Frequently asked questions
Everything about tips.ke, in one place. Contact us if something is missing.
Tipping
Do I need an app or account to tip? ⌄
No. Scan the QR code or follow the link, choose who you're tipping and how much, and pay with M-Pesa or a card. Nothing to install, nothing to sign up for.
Can I tip more than one person at once? ⌄
Yes. "Who are you tipping?" lets you pick several people with checkboxes, the whole team, or one department (kitchen, reception, and so on). Whichever you pick, the amount splits evenly among everyone included.
Do I need the worker's phone number? ⌄
No, and that's the point. You never see or need anyone's personal M-Pesa number, tips.ke routes the payout to the right person for you.
I only have a card or foreign cash, can I still tip? ⌄
Yes. Every tip page accepts a card as well as M-Pesa.
Getting paid
How do I get paid out? ⌄
Automatically. Once your balance reaches KES 1,000, tips.ke pays it out to your M-Pesa number on its own, you never have to request a withdrawal.
How much does tips.ke take? ⌄
A 10% handling fee on payouts, same for everyone. You keep 90%. There's no signup fee and no monthly fee. See Pricing for the full breakdown.
I work in the kitchen, not with customers, can I still get tips? ⌄
Yes. Back-office staff (chefs, stewards, cleaners) can't be tipped by name since tippers never meet them directly, but they share in whichever department or whole-team pool tips they're part of.
I switched venues, do I lose my account? ⌄
No, your tips.ke account and tip link stay yours. (Automatically moving your history between venues is still being built, for now a manager at your new venue adds you to their roster and it links to your existing account the first time you log in there.)
For venues
How do I set up my venue? ⌄
Sign up, add your staff by name and M-Pesa number, and optionally group them into departments (kitchen, reception, delivery, and so on). You get one QR code for the whole venue.
Can I see who's getting tipped? ⌄
Your dashboard shows each staff member's balance. A leaderboard ranking who's earning the most appreciation is still being built.
Is there paperwork before I can start? ⌄
No in-person KYC to sign up and start receiving tips. Real business registration only matters once you're ready to accept card payments at scale, see Terms.
Account and security
How do I log in? ⌄
With your phone number (a code is sent to verify it, when SMS is available) or with Google or email and password. Whichever you use, it's the same account, you can add the others later from your dashboard.
Do you share my phone number with tippers? ⌄
Never. Tippers only ever see your tip link, not your number.
What if I lose access to my phone? ⌄
Link a Google account or set a password from your dashboard ahead of time, either gets you back in without your phone.