Fortpesa

Help Center

Quick answers — contact us any time at [email protected]

Popular topics

Platform pricing → API documentation → Reset your password → Download the app → Guides & tutorials →

Getting started in 3 steps

  1. Create your account — register your business; we verify it (KYC) and notify you when you're approved.
  2. Add a collection channel — paybill, till number or a bank deposit channel. We review it and provision it with the payment network; you'll see its Channel ID on the Channels page, which your API requests use.
  3. Collect — send an STK push from the dashboard, share a payment link, or call the API. Money goes directly to your M-Pesa account; the platform fee is deducted from your prepaid wallet.

Frequently asked questions

Where does the money my customers pay go?

Straight to your own M-Pesa account — the paybill, till or bank channel you configured. Fortpesa never holds your collection funds; we only record the transactions and charge the published platform fee from your prepaid wallet.

How fast do payments reflect?

Seconds after M-Pesa confirms the payment. The dashboard and payment-link status pages update live, and webhooks notify your system when a payment completes.

How are platform fees charged?

Fees are prepaid from your Fortpesa wallet and shown on every transaction and receipt. The full schedule is on the Pricing page. If your wallet can't cover the fee for a new collection, that collection is rejected until you top up.

How do I top up my wallet?

Open Wallet & top-ups in the dashboard, enter the amount and your M-Pesa phone number, and confirm the STK prompt. The payment is free of platform fees and your balance updates as soon as M-Pesa confirms it.

Why did my STK push fail?

Common causes: the customer cancelled or the prompt timed out, the phone number was in the wrong format (use 07XX… or 2547XX…), your wallet balance is too low for the platform fee, or the channel is pending approval or disabled. Check the transaction page for the recorded reason and simply retry.

How do payment links work?

Create a link from Payment links — fixed amount or customer-typed amount, optionally tied to a specific channel and reference. Share the URL; your customer enters their M-Pesa number, gets the STK prompt and pays. You can disable a link at any time. See the Merchant Agreement for the full rules.

How do I integrate with the API?

Create an API key under Settings & API keys, then follow the API documentation — quickstart, authentication, STK push, transaction status and webhooks, with copy-paste examples in cURL, JavaScript, Python and PHP. Every STK request needs a channel_id from your Channels page.

I can't sign in — what now?

Use Forgot password? on the login page to get a reset link (check spam if you don't see it). Accounts are also signed out after 30 minutes of inactivity for security — just sign in again. Still stuck? Email support from the address on your account.

Can I use Fortpesa on my phone?

Yes — the dashboard works in any mobile browser with a built-in bottom navigation, and our Android app is in public beta. Details and the download are on the app page.

Contact support

Email [email protected] with your business name, the transaction or link involved (if any), and what happened. We read every message and reply as soon as we can. For privacy requests, see the Privacy Policy; for account termination, email us with "Close account" in the subject.

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