Frequently Asked Questions

We implement official rules and keep them current. See our Methodology and Update Log for details. Always verify time‑sensitive numbers.

As soon as regulators publish changes. Most updates are released same‑day or within a few days after verification.

Use the calculators index to choose based on your goal: Net Pay and PAYE for salary tax, NSSF/SHIF/Housing for contributions, Loans for borrowing, M‑Pesa for transaction fees, and VAT for indirect tax.

Yes. Net Pay, PAYE, Annual Tax and several others have monthly and annual modes. Where only monthly inputs are shown, you can multiply by 12 for an approximate annual figure.

Yes. The site is mobile‑first and fully responsive. All calculators are tested on modern Android and iOS browsers.

Many calculators include print and CSV buttons that export a clean summary (for example Net Pay, Loans, and M‑Pesa). You can also use your browser’s print to save to PDF.

All rates come from official Kenyan sources such as KRA, NSSF, SHIF regulations, Housing Levy rules, and Safaricom tariffs. Our methodology page summarises each source.

The Net Pay calculator goes from gross salary to take‑home pay after all deductions. The PAYE calculator focuses only on income tax on a taxable amount and shows tax per band.

Yes. Dedicated calculators exist for bonuses, overtime and allowances, and the main Net Pay calculator can include these amounts so you see their impact on tax and net pay.

Each calculator has sensible minimum and maximum values (for example, M‑Pesa transactions are capped at Safaricom limits). These guards prevent unrealistic inputs and match official rules.

The calculators run fully in your browser, but you still need an internet connection to load the site and assets. Once loaded, simple recalculations continue to work until you close the page.

Major changes are recorded in the Update Log and often flagged inside the calculator itself with an “Updated 2025” or similar badge.

We use the current KRA monthly bands and personal relief. Band thresholds and relief are shown in calculator notes.

Yes. The Net Pay calculator applies monthly personal relief after band tax.

Our PAYE tools treat regular salary, taxable allowances and taxable benefits as income. Non‑taxable items such as some reimbursements or non‑cash benefits are handled separately where applicable.

The Bonus Tax calculator isolates the bonus, applies current PAYE bands and relief, and shows the marginal tax on the bonus plus the effect on total PAYE.

Benefits that are taxable under Kenyan law (for example some car or housing benefits) should be added as taxable allowances in relevant calculators. We follow KRA guidance on what is taxable vs non‑taxable.

The Annual PAYE calculator includes options to apply disability exemption where applicable. Always confirm eligibility and limits with KRA.

Pension contributions that qualify for relief reduce your taxable income up to KRA limits. The Pension calculator and Annual PAYE calculator both show how this lowers your PAYE.

Our calculators work per employment or per taxable amount. For multiple jobs, you can use the Annual PAYE calculator to approximate combined tax by summing your incomes and reliefs.

You can model arrears by entering the adjusted annual figures in the Annual PAYE calculator or by using the Bonus Tax calculator if paid as a lump sum. We document any assumptions in the notes.

Yes. The Bonus Tax calculator and some comparison views show the marginal rate on extra income. You can also compare scenarios in the Scenarios planner to see effective and marginal changes.

Band thresholds, reliefs and rounding can produce small differences between monthly and annual calculations. Our tools follow the official treatment for each mode.

We update bands and reliefs shortly after new rules are published, and log the change in the Update Log so you can see exactly when a new structure took effect.

We apply tier caps, and show employee vs employer contributions. Pensionable base options are explained in the notes.

The SHIF calculator uses the selected base for your scenario. See the in‑page notes for scope/assumptions.

We implement the current NSSF Act Tier I & II contribution rates and ceilings. The NSSF calculator shows the contribution split by tier and by employee/employer.

Our NSSF calculator focuses on statutory contributions. Voluntary pension savings are handled via the Pension calculator as tax‑allowable contributions, not as NSSF.

Yes. The NSSF calculator and employer‑cost tools break out the employee and employer portions so you can see both sides of the contribution.

The SHIF calculator applies the current banded contribution table to your chosen base income. The exact bands and amounts are listed on the calculator page.

Where relevant (for example in the Scenarios planner), we respect the current rules on whether SHIF is tax‑deductible and adjust taxable income accordingly. Notes on each calculator explain this in more detail.

The Housing Levy calculator uses the current Kenyan Housing Levy rate and any official caps. We update these rates whenever new rules are gazetted.

Yes. The Housing Levy and Employer Cost calculators show the employer portion alongside the employee deduction to give a full picture of cost.

