Wallet, earnings, and withdrawals (Tue/Fri)
Pending vs withdrawable balance, platform fees, how to set up payout methods, the Tuesday/Friday payout window, and what can delay a payout.
The money side, end to end
This guide explains how your earnings move from a buyer's payment to your MoMo or bank account — every state along the way, the fees that get applied, and the rhythm of the Tuesday/Friday payout window.
The two balances
Open Seller Hub → Wallet. You'll see two numbers:
| Balance | What it is |
|---|---|
| Pending | Money from orders that are in the dispute window or aren't yet through completion. Not yet yours to take out. |
| Withdrawable | Money you can request a withdrawal for right now. |
The pending balance becomes withdrawable as orders move past their dispute window. There's no action you take — it happens automatically.
The platform fee
Every sale on KampalaSnap has a platform fee — currently around 5% of the item price (the exact rate is set on the Pricing Hub).
When a buyer pays UGX 100,000:
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Item price | 100,000 |
| Platform fee (5%) | 5,000 |
| You receive | 95,000 |
| Delivery fee | (varies; you receive this in full) |
The fee is taken at the moment the buyer pays, not when you withdraw. Your Wallet shows what you'll actually receive — no surprise deductions later.
The delivery fee, if any, goes entirely to you (you're responsible for paying the rider; the fee is a pass-through).
The earnings timeline (per order)
Buyer pays
│
▼
ESCROW (money held by Pesapal, not yours yet)
│
▼
You ship, buyer enters PIN
│
▼
┌────────────────────────────┐
│ 48-hour DISPUTE WINDOW │
│ → Money in PENDING balance │
│ → Can be refunded if dispute│
└────────────────────────────┘
│
▼ (48 hours pass, no dispute)
Money moves to WITHDRAWABLE
│
▼
Next Tuesday or Friday — you can request a withdrawal
│
▼
Pesapal pays out to your MoMo or bank within 24 hours
The whole journey from buyer payment to money-in-your-MoMo is typically 3-5 days.
Why withdrawals are gated to Tuesdays and Fridays
Two reasons:
- Buyer protection. It guarantees that buyer disputes always have time to be filed before money leaves the platform. A buyer who realizes on Saturday that a delivery was wrong has until Tuesday before the money is gone — they can act.
- Operational efficiency. Batching payouts twice a week lets us push them through Pesapal in single batches, which lowers our total payout fees. We pass that saving on by not charging per-withdrawal fees beyond the small Pesapal cost.
The two-day rhythm holds for everyone — verified sellers, verified service providers, creators, affiliate sellers. There are no exceptions or premium tiers that bypass it.
Setting up payout methods
Before you can request a withdrawal, you need at least one payout method on file.
Seller Hub → Wallet → Payout methods → + Add.
Mobile Money (MTN or Airtel)
- Pick Mobile Money.
- Enter the MoMo number.
- Enter the registered name on the MoMo account (must match exactly — case-insensitive but spelling matters).
- Pick the network (MTN / Airtel).
- Tap Save.
We send a small test charge of UGX 100 to verify the account works. The 100 UGX is then immediately credited back to your wallet (net zero). If the test passes, the method is verified.
Bank account
- Pick Bank.
- Pick your bank from the dropdown.
- Enter the account number.
- Enter the registered name on the bank account.
- Tap Save.
Same UGX 100 test charge → credit. Bank verification typically takes 24 hours (the test charge needs the bank to confirm).
Multiple payout methods
You can save up to 3 payout methods. Pick the default at withdrawal time. Useful for:
- Keeping one MoMo + one bank.
- Having backup methods if one fails.
- Routing different withdrawal amounts to different accounts.
The withdrawal window
Withdrawals open at midnight Tuesday and midnight Friday (UG time / EAT) and stay open all day. You can request a withdrawal any time during the window.
Outside the window, the withdrawal form is greyed out with a small message: "Withdrawals reopen [next window]."
If you request a withdrawal late Friday night, it's still that Friday's window — the cutoff is Saturday 00:00.
Check the next window
Wallet → Next withdrawal window. Always shows the upcoming open date. Useful if you're tracking cash flow.
Requesting a withdrawal
When the window is open:
- Wallet → Withdraw.
- Enter the amount (must be at least UGX 50,000 — the minimum).
- Pick a payout method.
- Review the fee breakdown.
- Tap Confirm.
