Buying SMS bundles in Kenya is not only the work of tech teams or marketers operating on big campaigns. Whether you are a small company sending sponsored messages to your customers, a school updating parents, or more, being informed of how to buy SMS bundles in the most efficient way can save time, lower your expenses, and provide better results when sharing a message. In this guide, we will make it simple in understandable (actionable) steps supported by data, examples, and hints that can be implemented immediately.
What Does Buying SMS Bundles Mean?
Many times, entrepreneurs, marketing managers as well and administrators are often asked what it means to buy SMS bundles. In simple terms, SMS bundles are prepaid/paid passes of text that you buy from a telecom company or SMS gateway provider. SMS Bundles also afford you cheap rates on a bulk purchase of airtime, unlike single airtime purchases, where one can only send one message at a time.
An example of an SMS bundle provider is Safaricom, which provides as low as 50 and up to 500 SMS that consumers have to use within a given time. Meanwhile, business SMS services such as Africala and SMSala have scalable services with APIs to run automated campaigns.
Why Should You Care About Buying SMS Bundles?
In order to know how to purchase SMS, in the first place, one should realize why it is necessary:
- Cost Effectiveness: Bulk SMS packages are even very cheap as opposed to pay-as-you-go SMS.
- Easy to Manage: The bundles that are bought in advance make sure that you do not finish during the campaign.
- Integration: Bundles are seamlessly integrated into CRM or ERP systems with larger providers such as Africala and SMSala.
Data Insight: A research study conducted by SMS Comparison Africa found that companies adopting an SMS bundle to reach their customers saved a minimum of 45% on communication costs compared to the typical one-to-one purchase of SMS in traditional mode.
Step 1: Determine Your SMS Needs
Before buying SMS bundles, assess:
- Volume Required: What is the number of messages that you want to send on a daily or monthly basis?
- The Nature of the Communication: promotional, transactional (such as OTPs), or informational.
- Target Audience: Is it going to locals or internationals?
As in the case of a bakery located in Nairobi that mainly wishes to send daily promotional SMS to 1,000 subscribers, a monthly bundle of at least 30,000 SMS messages will be necessary.
Step 2: Choose Between Telecom Bundles and Bulk SMS Platforms
Telecom Providers
In Kenya, major telecom operators offering SMS bundles include:
- Safaricom SMS Bundles
- Airtel SMS Bundles
- Telkom Kenya SMS Bundles
These are ideal for personal or small-scale business use, sent directly via your mobile phone.
Bulk SMS Platforms
For brands or organizations needing integrated systems, bulk SMS platforms are the preferred choice.
Africala and SMSala are leading providers offering:
- Competitive bulk rates
- APIs for automation
- Delivery reports and analytics
- International routing capabilities
Sample use case: In Kenya, SMSala is used by loan repayment reminder fintech startups who send out over 200K SMS monthly at close to a 30 percent discounted price sweep, which is available in the telecom retail bundles.
Step 3: How to Buy SMS Bundles from Safaricom
Here’s a simple step-by-step guide:
- Dial *188# on your Safaricom line.
- Select ‘Buy SMS Bundles’.
- Select your favourite Package (e.g., 50 SMS, 100 SMS, 500 SMS).
- Confirm purchase using airtime or M-Pesa.
Tip: For All-Net bundles (send to any network), Safaricom offers separate options under 188# > All-Net SMS Bundles.
Step 4: How to Buy SMS Bundles from Airtel Kenya
To buy Airtel SMS bundles:
- Dial *544# on your Airtel line.
- Select ‘SMS Bundles’.
- Choose from available packages.
- Confirm your purchase.
Note: Airtel’s ‘Freedom Packs’ often include combined data and SMS at competitive prices.
Step 5: How to Buy SMS Bundles from Telkom Kenya
For Telkom users:
- Dial *188# on your Telkom line.
- Choose ‘SMS Bundles’.
- Select your desired Package.
- Confirm purchase.
