Selar review: African pricing & payments

Key takeaways

• Selar is free to start. You pay a fee per sale: 4% + ₦50 on naira sales, and up to 10% + $0.50 on dollar sales.
• Paid plans cost ₦12,000 a month (Pro) and ₦22,500 (Turbo) in naira, or $30 and $45 in dollars, so Nigerians pay far less than creators billed in dollars.
• Buyers can pay in naira, cedi, shillings, rand and more, including M-Pesa in Kenya and mobile money in Ghana.
• Naira earnings are available 24 hours after a sale; cedi and Kenyan shillings take 4 days, rand 5 days and dollars 10 days.
• BizStack Africa rates Selar 3.7 / 5.0: good, with caveats. Payout holds are the main complaint.

If you're an African creator selling ebooks, courses, templates or coaching, Selar is the easiest place to start: it's free until you make a sale, and your buyers can pay with the money they actually use, from naira transfers to M-Pesa. Nigerian creators get the best deal, because both the fees and the paid plans are priced for naira. If you sell mostly to buyers abroad in dollars, or you need your money the same day without fail, look at the alternatives. We rate it 3.7 / 5.0: easy, local and widely used, held back by reports of withheld payouts and fees that climb steeply outside naira.

Selar is a platform for selling digital products and services: you upload a product, get a checkout link, and share it on Instagram, WhatsApp or X. Douglas Kendyson founded it in Nigeria in 2016, and it's bootstrapped, with no institutional funding. Selar says it paid out more than ₦18 billion to nearly 400,000 creators in 2025, up from ₦9.8 billion in 2024.

Verdict: Good, with caveats · 3.7 / 5.0

• Best for: African creators selling ebooks, courses, templates, coaching and memberships to buyers in Africa.
• Skip it if: Most of your buyers pay in dollars, or you can't afford a payout hold while an account review runs.
• Price: Free to start (fees per sale) · Pro ₦12,000/month or $30/month (≈ GH₵348 · KSh3,896 · R494)
• Paying from Africa: Pay in naira in Nigeria. Buyers can pay with local cards, transfers, M-Pesa (Kenya) and mobile money (Ghana).
• Availability: Sells in NGN, GHS, KES, ZAR, RWF and UGX among other currencies. No Egyptian pound; Egyptian buyers would pay in dollars.

What is Selar, and what is it good at?

Say you're an Accra designer with a pack of Canva templates, or a Lagos fitness coach with a 12-week plan. On Selar you upload the file or set up the course, set a price, and get a link. A buyer taps it, pays, and gets the product automatically. You don't need a website.

What makes Selar different from Gumroad or Payhip is local payments. Its blog lists selling currencies including NGN, GHS, KES, ZAR, RWF, UGX, TZS, the two CFA francs, USD and GBP, switched on by default. A Nigerian buyer can pay by transfer or USSD, a Kenyan by M-Pesa, and a Ghanaian by MTN or AirtelTigo mobile money. A Ghanaian buyer staring at a dollar price and a declined card is a lost sale; Selar removes that problem.

Beyond checkout, Selar includes:

• Course hosting and memberships for selling access over time.
• An affiliate network, so other people can promote your product for a commission. Joining the public network costs ₦3,000 a year, according to a July 2026 comparison.
• "Show Love" tips from fans.
• Fee sharing: you can pass the transaction fee on to your customers from your dashboard.
• PayPal and Stripe integration on paid plans, for buyers outside Africa.

How much does Selar cost in Africa?

Selar costs nothing to start. You pay a fee on each sale, and paid plans unlock extra features.

Fees per sale depend on the currency your buyer pays in:

• Naira: 4% + ₦50, according to Selar's help centre. On a ₦10,000 ebook, that's ₦450, leaving you ₦9,550.
• Kenyan shillings: 5% + KSh20, according to a July 2026 comparison.
• US dollars and British pounds: 10% + 50 cents or pence, according to Selar's help centre. A competitor's comparison lists 7% + 50¢, so check your dashboard.
• Cedi: Selar's own blog says fees run "as high as 10%" for USD and GHS transactions.
• Rand and other currencies: we couldn't find a published rate.

Paid plans are listed on Selar's blog and confirmed by a July 2026 comparison:

Plan	Price	Nigeria (₦)	Ghana (GH₵)	Kenya (KSh)	South Africa (R)
Free	$0	0	0	0	0
Pro	₦12,000 or $30/month	12,000	≈ 348	≈ 3,896	≈ 494
Turbo	₦22,500 or $45/month	22,500	≈ 522	≈ 5,843	≈ 742

Rates used: GH₵11.61/$ (Bank of Ghana, 20 Oct 2026), KSh129.85/$ (22 Oct), R16.48/$ (16 Oct). Ghana, Kenya and South Africa figures convert the dollar price; we couldn't confirm whether Selar bills creators there in local currency.

Look at those two prices side by side. ₦12,000 is about $9 at today's rate, while the dollar price is $30. If Selar bills you in naira, you pay roughly a third of what a creator billed in dollars pays. Annual billing takes a further 20% off.

