M-Pesa is Kenya’s top mobile money service. WordPress powers millions of sites. Integrating M-Pesa lets you accept payments easily. This guide shows step-by-step methods. It’s SEO-optimized for “M-Pesa WordPress integration.” Use plugins or code. Perfect for WooCommerce stores or membership sites.

Why Integrate M-Pesa with WordPress?

Customers love M-Pesa. Over 50 million Kenyans use it daily. It boosts sales for e-commerce. No credit cards needed. Supports STK Push for smooth checkouts.

Key benefits:

  • Instant payments.

  • Low fees.

  • Mobile-first.

  • Works in Kenya and beyond.

SEO tip: Add keywords like “M-Pesa WooCommerce plugin” naturally.

Prerequisites Before Starting

Gather these first:

  • Active WordPress site.

  • WooCommerce plugin (for stores).

  • Safaricom Daraja API account.

  • Business Paybill or Till number.

  • Hosting with PHP 7.4+.

Register at developer.safaricom.co.ke. It’s free for sandbox testing.

Method 1: Use Free WordPress Plugins

Plugins make integration simple. No coding required. Top options below.

Recommended Plugins Comparison

Plugin Name Free? WooCommerce? STK Push Sandbox Support
M-Pesa Open API ​ Yes Yes Yes Yes Basic
Woo M-Pesa Gateway ​ Yes Yes Yes Yes Community
Daraja M-Pesa ​ Paid Yes Yes Yes Premium

Install from WordPress.org or GitHub.​

Steps for Plugin Installation

  1. Log into WordPress dashboard.

  2. Go to Plugins > Add New.

  3. Search “M-Pesa” or upload ZIP.

  4. Install and activate.

  5. Test in sandbox mode.

Example: For M-Pesa Open API:

  • Navigate to WooCommerce > Settings > Payments > M-PESA.

  • Enter credentials.

  • Enable gateway.​

Get M-Pesa Daraja API Credentials

Visit developer.safaricom.co.ke.

  1. Sign up or log in.

  2. Create new app.

  3. Select Lipa na M-Pesa Sandbox.

  4. Note Consumer Key and Secret.

  5. Generate Passkey (for production).

  6. Go live after approval.

Sandbox simulates payments. Use test phone: 254708374149. PIN: 000000.

Configure Plugin Settings

Enter details in plugin:

  • Consumer Key.

  • Consumer Secret.

  • Paybill/Till Number.

  • Passkey.

  • Callback URL (auto-generated).

  • Confirmation URL.

Save changes. Set to test mode first.​

Pro Tip: Use shortcode plugins like IntaSend for non-Woo sites. Add [mpesa] buttons anywhere.​

Test M-Pesa Integration

Testing prevents live issues.

Steps:

  1. Enable sandbox.

  2. Add product to cart.

  3. Checkout with M-Pesa.

  4. Enter test phone.

  5. Check STK Push on phone.

  6. Confirm payment.

  7. View order status.

Troubleshoot errors:

  • Invalid credentials? Regenerate keys.

  • No STK? Check callbacks.

  • Timeouts? Verify webhooks.​

Go Live: Production Setup

Ready for real money?

  1. Switch to production API.

  2. Update Passkey.

  3. Disable sandbox.

  4. Test live transaction (small amount).

  5. Monitor dashboard.

Safaricom approves in 1-3 days. Fees: 1-2% per transaction.​

Custom Integration Without Plugins

For full control, code it yourself. Uses Daraja API STK Push.

Required Files

Create in theme: functions.php or custom plugin.

API Credentials Table

Credential Sandbox URL Production URL
OAuth https://sandbox.safaricom.co.ke/oauth/v1/generate?grant_type=client_credentials https://api.safaricom.co.ke/oauth/v1/generate
STK Push https://sandbox.safaricom.co.ke/mpesa/stkpush/v1/processrequest https://api.safaricom.co.ke/mpesa/stkpush/v1/processrequest
Register URL https://sandbox.safaricom.co.ke/mpesa/c2b/v1/registerurl https://api.safaricom.co.ke/mpesa/c2b/v1/registerurl ​

Sample PHP Code for STK Push

Add to functions.php:

php
function initiate_mpesa_stk($phone, $amount, $account) {
$consumer_key = 'YOUR_KEY';
$consumer_secret = 'YOUR_SECRET';
$passkey = 'YOUR_PASSKEY';
$business_shortcode = 'YOUR_SHORTCODE';

// Get access token
$curl = curl_init();
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://sandbox.safaricom.co.ke/oauth/v1/generate?grant_type=client_credentials");
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, array('content-type:application/json'));
// Add auth headers...
$response = curl_exec($curl);
$token = json_decode($response)->access_token;

// STK Push
$data = [
'BusinessShortCode' => $business_shortcode,
'Password' => base64_encode($business_shortcode . $passkey . time()),
'Timestamp' => date('YmdHis'),
'TransactionType' => 'CustomerPayBillOnline',
'Amount' => $amount,
'PartyA' => $phone,
'PartyB' => $business_shortcode,
'PhoneNumber' => $phone,
'CallBackURL' => home_url('/mpesa/callback/'),
'AccountReference' => 'Order' . rand(1000,9999),
'TransactionDesc' => 'Payment'
];

curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_URL, 'https://sandbox.safaricom.co.ke/mpesa/stkpush/v1/processrequest');
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_POST, true);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, json_encode($data));
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, array('Authorization: Bearer ' . $token, 'Content-Type: application/json'));
$result = curl_exec($curl);
curl_close($curl);
return $result;
}

Handle callbacks in a page template.​​

Security Note: Sanitize inputs. Use nonces.

WooCommerce-Specific Setup

WooCommerce is popular. Plugins shine here.

  1. Install WooCommerce.

  2. Add M-Pesa gateway plugin.

  3. Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Payments.

  4. Enable M-Pesa.

  5. Drag to top for priority.

Custom checkout fields:

  • Phone number (mandatory).

  • Auto-fill from billing.​

Advanced Features

  • Paywalls: Restrict content post-payment. Use code snippets.​

  • Subscriptions: Pair with Woo Subscriptions.

  • Multi-site: Network activate plugins.

  • Hooks: Customize with woocommerce_payment_complete.

Shortcode example:

text
[mpesa amount="1000" phone="required" description="Buy Now"]

Common Issues and Fixes

Issue Cause Fix
No STK Push Wrong URLs Check sandbox/production ​
Callback Fail Permalinks Flush rewrite rules
Invalid Token Expired key Regenerate
Currency Mismatch KES only Set Woo to KES

Clear cache. Check error logs.​

Security Best Practices

  • HTTPS mandatory.

  • Store keys in wp-config.php.

  • Validate callbacks with Safaricom result codes.

  • Log transactions.

  • Comply with Data Protection Act.

Regular updates prevent hacks.​

Costs Involved

Item Cost
Plugin Free – KSh 5,000
Daraja API Free
Safaricom Fees 0.5-2%
Hosting KSh 500/mo+

ROI: Higher conversions pay off fast.​

Mobile Optimization

M-Pesa users are mobile. Ensure:

  • Responsive theme.

  • Fast load times.

  • AMP support.

  • One-tap STK.

Test on Android/iOS.​

Final Tips for Success

Start small. Test thoroughly. Monitor analytics. Offer support chat.

Track metrics:

  • Conversion rate.

  • Abandoned carts.

  • Average order value.

Scale to subscriptions or apps later.

This setup works in 2026. Update for API changes