Head-to-Head Specification Audit
PayFast vs Luno
E-Commerce & SaaS Businesses · South Africa
Specification Matrix
| Metric | PayFast | Luno |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/moTie | $0/moTie |
| API Rate Limit | 60 req/min | 100 req/minBetter |
| Target Country | South Africa | South Africa |
| Category | Payment Processing API | Cryptocurrency Exchange |
| Compliance (vendor-stated) | POPIA, PCI-DSS | FSCA, FICA, POPIA |
| Hosting Regions | ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg | ZA, EU |
| Native Integrations | 6 listedBetter | 2 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
Luno — Key Specs
Vendor-stated- ✓FSCA-registered in South Africa
- ✓ZAR on/off ramp
- ✓API for business accounts
- ✓Supports BTC ETH XRP USDC
- ✓Trusted by 10M+ users in SA
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is lower-priced, PayFast or Luno?+
Both tools start at Free plan available on their entry plans.
Which compliance frameworks do PayFast and Luno list?+
Both list POPIA in their vendor documentation. PayFast additionally lists PCI-DSS. Luno additionally lists FSCA, FICA. These are vendor-stated frameworks. VektorIndex has not independently audited these claims.
Does PayFast or Luno 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. Luno 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.
Which has a higher documented API rate limit — PayFast or Luno?+
Luno has a higher documented API rate limit at 100 req/min versus PayFast at 60 req/min.
Which data hosting regions do PayFast and Luno support?+
PayFast lists hosting regions: ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg. Luno lists hosting regions: ZA, EU. 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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