Updated 27 September 2026. Every figure below links to Branch's Google Play listing or a Central Bank of Kenya directory.
What does a Branch loan cost in 2026? Branch's Google Play listing (updated 8 September 2026) gives a range, not a price: an APR of 20% to 211%, which it also states as 2% to 18% interest a month, plus a processing fee of 6% of the principal. Loans run from KSh 1,000 to KSh 300,000 over 62 days to one year (Google Play).
This Branch loan review replaces our older one. That version quoted loans from KSh 250, "17% to 35% per loan", zero processing fees, free credit-life insurance and a 6% late penalty. Branch publishes none of that today, and its own listing now shows a 6% processing fee, so we removed it all.
Who lends: Branch's licence
Branch is unusual. The CBK-licensed entity is Branch Microfinance Bank Limited, a microfinance bank listed in the CBK directory of microfinance banks (February 2026).
The app on Google Play, though, is published by Branch International Financial Services Limited. That company is not in CBK's July 2026 directory of digital credit providers. Neither the Branch website nor the listing says which entity signs your loan. Check the name on the loan agreement in the app before you accept.
Branch loan rates and fees in 2026
| Item | What Branch publishes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Interest | APR 20% to 211% (2% to 18% a month), "depending on your risk profile" | Google Play, 8 Sep 2026 |
| Processing fee | 6% of the loan principal | Google Play, 8 Sep 2026 |
| Onboarding fee | None | Google Play, 8 Sep 2026 |
| Amount | KSh 1,000 to KSh 300,000 (the listing also says "from just Ksh 500") | Google Play, 8 Sep 2026 |
| Term | 62 days to 1 year | Google Play, 8 Sep 2026 |
| Late fee | Not published. The listing says only that "some customers may incur late bank fees" | Google Play, 8 Sep 2026 |
Branch's own example: borrow KSh 10,000 at 196% APR for 62 days. Interest is KSh 10,000 × 196% ÷ 365 × 62 = KSh 3,260, so you repay KSh 13,260 in two monthly payments of KSh 6,630. The example doesn't show the 6% processing fee. If it applies on top, as the fee line suggests, that's another KSh 600.
Using the same formula at the ends of the published range (our arithmetic, not a Branch quote): at 20% APR, 62 days on KSh 10,000 costs about KSh 340 in interest; at 211% it costs about KSh 3,584. Add KSh 600 for the fee either way. The same loan can cost you KSh 940 or KSh 4,184, depending on how Branch rates you.
There's one more thing to know. The shortest published term is 62 days, so Branch isn't built for a one-week gap.
How to increase your Branch limit
Branch publishes one sentence on this: "Pay your loans on time to increase your loan limit and loan size" (Google Play, 8 September 2026). It also says your interest rate, 2% to 18% a month, depends on "your risk profile". Branch's Kenya FAQ has no pricing and nothing on limits.
What that leaves you with:
- Pay every instalment on time. It's the only factor Branch names for a higher limit and a bigger loan.
- Read your rate after each loan. Branch prices by risk, so a clean record should show up in the monthly rate you're offered, not only in the limit.
- Don't count on reaching KSh 300,000. That's the product maximum. Branch doesn't publish a starting limit or how fast limits grow.
Our old review and our old "increase your Branch limit" guide gave first limits of about KSh 3,100, growth tables, "20+ M-PESA transactions a month" and "keep all permissions on". Branch publishes none of it. We've removed those tips rather than pass them on.
What Branch offers besides loans
The listing describes more than a loan app now: a Branch Wallet it says "grows your money with competitive rates", transfers to M-PESA and to banks through Pesalink, bill payments and airtime. It doesn't publish the savings rate, so we can't compare it with M-Shwari's savings.
Branch vs other loan apps
Branch's range overlaps with most app lenders, but two things set it apart: the 62-day minimum term and the KSh 300,000 maximum. For short loans, compare it with M-Shwari, a 30-day loan at 9% all-in; our M-Shwari vs Branch comparison works through KSh 10,000 on both.
For three apps side by side, see Tala vs Branch vs Zenka. Our Tala review and Zenka review use the same sources and dates. The full, sourced table of 12 apps is in best loan apps in Kenya 2026.
Is Branch worth it?
If Branch offers you a rate near the bottom of its range, a two-month loan of KSh 10,000 for under KSh 1,000 all-in is competitive. Near the top, it's one of the dearer options in our table. So the answer depends entirely on your offer screen. Read the total, including the 6% fee, before you accept.
Check the lender name on your agreement too, for the licence reason above. And if you have missed payments elsewhere, look up how CRB listing works before you apply.
Not sure Branch fits? Money Now asks a few questions and shows lenders for your amount.
Sources
All accessed 27 September 2026.
- Branch, Google Play listing, updated 8 September 2026: APR and monthly interest range, 6% processing fee, amount, term, example, limit sentence, wallet features.
- Branch Kenya FAQ: no pricing or limit information published.
- Central Bank of Kenya, Directory of Licensed Microfinance Banks, February 2026: Branch Microfinance Bank Limited.
- Central Bank of Kenya, Directory of Digital Credit Providers, updated 9 July 2026: Branch International Financial Services Limited is not listed.