Quick Answer Box
What businesses make money daily in Kenya? Food businesses (smokies, eggs, mandazi, chapati), hawking (phone accessories, clothes, vegetables), services (car wash, barber, mama fua), and delivery (water, gas, groceries) all give you cash daily. Most make KES 500-3,000 per day.
Introduction
If you’re searching for businesses that make money daily in Kenya, you probably can’t wait weeks or months for income—you need cash today, tomorrow, and every day after.
The beauty of daily-income businesses is simple: you work today, you eat tonight. No waiting for customers to pay invoices. No monthly billing cycles. You close shop in the evening and count real money in your hand.
This is different from businesses like poultry (wait 3 weeks for eggs), boutiques (some days zero sales), or supply contracts (paid after 30-60 days). Daily income businesses have constant demand, fast transactions, and customers who pay immediately.
This guide shows you 25 proven businesses that make money daily in Kenya, how much you can expect each day, capital needed, and which ones work best for different situations.
Why Daily Income Businesses Are Different
Daily income businesses share these characteristics:
1. Essential products or services
- Things people need every day, not occasionally
- Food, water, transport, grooming, basic necessities
2. Cash transactions
- No credit, no invoices, no waiting
- Customer pays immediately after service or purchase
3. High foot traffic or repeat customers
- Many people passing by daily, or
- Same customers buying every day/week
4. Fast consumption
- Products are consumed quickly (food eaten same day)
- Services needed frequently (haircut every 2 weeks)
5. Low ticket prices
- Affordable for daily purchase (KES 10-500 per transaction)
- Volume makes up for low individual prices
25 Businesses That Make Money Daily in Kenya
CATEGORY 1: FOOD BUSINESSES (Highest Daily Cash Flow)
1. Smokies and Eggs Stand
Daily income: KES 1,500-3,500
Capital needed: KES 5,000-8,000
What you do: Boil or fry smokies and eggs, sell at bus stages, construction sites, or town centers during morning and evening rush.
Why it pays daily: Everyone needs breakfast and evening snacks. 100-200 customers daily is normal at busy spots.
Peak hours: 6-9 AM, 5-8 PM
Best locations: Matatu stages, construction sites, CBD alleys, college gates
Reality check: You must wake up at 5 AM. Standing for 6-8 hours. Charcoal smoke or gas costs eat into profit.
2. Mandazi Selling
Daily income: KES 800-2,000
Capital needed: KES 3,000-6,000
What you do: Make mandazi at home (4-5 AM), sell at stages, schools, or offices during morning and tea breaks.
Why it pays daily: Mandazi + tea is Kenya’s favorite breakfast. Fast-moving, everyone knows it.
Peak hours: 6-9 AM, 10-11 AM (tea break), 3-4 PM
Best locations: Bus stages, primary schools, offices, estates
Reality check: You’re competing with 10 other mandazi sellers at every stage. Quality and consistency matter.
3. Chapati Business
Daily income: KES 1,000-2,500
Capital needed: KES 6,000-10,000
What you do: Make chapatis at home, sell evenings at stages or deliver to offices during lunch.
Why it pays daily: Chapatis are filling and affordable (KES 15-25 each). Office workers buy 5-10 pieces for lunch.
Peak hours: 12-2 PM (lunch), 6-8 PM (supper)
Best locations: Offices, estates, stages, construction sites
Reality check: Making 100 chapatis takes 3-4 hours. Your hands will hurt. Unsold chapatis harden by next day.
4. Fruits Cart
Daily income: KES 1,000-2,500
Capital needed: KES 8,000-12,000
What you do: Buy fruits wholesale at dawn, display on a cart, sell retail throughout the day.
Why it pays daily: Health-conscious people buy daily. Offices buy during lunch. Impulse purchases.
Peak hours: 10 AM-6 PM (but lunch hour 12-2 PM is busiest)
Best locations: Town CBD, outside offices, near gyms, along busy footpaths
Reality check: Fruits spoil if not sold within 2 days. Bananas bruise. Avocados go bad. Rain kills sales.
5. Samosa and Bhajia Selling
Daily income: KES 1,200-2,500
Capital needed: KES 5,000-8,000
What you do: Make samosas or bhajias at home, sell during lunch hours and evenings.