Telkom’s SMS rates are among the most affordable in Kenya, making them popular for schools and NGOs with budget constraints.
Step 6: Buying SMS Bundles via Bulk SMS Providers
Using Africala
Africala is the best Bulk SMS Kenya service provider and simplifies how to buy SMS bundles for businesses. Steps include:
- Sign Up on Africala’s platform.
- Choose Package based on your volume needs (e.g., 10,000 SMS for promotional campaigns).
- Pay online via M-Pesa, card, or bank transfer.
- Upload Contacts and compose your SMS campaign.
- Send and Track delivery and click reports via the Dashboard.
Africala’s multi-language API and global coverage make it ideal for brands targeting customers across Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Using SMSala
SMSala, a global leader alongside Africala, offers:
- Account Registration on SMSala’s website.
- Select SMS Bundles from flexible options suited for OTPs, marketing, or notifications.
- Complete Payment securely.
- Access the Dashboard to schedule and manage campaigns.
Case Study: An e-commerce brand in Nairobi integrated SMSala’s API for delivery updates, achieving a 98.5% delivery success rate and a 25% drop in missed deliveries.
Step 7: Verify Delivery Rates and Sender ID Options
Before purchasing, always check:
- Delivery Speed: Instant delivery for OTPs or transactional alerts.
- Sender ID Registration: Required for brand names to appear as senders instead of generic numbers.
- Network Restrictions: Ensure your provider supports all Kenyan networks and international destinations if needed.
Step 8: SMS Bundle Price Comparison
This is a snapshot of the comparison (June 2025):
| Provider | Bundle Size | Price (KES) | Validity |
| Safaricom | 500 SMS | 600 | 30 days |
| Airtel | 500 SMS | 550 | 30 days |
| Telkom | 500 SMS | 500 | 30 days |
| Africala | 10,000 SMS | From 20,000 | No expiry (depending on plan) |
| SMSala | Custom | Varies | Flexible |
Source: Respective provider websites
Step 9: Comply with the Kenya Regulations
The Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) demands that bulk SMS originators register the sender IDs and ensure that they adhere to DND (Do-Not-Disturb) rules. Providers like Africala and SMSala assist with compliance during onboarding.
Step 10: Monitor SMS Campaign Performance
Buying SMS bundles is just the start. Regularly analyze:
- Delivery Reports
- Click-Through Rates (CTR)
- Unsubscribe Rates
Insights: SMS marketing campaigns around the world generate an average open rate of 98 per cent as opposed to 20 per cent in emails (Source: MobileSquared).
FAQs on How to Buy SMS and SMS Bundles
What services are available to purchase SMS bundles in case I am not in Kenya?
Kenyan SMS bundles can be purchased through international companies such as SMSala or Africala, with international cards or PayPal.
What is the cheapest SMS service provider in Kenya?
For personal use, Telkom offers the lowest rates. For businesses, platforms like Africala and SMSala provide volume-based discounts.
Can I integrate SMS bundles with my CRM system?
Yes. Africala and SMSala both offer APIs to automate SMS within your CRM or ERP.
Is there a difference between buying telecom bundles and bulk SMS bundles?
Yes. Telecom bundles are for direct phone use, while bulk SMS bundles are for automated mass messaging via an SMS gateway.
Final Thoughts on How to Buy SMS Bundles Effectively
Saving Money is not the only reason why SMS bundles are bought. It does not matter who you choose as a partner or what you want to convey through communication. Rather, it is mainly making good use of the data and statistics to optimize the way. It could be that you own a small cafe and you want to send your offers, or you could be a fledgling fintech startup that wants to send your OTPs; either way, knowing how to purchase your SMS intelligently will simplify your processes and increase your visibility.
Solutions such as Africala and SMSala have continued to dominate this segment, giving businesses of whatever dimension an easy time in international texting. They also have convenient dashboards, trustworthy APIs, and geographic exhaustiveness, which guarantee that your messages are delivered on time each time.