DSG Vendors and Products 

The DSG Vendors and Products tool exists to help savings group actors easily identify the range of digital tools available to fit their digitization needs. It features ten leading DSG technology solutions in a clear and comparative format, including information about their functionalities, costs, requirements, and reach. It also includes descriptions of each solution and links to supporting materials. The tool will be updated regularly as new solutions and data about their usage become available. If you are interested in showcasing your product in our directory, please fill out the Online Content Submission Form.

Introduction to Digital Savings Groups

Digital savings groups (DSGs) are savings group whose procedures, records or transactions are digitized in some way, typically through the use of mobile phones. At the highest level, there are two types of DSG solutions on the market today: digital ledgers and digital wallets. As DSGs evolve, we expect hybrids of these two models to emerge on the market. Digital ledgers will begin adding group and individual wallets, and digital wallets will add more group management, recordkeeping, and personal finance features. Most DSG solutions also have a backend component for data management. To learn more, please review the DSG Glossary: Key Concepts and Terms.

Digital Ledgers

Digital ledgers digitize the operations and recordkeeping of savings groups. They typically replace paper ledgers with smartphone applications (apps) that run on shared group smartphones, and they usually do not eliminate the groups’ cashboxes.

Digital Wallets

Digital wallets digitize the financial transactions of savings groups, using mobile money instead of cash. They typically require all members to switch from cash to mobile money, using their personal phones for all transactions. Digital wallets eliminate the need for cashboxes but may require groups to continue using paper ledgers for recordkeeping.

Data Management Platform

Digital ledgers and digital wallets offer the ability to automatically collect and manage significant amounts of detailed data on transactions, balances, member performance, and group performance. This may reduce or eliminate the need for manual data collection while giving implementers more detailed and accurate data from their savings groups in real time.

