Head-to-Head Specification Audit
Fly.io vs PayFast
Backend & API Developers · Global
Specification Matrix
| Metric | Fly.io | PayFast |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/moTie | $0/moTie |
| API Rate Limit | Not confirmed | 60 req/min |
| Target Country | Global | South Africa |
| Category | Cloud Hosting & Edge | Payment Processing API |
| Compliance (vendor-stated) | SOC2, GDPR | POPIA, PCI-DSS |
| Hosting Regions | US-East, EU-West, AP-Southeast, AF-South-ZA | ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg |
| Native Integrations | 5 listed | 6 listedBetter |
Fly.io — Key Specs
Vendor-stated- ✓Deploy Docker containers to 30+ global regions — closest to ZA is Johannesburg (jnb)
- ✓Machines API launches VMs in under 300ms — ideal for per-request compute isolation
- ✓Fly Volumes provide persistent SSDs for stateful apps like databases and file stores
- ✓Free allowance covers 3 shared-CPU VMs and 3GB of persistent storage permanently
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
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is lower-priced, Fly.io or PayFast?+
Both tools start at Free plan available on their entry plans.
Which compliance frameworks do Fly.io and PayFast list?+
Fly.io additionally lists SOC2, GDPR. PayFast additionally lists POPIA, PCI-DSS. These are vendor-stated frameworks. VektorIndex has not independently audited these claims.
Does Fly.io or PayFast 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. Fly.io 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 — Fly.io or PayFast?+
Available information does not support a direct comparison of API rate limits for these tools. Check each vendor's developer documentation.
Which data hosting regions do Fly.io and PayFast support?+
Fly.io lists hosting regions: US-East, EU-West, AP-Southeast, AF-South-ZA. PayFast lists hosting regions: ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg. For data residency requirements in Global, 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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