Head-to-Head Specification Audit
Luno vs PayFast
Businesses Accepting Crypto Payments · South Africa
Specification Matrix
| Metric | Luno | PayFast |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | CustomBetter | Custom |
| API Rate Limit | 100 req/minBetter | 60 req/min |
| Target Country | South Africa | South Africa |
| Category | Cryptocurrency Exchange | Payment Processing API |
| Compliance | FSCA, FICA, POPIA | POPIA, PCI-DSS |
| Hosting Regions | ZA, EU | ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg |
| Native Integrations | 2 listed | 6 listedBetter |
Luno — Key Specs
- ✓FSCA-registered in South Africa
- ✓ZAR on/off ramp
- ✓API for business accounts
- ✓Supports BTC ETH XRP USDC
- ✓Trusted by 10M+ users in SA
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, Luno or PayFast?+
Both tools start at $0/mo on their entry plans.
Which tool is better for compliance — Luno or PayFast?+
Both support POPIA. Luno additionally supports FSCA, FICA. PayFast additionally supports PCI-DSS.
Is Luno or PayFast compliant with South Africa's POPIA?+
Both Luno and PayFast support POPIA compliance frameworks according to their official documentation.
Which has a higher API rate limit — Luno or PayFast?+
Luno has a higher API rate limit at 100 requests per minute. Luno: 100 req/min. PayFast: 60 req/min.
Which tool is better suited for South Africa?+
Luno is evaluated for Businesses Accepting Crypto Payments in South Africa with hosting regions: ZA, EU. PayFast has hosting regions: ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg. For data residency in South Africa, check each vendor's data processing agreements.
Data last verified: 25 June 2026
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