead of ID for transactions?
Hi Irene,
The email doesn’t have to match that which is in the bank account.
Sure, you can use your passport where applicable.
Hello Walter,
I’m happy that I joined your training at last. So far, it has been great! I have a few questions which I would love to get clarifications on.
My first question: How many days does it take to get your code to verify your Paypal?
Second question: Is Skrill the best option for a newbie freelancer?
Thanks in advance.
Denzil Otieno.
Hi Denzil,
Happy to have you on board! Glad you love it.
1. Instantly in most cases. Check your statement.
2. Skrill used to be awesome but nowadays there are many other options e.g. Upwork has an M-Pesa option. Good for small payments. For bigger payments you can check what will give you most value at that moment, can be PayPal, can be Payoneer, bank transfer etc.
I think Payoneer or Skrill will do for me. Anyway, how do I check my statement when I have the Eazzy banking app. Thanks in advance.
Great. You can’t check your statement using the app. Go to your nearest branch and get a statement.
Hi Walter, Paypal blocked my PayPal because of address confirmation, what do i do and i don’t have utility bills while my bank statements read P.O.Box? which they are saying they won’t accept. Assist please
Hi Davii,
Sorry about that. Unfortunately you can’t proceed without a utility bill.
I suggest you join the group Awesome Transcribers in Kenya on Facebook and post the same question. People who’ve gone through similar situations will tell you how they got through it.
Do you know an alternative way to receive money from the usa except using paypal ?
Hi Rodgers,
You can try the methods on this post or even use others like Western Union, World Remit and MoneyGram.
Hi Walter
I just signed up for a payoneer account and it was approved. I even managed to link it to my local bank account. Is it safe to add the email as a payment method even though I do not have the payoneer card. Can I transfer cash from my payoneer to Cooperative bank? Can also transfer cash to another payoneer account?
Hi Trizzer,
Yes, you can do all the above. Transferring from Payoneer to Co-operative can be very expensive. I once tried and I think I was charged over Sh. 1,000. ATM would be better.
Hi Walter,
Thanks so much for your piece, it’s very informative. I had a quick question, i’m new to payoneer and i don’t know why i can’t get my funds transferred directly to my bank account. They sent me an email telling me that my bank details were invalid. This is obviously false and i’ve sent them proof to confirm it. Payoneer told me that it was my local bank that was rejecting the transfer. Equity bank on the other hand refers me back to payoneer. Could you please advise me whether the issue lies with payoneer or with my local bank. Thanks in advance!!
Hi Alvin,
Confirm with Equity that all the bank details were correct. I suspect you may have given the wrong bank details somewhere.
Hello Brother,
I have successfully verified my skrill account through i sent them my passport but whenever i am trying to ‘Add bank’ of united state of america the error message still appears just like above pic shown.I am stuck how to handle this issue.
Regards
Ariyan Islam
Hi Ariyan,
Kindly contact Skrill support.
thank you for your guidance as an amateur am absorbing equate a lot. if I encounter any challenge I wont hesitate to seek your help. Thank you
Awesome. Keep taking action.
Thanks for the guide, Walter. I use Barclays to withdraw my Amazon associate earnings each month and like you said, its just like any other normal ATM transaction.
Heads up though…I’ve never been able to withdraw from KCB.
I don’t know if you remember, but it was you who actually guided me on how to get the Payoneer MasterCard back in 2015 when I had issues with postal addresses.
May God bless you and your family as you continue teaching Kenyans how to make money online.
Hi Walter,
I always appreciate your help to us, freelancers. I have a question. To withdraw money from upwork through PayPal, apart from the 2$ upwork fees, is there any other charges applicable to PayPal’s side? I wanted to shift from using Mpesa because I don’t like the exchange rates being offered when I withdraw through Mpesa.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Mathenge,
From PayPal to Equity you’ll be charged 1.5%.
Hello Walter,
Thank you for your very informative writings.
I applied for payoneer account and I see that they have the option to withdraw money directly to my local bank linked to the account without the need to use a payoneer mastercard. Are you aware of this withdrawal method ?and specifically does it work in Kenya?
Waiting for your reply.
Thank you very much.
Hi Ronald,
Thanks for you kind comment.
Yes, it’s possible to transfer from Payoneer to a local bank. It works fine in Kenya.
Good day Walter,
I opened my skrill account recent.y, thanks for the help. Now i notice that there is a statement in bold on SKRILL that states, “.Please be aware that we no longer accept bank-wire deposits or facilitate bank-wire withdrawals in US dollars……”. does this mean we cannot be paid and transfer/withdraw in USD anymore? If not, what rate (usd-ksh) do they apply if say I am using the Mpesa option for withdrawal?
Hi Diana,
No, you can still get paid and withdraw USD. That just affects bank wires – not Skrill to Skrill/MPESA transfers. Their USD to KSH rate is always shown at the time of withdrawal.
