Honest Comparison
MstawiPro vs KRA Shuru
Both are legitimate tools for Kenyan taxpayers. They serve different jobs. Here's a fair breakdown to help you decide what you need — and when you might want both.
TL;DR
KRA Shuru is the official KRA chatbot — free, basic, ideal for simple filings. MstawiPro is a full business operating platform — handles payroll, bookkeeping, eTIMS branding, multi-regime optimization, and 7+ KRA filing types. If you have only a P9, use Shuru. If you run a business, hire people, or want to find reliefs, use MstawiPro.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Capability | KRA Shuru | MstawiPro |
|---|---|---|
| Personal / Individual Filing | ||
| Nil or pre-filled IT1 return | ✓ Free | ✓ KES 1,500 |
| Multi-source IT1 (employment + rental + freelance) | Limited | ✓ Full |
| Per-source regime optimizer (TOT vs Standard, MRI vs Standard) | — | ✓ Saves avg 300K+ |
| PIN check, TCC download | ✓ Free | ✓ Included |
| Business Operations | ||
| eTIMS-compliant invoicing | ✓ Basic | ✓ Branded + CRM |
| PAYE payroll (NSSF Tier I & II, SHIF, Housing Levy, NITA) | — | ✓ All 5 |
| All 3 pension schemes (NSSF, Personal RBA, Occupational DC/DB) | — | ✓ |
| P10 monthly return + payslips | — | ✓ |
| Casuals management with WHT auto-calc | — | ✓ |
| Double-entry bookkeeping (P&L, Balance Sheet, M-Pesa recon) | — | ✓ |
| Time-based attendance with auto-late detection | — | ✓ |
| Filings (Beyond IT1) | ||
| VAT monthly return | — | ✓ |
| Withholding Tax (WHT) with auto-emailed certificates | — | ✓ |
| Corporate Income Tax (CT) wizard with optimizer | — | ✓ 3 regimes |
| TOT quarterly filing | — | ✓ |
| Annual Return (Companies Registry §705) — BRS filing | — | ✓ |
| Intelligence & Documents | ||
| AI Tax Advisor (conversational) | ✓ Basic | ✓ AI-powered |
| 31 legal/HR document templates (contracts, NDAs, demand letters, AGM notices) | — | ✓ |
| Document Vault (7-year encrypted archive) | — | ✓ |
| Team workspaces (accountant access, multi-user) | — | ✓ |
When to use each
Choose KRA Shuru if:
- You're a salaried employee with only a P9 from one employer
- Your only filing is a nil or pre-filled IT1
- You need a quick PIN check or TCC download
- You want a free, official KRA tool
- You don't run a business or hire anyone
Choose MstawiPro if:
- You have multiple income sources (P9 + rental + freelance + dividends)
- You run a business or are a sole proprietor
- You hire employees and need payroll + P10
- You file VAT, WHT, CT, or TOT returns
- You want to find tax-saving reliefs (TOT vs Standard, MRI on rental, capital allowances)
- You need legal documents (contracts, NDAs, demand letters)
You can use both.Use Shuru for the basic stuff. Use MstawiPro for everything beyond. They're complementary tools, not direct competitors.