To pay for a sender ID in advance, open Sender IDs > Pay for Sender ID, choose your pending request, confirm the amount (at least USD 50) and pay with mobile money, Mukuru or crypto. The money is held on the request and covers the fee when it is approved; nothing is taken from your SMS balance.
Last reviewed: 29 October 2026
How to pay for a sender ID
Open Pay for Sender ID
In the left menu under INFRASTRUCTURE, click Sender IDs, then Pay for Sender ID. The same button is on the Overview page.
1 Step 1 Sender ID request, 2 Step 2 Amount (minimum USD 50), 3 Step 3 Payment method. Choose the request
Under 1 Sender ID request, pick the request to pay for. Only requests that are pending or awaiting your reply are listed, with the fee still due. If you have none, you see "Request a sender ID first, then pay for it here" and a New request button.
Check the amount
Under 2 Amount, the amount is prefilled with the fee due. The minimum is USD 50. If you pay more than the fee, the rest goes to your SMS balance on approval.
Choose how to pay
Under 3 Payment method, check the country shown in "Paying from" (click Change if it is wrong) and pick Mobile money (charged in local currency where available), Mukuru or Crypto (USDT on Tron TRC20 or USDC, no fee). The summary on the right shows the amount applied to your sender ID; the pay button shows the total, which includes the 5% provider fee for mobile money and Mukuru.
Complete the payment
For mobile money, click the pay button and finish in the secure checkout. For Mukuru, you see the recipient, mobile number, receive method and amount to send; after sending, enter your Mukuru reference / transaction number and the amount you sent (a receipt screenshot is optional). For crypto, send the exact coin on the network shown to the deposit address, then enter the Transaction hash (TxID). Mukuru and crypto payments are confirmed by our team, usually within a few hours.
What happens to the money
- While the request is pending, the payment is held on the request. It is not added to your SMS balance.
- On approval, it covers the one-time fee first. If the fee is higher than what you paid, only the difference is taken from your balance; anything you paid above the fee goes to your balance.
- If the request is rejected or deleted, the held amount goes to your SMS balance.
- A payment that arrives after the request was already approved, rejected or removed is credited to your SMS balance.
Common errors and how to fix them
| What you see | What it means | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Message that the minimum Sender ID payment is USD 50 | The amount is below the minimum. | Enter USD 50 or more. |
| "You have no pending sender ID requests." | There is nothing to pay for yet. | Click New request, submit the sender ID, then come back. |
| Mobile money shows "Temporarily unavailable" | Mobile money cannot be used for your country right now. | Pay with Mukuru or crypto, or try again later. |
| The request you want is not in the list | It is already approved, rejected or was deleted. | Check its status under My sender IDs. Approved fees are charged from your balance. |
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay for a sender ID in advance?
No. If you do not pay in advance, the fee is charged from your SMS balance only when the sender ID is approved.
Is the sender ID payment taken from my SMS balance?
No. Pay for Sender ID holds the money on the request. Nothing is charged to your SMS balance at payment time.
What if my sender ID is rejected?
The amount held on the request goes to your SMS balance, so you can use it for messages or another request.
How much is the sender ID fee?
It depends on the country and sometimes the network. Fees are shown per country on the Sender IDs page and at /sender-id/<country>, and charged only on approval.
Can I pay by card?
No. Use mobile money where available, Mukuru, or crypto.
Related guides
Ready? Create a free eSMS account, request your sender ID and pay for it in advance if you wish.