Why it pays daily: Popular tea-time and lunch snacks. People buy 3-5 pieces at once.
Peak hours: 10-11 AM, 12-2 PM, 4-6 PM
Best locations: Offices, town centers, near bus stages
Reality check: Oil is expensive (KES 1,200 per 3L). Takes 2-3 hours to make 100 pieces. Competition is high.
6. Roasted Maize (Mahindi Choma)
Daily income: KES 1,000-2,000 (season dependent)
Capital needed: KES 3,000-5,000
What you do: Buy maize, roast over charcoal, sell at busy spots.
Why it pays daily: Popular evening snack. Nostalgic comfort food.
Peak hours: 4-8 PM
Best locations: Near bus stages, town centers, along busy roads
Reality check: Only profitable during maize season (July-October). Off-season, maize is too expensive.
7. Soup and Porridge Selling
Daily income: KES 800-1,500
Capital needed: KES 4,000-6,000
What you do: Make soup or porridge at home, sell mornings in flasks at stages or construction sites.
Why it pays daily: Cold mornings, people buy hot drinks. Construction workers love it.
Peak hours: 6-9 AM
Best locations: Construction sites, bus stages, town centers (early morning)
Reality check: Soup goes bad if not sold by noon. Must make fresh daily. Heavy to carry.
CATEGORY 2: HAWKING AND STREET VENDING
8. Phone Accessories Hawking
Daily income: KES 600-1,500
Capital needed: KES 5,000-10,000
What you do: Carry phone cases, chargers, earphones on a tray, sell at stages or in town.
Why it pays daily: Phones break daily. Impulse buying is high at matatu stages.
Peak hours: 12-2 PM (lunch break), 5-8 PM (evening rush)
Best locations: Railways, Kencom, Ngara, any busy matatu stage
Reality check: Walking all day. Kanjo raids in some towns. Rainy days are terrible.
9. Clothes and Shoes Hawking (Mitumba)
Daily income: KES 800-2,000
Capital needed: KES 6,000-15,000
What you do: Display clothes or shoes on a mat/rack at busy spots, sell retail.
Why it pays daily: Always someone needs clothes. Good bargaining keeps customers coming.
Peak hours: 10 AM-6 PM (but end-month 25th-5th is peak season)
Best locations: Markets, estate corners, roadsides with foot traffic
Reality check: Slow weekdays (especially mid-month). Must know how to bargain. Rain ruins display.
10. Vegetables Hawking
Daily income: KES 600-1,200
Capital needed: KES 3,000-6,000
What you do: Buy vegetables wholesale at 5 AM, sell retail in estates or at roadsides.
Why it pays daily: Every household cooks daily. Vegetables are essential.
Peak hours: 8 AM-6 PM (but mornings and evenings are busiest)
Best locations: Inside estates, along footpaths, near apartments
Reality check: Must wake up at 4-5 AM. Vegetables spoil if not sold by evening. Very competitive.
11. Tissue and Belt Hawking
Daily income: KES 300-800
Capital needed: KES 1,000-2,000
What you do: Walk around town or stages selling tissues, belts, socks, handkerchiefs.
Why it pays daily: Impulse purchases. Low prices (KES 20-100) make buying easy.
Peak hours: 8 AM-7 PM (all day)
Best locations: Town CBD, inside matatus, bus stages
Reality check: Very physical. Walking 10-15km daily. Low margins. Need high volume.
CATEGORY 3: SERVICES (Cash on Delivery)
12. Car Wash
Daily income: KES 1,500-4,000
Capital needed: KES 20,000-30,000
What you do: Wash cars using pressure washer or manual cleaning at a fixed location.
Why it pays daily: Car owners pay immediately after washing. 10-15 cars daily is achievable.
Peak hours: 7 AM-6 PM (Saturdays are busiest)
Best locations: Near estates with parking, petrol stations, office parking areas
Reality check: Slow weekdays (Mon-Wed). Water supply issues. Equipment can break.
13. Barber Shop
Daily income: KES 1,200-3,000
Capital needed: KES 25,000-40,000
What you do: Cut hair and shave beards at your shop or mobile (visiting customers).
