Sending money from India to Kenya: What to Know

Sending money from India to Kenya: What to Know


The official currency of Kenya is the Kenyan Shilling KES; it is also used as the national currencies of Sudan and Somalia. KES was rolled out as a replacement for East African shilling, and since its introduction in 1966, it has remained one of the most stable currencies in East Africa. Managed and regulated by The Central Bank of Kenya, KES is a free-floating currency and will fluctuate depending on the conditions of the foreign exchange market. 

Kenya’s economy is one of the biggest and most advanced of the Eastern and Central African countries. At 580,367 km² Kenya is relatively small when compared to other African countries, but economic inequality remains to be an issue for the population of 54 million people living there. 

Choosing the best service provider

When considering how to send money to Kenya from India there are some key aspects of the transfer to consider. 

The fastest provider is TransferWise, transfers from this provider normally take [SPEED]. The cheapest provider we found is TransferWise at 0.0001% Above Mid-Market Rate.

If you’re looking for the best combination of price, speed, and reliability we recommend using TransferWise when transferring INR to KES.

This means that by using TransferWise for online money transfers to Kenya from India, you are likely to save on transfer fees and benefit from fast speeds – so your recipient will get more money and have it delivered in less time.

Alternatively, if you are unable to access TransferWise for any reason, our comparison engine has found also to be very good options when sending INR – KES.

This recommendation was updated one minute ago.

The cheapest way to send money from India to Kenya

In order to avoid high fees, you should consider the cheapest way to send from India to Kenya.  

TransferWise has been determined by our comparison engine to be currently offering you the cheapest rates possible.

Get the Best Rate and Sign Up for Rate Alerts India to Kenya

The fastest way to send money from India to Kenya

When sending money from India to Kenya, speed is one of the biggest factors you need to consider in terms of the service offered by different money transfer providers. Currently, TransferWise is the fastest way to send INR – KES.

What payment methods are available when sending money from India to Kenya?

Most money transfer providers allow you to deposit and send money using various payment methods, but not all providers offer every option. Typically you’ll find the most common methods are bank transfers and card payments, but many providers also accept cash and some will even deliver funds straight to your recipient’s door.

Sending money to Kenya from India using a credit card

To avoid high fees you can opt to use an online money transfer provider such as TransferWise to pay for your transfer to Kenya.

Sending money to Kenya from India using a debit card

With TransferWise you can send money online to Kenya using your debit card. But before making a payment, make sure you understand all the processing fees in place. 

Using a wire transfer to send money from India to Kenya

Bank and wire transfers are the most common ways of sending money to Kenya as they are secure, reliable, and convenient. However, they often come with the slowest delivery times in case speed is an important factor for you. You can use TransferWise to send money using a bank or wire transfer at a great rate as long as you’re happy for your transfer to take 1-2 days.

When sending money to Kenya from India using bank account transfer you are paying for the outgoing fees, flat fees, currency exchange rate markup, and sometimes an additional incoming transfer fee.

If you want to make an international transfer using a wire transfer, you will need to know the SWIFT/BIC code of your recipient in Kenya.

On the other hand, you usually only pay a sender fee and a small exchange rate markup when using online money transfer services such as TransferWise.

Considerations for a INR – KES Currency Transfer

Before sending money to Kenya from India, you should consider the following:

  1. The amount you want to transfer: It is likely that the more money you send to Kenya the more value you will get and more KES the recipient will receive. This is because any flat fee charged ends up as a smaller percentage of your transfer amount, and also because many providers allow you to negotiate a better exchange rate margin if sending large amounts.
  2. The INR – KES exchange rate margin: Money transfer providers charge a small percentage on top of the mid-market exchange rates in order to generate revenue. The current mid-market rate is 1.497064 and the lowest exchange rate margin is currently offered by TransferWise at 0.0001% above the mid-market rate.
  3. Hidden fees & charges: Before sending money to Kenya, make sure the provider you are using doesn’t charge any hidden fees. Our reviews of the top-ranked providers TransferWise, and will give insight here.

How to send money from India to Kenya at the best rate?

This one’s easy. Simply use our comparison table above to find the best provider to send INR to KES. After that it’s just a process of making your transfer via the following steps:

  1. Click “Visit Site” inside our comparison table
  2. Register for an account if required
  3. Input how much you are willing to send
  4. Fund your transfer
  5. Receive & save an email confirming your transfer

How to receive transfers from INR to KES in Kenya?