The fee breakdown
A typical withdrawal screen shows:
| Line | Example |
|---|---|
| Amount requested | UGX 200,000 |
| Pesapal fee | UGX 1,500 |
| You receive | UGX 198,500 |
The Pesapal fee is what Pesapal charges to disburse to your MoMo or bank — we pass it through at cost. KampalaSnap doesn't add a withdrawal fee on top.
Confirmation + processing
After you confirm:
- Wallet drops by the amount requested.
- Order shows in "Withdrawal history" as Processing.
- Within 24 hours (usually faster), Pesapal sends the money to your account.
- Withdrawal status flips to Completed.
If the payout fails (Pesapal couldn't deliver — wrong number, deactivated account, etc.), the amount is fully refunded to your wallet and you're notified. No money is lost.
Why withdrawals can be delayed
A few things can delay or block a withdrawal:
You don't have a verified payout method
Withdrawals require an active payout method. If your only method failed verification (account didn't match the name, for example), the withdraw button is greyed out until you add a working method.
You requested before the window opened
If you request "now" and the window isn't open, the withdrawal queues silently. We don't fire it until the window opens. Most sellers don't notice — the withdrawal just appears in Processing on Tuesday morning.
A pending dispute
If you have an open dispute that could result in a refund, that order's amount is frozen in pending balance until the dispute closes. Once closed (your way or the buyer's), the money becomes withdrawable.
Penalty tier
If your shop's penalty tier is slow (typically from repeated disputes), your release window stretches from 48 hours to 168 hours (7 days). Earnings sit in pending longer before becoming withdrawable.
See Penalty tiers.
Subscription past_due
If your verification subscription is in past_due state, withdrawals are paused until you re-pay. Earnings still accrue and can be withdrawn once you're back to active.
A few common withdrawal patterns
Drain weekly
Some sellers withdraw every Tuesday OR every Friday, taking out whatever's withdrawable. Simple and predictable for cash flow.
Drain monthly
Others wait until they've accumulated a larger amount and withdraw once per month. Fewer transactions, slightly lower total Pesapal fees, but bigger swings in their MoMo balance.
Keep a buffer in the wallet
Some sellers leave one month's verification fee in the wallet so auto-renew always succeeds. The rest they withdraw. Smart for sellers worried about past_due interruptions.
Split withdrawals across methods
If you have both MoMo and bank, withdraw separately to each — say, weekly to MoMo for spending money, larger amounts to bank for savings. Each withdrawal counts as one request.
Withdrawal history
Wallet → History shows every past withdrawal:
- Date and time of request.
- Amount requested.
- Pesapal fee.
- Net amount received.
- Status (Completed / Processing / Failed).
- Payout method used.
Tap any entry for details. Useful for bookkeeping or tax purposes.
Common questions
What's the minimum withdrawal?
UGX 50,000. Smaller amounts don't justify the Pesapal fee, so we require this floor.
What's the maximum?
No hard maximum — you can withdraw your full withdrawable balance in one request, even if it's millions of UGX. Pesapal handles large transfers fine.
Can I withdraw to a friend's MoMo?
Technically yes if you enter their number and name, but we strongly recommend against it. If anything goes wrong (wrong amount, fraud dispute), you have no recourse because the funds went to someone else's account. Withdraw to yourself; transfer to them via MoMo manually afterward.
My withdrawal failed — what now?
The amount is refunded to your wallet automatically. Check the History entry for the failure reason:
- Account not found — wrong MoMo / bank number. Re-verify the account and try again.
- Account not registered to this name — name doesn't match account holder. Update the payout method.
- Network temporarily down — wait an hour and retry.
If the failure persists, email support@kampalasnap.com with the withdrawal ID.
Can I withdraw to a non-Ugandan account?
Today, only Ugandan MoMo and bank accounts work. International withdrawals are on the roadmap but not live yet.
Why is my pending balance higher than I expected?
Three reasons it can look high:
- Recent sales (last 48 hours) are in pending until the dispute window closes.
- Open disputes freeze amounts.
- Slow tier penalty stretches the dispute window from 48h to 168h.
Insights → Earnings shows a breakdown of what's in pending vs why.
Can I see Pesapal's side of a withdrawal?
Not directly through us, but you can check your MoMo / bank for the deposit details. The transaction reference includes "KampalaSnap" or "Pesapal" so it's easy to find.
What's next
- Subscription mechanics — how the monthly fee that paid for withdrawals works.
- Vacation mode — how pause affects earnings.