Head-to-Head Specification Audit
PayFast vs Adyen
E-Commerce & SaaS Businesses · South Africa
Specification Matrix
| Metric | PayFast | Adyen |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/moTie | $0/moTie |
| API Rate Limit | 60 req/min | 500 req/minBetter |
| Target Country | South Africa | Global |
| Category | Payment Processing API | Payments Platform |
| Compliance (vendor-stated) | POPIA, PCI-DSS | PCI-DSS, SOC2, GDPR, PSD2, ISO27001 |
| Hosting Regions | ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg | EU-West, US-East, AP-Southeast, EU-Central |
| Native Integrations | 6 listedTie | 6 listedTie |
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
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
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is lower-priced, PayFast or Adyen?+
Both tools start at Free plan available on their entry plans.
Which compliance frameworks do PayFast and Adyen list?+
Both list PCI-DSS in their vendor documentation. PayFast additionally lists POPIA. Adyen additionally lists SOC2, GDPR, PSD2, ISO27001. These are vendor-stated frameworks. VektorIndex has not independently audited these claims.
Does PayFast or Adyen 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 — PayFast or Adyen?+
Adyen has a higher documented API rate limit at 500 req/min versus PayFast at 60 req/min.
Which data hosting regions do PayFast and Adyen support?+
PayFast lists hosting regions: ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg. Adyen lists hosting regions: EU-West, US-East, AP-Southeast, EU-Central. For data residency requirements in South Africa, 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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