Head-to-Head Specification Audit
PayFast vs Paystack
E-Commerce & SaaS Businesses · South Africa
Specification Matrix
| Metric | PayFast | Paystack |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/moTie | $0/moTie |
| API Rate Limit | 60 req/min | 300 req/minBetter |
| Target Country | South Africa | Nigeria |
| Category | Payment Processing API | Payment Processing |
| Compliance (vendor-stated) | POPIA, PCI-DSS | NDPA, CBN Licensed, PCI-DSS |
| Hosting Regions | ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg | NG-Lagos, GH-Accra, ZA-Johannesburg |
| 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
Paystack — Key Specs
Vendor-stated- ✓Acquired by Stripe — a widely-used payment API serving African markets
- ✓Supports Nigerian bank transfers, USSD, Visa/Mastercard, and mobile money
- ✓Instant settlement to Nigerian bank accounts
- ✓Now available in Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Ivory Coast
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is lower-priced, PayFast or Paystack?+
Both tools start at Free plan available on their entry plans.
Which compliance frameworks do PayFast and Paystack list?+
Both list PCI-DSS in their vendor documentation. PayFast additionally lists POPIA. Paystack additionally lists NDPA, CBN Licensed. These are vendor-stated frameworks. VektorIndex has not independently audited these claims.
Does PayFast or Paystack 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. Paystack 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 Paystack?+
Paystack has a higher documented API rate limit at 300 req/min versus PayFast at 60 req/min.
Which data hosting regions do PayFast and Paystack support?+
PayFast lists hosting regions: ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg. Paystack lists hosting regions: NG-Lagos, GH-Accra, ZA-Johannesburg. 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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