Why it pays daily: Men get haircuts every 1-3 weeks. Steady stream of customers if location is good.
Peak hours: 10 AM-8 PM (weekends are busiest)
Best locations: Estates, near markets, busy footpaths
Reality check: Need skills (or hire someone at KES 500-700 daily). Electricity bills. Slow January-February.
14. Shoe Shining
Daily income: KES 500-1,500
Capital needed: KES 1,000-2,000
What you do: Polish and clean shoes at busy spots—town, stages, outside hotels.
Why it pays daily: Office workers, church-goers, and formal event attendees pay for clean shoes.
Peak hours: 7-9 AM (before work), Sundays (before church)
Best locations: Town CBD, outside hotels and offices, near churches on Sundays
Reality check: Very physical. Kneeling for hours. Rainy days ruin shoes, no business.
15. Mama Fua (Laundry Services)
Daily income: KES 800-2,000
Capital needed: KES 10,000-20,000
What you do: Wash and iron clothes for bachelors, students, busy professionals.
Why it pays daily: Many customers pay per load immediately after delivery.
Peak hours: 8 AM-6 PM (pickups and deliveries)
Best locations: Estates with bachelors—Kasarani, Rongai, South B, near colleges
Reality check: Very physical. Water and electricity bills. Some customers delay payment (only give credit to regulars).
16. Hair Braiding at Home
Daily income: KES 1,000-3,000
Capital needed: KES 8,000-15,000
What you do: Braid hair at your home or visit customers’ homes.
Why it pays daily: Women pay immediately after service. Good braiders get daily bookings.
Peak hours: 9 AM-7 PM (weekends are busiest)
Best locations: Operate from home or mobile service in estates
Reality check: Takes 3-5 hours per client. Neck and back pain. Slow mid-month (people have no money).
CATEGORY 4: DELIVERY AND SUPPLY
17. Water Delivery (20L Jerricans)
Daily income: KES 1,000-2,500
Capital needed: KES 18,000-25,000
What you do: Buy water from boreholes, deliver to homes using handcart or motorbike.
Why it pays daily: Water shortage areas need daily supply. Customers pay per jerrican immediately.
Peak hours: 6 AM-6 PM (but mornings are busiest)
Best locations: Zimmerman, Githurai, Rongai, Kitengela, Ruai, any estate with water problems
Reality check: Very physical if using handcart. Mkokoteni breaks. Some customers ask for credit.
18. Gas Cylinder Delivery
Daily income: KES 1,000-2,500 (after building customer base)
Capital needed: KES 25,000-40,000
What you do: Buy gas cylinders, refill them, deliver to customers who call you.
Why it pays daily: Once you have 20-30 regular customers, you get 3-5 orders daily.
Peak hours: 9 AM-7 PM (but evenings when people realize gas is finished)
Best locations: Residential estates—Umoja, Donholm, Embakasi, Pipeline, Rongai
Reality check: Takes 2-3 months to build customer base. Initial weeks are slow. Heavy lifting.
19. Vegetables Supply to Kinyozis and Salons
Daily income: KES 1,000-2,000
Capital needed: KES 12,000-20,000
What you do: Buy vegetables wholesale at 5 AM, deliver to barbershops, salons, small hotels.
Why it pays daily: Business owners hate going to the market. They pay immediately.
Peak hours: 6-10 AM (must deliver before they open)
Best locations: Estates with many salons and kinyozis—Kayole, Umoja, Pipeline
Reality check: Must wake up at 4 AM daily. Vegetables spoil if customer cancels. Some pay end of week, not daily.
20. Boda Boda (Riding Yourself)
Daily income: KES 1,000-2,500
Capital needed: KES 45,000-60,000 (or hire a boda at KES 500-700/day)
What you do: Transport passengers and goods using motorcycle.
Why it pays daily: Constant demand in estates and near markets. Cash transactions only.
Peak hours: 6-9 AM, 5-8 PM (rush hours)
Best locations: Estates, near markets, rural areas, stages
Reality check: Accidents. Police bribes. Mechanical breakdowns. Fuel costs. If hiring the boda, daily rental eats half your income.
