Head-to-Head Specification Audit
PayFast vs Stitch
E-Commerce & SaaS Businesses · South Africa
Specification Matrix
| Metric | PayFast | Stitch |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/mo | Custom pricing |
| API Rate Limit | 60 req/min | 500 req/minBetter |
| Target Country | South Africa | South Africa |
| Category | Payment Processing API | Banking API / Open Banking |
| Compliance (vendor-stated) | POPIA, PCI-DSS | POPIA, PCI-DSS, FSCA-compliant |
| Hosting Regions | ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg | ZA |
| Native Integrations | 6 listedBetter | 3 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
Stitch — Key Specs
Vendor-stated- ✓Open banking API built for South Africa
- ✓Bank-to-bank instant payments
- ✓Account verification in 2 seconds
- ✓POPIA-compliant data handling
- ✓Compliance pre-built for SA financial regulation
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is lower-priced, PayFast or Stitch?+
Stitch uses custom pricing. PayFast starts at Free plan available. Contact Stitch directly for a quote.
Which compliance frameworks do PayFast and Stitch list?+
Both list POPIA, PCI-DSS in their vendor documentation. Stitch additionally lists FSCA-compliant. These are vendor-stated frameworks. VektorIndex has not independently audited these claims.
Does PayFast or Stitch 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. Stitch 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 Stitch?+
Stitch has a higher documented API rate limit at 500 req/min versus PayFast at 60 req/min.
Which data hosting regions do PayFast and Stitch support?+
PayFast lists hosting regions: ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg. Stitch lists hosting regions: ZA. 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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