Head-to-Head Specification Audit
PayFast vs Mekari
E-Commerce & SaaS Businesses · South Africa
Specification Matrix
| Metric | PayFast | Mekari |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/moBetter | $8/mo |
| API Rate Limit | 60 req/minTie | 60 req/minTie |
| Target Country | South Africa | Indonesia |
| Category | Payment Processing API | HR & People Ops |
| Compliance (vendor-stated) | POPIA, PCI-DSS | PDP Law |
| Hosting Regions | ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg | ID-Jakarta |
| Native Integrations | 6 listedBetter | 4 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
Mekari — Key Specs
Vendor-stated- ✓Leading Indonesian HR software — Gadjian, Talenta, and Jurnal combined
- ✓BPJS, PPh 21, and Indonesian payroll tax fully automated
- ✓Mobile-first design built for Indonesian workforce management
- ✓Local support in Bahasa Indonesia
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is lower-priced, PayFast or Mekari?+
PayFast starts at Free plan available, which is lower than Mekari at $8/mo. Verify current pricing on each vendor's website.
Which compliance frameworks do PayFast and Mekari list?+
PayFast additionally lists POPIA, PCI-DSS. Mekari additionally lists PDP Law. These are vendor-stated frameworks. VektorIndex has not independently audited these claims.
Does PayFast or Mekari 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. Mekari 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 Mekari?+
Both PayFast and Mekari have the same documented API rate limit of 60 requests per minute. Verify current limits on each vendor's developer documentation.
Which data hosting regions do PayFast and Mekari support?+
PayFast lists hosting regions: ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg. Mekari lists hosting regions: ID-Jakarta. 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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