What is a B2B ecosystem?
Business apps that belong to one platform and share the account and the data, instead of being wired together through paid integrations.
Kenya · EAC + eTIMS
A guide to Kenya's digital tax era.
Kenya operates under mandatory eTIMS e-invoicing from KRA, a 16 % VAT regime and the ubiquitous M-Pesa mobile money ecosystem. This guide follows the company lifecycle — from BRS registration and KRA PIN setup through VAT returns and payroll to EAC cross-border trade. 4b2b does not connect to KRA or transmit eTIMS invoices; its general-purpose tools are described below.
Explore the topic map →Illustrative overview (not measured data)4B2B · LEDGER VIEW
18
Modules
3
Clusters
KE
Country
InvoicingAccountingPayrollOther
Illustrative trend
Currency
KES
VAT
16 %
Market
EAC
Registry
BRS
Start with the services you can use today
Subscribe online to the first applications of the 4b2b ecosystem, then add more modules to the same account whenever you need them.
Invoicing
Issue and manage invoices online, with plans that start with a free trial period.
from €1 /month
Hosting
cPanel hosting, VPS, dedicated and GPU servers on fast NVMe storage.
from €5 /month
Notifications
Send SMS, e-mail and WhatsApp notifications to your customers from one place.
from €49 /month
Kenya's position
Digital tax from day one — what to know.
Kenya has made eTIMS mandatory across B2G and B2B transactions, placing digital invoicing at the core of every VAT return and audit trail. Add M-Pesa as the dominant payment rail and EAC as the regional trade framework, and every invoice, return and cross-border shipment reflects these realities.
KRA-eTIMSKRA / eTIMSThe Kenya Revenue Authority mandates eTIMS electronic Tax Invoice Management System for VAT-registered businesses. Every tax invoice must be transmitted in real time.
VAT-16VAT 16 %Standard VAT rate of 16 % on taxable supplies; zero-rated category for exports and specified exempt supplies. Periodic returns filed through iTax.
MPESAM-Pesa mobile moneyM-Pesa is Kenya's primary payment channel. Receipts must be reconciled against open invoices and eTIMS-registered sales on a daily basis.
EACEAC trade blocKenya is a founding member of the East African Community. Intra-EAC trade benefits from preferential tariffs and harmonised customs procedures across six partner states.
01 · COMPANY FORMATION
Company Formation & Registration
From choosing a legal structure to issuing the first invoice under eTIMS: what actually sits on the table when forming a company in Kenya, and where general-purpose tools can help.
6 · Open →
02 · OPERATIONS
Operations — VAT, eTIMS, Payroll, M-Pesa
The daily reality of a Kenyan company: VAT at 16 %, mandatory eTIMS transmission to KRA, payroll with PAYE and statutory deductions, and M-Pesa as the primary payment rail.
6 · Open →
03 · CROSS-BORDER
Cross-border — EAC, Exports & COMESA
Kenya sits at the heart of East Africa: a founding EAC member, a COMESA signatory and a growing exporter of services. Every cross-border transaction has VAT, customs and employment implications that require careful documentation.
6 · Open →
4b2b ecosystem for Kenyan businesses
Each module is subscribed on its own brand domain — billing, support and licencing live there. They are general-purpose tools and do not connect to KRA or M-Pesa.
4buildsite.netWebsite and online-store builder with ready-made templates.4fleet.netVehicle fleet management: fuel use, servicing, inspections, insurance, drivers and per-vehicle costs.4hosting.netReliable hosting and VPS infrastructure tailored for the 4b2b stack and partner deployments.4invoices.netInvoicing in 73 countries: PDF invoices, numbering, client records and payment links, with ANAF e-Factura integration in Romania.4notify.netSMS and WhatsApp notifications, with an API to send them from your own applications.4shopy.netE-commerce platform to launch and run your online shop.
Technologies we use
The modules offer a REST API, webhooks, PDF invoices and e-mail and SMS sending. There are no integrations with KRA or M-Pesa; the local standards listed are informational.
Local standards (informational)
eTIMSUBL 2.1Peppol BISCIIISO 20022
Security
TLS 1.3OAuth 2.0Kenya DPA 2019 (informational)
Integrations
REST APIWebhooksPDF invoicesE-mail and SMS
Infrastructure
EU data centresPostgreSQLBackups
For accountants, advocates and consultants
Accounting firms and advisers can use the general-purpose modules for invoicing and record keeping. KRA PIN registration, eTIMS onboarding, VAT returns and payroll filings are done directly with KRA and the funds.
Accounting firms
Client PDF invoices and financial records in one place; eTIMS is handled outside 4b2b.
Advocates
Fee PDF invoices and an invoice archive; BRS filings are done with BRS.
Tax consultants
Use the invoice archive as a source for your own VAT analysis; returns are filed on iTax, not from 4b2b.
IT agencies
PDF invoices for cross-border services; confirm VAT and eTIMS requirements with KRA.
The 4b2b ecosystem
Why an ecosystem instead of separate apps
The 4b2b ecosystem is a group of business apps that share one account, one company record and one customer record. You switch on only the modules you need, and anything entered once shows up everywhere else — from invoicing through contracts to timesheets.
- One login for every module, with permissions set per role.
- Company and customer details are entered once, not six times.
- One subscription, with modules you turn on as you go.
- Local tax compliance included on every market we open.
Questions about the ecosystem
Short answers to what small companies ask most often before choosing. Each one has its own page, with worked examples and the mistakes to avoid.
What is the 4b2b ecosystem?
Invoicing, accounting, CRM, ERP, HR, projects, contracts and notifications under one account, with local compliance on each market.
How does an ecosystem cut software costs?
It removes parallel subscriptions and paid connectors: replacing six separate apps typically takes 40–60 % off the monthly bill.
What does Single Sign-On mean for a company?
One person signs in once and reaches every module; when they leave, access is revoked from a single place.
How is tax compliance handled across 70 countries?
Every market has its own e-invoicing format and channel, and the ecosystem applies them from the market you selected.
Partner programme — Kenya
Accountants and consultants who refer the ecosystem to their clients earn a recurring commission for every active mandate.
Accountants
20–30 %
Recurring on every referred client mandate.
Advocates
10–20 %
For referrals from commercial and company law work.
IT partners
20–30 %
When integrating multiple modules for a single client.
