Want to know how to check Safaricom airtime balance on both prepaid and postpaid plans? This post will show you how to do just that.

Check Safaricom airtime balance by dialing *144# shortcode if you are using a Prepay line

Go to your dialer and enter *144# just like you usually do with other numbers when you want to make a call. Once you do this press the OK button or just tap the call button.

Immediately, Safaricom will show you your current balance in KSH, your tariff and airtime expiry date.

This is one of the quickest way to check how much money you still have left in your Safaricom line. You can add this short code as a speed dial if you are really fond of checking how much airtime you have left several times a day / several times a week.

NOTE: for Safaricom Postpaid users, dial *200# to check your balance –

– or use the option mentioned below (checking balance via the SIM toolkit method) to check your account balance.

Check airtime balance on Safaricom via *456#

To use the USSD code to check your Safaricom balance:

• Dial *456# on your feature phone, smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer (if you are using your Safaricom SIM card in a modem or wireless router)
• Select option 4: Balances / Top Up
• Select option 2: Account balance
• Or reply with 3 for Data bundles balance / 4 to check Okoa Jahazi balance (dial *144*4#) / 5 to check Bonga balance / 6 to check Flex balance / 7 to check SMS bundles balance / 8 to check Blaze balance / 9 to check Tunukiwa balance.
• Wait for SMS with balance details.

Check airtime balance of your Safaricom line via SMS

For this option, go to the Messages menu on your phone. Create a new message, one that is just blank. Then send it to the number 144.

It’s free to check your balance this way, just like it is with all the other options mentioned in this blog post.

So, after sending the message, you’ll receive a text from Safaricom that contains details such as: your current airtime balance.

This text will also contain extra details such as how many on-net minutes you have of free airtime (supposed you redeemed talk-time via Bonga points for example), number of items on-net SMS, bonga points balance, bonga SMS balance and your remaining bonga data bundle in case you have any left from the time you redeemed your points.

For Safaricom Postpaid, check airtime balance by sending a text with the word balance to the number 200.

Safaricom will then send you a text with details of your Postpay account balance. Remember, like the 144 message above for Prepaid users, sending one to 200, as a Postpaid user, is also free.

You can also check your Postpay balance online by entering the web address selfcare.safaricom.co.ke into your web browser. Login with your mobile phone number (your number without the 0) and password to proceed. If you don’t have one or don’t remember your password, you can request to be sent a new one to you via SMS.

Check Safaricom airtime balance via *100# shortcode

For this option, go to your phonebook / dialler and key in *100# then press the OK or call button like you do with any number you want to call. For Postpay mobile phone service subscribers, use *200# shortcode.

You will then be presented with a menu – which you can navigate by tapping answer and using the numbers in your dialer (0 – 9) to select the options you want to use.

Select the My Account option – which is option 2 at the time of writing this article.

Next select the option that says Check my usage and balance.

Finally, reply with 1 to get your Balance.

And then you’ll be presented with your airtime balance, current bonga balance, airtime expiry date, data bundle balance and expiry date among other relevant details depending on Safaricom services you are currently using (subscribed to).

How to check airtime balance on Safaricom via the Safaricom option in your line’s SIM toolkit menu

For this, go to your phone’s menu. Look for Safaricom and tap it.

Now you’ll see the option for both Safaricom+ and M-PESA. Choose Safaricom+.

Next, scroll down a bit and select My Account – by pressing OK or just tapping on it.

Select Balance Enquiry.

You’ll then be presented with the option to check airtime balance for Prepay or Postpay.

Depending on what you are using select the option that suits you, in this case, Prepay.

When I select Prepay, I’ll see a Sending request notification.

Then I’ll immediately be presented with my airtime balance details. Immediately I can see details such as my current balance in KSH (Kenyan Shillings), airtime expire date (in the day, month, year format) and tariff, for example Uwezo.

Conclusion

The easiest way to check your balance is to just dial *144# on your feature phone, smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer (with a modem or router) or whatever device you use.

Dial *144#

• Go to your phone dialer
• Type *144#
• Press OK or call button

Your account balance will be shown onscreen.

Send the word balance as a text message to the number 144

• Go to the Messages menu in your phone
• Go to the New text message option
• Type ‘balance’
• Send the message to 144

You will receive a text from Safaricom with the details about your airtime balance.

Sometimes just sending a blank text to the same number also works.

Dial *100#

Go to your phone dialer

• Enter *100# and press OK or call button
• On the Safaricom menu, select the My Account option
• Next select the Check my usage and balance option
• Then choose the Balance option

Wait for the SMS from Safaricom with details about your account balance.

If you are on Postpaid, dial *200#

Go to the Safaricom.com portal to check balances online

On your web browser, just go to the web address safaricom.com/bundles (it’s free)

Scroll down a bit to read your airtime balance.

At first glance, you will see balances for: Airtime, Bundles, Calling Airtime, Bonga Points, All in One SMS.

If you tap on the View More Balances option, you will also be able to see your Safaricom balances for the following: Tunukiwa Data & Expiry, Bonga Data Bundle & Expiry, Tunukiwa Hourly Data & Expiry, Bonga SMS & Expiry, On-net Talktime & Expiry, Bonga & Expiry.

Go to the Safaricom Toolkit option

In your phone’s menu area, locate the Safaricom option

You’ll see two options, Safaricom+ and M-PESA

Select the Safaricom+ option

Then go to My Account > Balance Enquiry > Prepay (or Postpaid if you are on a Postpaid plan).

How to use this information

Checking your airtime balance usually means you want to be sure if you have enough airtime:

• for voice calls – to call other Safaricom numbers or people on other Kenyan networks like Airtel Kenya, Telkom Kenya, Equitel etc.
• for text messages – to send SMS to people you want
• for data bundles – to browse the web.

So, checking your balance once in awhile will ensure your account is always replenished (before it reads zero and you are unable to do the things you want to do with your line).

You can plan when to buy airtime, see if you want to share your balance (sambaza it to other numbers), check when your airtime expires, plan for any tailor made Safaricom plans (voice, data or text) you may want to buy…

Knowing your balance just ensures that you know you have enough in your account to do whatever you want to do with your Safaricom line – whenever you want. Once more here’s the Safaricom USSD shortcode to use: *144#

Now you know how to check your airtime account balance on both Safaricom prepaid and postpaid lines. Have any questions or suggestions? Post them in the comments section below.