Review
Yoco Khumo 2 Review (2026): Is R699 Enough?
Yoco Khumo 2 review: R699 once-off, 2.30% on the free Core plan, data included and an 18-hour battery. What a year costs, and when to buy the Print 2.
Some links here are referral links, and where a provider gives our readers a better price than its own site, that is the price you get by using one. It costs you nothing extra, and every option here is judged on the same test either way.
If you've just decided to start taking cards, the Khumo 2 is the machine most people land on first, and for good reason. You pay R699 once, you don't pay anything monthly, and it works out of the box on its own SIM.
It's a good machine. What you need to know is whether R699 covers what your counter needs, or whether you'll wish you'd paid for the printing model. So in this review I'll go through what R699 buys, what a year costs you at a few different turnovers, how you get paid, and who should spend more.
What R699 gets you
It takes every way your customers pay. Tap, chip or swipe, debit or credit, and Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay for the customer who'd rather pay with their phone. Yoco says a payment goes through in 1.55 seconds, and the shop owners I've spoken to who use one mention the speed before anything else.
It stays connected. The SIM inside works on whichever network is strongest where you are, and switches to Wi-Fi when that's better. The data is unlimited and costs nothing extra, so a bad signal day doesn't stop you trading.
It lasts the day. Yoco says the battery lasts 18 hours on one charge, which covers a long Saturday market or a double shift. It's also built for spills, steam and dust, and Yoco puts your own logo on the screen if you want it.
It comes with a 1-year warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Delivery is free in up to 3 days, or you can collect one the same day from more than 300 shops.
What we like
- R699 once, with no contract, no rental and nothing monthly on Core
- The data is included, on a SIM that uses whichever network is strongest
- 18 hours on a charge, and built for spills, steam and dust
- Tips, split bills, refunds and staff profiles on the machine itself
- Your money lands in your own bank, whichever one it is
- 24-hour service and WhatsApp support
Where it falls shortwhat to know first
Where it falls short
- No printer, so a customer who wants a slip gets it by SMS or email
- Free payouts take 1 to 2 business days; same-day money costs from R17.25 a payout
- No airtime or electricity sales, so no commission from the counter
The numbers in fullspecs & terms
- MachineR699 once
- MonthlyR0 on Core
- Fee2.30% excl. VAT
- Payout1-2 business days
Best for
A first card machine for a shop, salon, stall or service business that's happy with digital receipts
Who should avoid it
Less suited to a counter where customers expect a printed slip, or a shop that sells airtime
Quick verdict
Start here unless you know you need a printer. It costs nothing to keep, and the software on it is more than most first machines give you.
R100 comes off automatically at signup, on top of everything Yoco already includes.
Ready to start with the Khumo 2?
If you're comparing it with Yoco's other machines, or with the rest of the market, our Yoco review covers the whole range and our list of the best card machines ranks it against everyone else.
What a year with it costs
Once you've paid for the machine, the only thing you keep paying is the transaction fee. On Yoco CoreYoco's standard plan, and the one almost every small business is on. It costs R0 a month, charges 2.30% excluding VAT per local card sale, and includes unlimited mobile data on the machine's multi-network SIM at no extra cost. Instant Payout costs a flat R17.25 for a payout under R1 000 and 1.5% above that on Core, for up to R10 000, once a day.What it means for the Khumo 2On Core the Khumo 2 costs R699 once and nothing monthly. At R25 000 a month in card sales you pay about R575 a month in fees, and that's the whole bill.Core is Yoco's free plan and the one almost every small business is on. There's no monthly fee, the point-of-sale software is included, and the fee is 2.30% excluding VAT on local cards up to R50 000 a month, dropping to 1.35% on local debit above that. Yoco's two paid plans lower the fee in return for a monthly charge.See every term in the glossary that's 2.30% Excluding VATThe rate before 15% VAT is added, which is how almost every South African provider quotes. A rate of 2.30% excl. VAT actually bills you 2.645%, so two quotes are only comparable once you know which basis each is on.On a R100 sale2.30% excluding VAT is R2.30, and with 15% VAT on top Yoco keeps R2.65. Every card machine company quotes this way, so compare like with like.Card machine fees in South Africa are quoted before VAT, and the amount that actually leaves your sale is the fee plus 15%. It's the same for every provider, so a comparison between two quoted rates is fair as it stands.See every term in the glossary on every local card sale, debit or credit, up to R50 000 a month.
So the easiest way to see what the Khumo 2 really costs is to add a year up. Here's what that looks like at three turnovers most small businesses will recognise:
What a year with the Khumo 2 costs, at your monthly card sales:
A year with the Khumo 2 at three turnovers
| R10 000 a month | R25 000 a month | R40 000 a month | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine, once | R699 | R699 | R699 |
| Monthly fee | R0 | R0 | R0 |
| Fees, a year at 2.30% | R2 760 | R6 900 | R11 040 |
| Year one | R3 459 | R7 599 | R11 739 |
| Every year after | R2 760 | R6 900 | R11 040 |
mashjoy.com calculation from Yoco's pricing page: 2.30% on local cards up to R50 000 a month on Core, free standard payouts. All amounts exclude VAT.← scroll sideways on a narrow screen →
After the first year the machine is paid for and the fee is the whole cost. Nothing else is billed on Core.
There's no monthly line to budget for, so a quiet month costs you nothing at all.
Above R50 000 a month, Yoco drops local debit cards to 1.35%, so a busy shop pays less than the table shows. International cards cost 3.20%, falling to 2.75% above R50 000, which matters if you sell to tourists.