Your recipient has a few methods available to receive your money in Kenya. These will vary between providers, but it is possible to find services that will:

  • Deposit KES directly into a bank account
  • Enable the recipient to pick up cash a specific locations across Kenya
  • Deliver money directly to their door
  • Send KES to your recipient’s mobile wallet

If your recipient is going to collect or have the money delivered to them in Kenya, then they will usually need the following:

  • A government-issued identification document such as passport, driver's license, or Kenyan national I.D.
  • The money transfer reference number
  • Senders details and the amount of money sent

How much money can be transferred from India to Kenya?

The amount of KES you can receive from India will largely depend on the money transfer service you are using. There are providers that specialize in smaller remittance payments, and providers who specialize in larger transfers. 

You should also check if there are any government regulations pertaining to the amount of KES that can be received in Kenya or sent from India before making your transfer.

What is the most popular money transfer method used to send funds to Kenya?

Mobile money and e-wallets are generally the most popular option for sending and receiving the money to the African continent, designed to make funds more accessible to those without a registered bank account.

How can I avoid being scammed when sending money from India to Kenya?

Transferring your hard-earned money overseas to a foreign country, using a different currency, can be daunting. We try our best to equip our users with the tools and knowledge they need to feel confident and comfortable making money transfers, whether it be online, over the phone or in-person. In the interest of safety, especially when sending money online, we encourage customers to avoid sending large sums of money right away, using a reputable and regulated service provider like the ones listed on our Companies page and avoid sending money to anyone you have not met in person. 

What sort of information will I need from my recipient in order to safely send money to them in Kenya?

Personal details required for money transfers from India to Kenya may include: the full name of the recipient, their residential address, their contact number or email address, the reason for sending, and then depending on the payment method, either their mobile money account number or bank account details. We encourage customers to check and double-check all personal information provided by your recipient, before submitting a money transfer of any kind.

Are money transfers services regulated?

Yes. All our listed companies dealing with overseas money transfers must be authorized by their relevant regulatory body.

How can I send money abroad?

There are many ways to do this, but the best option really depends on your specific needs. Are you looking to transfer quickly? Or do you care mainly about how much of your hard-earned cash actually ends up being sent over to its destination? We compare money transfer providers for your specific needs, to make sure you can send money abroad as efficiently as possible, all whilst saving you money.

Do you compare all currencies and countries?

We compare over 50 money transfer companies, this would cover nearly most or all countries. If you cannot find the currency you want to exchange or the country you want to send to – please email us here: contact@moneytransfers.com.

How we compare?

What do we mean by the top provider?
The top provider is the money transfer service that we believe is the most suitable for the country you’re sending money to. In order to keep our service free, we factor in the commercial agreements we have with partners into this ranking.

How do we choose providers to display?
We make sure that each table displays the most relevant brands to the country you are sending money to and from. We consider many factors when choosing the providers to display in the table. All of the providers we display are fully regulated to provide money transfer services in the jurisdiction you are searching, relevant regulatory authorities are the FCA, ASIC, Fincen, FINTRAC & AMF. Alongside being regulated the services are manually checked by our team for both quality of service and online trust from such platforms as Trustpilot and Google reviews. We base our rankings primarily on the quality of the service provided, the benefit to the consumer and to keep our service free – the commercial agreements we have.

How do we order our comparisons?
We are affiliated with some of the partners displayed in the tables. However, the order of the providers is based on the quality of the service for the particular country corridor followed by the commercial agreement in place. You don’t pay any extra and the deal you get isn’t affected by our commercial agreement with the money transfer provider. We may receive a commission when you click through to a listing or when you make a transaction. We aim to find the balance between the quality of the service, customer satisfaction, and the commercial agreements we have, and continue comparing services in a transparent way. If you have any questions about our listings, please don’t hesitate to email us at contact@moneytransfers.com

How do money transfers work & how long does it take?

The process will largely depend on the provider you use, however, the process typically involves the following steps:

  • You will need to sign up with the chosen provider (use our comparison tools to find the best service for your needs)
  • Then you will need to deposit the amount you want to send and the fees associated with it.
  • The provider will transfer your funds in the right currency directly to the recipient without any intermediaries.
  • You can deposit your money with a bank card online or you can make a transaction inside the store.

This process usually takes 1-2 days for the recipient to receive their money, but some providers can send money instantly.

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