Head-to-Head Specification Audit
PayFast vs SimplePay
E-Commerce & SaaS Businesses · South Africa
Specification Matrix
| Metric | PayFast | SimplePay |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | CustomBetter | $2/mo |
| API Rate Limit | 60 req/min | 100 req/minBetter |
| Target Country | South Africa | South Africa |
| Category | Payment Processing API | HR & Payroll |
| Compliance | POPIA, PCI-DSS | POPIA, SARS-compliant |
| Hosting Regions | ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg | ZA |
| Native Integrations | 6 listedBetter | 2 listed |
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
SimplePay — Key Specs
- ✓Cheapest PAYE-compliant payroll in SA
- ✓SARS eFiling automated
- ✓R2/employee/month pricing
- ✓Bulk payslip distribution
- ✓Cloud-based — no install needed
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cheaper, PayFast or SimplePay?+
PayFast starts at $0/mo, which is lower than SimplePay at $2/mo.
Which tool is better for compliance — PayFast or SimplePay?+
Both support POPIA. PayFast additionally supports PCI-DSS. SimplePay additionally supports SARS-compliant.
Is PayFast or SimplePay compliant with South Africa's POPIA?+
Both PayFast and SimplePay support POPIA compliance frameworks according to their official documentation.
Which has a higher API rate limit — PayFast or SimplePay?+
SimplePay has a higher API rate limit at 100 requests per minute. PayFast: 60 req/min. SimplePay: 100 req/min.
Which tool is better suited for South Africa?+
PayFast is evaluated for E-Commerce & SaaS Businesses in South Africa with hosting regions: ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg. SimplePay has hosting regions: ZA. For data residency in South Africa, check each vendor's data processing agreements.
Data last verified: 25 June 2026
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