Before You Start

You need one thing: a Tangi account with a verified phone number. The person receiving the airtime does not need Tangi, and the phone being topped up does not need a data bundle.

Airtime is sold at face value, so there is no markup to work around — KSh 100 buys KSh 100 of airtime, whether you pay from the wallet or from M-Pesa. The wallet balance sits at the top of the airtime screen, so you always know what you can spend before you decide.

Buying Airtime on Tangi, Step by Step

Open the airtime screen — from the Tangi app, or in a browser at tangi.co.ke/airtime . Everything below happens on that one screen.

1. Choose the amount

Type the amount per number, or tap a quick chip — KSh 50, 100, 200 or 500. The amount applies to every number in the buy, so a mixed top-up is two separate buys.

2. Add the numbers

Type one number per line under "Who's getting it?" — your own, someone else's, or a list of both. Tangi recognises the network for each line automatically. Numbers you have used before appear under "Recent numbers"; tap one to add it back, or the × to forget it.

3. Read it back before you buy

As you type, Tangi lists every number it will top up, the network it has matched, and the running total. This is the last check before the money moves, and it is there for a reason: a top-up cannot be recalled.

A top-up cannot be recalled. Once the buy goes through, a wrong number means the airtime is gone — so read each number back on this step before you tap Buy airtime.

Paying From Your Wallet, or With M-Pesa

If the wallet covers the total, tap Buy airtime and you are done — the airtime goes out without leaving the screen.

If it does not, Tangi does not dead-end. It tells you the difference and offers to raise just that amount with M-Pesa, so you still buy in one go. Or you deposit more than the difference and keep the rest in the wallet for next time.

• Pay the difference — M-Pesa is charged only the shortfall, and the airtime goes out as soon as it clears.
• Deposit a round amount — against a KSh 1,500 difference, deposit KSh 2,000 and KSh 500 stays in your wallet.
• Fund first — top up the wallet up front and every later buy is a single tap.

What Happens After You Tap Buy

The airtime goes out straight away — each number receives its amount within seconds. The buy appears on the screen under "On its way", and the numbers you used are saved to "Recent numbers" so the next buy is quicker.

A bulk buy tops up every number you added, so a long list can take a moment — but there is nothing else to do: no agent, no scratch card, and no code to read out.

Buying for Someone Else

Everything above works the same whether the number is yours or not — you simply type theirs. Airtime is a common way to help family, a househelp, a boda rider or a student, and on Tangi it is one screen rather than a trip to a shop.

The full picture, including the rules that keep it safe, is in buy airtime for another number .

Where to Go Next

For the wider picture — every network and every way to pay — read the complete guide to buying airtime in Kenya . If you would rather pay with M-Pesa end to end, see buy airtime with M-Pesa .

Frequently Asked Questions