CATEGORY 5: RETAIL (Small Shops and Kiosks)
21. Chips and Chicken Kiosk
Daily income: KES 1,500-4,000
Capital needed: KES 30,000-50,000
What you do: Fry chips and chicken, sell at a fixed location—kiosk or roadside.
Why it pays daily: Popular lunch and dinner option. Fast food never goes out of demand.
Peak hours: 12-2 PM (lunch), 6-9 PM (dinner)
Best locations: Near offices, colleges, bus stages, estates
Reality check: Cooking oil is expensive (KES 4,000 per 10L). Gas refills every 3-4 days. Very competitive.
22. Mini Grocery (Vegetables and Basic Items)
Daily income: KES 1,000-2,500
Capital needed: KES 30,000-50,000
What you do: Operate a small shop selling daily essentials—vegetables, maize, beans, oil, sugar.
Why it pays daily: Neighbors buy something every single day. Repeat customers.
Peak hours: 6 AM-9 PM (but evenings 5-8 PM are busiest)
Best locations: Inside estates (not main roads)—where people walk daily
Reality check: Vegetables spoil. Some customers want credit. Rent must be paid even on slow days.
23. M-Pesa and Airtime Shop
Daily income: KES 800-2,000
Capital needed: KES 50,000-100,000 (float)
What you do: Operate M-Pesa agency and sell airtime at a shop or kiosk.
Why it pays daily: Everyone uses M-Pesa daily. Constant transactions from morning to evening.
Peak hours: 8 AM-8 PM (but end-month 25th-5th is crazy busy)
Best locations: Near markets, stages, inside estates, near shops
Reality check: Float runs out constantly. M-Pesa charges eat profit (KES 5-10 per transaction). Robbery risk.
CATEGORY 6: SPECIALTY (Niche but Daily Demand)
24. Photocopying and Printing
Daily income: KES 1,000-2,500
Capital needed: KES 25,000-40,000
What you do: Offer photocopying, printing, scanning, laminating services.
Why it pays daily: Students, job seekers, and small businesses need these services constantly.
Peak hours: 8 AM-6 PM (school term time is busiest)
Best locations: Near schools, colleges, government offices, estates
Reality check: January, May, and September (school opening) make KES 5k-8k daily. But April, August, December are dead.
25. Cereal Selling (Maize, Beans, Rice)
Daily income: KES 1,000-2,000
Capital needed: KES 20,000-30,000
What you do: Buy cereals in bulk, repackage into 1kg, 2kg, 5kg, sell at markets or roadsides.
Why it pays daily: Everyone needs ugali flour. Constant demand regardless of season.
Peak hours: 6 AM-6 PM (mornings and evenings are busiest)
Best locations: Markets, roadsides near estates, town outskirts
Reality check: Heavy lifting (90kg bags). Weevils if stored badly. Price fluctuates during harvest season.
How to Choose the Right Daily Income Business
Ask yourself these questions:
1. How much capital do you have right now?
- KES 1,000-5,000: Hawking (tissues, vegetables, phone accessories)
- KES 5,000-15,000: Food (mandazi, eggs, smokies, fruits)
- KES 15,000-30,000: Services (car wash, laundry, hair braiding)
- KES 30,000-60,000: Shops (grocery, M-Pesa, chips kiosk)
2. What hours can you work?
- Mornings only (6-10 AM): Mandazi, soup, vegetables
- Afternoons (12-3 PM): Lunch foods, fruits, phone accessories
- Evenings (5-9 PM): Chapati, smokies, roasted maize
- All day: Shops, car wash, barber, M-Pesa
3. Do you have a fixed location or are you mobile?
- Fixed location: Shops, car wash, barber, chips kiosk
- Mobile: Hawking, delivery services, mama fua, boda boda
4. Can you handle physical work?
- Very physical: Boda boda, water delivery, hawking, mama fua
- Moderate: Food businesses (standing, cooking)