Do you need a paid plan? Most new creators don't. Start free, and only upgrade when you need a feature like PayPal and Stripe checkout for foreign buyers, a custom domain or advanced affiliate tools. The plans don't lower your per-sale fee, so pay for features, not in the hope of saving on fees.

One risk to watch: in July 2026, Selar's founder said the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service was pursuing a backdated 5% royalty on all sales. He warned that if it stands, Selar would have to raise prices and pass the cost to creators. We found no resolution as of October 2026.

How do you get paid in each country?

Selar's help centre lists how long earnings take to become available after a sale:

Currency	Available after
Naira (NGN)	24 hours
Cedi (GHS), Kenyan shilling (KES), Tanzanian shilling	4 days
Rand (ZAR), CFA francs, Rwandan franc	5 days
US dollar, British pound	10 days

Weekends, public holidays and bank processing can add delays. Earnings in your store's default currency can go straight to your bank account; other currencies go to your Selar wallet first, and you withdraw from there.

Nigeria

Selar's home market and its best experience. Buyers pay by card, transfer or USSD, you get naira in your bank within about 24 hours, and Pro costs ₦12,000 rather than $30. If you pay for a plan, you pay in naira, so there's no dollar card to worry about.

Ghana

Buyers can pay in cedi, including by MTN, AirtelTigo and other mobile money, which Selar has supported since at least 2021. Your cedi earnings are available after 4 days, and Selar announced bank transfer payouts for Ghana. Fees on cedi sales can reach 10%, so check your rate in the dashboard.

Kenya

Kenyan buyers can pay with M-Pesa in shillings, and Selar's October 2025 Kenya guide says creators can receive their money through M-Pesa too. Fees are reported at 5% + KSh20, and earnings are available after 4 days.

South Africa

You can sell in rand, and earnings are available after 5 days. We couldn't find Selar's published fee for rand sales, and Selar's marketing focuses on West and East Africa, so check fees and payout options before moving your store.

Rwanda, Egypt and Uganda

Selar lists Rwandan francs and Ugandan shillings among its selling currencies, with Rwandan franc earnings available after 5 days. Egyptian pounds aren't listed, so Egyptian buyers would pay in dollars, at the higher dollar fee. We couldn't confirm payout options for creators based in Egypt.

How reliable is Selar?

For most creators, Selar works: payouts in the billions of naira don't happen otherwise. Trustpilot reviewers in 2026 praise the "prompt response from the dedicated team" and say Selar makes "selling easy".

But the 1-star reviews are too consistent to ignore. Selar has a 3.9 out of 5 Trustpilot score from 312 reviews, and 25% of them are 1-star. The common thread is money: withdrawals that didn't arrive, funds held during account reviews, and accounts disabled with payouts withheld. One October 2026 reviewer said support "simply sent me the same transfer receipt" when the money hadn't arrived. Trustpilot also notes that Selar hasn't replied to negative reviews.

Some of this comes with any payments platform. Selar requires identity documents and a selfie (KYC), and accounts that break its terms can be suspended while funds are reviewed. Selar's help centre has articles on delayed payouts, and it says a temporary schedule change may affect timing. The practical advice: finish your KYC before your launch, keep your product descriptions honest, withdraw regularly instead of letting a large balance build up, and don't rely on Selar money arriving on a weekend.

Selar pros and cons

Pros

• Free to start, with no monthly fee until you need extra features
• Buyers pay in local currencies, including M-Pesa in Kenya and mobile money in Ghana
• Naira earnings are available within 24 hours
• Paid plans cost about a third as much in naira (₦12,000) as in dollars ($30)
• Built-in affiliate network, course hosting, memberships and tips

Cons

• Fees jump from 4% + ₦50 on naira to up to 10% + 50¢ on dollar sales
• A quarter of Trustpilot reviews are 1-star, mostly about held or missing payouts
• Dollar earnings take 10 days to become available
• No published fee for rand sales, and no Egyptian pound
• A tax dispute in Lagos could push fees up
• Paid plans don't lower your per-sale fee

Selar scores breakdown

Category	Score	Why
Value for money	7.6/10	Free to start, and 4% + ₦50 is fair for a full checkout; dollar fees up to 10% and paid plans that don't cut fees hold it back
Payment feasibility	8.0/10	Naira billing, and buyers pay in cedi, shillings and rand with M-Pesa and MoMo; no Egyptian pound and some fees unpublished
Performance & reliability	7.0/10	Paid out over ₦18 billion in 2025, but a quarter of Trustpilot reviews report held or missing payouts
Ease of use	8.4/10	Upload, price, share a link; reviewers say it makes "selling easy"
Customer support	6.4/10	Quick replies are often praised, but payout disputes drag on and Selar doesn't reply to negative reviews
Overall rating	3.7 / 5.0	Good, with caveats

