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Head-to-Head Specification Audit
Clerk vs PayFast
SaaS Developers · Global
Specification Matrix
| Metric | Clerk | PayFast |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $25/mo | CustomBetter |
| API Rate Limit | N/A | 60 req/min |
| Target Country | Global | South Africa |
| Category | Authentication & Identity | Payment Processing API |
| Compliance | SOC2, GDPR, CCPA | POPIA, PCI-DSS |
| Hosting Regions | US-East, EU-West | ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg |
| Native Integrations | 7 listedBetter | 6 listed |
Clerk — Key Specs
- ✓Drop-in React components for sign-in, sign-up, and user profile — 15-minute integration
- ✓Multi-tenancy with Organizations built-in — no custom RBAC required for B2B SaaS
- ✓Passkey, WebAuthn, and magic link support included on all plans
- ✓Webhooks on every auth event for syncing users to Supabase, Stripe, or your database
PayFast — Key Specs
- ✓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
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cheaper, Clerk or PayFast?+
PayFast starts at $0/mo, which is lower than Clerk at $25/mo.
Which tool is better for compliance — Clerk or PayFast?+
Clerk additionally supports SOC2, GDPR, CCPA. PayFast additionally supports POPIA, PCI-DSS.
Is Clerk or PayFast compliant with South Africa's POPIA?+
PayFast supports POPIA compliance. Clerk does not list POPIA as a supported framework.
Which tool is better suited for Global?+
Clerk is evaluated for SaaS Developers in Global with hosting regions: US-East, EU-West. PayFast has hosting regions: ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg. For data residency in Global, check each vendor's data processing agreements.
Data last verified: 12 June 2026
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