ISP billing comparison
Centranet vs Mobilink: ISP Billing for Kenyan ISPs
Mobilink offers tiered plans for Hotspot operators and fibre ISPs, with SmartOLT, GenieACS and an AI admin assistant. Centranet offers similar network tools and adds full white label, a reseller business model and automatic name-verified payouts. This page uses Mobilink’s published plans.
Side by side
Centranet and Mobilink, feature by feature
| Feature | Centranet | Mobilink |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | KES 500/month. Includes 30 PPPoE accounts, 2 routers, unlimited Hotspot users and 100 SMS. KES 20 per extra PPPoE account. 3% of collections applies only once monthly collections reach KES 7,000. | KES 1,500 to 3,500/month plus 3% of the previous month’s income |
| Free trial | Yes, no card required | Not listed |
| PPPoE billing on MikroTik | Yes. Routers are managed over a secure tunnel, with no RADIUS server to maintain | Yes, on Silver and ISP plans |
| Hotspot packages and vouchers | Yes. Branded login page builder, vouchers, roaming between your routers | Yes, vouchers and social login |
| M-Pesa STK Push, Paybill and Till | Yes. Use the platform collection service or connect your own provider | Yes, plus KopoKopo, MTN MoMo, Airtel Money and others |
| Automatic payouts to your M-Pesa, Paybill, Till or bank | Yes. Payout account verified by registered name before money is sent | Not listed on their public site |
| SMS reminders | Yes. Expiry, renewal and payment reminders with one-tap renewal links | Yes, with WhatsApp and Telegram |
| WhatsApp for subscribers | Yes. Subscribers can renew, check balance and request help from WhatsApp | WhatsApp messaging |
| White label and custom domain | Yes. Your logo, colours, portals and optional custom domain | Not listed on their public site |
| Reseller business (client ISP workspaces) | Yes. Reseller portal, client performance, branded support and audited support access | Not listed on their public site |
| TR-069 router management (change customer Wi-Fi remotely) | Yes. Built-in GenieACS. Change Wi-Fi name and password, reboot, read optical levels | Yes, GenieACS on the ISP plan |
| Fibre OLT and ONU records | Yes. Any vendor, CSV import | Yes, SmartOLT and ZTE C320 on the ISP plan |
| Remote Winbox from anywhere | Yes. Permanent public Winbox port per router, no VPN needed | Yes, Winbox, WebFig and API over VPN |
| Per-subscriber data usage | Yes. Daily download, upload and online time per subscriber | Not listed on their public site |
| Technician jobs app | Yes. Jobs, status updates and equipment installation by serial number | Not listed on their public site |
Competitor details come from each vendor’s public website, checked on 12 October 2026. “Not listed” means we could not find it on their public pages, not that the feature is impossible. Prices and features change, so confirm with each vendor before you decide.
Fair comparison
Where Mobilink is strong
- Plans that include messaging on WhatsApp, SMS and Telegram
- SmartOLT and GenieACS on the ISP plan
- Several mobile-money gateways beyond M-Pesa
- An AI admin assistant
Why ISPs choose Centranet
Choose Centranet if…
- You want a lower starting price: KES 500 a month with 30 PPPoE accounts included
- You want white label with your own domain
- You want to run a reseller business with client ISPs
- You want WhatsApp self-service where subscribers renew and get help themselves
- You want automatic payouts to a verified M-Pesa, Paybill, Till or bank account
Verdict
Which one should you pick?
Pick Mobilink if…
You need SmartOLT integration or several mobile-money gateways outside Kenya.
Pick Centranet if…
You want lower entry pricing, full branding and a reseller model.
Good questions. Clear answers.
Let’s clear
a few things up.
A little clarity goes a long way.
Ask us something elseIs Centranet a Mobilink alternative?
Yes. Both handle PPPoE and Hotspot billing on MikroTik with M-Pesa, TR-069 and remote access. Centranet adds white label with custom domains and reseller workspaces.
Does Centranet have an AI assistant?
Yes. Ask AI in the workspace answers questions about your network and customers, and the WhatsApp assistant serves both owners and subscribers.
Does Centranet support OLTs?
Centranet keeps OLT and ONU records for any vendor, imports them from CSV, and reads optical levels through TR-069. Direct SNMP polling of OLTs is not included.