Short answer: verified companion and wellness work in Kenya pays you 80% of everything you charge. Velvet Africa takes one flat 20% commission and nothing else. There is no joining fee, no monthly fee, and no plan to choose. You set your own prices, your own services, and your own boundaries. So if you charge KES 5,000 for a session, you keep KES 4,000 and the platform keeps KES 1,000. Spas and parlours in this region commonly pay a therapist only about 30% of the session fee — about KES 1,500 on that same session. Your money is also held by the platform before the meeting, so you are not chasing cash at the door. Joining is free and takes a few minutes. To start receiving bookings, you finish a free ID and video check.
Create your free profile — it takes about 3 minutes
Key takeaways
- Joining is free, forever. No signup fee. No monthly fee.
- You keep 80% of what you charge. Flat 20% commission on bookings, tips, content and chat unlocks.
- The client pays before you meet. Half of your share reaches your wallet when the booking is confirmed.
- Travel money is all yours. The payment-processing fee is paid by the client, on top.
- Verification is free. It is what makes you bookable.
- You are in charge. Your rates, your services, your hours, your boundaries.
- 18+ only. Companionship and wellness only. Anything illegal is not allowed on Velvet.
What you actually keep: the 20% rule
In a spa, the shop books the client, so the shop keeps the bigger share. On Velvet it is the opposite: you keep 80% of your session price, the platform keeps 20%.
Spas and parlours in this part of Africa commonly pay a therapist only about 30% of the session fee. Check the split you are on today and compare. The middle column is an example, not a measured Kenyan rate.
| Session price | If a spa pays you 30% | Velvet pays you (80%) | Extra in your pocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| KES 2,500 | KES 750 | KES 2,000 | KES 1,250 |
| KES 3,500 | KES 1,050 | KES 2,800 | KES 1,750 |
| KES 5,000 | KES 1,500 | KES 4,000 | KES 2,500 |
| KES 8,000 | KES 2,400 | KES 6,400 | KES 4,000 |
Now a week of work — example sums, not a promise of bookings. Four sessions a week at KES 5,000 is KES 20,000 collected. You keep 80%, so KES 16,000 a week, or about KES 64,000 over four weeks. If a spa paid you 30%, those same four sessions would pay you KES 6,000 a week. Same work. Much more money.
Travel money is yours. Charge KES 800 transport for an out-call in Westlands and all KES 800 comes to you, so a KES 5,000 session plus travel pays you KES 4,800. The payment-processing fee is paid by the client, on top of your price. It never comes out of your side, though you earn nothing from it.
See how Velvet Africa works for creators
How your money is kept safe before you meet
More clients is not always the problem. Getting paid by the ones you have is. Velvet holds the client's money before you meet:
- The client pays into the platform when they book. The money is held there.
- You accept the booking. Half of your share goes into your in-app wallet straight away. On a KES 5,000 session, that is KES 2,000 before you have even travelled.
- After the session is completed, the other KES 2,000 is released.
- You withdraw to mobile money or your bank.
One warning. If the meetup never happens — the client does not turn up, the booking is cancelled, or a dispute is refunded — the half already in your wallet is taken back and returned to the client. You are not left chasing anyone for cash, but you are not paid for a session that did not happen. More detail in our guide on how creators get paid.
How Velvet keeps you safe
A deal made on Instagram or WhatsApp leaves no record. On Velvet, every booking does.
- The money moves through the platform. No cash at the door, no fake payment screenshots.
- Bookings and chat stay in the app, so what was agreed is on record and your own phone number stays private.
- Your boundaries are in writing. Your profile lists what you offer and what you do not, and clients see it before they book.
- You can decline any booking, and report or block an account. Nobody can force a session on you.
- Reviews come from completed bookings only, so your good name cannot be faked.
The longer version is in our guide on safety and verification for creators.
Verification is free, and it is what makes you bookable
Verification is not a fee, and you cannot fail it for being new. It is a free check that proves you are a real adult, and you need it to receive bookings and show the verified badge.
It has two parts: a photo of your ID (Kenyan national ID or passport), and a short video selfie to show that the face on the ID is your face. A few minutes on your phone. Clients can filter for verified creators, so start this early.
How to join, step by step
Use your phone. You do not need a laptop.
- Open velvetafrica.com/c/register in your phone browser.
- Type your name, email and a password. Tap continue. Nothing is charged.
- Open your email, find the code we send, and type it into the app.
- Choose your city — Nairobi, Mombasa, or wherever you work. Write a short about-me in three or four honest sentences.
- Add clear photos. Good light, face visible, dressed the way you would meet a client. A blurry photo is hard to trust.
- Add your services and prices in KES. For example: “Full body massage, 60 minutes, KES 3,500.” Add a travel fee if you do out-calls.
- Set the days and hours you are free. Only put times you will really answer.
- Tap Get verified. Upload your ID, record the short video, then wait for the check.
- Once approved, your profile shows on Explore and clients can send you booking requests.
Where in Kenya this works
Velvet operates in Nairobi — Westlands, Kilimani, Lavington, the CBD hotels — and in Mombasa, including Nyali and Bamburi. It also operates in Uganda and Tanzania. Set prices that fit your area: a KES 3,000 session pays you KES 2,400, where a 30% split pays KES 900.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free to join?
Yes. Your account and your profile cost nothing. No signup fee, no monthly fee, no subscription. The only money the platform takes is the flat 20% on what you earn.
How much can I earn as a companion in Kenya?
That depends on your prices, your city and how many sessions you accept. Nobody can promise you a number. What is fixed is your share: 80% of what you charge for a booking, a tip or a paid message. At KES 4,000 a session you keep KES 3,200; at KES 6,000, KES 4,800.
Do I need a Kenyan ID to work on Velvet?
You need a valid government ID to get verified — a national ID or a passport. You must be 18 or older. Verification is free, and you can build your whole profile before you finish it.
When do I get my money?
Half of your share reaches your in-app wallet as soon as the booking is confirmed. The rest comes after the session is completed. Then you withdraw from your wallet.
What happens if a client does not show up?
The platform handles it, not you. The client is refunded under the no-show rules, and the half already sitting in your wallet is taken back. You are not paid for a session that did not happen — but you also do not spend your evening fighting anybody for cash.
What kind of work is this, exactly?
Verified companionship and wellness: massage and bodywork, dinner dates, event and travel companionship, city tours, and paid content or chat if you want it. You write your own boundaries, and clients accept them before booking. Anything illegal is not allowed.
Ready to start?
Sign up free, add your photos and prices, then finish the free ID and video check. Then clients can send you booking requests.
Join free and start taking bookings in Kenya · Learn more about creating on Velvet Africa
