Direct answer: the cheapest real catalog is free — WhatsApp Business Catalog (inside the app) or a free shop on Shops in Kenya (30 products, KSh 0). The difference is what happens next: only the shop link takes orders, delivery counties and payments. Free tools that stop at 'nice photos' still leave you answering 'how much'.
The free tier, honestly compared
| Tool | Cost | Prices visible | Takes orders | County delivery | M-PESA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp Catalog (built-in) | Free | Yes, in-app | No — DM to order | No | No |
| Google Sheets + Store.link | Free tier | Yes | Basic, via WhatsApp | Generic fields | No |
| Take App | Free tier | Yes | Yes | Generic fields | No |
| Shops in Kenya (free plan) | KSh 0 | Yes | Yes → WhatsApp | County/town zones | Till/PayBill instructions |
What 'cheap' should still include
- A shareable link — customers shouldn't need the app you're in.
- Real prices and photos — that's the entire point of a catalog.
- An order button that reaches you — otherwise it's a flyer, not a shop.
- Location capture — delivery county/address collected before you ever type.
Where free honestly stops
Manual payments (customers see your Till/PayBill and pay as usual) and a product cap. That's the right trade at the start — you're testing whether a catalog moves your sales. When orders grow, KSh 299/month on Shops in Kenya unlocks automatic M-PESA STK push, card payments and bigger catalogs — still cheaper than one Deliveroo lunch.
Start here
[Create a free catalog](/signup), add your 10 best sellers, post the link on your status tonight. If the 'how much' messages don't drop by half in a week, come back and complain — the catalog isn't the problem.