Head-to-Head Specification Audit
PayFast vs Elliptic
E-Commerce & SaaS Businesses · South Africa
Specification Matrix
| Metric | PayFast | Elliptic |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/mo | Custom pricing |
| API Rate Limit | 60 req/min | 120 req/minBetter |
| Target Country | South Africa | Global |
| Category | Payment Processing API | Crypto Compliance |
| Compliance (vendor-stated) | POPIA, PCI-DSS | FATF Travel Rule, OFAC, EU AMLD 6, FCA, MAS, AUSTRAC |
| Hosting Regions | ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg | UK-London, US-New York, AP-Singapore |
| Native Integrations | 6 listedBetter | 5 listed |
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
Elliptic — Key Specs
Vendor-stated- ✓Only crypto compliance platform trusted by both crypto companies AND banks
- ✓Holistic screening — wallet, transaction, and counterparty risk in one view
- ✓Coverage of 100+ blockchains including DeFi protocols
- ✓Elliptic Discovery — proactively identifies sanctioned crypto entities
- ✓Trusted by Santander, Barclays, ANZ, and 200+ financial institutions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is lower-priced, PayFast or Elliptic?+
Elliptic uses custom pricing. PayFast starts at Free plan available. Contact Elliptic directly for a quote.
Which compliance frameworks do PayFast and Elliptic list?+
PayFast additionally lists POPIA, PCI-DSS. Elliptic additionally lists FATF Travel Rule, OFAC, EU AMLD 6, FCA, MAS, AUSTRAC. These are vendor-stated frameworks. VektorIndex has not independently audited these claims.
Does PayFast or Elliptic 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. Elliptic 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 Elliptic?+
Elliptic has a higher documented API rate limit at 120 req/min versus PayFast at 60 req/min.
Which data hosting regions do PayFast and Elliptic support?+
PayFast lists hosting regions: ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg. Elliptic lists hosting regions: UK-London, US-New York, AP-Singapore. 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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