How a round works
If you grew up with ajo, susu or a pardner, you know this already. If you did not, here is one whole circle from first payment to last, with nothing left out.
Example · 5 people, £200 a month, pot £1,000
- Round 1Ama1 OctPaid out
- Round 2Tolu1 NovTakes the pot this round
- Round 3Kwame1 DecTo come
- Round 4Bisi1 JanTo come
- Round 5You1 FebTo come
- Round 1Ama1 OctPaid out
- Round 2Tolu1 NovTakes the pot this round
- Round 3Kwame1 DecTo come
- Round 4Bisi1 JanTo come
- Round 5You1 FebTo come
| Round | Takes the pot | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ama | 1 Oct 2026 |
| 2 | Tolu | 1 Nov 2026 |
| 3 | Kwame | 1 Dec 2026 |
| 4 | Bisi | 1 Jan 2027 |
| 5 | You | 1 Feb 2027 |
Each month everyone pays £200 and one person takes the whole £1,000, about 3 working days after the payments are collected. Over the five rounds each person pays in £1,000 and takes out £1,000, and the platform fee is a separate line on each payment. Read more
Nobody earns interest and nobody pays any. People early in the order get a lump sum sooner; people later in the order are saving with a deadline and company. That is the whole idea, and it has worked for generations.
Three ways to order a circle
We agree it
Members settle the order between themselves before the circle starts.
Random draw
The order is drawn at random once everyone has joined.
By trust score
Members with the strongest payment record go first.
If you run the circle
- Set it up once
People, amount, how often, and how the order is decided. - Invite with a code
Only people with your code can see or join the circle. - Stop chasing
Keepaa collects, reminds and pays out. You keep the say on who joins and any swap in the order.
If you have been invited
- See everything first
The amount, the dates, the order and who else is in, before you commit. - Verify and set up your Direct Debit
Signing up needs only your email and mobile number. The identity check comes when you join, and everyone in the circle does the same. - Pay in, then take your turn
Contributions are collected by Direct Debit. Your pot is paid to your bank account in full, about 3 working days after collection.
When things go wrong
A payment is late
Keepaa retries the Direct Debit, then takes the payment by card if that fails, and tells the circle. The pot is not paid out short: it waits until the round is complete.
What it costs
Platform fee: £4 per contribution, shown as its own line on every payment. It is never taken from the pot, and you only pay it when you make a contribution. Read more