A merchant book becomes meaningful when you look at the mix, not just the number. Under the Knomart model, an agent can have free merchants and paying merchants in the same book, with recurring commission coming from whatever the paying merchants spend on apps.
One example: 20 merchants
The current Knomart model gives an illustrative 20-merchant book made up of 8 free merchants, 9 running about $20 of apps and 3 running about $40 of apps. This is not a promise of what every Agent will earn. It is an example of how a merchant book can work.
- 8 Free merchants: $0 recurring commission while they remain Free.
- 9 merchants at ~$20 of apps: $10 per merchant each month in recurring commission.
- 3 merchants at ~$40 of apps: $20 per merchant each month in recurring commission.
The recurring picture
In the illustrative mix above, the recurring commission is $150 per month, approximately KES 19,500 in the source model's example. The eight Free merchants are not recurring income yet, but they remain part of the Agent's merchant book and can become paying merchants if they upgrade later.
There is also setup income
The model separates setup fees from recurring commission. Agents keep 100% of the setup fee, and the current setup amounts are $10 at the free level, $20 at standard and $50 at premium.
The illustrative 20-merchant example also lists $410 in setup fees at signing. That figure is presented in the source model as part of the example alongside the $150 monthly recurring amount and the eight Free merchants as an upgrade pipeline.
Why the mix matters
Twenty merchants do not automatically mean twenty paying subscriptions. A book can contain free merchants that currently produce no recurring commission, alongside paying merchants that do.
That is why an Agent should think in terms of a healthy merchant book: sign genuine businesses, support them well, retain the relationship and understand which merchants are currently producing recurring income.
Do not treat the example as a guarantee
The 20-merchant example is illustrative. Actual Agent income depends on the merchant mix and whether paying merchants remain subscribed. The model is designed so that recurring commission continues while a paid merchant stays.
The lesson is simple: build the merchant book deliberately. A growing number of real merchant relationships can create both immediate setup income and an opportunity for recurring commission over time.
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