Head-to-Head Specification Audit
PayFast vs Okta
E-Commerce & SaaS Businesses · South Africa
Specification Matrix
| Metric | PayFast | Okta |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/moBetter | $2/mo |
| API Rate Limit | 60 req/min | 200 req/minBetter |
| Target Country | South Africa | Global |
| Category | Payment Processing API | Authentication & Identity |
| Compliance (vendor-stated) | POPIA, PCI-DSS | GDPR, SOC2, ISO27001, HIPAA, FedRAMP, CCPA |
| Hosting Regions | ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg | US-East, EU-West, AP-Southeast, AU-East |
| Native Integrations | 6 listed | 7 listedBetter |
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
Okta — Key Specs
Vendor-stated- ✓Universal directory manages identities across all apps from a single control plane
- ✓Lifecycle management automates user provisioning and deprovisioning via SCIM
- ✓Adaptive MFA applies contextual risk scoring to each login without user friction
- ✓Workforce Identity and Customer Identity both on one platform — single contract
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is lower-priced, PayFast or Okta?+
PayFast starts at Free plan available, which is lower than Okta at $2/mo. Verify current pricing on each vendor's website.
Which compliance frameworks do PayFast and Okta list?+
PayFast additionally lists POPIA, PCI-DSS. Okta additionally lists GDPR, SOC2, ISO27001, HIPAA, FedRAMP, CCPA. These are vendor-stated frameworks. VektorIndex has not independently audited these claims.
Does PayFast or Okta 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. Okta 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 Okta?+
Okta has a higher documented API rate limit at 200 req/min versus PayFast at 60 req/min.
Which data hosting regions do PayFast and Okta support?+
PayFast lists hosting regions: ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg. Okta lists hosting regions: US-East, EU-West, AP-Southeast, AU-East. 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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