- Light: Shops, M-Pesa, photocopying
5. Do you need cash today or can you wait 2 weeks to build up?
- Need cash today: Hawking, shoe shining, boda boda (if you have one)
- Can wait 1-2 weeks: Food businesses, car wash, delivery services
- Can wait 2-4 weeks: Shops (need to build customer base first)
Reality Check: How Much You’ll Actually Make
Week 1 (Testing Phase)
- Food businesses: KES 300-800 daily (you’re still learning, slow sales)
- Hawking: KES 200-500 daily (finding best spots)
- Services: KES 400-1,000 daily (building reputation)
- Shops: KES 300-600 daily (neighbors testing you out)
Week 2-4 (Building Phase)
- Food businesses: KES 600-1,200 daily (you know your customers now)
- Hawking: KES 400-900 daily (you found your spot)
- Services: KES 800-1,800 daily (repeat customers coming)
- Shops: KES 600-1,500 daily (regulars are forming)
Month 2-3 (Stable Phase)
- Food businesses: KES 1,000-2,000 daily (consistent quality = consistent sales)
- Hawking: KES 600-1,500 daily (you’re known, people seek you out)
- Services: KES 1,200-2,500 daily (fully booked most days)
- Shops: KES 1,500-3,000 daily (neighborhood depends on you)
Month 4-6 (Growth Phase)
- Food businesses: KES 1,500-3,000 daily (added second product or better location)
- Hawking: KES 1,000-2,000 daily (more stock, better bargaining)
- Services: KES 2,000-4,000 daily (raised prices, expanded services)
- Shops: KES 2,000-4,000 daily (stocking more items, credit system working)
This is realistic progression. Anyone promising KES 5,000 daily in week 1 is lying.
Common Mistakes That Kill Daily Income Businesses
1. Eating All the Daily Money
You make KES 1,500 today. You spend KES 1,500 tonight. Tomorrow you have no money to restock.
Solution: Take only 40-50% home. Keep 50-60% for restocking and emergencies.
2. Working in Wrong Hours
Selling mandazi at 2 PM. Everyone already ate lunch. You go home with 80 pieces.
Solution: Observe when customers actually buy. Adjust your hours to match demand.
3. Not Tracking Daily Sales
You “feel” like you’re making money, but don’t write anything down. After 1 month, capital is gone.
Solution: Write daily in a notebook: Sales, Expenses, Profit. Every. Single. Day.
4. Giving Too Much Credit
“Nikulipe kesho.” Five customers say this. That’s KES 500 gone. They never come back.
Solution: No credit for first 2 months. After that, only to people you know very well, and write it down.
5. Comparing Yourself to Others
Your neighbor makes KES 3,000 daily selling eggs. You make KES 800. You quit thinking you failed.
Solution: Your neighbor has been doing it for 1 year. You just started. Give yourself 3 months minimum.
6. Choosing Business Based on What Looks Easy
You think hawking tissues is easy. Day 3, your legs hurt, kanjo chased you, you made KES 200. You quit.
Solution: Every business is hard. Choose what you can do consistently for 3 months, not what looks easy for 3 days.
Tips to Maximize Your Daily Income
1. Work Peak Hours Only (If Side Business)
You have a job? Work your business during rush hours only:
- Morning: 6-9 AM (before your job)
- Evening: 5-9 PM (after your job)
You don’t need to be there all day. Peak 6 hours makes more money than slow 12 hours.
2. Add a Complementary Product
- Selling eggs? Add smokies.
- Selling chapati? Add tea or juice.
- Car wash? Add interior vacuuming (KES 200 extra).
One customer buying two things doubles your profit without doubling your effort.
3. Offer Delivery
Charge KES 50-100 extra for delivery. Many people pay for convenience.
4. Build a WhatsApp Customer List
Every customer who comes twice, get their number. Send reminders:
- “Fresh mandazi today, come early!”
- “Gas cylinders available, order now”
- “Your car needs a wash, book this Saturday”
Regular reminders = regular income.
5. Improve During Slow Seasons
January-February is slow for most businesses (people broke after Christmas). Use this time to:
- Repair equipment
- Learn new skills
- Plan how to scale
- Save money for busy seasons
6. Increase Prices Slowly
After 3 months of consistent quality, raise prices by KES 5-10. Most customers won’t complain. That’s KES 200-500 extra daily.
