My OneApp users can now access Safaricom’s combined M-PESA and account management platform without using up their data bundles, following the latest app update.
The zero-rated access applies from Android version 5.1.9 and iOS version 5.1.7. Users still need an active internet connection to open and run the app, either through mobile data or Wi-Fi. Once connected, however, app activity is not expected to reduce the user’s data balance.
The change addresses one of the biggest complaints that followed the launch of My OneApp. The app was introduced as a unified platform combining the older M-PESA app and the MySafaricom app into one service. That consolidation was meant to simplify access to payments, balances, airtime, bundles, Bonga points and other Safaricom services.
My OneApp – Apps on Google Play
However, the early experience was not smooth for everyone. Some users reported login problems, network restrictions and frustrating sign-outs when switching connectivity. For customers who depend heavily on M-PESA and Safaricom account tools, those problems created real inconvenience.
The latest update does not only make the app data-free. It also adds Send to Bank Hakikisha, improves QR scan payments, integrates Daima Service and supports Home Internet Family Share. Safaricom has also included general bug fixes and performance improvements.
For many users, the most important part of the update is simple: using My OneApp should now be cheaper and easier, especially for customers who are careful about mobile data consumption.
Why Zero-Rated Access Matters
Zero-rated access means users can access a digital service without paying data charges for the activity inside that service. In the case of My OneApp, this makes the app more practical for customers who may have limited bundles or who want to manage M-PESA and Safaricom services without worrying about data usage.
This matters in Kenya because mobile money is not a luxury service. M-PESA is part of daily life for millions of people. Customers use it to send money, pay bills, buy goods, receive payments, access financial services and manage household transactions.
When an app connected to those services consumes data, even small amounts can become a barrier for some users. A person may want to check a balance, confirm a transaction, buy airtime or make a payment, but hesitate if their bundle is almost finished.
By making My OneApp data-free, Safaricom reduces that friction. The update is especially useful for lower-income users, students, small traders and customers who rely on small daily or weekly data bundles.
It also makes the app more competitive with USSD-based services, which many users still rely on because they are familiar and do not require the same app experience. If My OneApp becomes easier and cheaper to access, more users may be willing to shift from older channels to the app.
My OneApp Was Built to Replace App Switching
My OneApp was launched to bring several Safaricom services into one platform. Instead of using one app for M-PESA and another for Safaricom account management, users can access key services from one place.
The app gives users access to M-PESA balances, airtime, data bundles, SMS, Bonga points and other services from a central home screen. This makes sense because Safaricom customers often move between financial services and mobile account services in the same day.
For example, a user may receive money through M-PESA, buy airtime, purchase a data bundle, check a balance, pay for home internet and redeem Bonga points. Previously, some of these actions could push customers between different apps or service menus.
A unified app can make the experience cleaner. It can also help Safaricom build a stronger digital platform around its services.
However, consolidation only works if the app is reliable. Users do not care that an app is modern if it locks them out, consumes data unexpectedly or fails during important transactions. That is why the latest update is important. Safaricom is not just adding features; it is fixing friction points that could have slowed adoption.
Earlier Login and Connectivity Issues Created Frustration
The early My OneApp rollout faced criticism because some users experienced difficult login and connectivity requirements.
A major concern was that the app could sign users out when connectivity changed or when Safaricom network access was lost. Some users also reported that getting back in required a Safaricom SIM in the device, Safaricom mobile data rather than Wi-Fi, and no VPN running.
For users in Kenya, this was frustrating enough. For diaspora users, it was even more difficult. A customer outside Kenya may still depend on M-PESA, but may not have an active Safaricom data bundle or may be using Wi-Fi or a foreign network. If the app demanded a specific Safaricom network condition, it could become almost unusable.
Safaricom previously moved to address some of those problems by keeping users logged in even when using a non-Safaricom network. The latest data-free update builds on that progress.