Hi Walter,
Just a quick clarification incase i missed it, About the option of Paypal to bank account paymen tmode. Does one have to open an equity bank (epay?) account to enjoy this facility.
Hi Diana,
At the moment PayPal only officially works with Equity when it comes to withdrawals in Kenya. So yes you’ll have to open an Equity Bank account. I see you have ePay in brackets. Just clarifying that Equity and ePay are different.
Hi Walter,
Thank you for the response. Kindly clarify the difference between Equity bank and Epay.
Thanks
Diana
Hi Diana,
Equity Bank is the bank we all know of.
ePay-Kenya is an online transaction processing company. You can check it out through my affiliate link here https://freelancerkenya.com/go/epay
hi
Does epay still work and are they reliable?
Hi Mark,
Yes.
hi walter,
i am new to publiclikes and during withdrawal they are saying one must attach the ID for user verification….
How can one go about this
Sorry Public Likes is a scam.
Fine and interesting,i used payoneer ATM MasterCard to make my online withdrawals,it’s making me smile and full of praises to GOD!
True, Dr. Smart. I loooove Payoneer!
Hello Walter and Dr. Smile. I applied for my payoneer master card and its set to arrive between 1st -10th Jan, 2018. Where will i get my ATM password and in the event its inactive, how do i activate? Then once i get the card, will I straight away go to ATM or i need to do anything from my Payoneer account?
Hi Bancy,
You’ll get it on your P.O Box if you used a valid one. You’ll then be guided on how to activate and use it.
Hi Walter, I recently opened a PayPal account and every time I try to add a card (Equity Visa card) I get an error alert that the card is not accepted. Why is this?
Hi Anthony. I suppose you don’t have cash in the card. Load at least Sh. 400 and try again.
Antony load about 2$ to your account. 1$ is sent to PayPal and
refunded immediately…
Thanks for this Walter.
You’re most welcome Kavulu.
Thanks for the exposition Walter.
Most welcome, Caleb.
Hi Walter
I have been trying to withdraw money from an online freelance platform but every time I try to do it, it is declined. I am using Equity MasterCard. I wondering if the problem might be because of the fact that the card might not be capable of accepting incoming payments/transactions. It is also worth mentioning that I am not withdrawing through paypal, I am trying to withdrawal from the site direct to the MasterCard. Please I will appreciate your insight into this matter. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks
I registered to elance which is now upwork yesterday and up to now I get a message that they are still reveiwing my profile. Is it that they take like 2 days? when i sent them a chat message they had said it would take 12 hours but the same period has expired. please advise VIA my email.
Hi Elizabeth. Sorry about that. It should take 12 hours. At that moment it’s only Upwork which will be able to help you sort. Keep emailing support for best results. I decided to just reply here so that it can also benefit others.
hello walter, am required to provide a swift code for equity bank but i don’t know whether to inlude the tripple x at the end or not. Kindly advise. Thanks
Who requires you to provide the swift code?
Do not include the triple x
I am back just to withdraw my comments about Epay-kenya , I must confess that I am the impatient type and woz a bit too hard on them. They are open 8 a.m to 5 p.m but their services are the swiftest I’ve ever experienced. It cost me a total of only about 20 USD to withdraw 228 USD from skrill to my M-pesa, and the most surprising bit is that it took less than 10 minutes for my money to mobe from Epay-Kenya to my Mpesa!!!!!! I must also correct you skeptiks (like me. before) that in-as-much-as we might not get very good exchange rates with Epay-Kenya, the guys deserve a pat on their backs for their creativity. I’ve understood their system in my first transaction and I can assure you that these guys might remain the only quickest way to convert your chumz from wherever(paypal or skrill or payoneer) to the shillings we like. I also dont think that they profit much from facilitating these transactions coz they have to bear the transfer costs from skrill, and also the Mpesa ledger fee, and also compare it to the bank wire (which will take away 60 USD on the spot and still chuna you at the forex bit of the transaction) I have a payoneer mastercard and I will try it with epay-kenya too when loading from paypal(am just not sure yet). But let it be known that Epay-kenya are SUPER-SWIFT and you can do all the process from the comfort of your bed (with an internet connection and a Safaricom Mpesa line).
Hi Vic
I am happy ti hear that you have been sorted. Yes, ePay is in a class of its own.
You have a great sense of humor.
All the very best.
