How Kaziiko Pays Experts: M-Pesa, Escrow and Disputes

When you hire someone on Kaziiko, your money doesn't go straight to them. It sits in M-Pesa escrow instead—a holding tank that protects both buyer and expert. Verified experts on Kaziiko get paid only after you approve the work. That's the core promise. But payment processes are boring until they aren't. So let's break down how Kaziiko actually pays experts, what fees bite into earnings, and how disputes work when either side says the other didn't hold up their end.

The three-step payment flow

Step 1: You pay via M-Pesa. You browse an expert's profile on Kaziiko, check their rating and reviews, and send the quoted amount through M-Pesa. The funds go into escrow — protected until you confirm you're satisfied. The expert sees the money is real, which matters: on some platforms, workers get burned by requests that evaporate.

Step 2: Work happens. You and the expert chat directly on the platform. They deliver what you paid for—a filled eCitizen form, a business registration document, a website design, whatever the task is. You can request changes via the chat.

Step 3: You approve, they get paid minus the cut. Review the deliverable. Approve it and payment is released to your expert, minus our 15% platform fee. So if you paid KSh 5,000, the expert receives KSh 4,250. Funds are held in M-Pesa escrow. You get paid the moment the client approves.

Why the 15% fee matters

Buyers pay the listed service price (for example, from KSh 300 for eCitizen tasks, KSh 5,000 for web development); experts join free and pay a 15% commission per completed order. No monthly dues. No listing fee. But 15% is real money. An expert earning KSh 50,000 a month takes home KSh 42,500. That's close to what many Nairobi freelancers charge outright for similar work.

The fee funds the escrow system, vetting, the platform itself, and—when things break—dispute resolution. Whether that's worth it depends on whether you value safety over maximum take-home. Many do.

When disputes happen

Not all approvals are easy. Sometimes an expert delivers something that doesn't match what you asked for. Sometimes you disappear and never review the work. Sometimes the dispute is genuine; sometimes it's not.

Payment held in M-Pesa escrow until you approve delivery. Request changes via chat — dispute available if unresolved. The system gives you a channel. Not happy? We mediate and protect you. Kaziiko says it steps in to mediate. The exact process—how long it takes, what counts as evidence, whether both sides always agree—isn't spelled out in public detail. If you use the platform, you should ask them directly how disputes are handled before paying, because disagreements about quality or delivery are where friction lives.

Full refund if work is not delivered is the other safety net. If the expert ghosts you, you're not left holding the bill. But "not delivered" is clearer than "delivered badly," and that's where most real disputes sit.

Expert payout details

Experts set their own prices. Set your own rates, choose your clients, work from anywhere in Kenya. You can charge KSh 300 for a quick government form, KSh 50,000 for a full business registration package. Zero upfront cost — we only earn when you do. Payouts happen via M-Pesa to your account once approval lands, minus the 15%.

There's no mention on the platform of withdrawal delays or minimum payout thresholds. Many Kenyan marketplaces hold earnings for 30 days or require KSh 10,000 minimum before you can cash out. Check the Kaziiko terms or ask support if you want specifics before signing up as an expert.

M-Pesa escrow and security

M-Pesa escrow isn't a bank account with interest. It's a mechanism: money charged when you pay, held by Safaricom or a partner, released when conditions are met. M-Pesa escrow for payment protection and an expert marketplace model run by a registered Kenyan company (Kaziiko Digital Services Ltd., head office in Upper Hill, Nairobi). That's the company behind the platform. The escrow isn't your money sitting in a Kaziiko vault. It's M-Pesa money, held under Kaziiko's instruction.

This matters if Kaziiko's systems go down or there's confusion about who holds what. M-Pesa itself is regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya, but the rules governing escrow disputes between marketplaces and M-Pesa aren't retail-facing. If something goes deeply wrong, you're dealing with a tech support issue, not a regulated bank complaint process. That's a gap.

What to expect as a buyer

Clear job descriptions help. Business setup experts on Kaziiko can handle company registration, tax forms, eCitizen accounts. Tell them exactly what you need. Chat before you pay. Approve quickly once it's done—both sides prefer not to have money hanging in escrow for weeks.

If you're unhappy, use the dispute system. Don't assume "I didn't like it" will win. Have a reason: "This was supposed to be a 66-page passport booklet application, but the expert submitted a blank form." Specifics matter.

What to expect as an expert

The upside: you get paid. Escrow means the client can't say "sorry, run out of money" after you've done the work. The downside: 15% vanishes, and disputes can lock your earnings for a few days while Kaziiko investigates.

Be clear about what you deliver. Include delivery dates. Respond to change requests fast. If a client asks for something outside the scope, ask for a new order. Don't argue about refunds in chat—that's what the dispute process is for.

Payment integration experts on the platform handle custom code and complex setups, which take longer and are harder to dispute because they're bespoke. Simpler tasks—a quick eCitizen form, a document download—are lower friction but also lower-paying.

The friction points

M-Pesa has limits. A single M-Pesa transaction tops out at KSh 100,000 per day (though this can vary by account and time). If you're buying a big project, you might need to split payments across two days or arrange a bank transfer. Ask the expert if they accept anything other than M-Pesa.

The 15% fee is non-negotiable and applies to every single job, even repeat clients. If you're doing high-volume work on Kaziiko, that fee compounds. Some experts negotiate custom rates with clients off-platform, which means Kaziiko loses the fee—and both sides lose the escrow protection. Not a good trade-off.

Dispute resolution is human, which means it's slow and sometimes inconsistent. If Kaziiko is slammed with disputes, resolution takes weeks. If you need the money by Thursday, a Wednesday dispute becomes a problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for an expert to receive payment after I approve?

Funds are held in M-Pesa escrow. You get paid the moment the client approves. In practice, that usually means minutes to an hour, but exact settlement times depend on M-Pesa and Kaziiko's backend. Ask the expert how long they've waited in the past.

What if I approve the work by mistake?

Once approved, the money is released to the expert. You can raise a dispute if the work genuinely didn't meet your requirements, but Kaziiko will investigate. If they find the expert did what was asked, your dispute will likely fail. Be careful when you click approve.

Can I use a bank transfer instead of M-Pesa?

Kaziiko's payment system is built on M-Pesa escrow. Bank transfers aren't listed as an option on the platform. Some experts might accept them outside the platform, but you lose the escrow protection that way. Check directly with an expert if you need an alternative.

What happens to unclaimed disputes?

The platform doesn't say. If you file a dispute and never follow up, Kaziiko will either close it or hold it indefinitely. Don't let disputes ghost. If you're unhappy, engage with the process and provide evidence of what went wrong.