The lesson is clear. Financial and telecom apps must be flexible. Customers access services from different devices, networks, locations and countries. A modern app must support that reality instead of assuming every user is always on the same local mobile network.
Send to Bank Hakikisha Adds a Safety Layer
One of the new features in the latest My OneApp update is Send to Bank Hakikisha.
Hakikisha is already familiar to many M-PESA users as a confirmation feature that helps customers verify recipient details before completing a transaction. Extending this kind of confirmation to bank transfers is important because bank payments can be difficult to reverse when sent incorrectly.
The new Send to Bank Hakikisha feature gives users an additional confirmation step before completing bank transfers. This can help reduce wrong payments, accidental transfers and mistakes caused by typing the wrong details.
Mobile money users often transact quickly. A customer may be sending money while traveling, working, shopping or handling several tasks at once. Mistakes can happen easily. A confirmation step gives the user one more chance to check the recipient before the money leaves the account.
This is especially important as more Kenyans move money between M-PESA wallets and bank accounts. The more common these transfers become, the more important transaction confirmation becomes.
For Safaricom, adding Hakikisha to bank transfers also helps strengthen trust in My OneApp as a serious financial tool, not just a convenience app.
QR Scan Payments Get Improved
The update also brings improved QR scan functionality for payments.
QR payments are becoming more common because they reduce manual entry. Instead of typing a till number, paybill number or account details, a user can scan a code and complete payment more quickly.
Better QR scanning can improve speed and reduce mistakes. It can also make payments easier for merchants, customers and service providers. For small businesses, QR payments can make checkout smoother. For customers, scanning can feel more convenient than typing numbers.
However, QR payments only work well if the scanning experience is fast and reliable. A slow scanner, poor recognition or repeated errors can discourage users. That is why performance improvements matter.
If Safaricom improves QR scanning inside My OneApp, the app becomes more useful for everyday payments at shops, restaurants, events, service counters and delivery points.
The improvement also supports Safaricom’s wider digital payments ecosystem. The easier payments become inside the app, the more likely users are to adopt it for routine transactions.
Daima Service Integration Added
The latest My OneApp update also integrates Daima Service.
Safaricom’s Daima service is designed to help customers keep their line active for longer periods. This can be useful for users who travel, live abroad, maintain a secondary number or do not use their Safaricom line frequently but still want to keep it active.
Adding Daima Service inside My OneApp makes it easier for users to manage that service without searching through separate menus or channels.
This is especially useful for diaspora customers. Many Kenyans living abroad still want to keep their Safaricom numbers active for M-PESA, family communication, banking, business, two-factor authentication or identity-related services. If the app now supports easier Daima access, it gives those users more control.
Daima integration also fits the broader purpose of My OneApp. Safaricom wants the app to become the central place where customers manage the services connected to their line. Adding line-management tools makes the app more complete.
Home Internet Family Share Support
The update also adds Home Internet Family Share support.
This feature matters because Safaricom is not only a mobile network operator. It also offers home internet services, and many households now manage multiple digital needs through one provider.
Family Share support can help households manage internet usage, share access and organize connectivity more conveniently. For families, this reduces the need to depend on separate service channels for every account issue.
Bringing Home Internet tools into My OneApp also strengthens the idea of the app as a household service hub. A user can manage M-PESA, mobile services and home internet from one platform.
This is important as Safaricom grows beyond voice, SMS and mobile money into a wider digital lifestyle provider. The app must reflect that shift. Customers increasingly expect telecom apps to manage bundles, payments, fibre, subscriptions, loyalty points and support in one place.
The more services Safaricom adds to My OneApp, the more important app performance and simplicity become.
What the Update Means for Lower-Income Users
The data-free update could have the biggest impact on users who are highly sensitive to data costs.
Kenya has many customers who buy small bundles and manage their mobile spending carefully. For these users, even a small app data charge matters. If they open My OneApp several times a day to check balances, send money or manage services, data use can become a concern.
