Starpay vs M
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Starpay | M |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better | 2.5 (8 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 28 MB | 72 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Starpay Corporation | Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia Plc |
Customer experience
Starpay
M
In-app purchases
Starpay
No in-app purchases
M
No in-app purchases









