Comparison
VillageHub vs Centipid
Updated 19 October 2026 · VillageHub
Short answer
Both are good choices and they cost about the same, so choose on fit: pick Centipid if you want a longer-established platform with a very wide gateway list, TR-069 device management and an enterprise plan; pick VillageHub if you want a 30-day trial, TP-Link Omada support, ready-made agent and white-label customer apps, and local mobile-money gateways for Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana and Nigeria. Hotspot pricing is 3% of revenue on both, with a KES 500 monthly minimum in Kenya, and PPPoE is USD 0.25 per active user on both. Try each on one router before moving your whole network.
| VillageHub | Centipid | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Cloud SaaS, nothing to install on a server | Cloud SaaS (web application) |
| Starting price | KES 500/mo in Kenya; USD 8/mo where no local floor applies | KES 500/mo in Kenya; USD 5/mo minimum elsewhere |
| Pricing model | Hotspot: monthly floor or 3% of collections, whichever is higher. PPPoE: per active client (KES 25, USD 0.25) | Hotspot: 3% of hotspot revenue. PPPoE: USD 0.25 per active user per month. Monthly minimum applies |
| Free trial | 30 days, no setup fees | 14 days, no card required; optional one-off USD 10 MikroTik installation |
| MikroTik hotspot | Yes, one-click RouterOS provisioning; TP-Link Omada also supported | Yes, MikroTik provisioning and remote WinBox management |
| PPPoE billing | Yes, with reminders, grace period and automatic cut-off/reconnect | Yes, with automated invoicing and notifications |
| M-Pesa / mobile money | M-Pesa Daraja, Kopo Kopo, Paystack, Hubtel, ClickPesa, AzamPay and other East and West African gateways, paid into your own accounts | M-Pesa, Airtel Money, Tigo Pesa, MTN MoMo, Paystack and cards; says 30 gateways across 72 countries |
| Captive portal customisation | 11 designs, 12 colour themes, English and Kiswahili, every text editable, per-router look | Branded captive portal with packages, messages and offers |
| Mobile apps | Android agent app and white-label Android customer app | None listed on the public website |
| Support | Vendor support included with the subscription | Email, WhatsApp chat, help centre; tickets acknowledged within 24 business hours |
| Open source | No | No |
Prices checked 19 Oct 2026 from each vendor’s public website, documentation and terms. Centipid’s pricing page says its rates were last verified on 16 July 2026.
What Centipid is
Centipid Billing is a cloud OSS/BSS for internet service providers run by Centipid Technologies Ltd, whose terms are governed by Kenyan law. It covers PPPoE and hotspot billing, RADIUS authentication, MikroTik provisioning, invoicing, vouchers, SMS and WhatsApp campaigns, a leads pipeline, support tickets, multi-branch operations and an AI assistant. The company says it serves more than 7,000 ISPs in 28 countries.
It is built around MikroTik: routers are provisioned from the platform, every plan allows unlimited routers, and connected devices can be managed remotely through WinBox.
What VillageHub is
VillageHub is cloud ISP billing built for African operators running MikroTik RouterOS (one-click provisioning) or TP-Link Omada. It handles hotspot vouchers and phone-number login, PPPoE billing, a branded captive portal, mobile-money payments into your own accounts, and SMS and WhatsApp alerts.
Pricing compared
The headline numbers are close. Both charge 3% of hotspot revenue with a KES 500 monthly minimum in Kenya, and both charge USD 0.25 per active PPPoE user per month.
Differences show up at the edges. Outside Kenya, Centipid’s minimum is USD 5 a month. VillageHub uses local floors (TZS 20,000, UGX 30,000, GHS 120, NGN 12,000, or USD 8 elsewhere) and local PPPoE rates (KES 25, TZS 600, UGX 900, GHS 4, NGN 350). Centipid offers an optional one-off USD 10 fee to install its system on your MikroTik; VillageHub has no setup fees. VillageHub’s trial is 30 days and Centipid’s is 14.
When Centipid is the better choice
- You operate in many countries: Centipid says it supports 30 payment gateways across 72 countries, a wider list than VillageHub.
- You manage CPEs over TR-069, which Centipid lists as supported.
- You want a built-in sales pipeline, ticketing and multi-branch staff roles in the same tool.
- You run 10,000+ subscribers or have regulatory needs and want a custom enterprise contract.
- Your network is outside VillageHub’s local-floor countries and a USD 5 minimum is cheaper than USD 8.
- You value a large existing user base and a published support response target.
When VillageHub is the better choice
- You want a longer, 30-day trial with no setup fee.
- You run TP-Link Omada access points as well as, or instead of, MikroTik.
- You sell through agents and want an Android agent app with QR sales, or want your own branded Android app for customers.
- You need local gateways such as Kopo Kopo, MegaPay, Hubtel, ClickPesa, AzamPay, Snippe or PalmPesa, with money paid straight into your own accounts.
- You want deep portal control: 11 designs, 12 themes, English and Kiswahili, and a different look per router.
- You want night and weekend packages, discounts, outage credits, loyalty points, referrals and multi-WAN failover monitoring out of the box.
How to decide
- 1Price your real monthTake last month’s hotspot collections and active PPPoE users and run them through both price lists, including the minimums.
- 2Check your gatewayConfirm the exact M-Pesa or mobile-money provider you already use is supported, and where the money settles.
- 3Trial on one routerConnect a single site to each platform during the free trial and test vouchers, payments and reconnects with real customers.
Frequently asked questions
Is VillageHub cheaper than Centipid?+
In Kenya they cost about the same: 3% of hotspot revenue with a KES 500 monthly minimum, and USD 0.25 per PPPoE user. Outside Kenya, Centipid’s minimum is USD 5 while VillageHub uses local floors or USD 8, so check your own country.
Do both work with MikroTik?+
Yes. Both provision MikroTik routers for hotspot and PPPoE. VillageHub also supports TP-Link Omada.
How long are the free trials?+
VillageHub offers 30 days. Centipid offers 14 days with no card required.
Do they support M-Pesa?+
Yes. Both accept M-Pesa, and both list other African mobile-money and card gateways.
Can I switch from Centipid to VillageHub?+
Yes. Start the VillageHub trial on one router, recreate your packages, and move sites over once payments and logins work.
Try VillageHub free for 30 days
Connect a MikroTik, add your payment details and sell your first package. No credit card, no setup fees.