How much does custom software cost in Kenya?
Realistic price ranges for websites, M-Pesa integrations, bots, AI and apps in Kenya, what drives the cost, and how to spend less without cutting corners.
Philip Egesa 4 min read
“How much will it cost?” is a fair question, and “it depends” is a frustrating answer. Here are the ranges we actually quote, what pushes a project up or down, and the running costs people often forget.
These are QuantumNest’s starting prices. Other studios and freelancers will differ, and every final quote depends on scope.
Typical starting prices
| Project | Starting from (KES) | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|
| One-page website | 3,000 | 2–5 days |
| Extra website page | 1,500 per page | +½ day each |
| M-Pesa integration (new or existing site) | 6,000 | 3–5 days |
| Airtel Money payments | 6,000 | 2–3 days |
| Business website (5 pages + contact form) | 10,000 | 1–2 weeks |
| Telegram bot | 10,000 | 1–2 weeks |
| AI chatbot on your website | 15,000 | 1–2 weeks |
| Online shop (cart and checkout) | 23,000 | 2–3 weeks |
| WhatsApp bot | 25,000 | 2–3 weeks |
| Trading bot, EA or indicator | 40,000 | 2–4 weeks |
| Full payments system with reconciliation | 60,000 | 2–4 weeks |
| WiFi hotspot billing with M-Pesa | 60,000 | 3–6 weeks |
| Custom AI model training | 150,000 | 4–12 weeks |
| Web app / SaaS MVP | 250,000 | 6–14 weeks |
| Mobile app MVP (Android and iOS) | 300,000 | 8–16 weeks |
Want a number for your exact project? Describe it in our website cost calculator and see the price instantly.
What drives the price
1. Number of user types. An app for customers only is simpler than one with customers, vendors, riders and admins. Each role needs its own screens, permissions and testing.
2. Integrations. Every external system adds work: M-Pesa, card gateways, SMS, WhatsApp, maps, accounting tools, KRA eTIMS. Payments in particular need careful handling of failures and reconciliation.
3. Custom design versus a clean standard design. A polished, fully custom design system costs more than a well-structured standard interface. Both can look professional.
4. Offline and performance requirements. Apps that must work without a connection, sync later and run on budget phones take more engineering.
5. Data and AI. Off-the-shelf AI through an API is affordable. Training custom models depends heavily on how clean and available your data is.
6. Uncertainty. Vague scope is expensive. Every unknown gets priced as risk. A short scoping phase usually saves money overall.
Running costs to budget for
The build is not the only cost. Typical ongoing costs include:
- Domain: a
.co.keor.comdomain costs a few thousand shillings per year. - Hosting: from free tiers for simple sites to a few thousand shillings a month for most SME apps.
- Database and storage: often included in hosting at small scale.
- SMS and WhatsApp: pay-per-message, depending on volume.
- AI usage: per request; usually modest for SME chatbots.
- App stores: Google Play has a one-time developer registration fee; Apple charges an annual developer membership.
- Payment fees: M-Pesa tariffs or gateway percentages per transaction.
- Maintenance: budget for updates, security patches and small improvements. A website care plan starts from KES 2,000 a month; larger apps and systems from KES 15,000 a month.
We list expected running costs in every proposal so there are no surprises later.
How to spend less (without cutting corners)
- Start with the smallest version that solves the main problem. Launch, learn, then add features people actually use.
- Use proven building blocks. Hosted databases, authentication and payment gateways cost far less than building your own.
- Have one decision-maker. Fast, clear feedback shortens the project.
- Prepare your content. Product lists, prices, photos and policies ready on day one save days of back-and-forth.
- Avoid the cheapest quote that skips testing. Rebuilding a broken system costs more than building it properly once.
Fixed price or hourly?
For well-defined projects we prefer fixed prices with milestones. You know the cost upfront and pay as each stage is approved. For ongoing work, or projects where the scope is still being discovered, a monthly retainer or time-based billing can be fairer to both sides.
Getting an accurate quote
Send us:
- What problem you’re solving, and for whom.
- The must-have features for the first version.
- Any systems it must connect to (M-Pesa, accounting, an existing website).
- Your timeline and a rough budget range.
We’ll reply within one working day with questions or a ballpark, and a fixed quote after a short call. Start here.