Selar alternatives worth a look

Tool	Monthly price	Fee per sale	Paying from Africa	Pick it if…
Paystack payment pages	Free	1.5% + ₦100, capped at ₦2,000 (Nigeria)	Local cards, transfers, USSD	You only need to take payment and can deliver the product yourself
Coachli	$0	4% + ₦50 (naira), 7.5% (USD)	Naira and Stripe currencies	You sell coaching sessions and bookings
Gumroad	$0	10% + $0.50	USD; payouts abroad via PayPal	You sell mostly to global buyers in dollars

Paystack is cheaper per sale for Nigerian creators: 1.5% + ₦100, capped at ₦2,000, against Selar's 4% + ₦50. On a ₦50,000 course, that's ₦850 on Paystack against ₦2,050 on Selar. You lose Selar's automatic delivery, affiliates and course hosting, so it suits creators who send files themselves.

Coachli matches Selar's naira fee and focuses on coaching and bookings. Its comparison with Selar comes from its own website, so treat the details with care.

Gumroad is the global default, but at 10% + $0.50 per sale, with international payouts through PayPal, it's only worth it if most of your buyers are abroad.

Selar itself is the African-built option here, and for buyers in Africa it's still the most complete one.

Who should use Selar, and who should skip it?

Use Selar if you're:

• A Nigerian creator selling ebooks, templates or courses to Nigerian buyers
• A Ghanaian or Kenyan creator whose buyers pay with MoMo or M-Pesa
• Launching your first digital product and want a checkout link today, free
• Building an affiliate army to sell your course for you

Skip Selar if you're:

• Selling mostly to buyers in the US or Europe, where 10% + 50¢ and 10-day payouts add up
• Unable to absorb a payout hold during an account review
• Selling expensive products in naira where Paystack's capped fee saves real money
• Based in Egypt, with no Egyptian pound checkout

Final verdict

Selar is the easiest way for an African creator to start selling digital products: no monthly fee, local currencies, and M-Pesa and MoMo for buyers who don't have dollar cards. Nigerian creators get the best of it, with 24-hour naira payouts and paid plans at about a third of the dollar price. Start free, finish your KYC before launch, withdraw often, and keep an eye on the payout complaints and the Lagos tax dispute. If your buyers are mostly abroad or your products are expensive, compare the fees with Paystack or Gumroad first.

Sources

• Selar vs Gumroad — Selar, official, Pro/Turbo prices, 20% annual discount, currency list, fees up to 10%, checked 2026-10-24
• Payout / conversion structure — Selar Help Centre, official, 4% + ₦50 naira fee, 10% + 50¢ USD/GBP fee, checked 2026-10-24
• Payment timelines on Selar — Selar Help Centre, official, payout times by currency, checked 2026-10-24
• How to make your first $1,000 selling digital products in Kenya — Selar, official, M-Pesa for buyers and creators, KES selling, checked 2026-10-24
• Helping Ghana and Kenya sell more efficiently — Selar, official, GHS and KES support (2018), checked 2026-10-24
• Selar on X: mobile money support — Selar, official social post (2021), MoMo in Ghana and M-Pesa in Kenya, checked 2026-10-24
• How to pass transaction fees to your customers — Selar Help Centre, official, fee sharing, checked 2026-10-24
• Inside Selar's rise — BusinessDay, press, founder, payouts, currencies, checked 2026-10-24
• Selar paid out ₦9.8 billion in 2024 — Techpoint Africa, press, 2024 payouts and creators, checked 2026-10-24
• Bootstrapped hustle: how Selar grew — TechCabal, press, bootstrapped model, team, checked 2026-10-24
• Selar review 2026 — CareerBuddy, press, 2025 payouts of ₦18 billion to nearly 400,000 creators, checked 2026-10-24
• Nestuge vs Selar — Angelchukwu, blog (no affiliate disclosure), 2026 plan prices, KES fee, affiliate network fee, KYC, checked 2026-10-24
• Coachli vs Selar — Coachli, competitor page, Selar and Coachli fees, checked 2026-10-24
• selar.co reviews — Trustpilot, community, 3.9 score, payout complaints and praise, checked 2026-10-24
• Selar founder fears tax body is trying to "crush" creator economy — WeeTracker, press, LIRS 5% royalty dispute, checked 2026-10-24
• Paystack pricing — Paystack, official, Nigerian local fees and cap, checked 2026-10-24
• Gumroad fees — Checkout Page, competitor blog, Gumroad 10% + $0.50 and PayPal payouts, checked 2026-10-24
• US Dollar–Nigerian Naira history 2026 — Pound Sterling Live, press, ₦1,331.08/$, checked 2026-10-24
• October 21: Cedi sells at GH₵12.25 — Modern Ghana, press, BoG interbank GH₵11.61/$, checked 2026-10-24
• US Dollar–Kenyan Shilling history 2026 — Pound Sterling Live, press, KSh129.85/$, checked 2026-10-24
• US Dollar–South African Rand history 2026 — Pound Sterling Live, press, R16.48/$ (16 Oct), checked 2026-10-24