Comparison

Starpay vs M

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Starpay

Manage your finances with an e-wallet for easy transactions, bill payments, and money transfers. You can also withdraw cash, buy mobile load, and top up toll cards.

Highlights
  • E-wallet for transactions
  • Extensive bill payment options
  • Send money to banks and e-wallets
  • Cash withdrawal at partners
  • Mobile load purchases
  • Toll card top-ups
Features
Read full description

Features: • E-Wallet: Use your Starpay Wallet to transact with ease! • Bills Payment: Select from our wide range of billers and pay anywhere and anytime. • Send Money: Send or transfer money to other Starpay wallet users and the widest network of banks and e-wallets nationwide! • Withdraw Cash: Cash out easily from any of our listed partners. • Buy Load: Buy Load from Smart, Globe TnT, and TM. • Shop: Top up your Autosweep and Easytrip Card.

About

M

Access financial services in Ethiopia with this fast and inclusive mobile application. Send money, pay bills, buy airtime, and enjoy rewards, all with a simple interface that uses low data and storage.

Highlights
  • Send money to any bank or mobile money provider
  • Buy airtime instantly
  • Pay bills for utilities and TV
  • Scan QR codes to pay merchants
  • Transaction history tracking
  • Spin the wheel for transaction rewards
  • Access overdraft facilities
Features
Read full description

M-PESA Lehulum – Fast. Inclusive. Rewarding. Welcome to M-PESA Lehulum – a lighter, faster, and more inclusive way to access financial services in Ethiopia. Whether you use a Safaricom SIM or not, you can now enjoy the convenience of M-PESA – available to everyone, everywhere in Ethiopia. Why M-PESA Lehulum? • Any Ethiopian SIM Card: Anyone can sign up and start transacting – all you need is an Ethiopian phone number. • Simple & Fast: A clean, clutter-free design built for speed and ease of use. • Low Data, Small Size: Save space and data while enjoying powerful features. Top Features • Simple Home Screen – Designed for everyday convenience. • Spin the Wheel Rewards – Win rewards every time you complete a transaction. • Send Money Anywhere – To any banks, M-PESA, mobile money providers, and more financial institutions. • Buy Airtime – Recharge for yourself or others in seconds. • Never be out of balance – Transact on M-PESA and access overdraft facilities. • Pay Bills – Electricity, water, TV and more – all in one place. • Scan to Pay – Instantly scan QR codes to pay at merchants nationwide. • Transaction History – View and track all your payments and transfers easily. Made for Everyone M-PESA Lehulum is for anyone who wants fast, secure, and reliable digital financial services – on any Ethiopian telephone network. Download M-PESA Lehulum today – because everyone deserves access to trusted, simple and rewarding financial services.

Screenshots

Starpay3 screens
M4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Starpay at 100% against M's 0%. Starpay also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.5) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). M's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Starpay holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Starpay's written reviews are positive against 0% of M's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Starpay ships an update every 2 weeks, M every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Starpay versus M: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStarpayM
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better2.5 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings48 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB72 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperStarpay CorporationSafaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia Plc

Customer experience

Starpay

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

M

All ratings8 ratings
Positive37.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative62.5%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

Starpay

No in-app purchases

None

M

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Starpay free?
Starpay is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is M free?
M is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Starpay or M?
Starpay is rated higher. Starpay averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while M averages 2.5 from 8 ratings.
Do Starpay or M have ads?
Starpay shows ads; M does not.
Which is updated more often, Starpay or M?
Starpay ships an update every 2 weeks, and M every 3 months. Most recently, Starpay was updated on November 2, 2026 and M on October 31, 2026.

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