The verdict in three sentences
Free Money (Yas) is not your main wallet, but it captures customers that neither Wave nor Orange Money always serve. With merchant fees of 1 to 1.2 % and an estimated 10-15 % market share, adding it costs mostly integration and reconciliation time. The rule: enable it if your monthly volume exceeds 1,500,000 FCFA, otherwise the operational overhead is not worth it.
Free Money against Wave and Orange Money
2026 orders of magnitude for the Senegalese market. Ceilings depend on the account verification level.
| Criterion | Free Money (Yas) | Wave | Orange Money |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merchant fee | 1 to 1.2 % | ~1 % | 1 to 1.5 % |
| Estimated market share | 10 to 15 % | > 60 % | 25 to 30 % |
| Account ceiling / day | ~2,000,000 FCFA | high | high |
| Settlement delay | T+1 to T+2 | T+1 | T+1 to T+2 |
| Merchant opening fee | 0 FCFA | 0 FCFA | 0 FCFA |
| API maturity | medium | high | high |
Capturing 1 customer in 8: what is it worth?
If 12 % of your customers only pay with Free Money, here is the additional revenue captured by volume, and the associated collection cost (1.1 % average).
| Target total volume | Free Money share (12 %) | Free Money collection cost | Net additional revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000,000 FCFA | 120,000 FCFA | 1,320 FCFA | 118,680 FCFA |
| 2,500,000 FCFA | 300,000 FCFA | 3,300 FCFA | 296,700 FCFA |
| 5,000,000 FCFA | 600,000 FCFA | 6,600 FCFA | 593,400 FCFA |
| 8,000,000 FCFA | 960,000 FCFA | 10,560 FCFA | 949,440 FCFA |
The message is clear: the collection cost is negligible against the revenue captured. The real cost is technical integration and monthly reconciliation time.
Mini case study
Cheikh, who runs an online grocery in Thies, does 2,500,000 FCFA/month on Wave + OM. He estimates that 12 % of prospects drop off at checkout for lack of Free Money. By adding it, he captures an extra 300,000 FCFA per month for a collection cost of 3,300 FCFA and about 1 hour of monthly reconciliation. Annual outcome: 3,560,000 FCFA of revenue captured against 39,600 FCFA of fees. The integration pays for itself in the first month.
FAQ
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Are Free Money and Yas the same thing?
Yes. Free Money is the mobile payment solution operated under the Yas brand in Senegal in 2026. Accounts and ceilings remain comparable to what they were under Free.
What is a Free Money account ceiling?
The order of magnitude is about 2,000,000 FCFA per day for a verified account, adjustable by KYC level. Check current terms with the operator.
Is it worth integrating Free Money on top of Wave and OM?
Yes once your volume exceeds about 1,500,000 FCFA/month, as it captures 10 to 15 % of customers loyal to that wallet for a marginal collection cost.
Are Free Money fees higher than Wave?
Slightly: 1 to 1.2 % versus about 1 % for Wave. The difference of a few tenths of a point is negligible against the revenue captured.
Is the technical integration complex?
It requires handling a third webhook and an extra reconciliation line. A unified payment module absorbs that complexity without slowing your checkout.
Let's talk about your project. We add Free Money to your Wave + Orange Money stack with centralized reconciliation. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
