PayFast
South African online payment gateway with plugins for WooCommerce, Magento, Shopify and REST API integration.
Our Verdict
Default pick for South African e-commerce thanks to plugin breadth, though API feels dated vs modern rivals.
Pros
- Strong SA ecosystem plugin coverage
- Works with WooCommerce, Magento, Shopify
- REST API for custom builds
- Long-standing merchant trust
Cons
- South Africa-only focus
- Legacy API patterns in places
- Owned by Network International, less neutral
- Fee structure can surprise small merchants
Best for: South African WooCommerce and Shopify stores wanting plug-and-play checkout
Not for: API-first teams expecting modern Stripe-level developer ergonomics
When to Use PayFast
Good fit if you need
- Accepting South African cards and EFT via WooCommerce plugin
- Embedding PayFast REST API for custom South African checkout
- Recurring billing for South African subscription merchants
Lock-in Assessment
Medium 3/5
Lock-in Score 3/5
Pricing
Price wrong?PayFast Pricing
- Pricing Model
- usage
- Free Tier
- No
- Entry Price
- —
- Enterprise Available
- No
- Transparency Score
- —
Beta — estimates may differ from actual pricing
1,000
1001K10K100K1M
10,000
1K10K100K1M10M
Estimated Monthly Cost
$25
Estimated Annual Cost
$300
Estimates are approximate and may not reflect current pricing. Always check the official pricing page.
Community Discussion
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