Best Daily Income Business by Situation
If you have no capital (under KES 2,000):
- Tissue hawking
- Shoe shining
- Vegetables hawking (borrow capital, pay back same day)
If you have KES 5,000-10,000:
- Mandazi selling
- Smokies and eggs
- Phone accessories hawking
If you have KES 15,000-30,000:
- Car wash
- Mama fua with equipment
- Fruits cart
- Water delivery
If you have KES 30,000-60,000:
- Mini grocery
- Barber shop
- Chips and chicken kiosk
- Gas cylinder business
If you have zero skills:
- Hawking (anything)
- Water delivery
- Vegetable selling
- Boda boda (if you can ride)
If you have skills:
- Barber (cutting hair)
- Hair braiding
- Car wash (if you know techniques)
- Mama fua (washing and ironing)
If you want to work from home:
- Mandazi or chapati making
- Hair braiding
- Mama fua
- Online selling (order taking, deliver later)
If you’re doing this as a side hustle:
- Morning: Mandazi, soup, eggs (6-9 AM)
- Evening: Chapati, smokies, roasted maize (5-9 PM)
- Weekends: Car wash, barber, laundry
FAQs
What business makes money daily in Kenya?
Food businesses (smokies, mandazi, chapati), hawking (phone accessories, clothes), services (car wash, barber, mama fua), and delivery (water, gas) all give cash daily. Most make KES 500-3,000 per day depending on location and capital.
How much can I make daily from a small business in Kenya?
In the first month, expect KES 400-1,000 daily. After 3 months of consistent work, most daily-income businesses make KES 1,000-2,500 daily. After 6 months with reinvestment, you can hit KES 2,000-4,000 daily.
What is the easiest business that pays daily?
Tissue hawking (KES 300-800 daily), boiled eggs (KES 800-1,500 daily), or shoe shining (KES 500-1,500 daily) are easiest because they need minimal capital, no special skills, and give cash the same day.
Can I start a daily income business with 5,000 shillings?
Yes. Mandazi making (KES 4,000), smokies boiling (KES 5,000), phone accessories hawking (KES 5,000), or vegetables hawking (KES 3,000-5,000) all work and give daily cash flow.
Which business pays the most daily in Kenya?
Chips and chicken kiosk (KES 2,000-4,000 daily), car wash (KES 1,500-4,000), and gas cylinder delivery (KES 1,000-2,500) pay the most daily, but need higher capital (KES 25,000-50,000) to start.
Do daily income businesses need licenses?
Technically yes (Single Business Permit costs KES 5,000-15,000 annually), but most hawkers, food vendors, and small service providers start without licenses. Risk is county askari harassment. Get licensed after you’re making consistent money.
What is the most profitable food business in Kenya?
Smokies and eggs (60-70% margins), chips and chicken (50-60% margins), and samosas (50-60% margins) are most profitable. They all give daily cash and have high demand at stages and offices.
Can I run a daily income business part-time?
Yes. Work peak hours only: mornings (6-9 AM) before your job, or evenings (5-9 PM) after work. Mandazi, eggs, smokies, chapati, and roasted maize all work as evening businesses making KES 800-2,000 in 3-4 hours.
Conclusion
The best businesses that make money daily in Kenya are the ones where people need your product or service every day, pay immediately, and keep coming back.
These businesses work for:
- People who need cash today, not next month
- Anyone willing to work during peak hours (mornings/evenings)
- Those who can handle physical work and standing/walking
- People ready to start small and build gradually
Avoid daily income businesses if:
- You want to sit and make money (all these require active work)
- You can’t wake up early or work evenings
- You expect KES 5,000 daily in week 1
- You’re not willing to reinvest profits for growth
Next steps:
- Choose ONE business that matches your capital and situation
- Start tomorrow (not next week—tomorrow)
- Work consistent hours for 30 days minimum
- Track every shilling you make and spend
- Reinvest 50-60% of daily profit for first 3 months
- Scale when you’re consistently making KES 1,500+ daily
Remember: Daily income doesn’t mean easy income. It means you work today, you earn today. But you must work tomorrow to earn tomorrow. Until you scale and hire help, your hands must move for money to come.
Start with what you can manage consistently. Small daily money beats big monthly promises.
