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 | 200 req/minBetter |
| Target Country | South Africa | South Africa |
| Category | Payment Processing API | Payments |
| Compliance (vendor-stated) | POPIA, PCI-DSS | POPIA, PCI-DSS |
| Hosting Regions | ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg | ZA, NG, GH, KE |
| 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- ✓Zero monthly fee
- ✓ZAR + NGN + GHS natively
- ✓POPIA-compliant
- ✓Fastest checkout in Africa (3-tap)
- ✓Instant bank account verification
- ✓Acquired by Stripe — global reliability
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 POPIA, PCI-DSS in their vendor documentation. 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 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 Paystack?+
Paystack has a higher documented API rate limit at 200 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: ZA, NG, GH, KE. 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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