Head-to-Head Specification Audit
Adyen vs PayFast
Enterprise Payment Processing · Global
Specification Matrix
| Metric | Adyen | PayFast |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/moTie | $0/moTie |
| API Rate Limit | 500 req/minBetter | 60 req/min |
| Target Country | Global | South Africa |
| Category | Payments Platform | Payment Processing API |
| Compliance (vendor-stated) | PCI-DSS, SOC2, GDPR, PSD2, ISO27001 | POPIA, PCI-DSS |
| Hosting Regions | EU-West, US-East, AP-Southeast, EU-Central | ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg |
| Native Integrations | 6 listedTie | 6 listedTie |
Adyen — Key Specs
Vendor-stated- ✓Single acquiring platform for 200+ payment methods globally
- ✓Issuing: virtual/physical cards for expense management
- ✓PSD2 SCA built-in with AI-powered SCA exemption engine
- ✓EU data residency, GDPR DPA, PCI DSS Level 1
PayFast — Key Specs
Vendor-stated- ✓Only major payment gateway with POPIA-compliant ZA data residency by default
- ✓Supports EFT, credit card, Instant EFT, Mobicred, and SnapScan natively
- ✓No monthly fee — pay 2.0–3.5% per transaction only
- ✓Recurring billing API supports subscription SaaS models out of the box
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is lower-priced, Adyen or PayFast?+
Both tools start at Free plan available on their entry plans.
Which compliance frameworks do Adyen and PayFast list?+
Both list PCI-DSS in their vendor documentation. Adyen additionally lists SOC2, GDPR, PSD2, ISO27001. PayFast additionally lists POPIA. These are vendor-stated frameworks. VektorIndex has not independently audited these claims.
Does Adyen or PayFast list POPIA as a supported compliance framework?+
PayFast lists POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act) as a supported compliance framework per its vendor documentation. VektorIndex has not independently verified this claim. South African organisations should request the vendor's current Data Processing Agreement and confirm data residency settings before processing personal information. Adyen does not list POPIA as a supported compliance framework in its public documentation. Contact the vendor to confirm their position before processing South African personal information.
Which has a higher documented API rate limit — Adyen or PayFast?+
Adyen has a higher documented API rate limit at 500 req/min versus PayFast at 60 req/min.
Which data hosting regions do Adyen and PayFast support?+
Adyen lists hosting regions: EU-West, US-East, AP-Southeast, EU-Central. PayFast lists hosting regions: ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg. For data residency requirements in Global, confirm exact region configuration directly with each vendor.
Data last updated: 29 August 2026 — Sourced from official vendor documentation. Not independently audited. Report incorrect information
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