Zero-rated access helps remove that worry. It allows users to interact with essential Safaricom services without feeling that every action reduces their bundle.
This is important for digital inclusion. A mobile app can only become mainstream if it works for people across income levels. If an app feels expensive to use, customers may avoid it and continue using older channels.
By making My OneApp data-free, Safaricom makes the app more accessible to users who may have avoided it because of data concerns.
The move also gives Safaricom a better chance of shifting more users into its app ecosystem, where services can be easier to organize and update.
What the Update Means for Diaspora Users
Diaspora users are another important group affected by My OneApp improvements.
Many Kenyans abroad still rely on Safaricom services, especially M-PESA. They may send money home, pay bills, support family members, manage accounts or keep their Kenyan number active.
For these users, app restrictions can be a serious problem. If an app only works smoothly under narrow network conditions, diaspora customers can be locked out at exactly the time they need access.
Safaricom’s earlier fixes around keeping users logged in on non-Safaricom networks helped address one major pain point. The new update adds another layer of convenience, especially when combined with Daima Service support.
Zero-rated access may be more directly useful to local users on Safaricom data, but the broader trend matters for diaspora customers too. Safaricom appears to be improving My OneApp after launch feedback, making it more flexible and less frustrating.
For a service as central as M-PESA, that flexibility is essential.
Safaricom Is Still Repairing the My OneApp Experience
The latest update should be understood as part of a longer process.
My OneApp had a difficult start because users expected a smoother replacement for familiar apps. When a company merges two important apps into one, users do not judge it only by new features. They judge it by whether it preserves the reliability they already had.
Safaricom is now patching the experience step by step. Previous improvements addressed login persistence and network flexibility. The new update tackles data cost, transaction safety, QR performance and service integration.
That is a positive direction, but Safaricom still needs to keep listening to users. App ratings, customer complaints and social media feedback show that customers care about reliability more than marketing promises.
A financial services app must be fast, secure and predictable. Users need confidence that it will work when they are sending money, paying bills or checking balances.
Safaricom’s challenge is to make My OneApp feel as dependable as the older services it replaced while also adding the convenience of a modern digital platform.
Why This Matters for Kenya’s Digital Finance Market
My OneApp’s improvement matters beyond Safaricom because M-PESA sits at the center of Kenya’s digital finance ecosystem.
When Safaricom changes how users access M-PESA and related services, the effects are felt across consumers, merchants, banks, agents and businesses. A smoother app can increase digital transactions. A frustrating app can push users back to USSD, agents or alternative services.
Kenya’s financial technology market is highly active, but M-PESA remains one of its most important platforms. Safaricom therefore has to balance innovation with reliability.
Zero-rated access is a strategic move because it reduces one barrier to app use. The company is effectively telling users that they can manage essential services without worrying about data charges inside the app.
That could increase engagement and help Safaricom deepen its digital relationship with customers.
Conclusion
Safaricom’s latest My OneApp update makes the app data-free from Android version 5.1.9 and iOS version 5.1.7, removing one of the key friction points for users who rely on the platform for M-PESA and account services.
The update also adds Send to Bank Hakikisha, improved QR scan payments, Daima Service integration, Home Internet Family Share support, bug fixes and performance improvements.
The change is important because My OneApp is meant to be Safaricom’s central digital platform, combining services that were previously spread across the M-PESA app and MySafaricom app. Early rollout issues created frustration, especially around login and connectivity. Safaricom has been working to fix those problems through successive updates.
Zero-rated access is a practical improvement. It makes the app easier to use for customers who are careful about data, improves access to essential services and gives Safaricom a stronger foundation for moving more users into its unified app ecosystem.
The success of My OneApp will now depend on whether Safaricom can keep improving reliability, simplify the experience and maintain trust. For users, the latest update is a welcome step toward making the app more useful, affordable and accessible.
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