Africastalking Com — Communication

What is Africastalking Com?

Africa's Talking is a communication platform that provides APIs for SMS, USSD, Voice, Airtime, Mobile Data, and WhatsApp. It simplifies access to telco infrastructure so developers and businesses can build high-impact mobile engagement solutions without dealing directly with mobile operators. With 80+ telco connections and 100% coverage across Africa, it's the go-to tool for scaling engagement campaigns.

Who is it for?

It's ideal for developers and businesses in Africa who need to send SMS, set up USSD services, handle voice calls, or distribute airtime/mobile data. It's also great for non-technical users via a no-code platform for creating, launching, and scaling campaigns. It's NOT for those needing global coverage beyond Africa or those looking for a fully no-code solution with no integration effort.

Real use cases

Examples include building an interactive customer call center using Voice API (like James Odede's Voice Memo), sending bulk SMS for marketing, creating real-time text-based services via USSD (e.g., mobile banking menus), and incentivizing users with instant airtime or data purchases. Over 250,000 developers already use Africa's Talking.

• SMS API — Send and receive text messages to engage customers effectively.
• USSD API — Build interactive text-based menus accessible on any mobile phone, even without internet.
• Voice API — Add features like call routing, recording, and conferencing to enrich user call experiences.
• Airtime API — Instantly send virtual airtime for micro-payments or incentives.
• Mobile Data API — Send mobile data bundles for similar incentive or micro-payment use cases.
• WhatsApp API — Enable rich media interactive engagement via WhatsApp bots and flows.
• No-code platform — Create, launch, and scale engagement campaigns without coding.

Africastalking Com pricing: from KES 10,000/mo (shared USSD maintenance).

For comparison: the median starting price in Communication is $15.99/month, measured across 153 tools we track. See the full SaaS Pricing Index →

Shared USSD Code (Postpaid)

Set-up is free. Monthly maintenance starts at KES 10,000 for codes with 4+ digits (e.g., *384*XXXX#) or KES 40,000 for shorter codes (e.g., *384*X#). Session costs are covered by the code owner, with rates shown per network and plan (Basic to Max). A compulsory deposit of KES 10,000 is required.

Shared USSD Code (Prepaid)

Set-up is free. Session costs are covered by the end user, with a compulsory deposit of KES 5,000 for infrastructure fees. Africa's Talking charges a per-session fee of KES 0.25 plus telco charges.

Dedicated USSD Code

Set-up costs vary by network (e.g., Safaricom KES 17,400, Airtel KES 116,000, Telkom KES 103,900, Equitel KES 60,000) with monthly maintenance from KES 40,600. Session costs are covered by the code owner, requiring a deposit of KES 100,000.

Note: Africa's Talking also offers pay-as-you-go pricing for SMS, Voice, Airtime, and Mobile Data APIs (not listed). Contact them for a quote. No free trial is mentioned, but the USSD shared code set-up is free.

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