I came across this blog while trying to figure out the cheapest alternative to move my chumz from skrill to my Pocket(or mattress) without having to. make someone richer out of my hussle. I must confess epay-Kenya sucks!!! I’ve sent them dozens of emails and copies of my National ID but my account has remained UNVERIFIED forever. I still suck especially given thay I have even called those contacts on their site and NO ONE picks and I have called more than 50 times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will just open an M-Kesho and use it to verify my Skrill( and then get the money to the Mkesho then to my mpesa to my pockets then to my mattress. If u know. of any gud that these e-pay kenya has done before please tel me so that I can look at them a bit differently, but as for now I will remain conviinced that they’re some 8:00 a.m to 4 p.m non-functional or partially functional forex traders who want to give u 82 bob for a dollar when the existing rate is 87.
Thank you.
Hi Vic,
I have a totally contrary view of ePay-Kenya. They have one of the best customer support team and they send the cash promptly.
Yes, they are expensive but in this world, convenience is expensive. You have the freedom to go ahead and use Skrill with your bank account. It will take 3 days to get there and you may get the dollar at a better rate.
However, if you’re ever in need of fast cash, never hesitate to get in touch with ePay-Kenya.
Kindly try using their support ticket when contacting them and I believe there will be an immediate response. Here is the link https://epay-kenya.com/contact.htm
I am sorry to hear about this Victor bus as we clarified this morning our working hours are Mon-Friday(0800hrs – 1700hrs) Sat(0900-1300hrs) we are closed on Sundays and public holidays. That’s the reason your calls after midnight were not answered. The speed of verification should be judged on the time taken when we receive your ID. If the format used in incorrect, we are not able to verify your account as we require a clear copy of your ID. I am sure that you would acknowledge the fact that we acted fast once you sent the id in the right format. Our rate is determined by our banker as we do a rate booking. We do not receive the money daily so we get an “across the month rate”. In case of any further clarification, kindly contact us using the support ticket and we shall be glad to be of assistance. As for now kindly give us a chance to demonstrate that we are not non functional forex traders but the most trusted kenyan online payment gateway. Thank you and have a blessed day.
Hi Walter,
Am a new freelancer and just been paid my first money via skrill. Please advive how to withdraw via Mpesa from my skrill account
Elizabeth Maina
Hi Elizabeth,
This system doesn’t seem to be working yet. I have contacted Skrill and safaricom and will let you know once it’s working fine.
Keep following this thread.
Thanks for your reply and concern. Then how do I withdraw the money i have on my Skrill account? God bless
You are welcome Elizabeth.
There are three options.
1. Add your local bank account to your Skrill then withdraw to it. It should take between 3 and 5 days.
2. Set up an account with ePay-Kenya. You can join them using my affiliate link https://freelancerkenya.com/go/epay and then withdraw through them
3. You can send the cash to my account I withdraw for you at 10% commission. We can talk on email if you want this option.
Thanks and God bless you too.
Hey Walter! First time I want to use Payoneer to withdraw cash from moneybookers. I would Luke to know few things.
1. How long will I wait for the cash?
2. Could you take through the process?
3. How much will it be the total cost to withdraw say 400 USD?
Thanks.
Sammy,
Thanks for commenting here!
1. You will wait for approximately 3 working days.
2. Once you get the US Payment service, add the bank details as part of your banks in Skrill. Note that with Skrill you’ll have to add at least one Kenyan bank first before you add a US one.
3. It costs 1% plus 2.15 at the ATM. Therefore for 400 USD. You will be charged a total of around 6USD. Then as at now you will withdraw the remainder at Sh. 84 per dollar.
Thanks too.
Hi Walter. I’m a newbie in this writing niche and i must say, the future is looking brighter. I have even began bidding in freelancer. How do you register for PayPal in the first place
Hi Joseph,
I am glad you have began the bidding process. To register for PayPal, go to PayPal.com and click on sign up then follow the prompts.
Thanks,
Walter
Hi walter?
I opened an account with Equity last week and picked my ATM card today but when I try to verify it with may paypal account I get a Message that my card has expired yet I collected it today and it should expire in 07/2016. now how do I go about this because I have tried to verify it using Co-Op YEA card for the past one month in vain. Thank you.
Hi Matts,
Your card has not been activated. Kindly call Equity and they’ll sort that out for you over the phone. Use the number at the back of your ATM card.
Thanks,
Walter
Finally. Kenyans have embraced blogging. It makes life way easier, knowledge is power they say……………….;)
Yeah. We are actually very many Kenyans in this scene. There are many Kenyans doing it bigtime online. It is true that knowledge is power 🙂
I have been trying to withdraw money from PayPal because everybody says it is the best. I have a moneybookers account as well but it was not until recently that I gave up on PayPal and embarked on moneybookers. this is the most helpful blog I have come across in the 3months that I have been trying to withdraw my money.
Hi Shohie,
There are many people experiencing such problems and that’s why I came up with the blog. I am happy that it was helpful to you.
All the best
Shophie, epay-kenya have a quick service for Moneybookers withdrawals. As soon as the transaction goes through, you receive your cash within 30 minutes. Try them: https://epay-kenya.com.