Overview of the Leading DSG Solutions

Select solutions to compare
Functionalities
Digital records
Group procedures
Calculations
Electronic payments and digital money storage
Digital financial
services
Direct
Partner financial service providers (FSPs)
peer-to-peer
Credit scoring
Online marketplace
eLearning
Digital training for Savings Groups
Digital platform for skills development in other areas
Remote monitoring and data analytics
Communications
SMS and push
notifications
In-app messaging
Microsurveys
Coverage
Countries
Partners (clients, institutional users)
Groups
Members
Languages
Languages
Estimated cost of translation (USD)
Costs (in USD)*
Institution
Fixed
Variable
Group
Fixed
Variable
Member
Fixed
Variable
Hardware requirements
Group
Member
Network requirements
Network requirements
Côte d'IvoireGhanaRwandaTanzaniaUganda
EnglishFrenchKiswahiliKinyarwandaLugandaLuoLugbaraRunyakore-RukigaRunyakore-Rutoro
Negotiable
Organizations supporting Savings Groups should contact Chomoka for information on how to access training and leverage Chomoka for groups
Organizations supporting Savings Groups should contact Chomoka for information on how to access training and leverage Chomoka for groups
For a group to begin using Chomoka, they pay a small fee to a local trainer specialized in supporting groups to digitize F
FREE
FREE
FREE
Basic Android smartphone (Tecno F1 or similar)
None required; access to SMS receipts on any basic feature phone
No internet required, data backup through SMS or Internet connection; Full functionality offline, including unique system of backing up data by SMS
Most countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America
36 languages, including:
AfrikaansArabicEnglishFrenchIndonesianMalayPortugueseSpanishSwahiliThaiVietnamese
Built-in translation function for user-defined translation
Setup fee depending on level of customization and number of projects. Support services for implementation (data migration, helpdesk, etc.) are optional.
Small annual licensing fee depending on the number of groups supported.
FREE
FREE
FREE
FREE
Android or iOS mobile phone or tablet
No hardware required. Members receive notifications by SMS. Optionally, members can also access our mobile wallet with KaiOS, Android or iOS.
Low-bandwidth requirements; SMS and USSD technology
BangladeshBeninBotswanaEswatiniEthiopiaGhanaGuatemalaHaitiKenyaMalawiMexicoNigeriaParaguayPhilippinesRwandaSouth AfricaSri LankaTanzaniaUgandaVietnamZambia
Akan AmharicBengaliBurmeseChewaEnglishFrenchHaitian CreoleHausaKinyarwandaLugandaOromoRunyankoleSinhalaSpanishSwatiSwahili (Tanzanian)Swahili (Congolese)TagalogTamilVietnamese
$500
$500 on-time setup fee
First 50 groups are FREE; 50+ groups: annual licensing fee starting at $0.30 per group
FREE
FREE
FREE
FREE
Android smartphone
None required; access to SMS receipts, goal updates, and loan reminders on any basic feature phone
DreamSave works completely offline. Anytime a basic 2G mobile network signal is available, DreamSave will automatically back up all records transparently in the background using its DreamSync™ technology. This automatic backup works anytime the phone is turned on, even if the DreamSave app is not running.
The application is available globally and currently used in 50+ countries (bank linkages in Ethiopia only)
5429
112254
Amharic Afaan OromooEnglish Somali Swahili
$1,000
Price dependents on a project. Total cost includes project ID setup, DSG mapping, training, onboarding support, monitoring, and follow-up support
Price dependents on a project. Total cost includes project ID setup, DSG mapping, training, onboarding support, monitoring, and follow-up support
FREE
FREE
FREE
FREE
Smartphone
None
Edge connectivity, with both online and offline capabilities
Uganda
3
485
ArabicBari/KukuEnglishLuo
$500
Training and onboarding organizations onto the system; please contact for details
Post-onboarding software troubleshooting costs, data hosting (minimal costs)
FREE
FREE
FREE
FREE
Android smartphone
None
Network connection required to upload data to the Cloud; Online/offline capabilities for all recordkeeping and calculation functionalities
Senegal The Gambia
6
547
EnglishFrench
$3,500
Negotiable
Negotiable
Negotiable
Negotiable
Negotiable
Negotiable
Android tablet or smartphone
Android tablet or smartphone, or feature phone
Online and offline capabilities
Ghana
5
English
N/A
FREE
$0.22 per deposit
FREE
$0.074 per withdrawal
FREE
$0.074 per withdrawal
Feature phone
Feature phone
USSD functionality does not require internet connectivity
Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Ethiopia
EnglishAfan Oroomo
Please contact MiKashBoks
Fixed pricing depends on an NGO partner's circumstances. There may also be an upfront fee for initial implementation & potential customization.
Monthly licensing fee for access to the dashboard and ongoing support, based on the number of groups.
Free for the digital ledger version of the product.
When members use MiKashBoks wallet and are making profits on their savings, we take a small fee on their benefits.
Android smartphone (only one needed per group)
At least one member in each group must have access to an Android device
Online and offline capability
NigeriaUganda
195
English
N/A
Small cost for organizational onboarding and training
Monthly licensing fee per member; please contact for details
Negotiable
Negotiable
Negotiable
Negotiable
Android smartphone (version 5 or above)
Basic phone
Network connection required; Offline capabilities scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2022
TanzaniaZambiaEswatini
125
2500
3 languages, including:
EnglishSwahiliSwati
Android device running Android 4.0 to latest
3G Internet connection
Rwanda
12
EnglishKinyarwanda
Translation functionality built into the application
FREE
Monthly licensing fee: 0-50,000 users = $0.16/user 50,001-500,000 users = $0.97/user 500,000+ users = $0.49/user
FREE
Monthly licensing fee starting from $0.17/month
FREE
FREE
None
Every member must have a phone to use SAVE. Members with basic feature phones can use the USSD version. Members with smartphones can use the SAVE smartphone app.
Internet connectivity not required; SAVE works on 3G USSD and SMS
N/A
4
100
EnglishFrenchPortugueseSpanishSwahili
N/A
Costs vary depending on location, group maturity, and resources provided by partner organizations; A cost estimate can be provided by contacting [email protected]
Costs vary depending on location, group maturity, and resources provided by partner organizations; A cost estimate can be provided by contacting [email protected]
Costs vary depending on location, group maturity, and resources provided by partner organizations; A cost estimate can be provided by contacting [email protected]
Costs vary depending on location, group maturity, and resources provided by partner organizations; A cost estimate can be provided by contacting [email protected]
Costs vary depending on location, group maturity, and resources provided by partner organizations; A cost estimate can be provided by contacting [email protected]
Costs vary depending on location, group maturity, and resources provided by partner organizations; A cost estimate can be provided by contacting [email protected]
Smartphone
No requirement, but feature phone allows for transaction receipts by SMS
2G Offline capabilities include member creation and meeting transactions
* Excluding hardware requirements, standard airtime costs, and costs of complementary financial and non-financial services acquired on the platform

Leading DSG Solutions

Chomoka
Cyclos for Savings Groups
DreamSave
Jamii.one
LedgerLink
MaTontine FIaaS Platform
Maximus
MiKashBoks
MOBIS for Savings Groups
myWORTH
SAVE
VSLA.online

Page was last updated on March 13th, 2023 at 8:10 pm

You can also download the “Digital Savings Groups: Technology Solutions Overview” in PDF format. Please note, however, that this resource was published in 2022 and - unlike the DSG Vendors and Products page - it is not being updated.

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  1. I am very excited about this new, dynamic version of the tool, which we previously referred to as the “DSG Technology Solutions Overview.” It is particularly useful to see sub-pages dedicated to each of the leading vendors and products. We encourage all DSG vendors to reach to the DSG Hub at [email protected] to have their products featured on the Hub!

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