Where official rules specify minimums, we apply them. If income is below a threshold, the calculator follows the published table (for example, minimum NSSF or SHIF bands).

We aim to update within a few days of official announcements and record the change and effective date in the Update Log.

The Pension calculator and Annual PAYE calculator show how approved pension contributions reduce taxable income alongside NSSF, SHIF and Housing Levy deductions.

Yes, except at petrol stations (per Safaricom guidance). Business fees may apply.

No — excise is applied to fees only where applicable.

The M‑Pesa calculator covers Send Money (on‑net and off‑net), agent and ATM withdrawals, PayBill (Mgao, Business and Customer tariffs), Buy Goods (Till), Fuliza, GlobalPay and airtime purchases.

We apply the current Kenyan excise duty rate of 20% on applicable M‑Pesa fees, never on the principal amount itself.

Send Money fees are based on the official Safaricom tariff bands for P2P transfers, including on‑net and off‑net tables. These bands are also displayed on the M‑Pesa calculator page.

Yes. The calculator has separate tariff tables for agent and ATM withdrawals so you can compare cash‑out options.

Yes. You can choose between Business, Mgao and Customer PayBill tariffs, and the calculator shows how charges are split between the customer and the business.

Fuliza estimates include the access fee and daily maintenance charges over the number of days you select. We base these on published Fuliza pricing, but your actual charges may vary slightly.

GlobalPay calculations convert between KES and the chosen currency using the rate shown in the selector, then apply the FX markup percentage used by Safaricom. This gives you a good estimate of total KES cost.

Yes. Buying airtime from M‑Pesa is treated as free for customers, matching Safaricom’s current rules.

Differences are usually due to rounding, timing of tariff changes, or special promotions. We aim to match the official tariff table; if you spot a discrepancy, please contact us with details.

Deposits, receiving money, airtime purchases, and Buy Goods (Till) payments (except some petrol stations) are treated as fee‑free for customers, in line with the current Safaricom tariff.

No for public calculators; account features (if available) add convenience like saved scenarios.

Where billing exists, refunds follow posted terms; contact support for help.

No. All public calculators are available without creating an account. Any future account features will be optional and focused on convenience.

Yes. All calculators on Net Pay Kenya are currently free to use.

We do not offer paid plans today. If we introduce premium features in the future, we will clearly label them and keep core calculators free.

Some calculators support shareable links that encode your inputs (for example Loans, Scenarios and M‑Pesa). We do not currently store calculations in an online account on your behalf.

Where supported, use the “Share” or copy‑link options on the calculator. Otherwise, you can print to PDF or screenshot the results.

We do not currently charge for calculators, so no payment methods are required. If billing is introduced in future, we will support common Kenyan payment options.

If we introduce paid services, we will provide receipts or invoices for any charges. At present there are no paid subscriptions.

Use the contact form or email shown on the Contact page. Please include any relevant screenshots or links so we can help quickly.

We mainly announce changes on the Update Log and site UI. If we add optional email notifications in future, you will be able to opt in from your account or a newsletter form.

We follow standard web security best practices, serve the site over HTTPS, and limit any stored personal data. Full details are in our Privacy Policy and Terms once account features go live.

No. See our Privacy Policy for details; we use cookies to improve experience (opt‑in for analytics).

Use the banner on first visit or open cookie preferences. See Cookie Policy for categories and retention.

We log standard web analytics such as page views and device type, but not the specific salary or amounts you enter into calculators.

No. Calculations run in your browser, and we do not save the numeric values you type on our servers.

We use privacy‑respecting analytics (such as GA4) to understand which calculators are most useful. Data is aggregated and does not include your salary inputs.

You can contact us via the Contact page or email to request access to or deletion of any personal data we may hold about you, in line with the Kenya Data Protection Act.

Messages submitted via the contact form are sent securely to our support email. We use them only to respond to your query and to improve our tools.

We aim for 99.9% uptime or better so calculators are available whenever you need them. Planned maintenance is kept minimal.

We support current versions of major browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari) on desktop and mobile. Older browsers may not render all features perfectly.

We follow accessibility best practices such as proper headings, labels, skip links and keyboard‑friendly controls. Our Accessibility page describes this in more detail.

We recommend reviewing the Privacy Policy, Terms of Service and Cookie Policy to understand how your data is handled and what to expect when using our calculators.

You can send suggestions or bug reports via the Contact page or through our social channels. Clear details help us improve faster.