Yoco's paid plans lower the fee further: Yoco PlusYoco's middle plan at R249 a month per location. It is the tier that carries appointment management, a built-in loyalty programme and multi-location management, and it lowers the card rate to 2.10% excluding VAT on local debit up to R50,000 a month. Nothing on Core is taken away to make it; Plus adds. The plan above it is Pro at R499 a month. Yoco's pricing page lists free fast payouts on Pro, while its Instant Payout page charges 1% on Pro. Check with Yoco which applies before you choose Pro for that reason.Is it worth it on a Khumo 2?Plus charges 2.10% on local debit up to R50 000, against 2.30% on Core. At R25 000 a month that saves about R50 in fees and costs R249, so it only pays for itself on a much busier counter.Plus is Yoco's middle plan at R249 a month per location. It lowers the card fee and adds appointments, a loyalty programme and multi-location management, and it's the plan that links your Yoco sales to Xero, Sage or QuickBooks.See every term in the glossary costs R249 a month, and Pro costs R499. For most businesses starting out, Core is the one that makes sense, because nothing is billed in a month you don't trade.
How you get paid
Yoco pays you into the bank account you already have, whichever bank that is, in 1 to 2 business days. It doesn't charge for that, and you don't need to open a new account to get it.
If you need the money sooner, there's Instant Payout in the Yoco app. It lands within minutes, any day of the week, once a day and up to R10 000 at a time. A payout under R1 000 costs a flat R17.25, and a bigger one costs 1.5% on Yoco's free Core plan.
Used now and then, that's a fair price for cash when you need it. Used every day, it adds up, so here's what that looks like before you build it into how you run the shop.
If you take your money out every day
Drawn every trading day on Core, Instant Payout costs about R450 a month at R25 000 in card sales, where each day's payout is under R1 000, and about R600 a month at R40 000, where it's 1.5%. If you restock every morning with yesterday's money, add that to the table above.
The software on it
This is where the Khumo 2 does more than most R699 machines. It isn't only a card machine, it's a small till. You load your products and prices, and it keeps your stock and your sales history, on the machine and in the free Yoco app.
Customers can add a tip on the machine, and Yoco says its tip prompts lift tips to 12% on average. You can split a bill between customers, refund all or part of a sale, and give each staff member their own profile, with refunds limited to the people you approve. You see the day's sales on your phone as they happen.
If you already run a till system, the Khumo 2 can sit beside it. Yoco's machines connect to Lightspeed, Loyverse, TallOrder and Bookem on any plan, so the sale rings up on your till and the payment goes through on the Khumo 2. Linking to Xero, Sage or QuickBooks for your books needs Yoco's R249-a-month plan.
Khumo 2 or Khumo Print 2?
This is the one real decision. The Khumo Print 2 is everything the Khumo 2 does, on a bigger screen, with a printer built in. It also has more power inside, eight cores and 3GB of memory against the Khumo 2's quad-core chip. It costs R1 399, which is R700 more.
So, do your customers want a printed slip? A restaurant handing over itemised bills, a takeaway printing order slips for the kitchen, or a shop where customers ask for a slip to claim back from work: buy the Print 2. Everywhere else, the Khumo 2's receipts by SMS and email do the job, and the R700 stays in your pocket.
Digital receipts
Yoco Khumo 2
Everything you need to take cards and run a small counter, with receipts by SMS or email.
may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Prints the slip
Yoco Khumo Print 2
The same machine on a bigger screen, with a printer for bills, order slips and receipts.
may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Same fees, same free plan and same payouts on both. Only the printer, the screen and the price change.
Price last confirmed on 5 November 2026
And if you want a proper countertop till rather than a handheld machine, Yoco's Counter bundle puts a touchscreen on your counter with its Neo Touch card machine included. Our Yoco review covers it.
Should you buy the Yoco Khumo 2?
Yes, if you're starting out and digital receipts are fine. It's the simplest way into card payments: R699 once, nothing monthly, the data included, a battery that lasts the day, and software that keeps your stock and your staff in order.
Buy the Khumo Print 2 instead if your customers expect a printed slip. It's R700 more for the printer, and nothing else about running it changes.
And if people already come into your shop asking for airtime or electricity, look at iKhokha's iK Flyer Lite, also R699, which sells prepaid for a commission. Our Yoco vs iKhokha comparison works out which suits your business.
Anyone starting out who's happy to send receipts by SMS or email, from a spaza or a salon to a market stall.
Yoco Khumo 2
R699once-off
R699 once-off, R0 a month on Yoco's free Core plan, 2.30% excl. VAT per local card sale (confirmed 5 November 2026)
Get the Khumo 2 Price confirmed 14 Oct 2026Questions people ask about the Yoco Khumo 2
How much does the Yoco Khumo 2 cost?
R699 once-off, with no contract and nothing monthly on Yoco's free Core plan.Each local card sale costs 2.30% excluding VAT up to R50 000 a month, and local debit drops to 1.35% above that. Confirmed 5 November 2026.
Is there a monthly fee on the Khumo 2?
Not on Core, Yoco's free plan.The data on its SIM is included too. Yoco's Plus and Pro plans cost R249 and R499 a month and lower the transaction fee, but you don't need either to use the machine.
How fast does the Khumo 2 pay out?
Into your own bank account in 1 to 2 business days, free.If you need it sooner, Instant Payout in the Yoco app lands within minutes, once a day and up to R10 000, for a flat R17.25 under R1 000 and 1.5% above that on Core.
2 more questions
Does the Yoco Khumo 2 print receipts?
No. It sends receipts by SMS or email.The Khumo Print 2, at R1 399, is the same machine with a printer built in and a bigger screen.
How long does the Khumo 2 battery last?
Yoco says it lasts 18 hours on one charge.It uses a SIM that switches to whichever network is strongest, and Wi-Fi when that's better, so it keeps working on a bad signal day.