PayFast vs Yoco for online payments: an honest comparison

In the PayFast vs Yoco comparison, Payfast is usually the better fit when online payments are the core of your business and you want a wide choice of payment methods, subscriptions or tokenised repeat billing, and a large plugin library. Yoco is usually the better fit when you sell mostly in person and want online payments (payment links, a store gateway, invoices) that feed into the same app and payouts as your card machine.

Both are established South African providers with strong track records. The details below are taken from each company's own website as of September 2026; pricing and features change, so confirm on their pages before deciding.

At a glance

Where Payfast is stronger

Breadth of payment methods

Payfast lists more than 18 payment methods. Beyond cards, its fees page includes Instant EFT, Capitec Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, SnapScan, Scan to Pay, Zapper, MukuruPay, Mobicred, Scode, and buy now, pay later options Payflex and MoreTyme. If your customers include people who prefer not to pay by card, that range is a genuine advantage.

Recurring and repeat billing

Payfast offers subscriptions (scheduled payments at regular intervals) and tokenization (charging a stored card again without the customer re-authorising each time). That makes it a natural choice for memberships, retainers and subscription boxes. See our explainer on card tokenisation for how the second option works.

Integrations and online tools

Payfast states it integrates with more than 70 platforms through plugins. It also offers onsite payments (checkout on your own site), split payments, multi-currency pricing, merchant refunds, and additional tools for gateway merchants.

Where Yoco is stronger

In-person selling

Yoco's roots are in card machines, and its hardware range is broad: portable card machines, machines with built-in printers, Tap to Pay on iPhone, and the Yoco Counter POS with printer and barcode-scanner bundles. If you run a shop, café, salon or market stall, Yoco's in-person tools are a key reason to choose it.

One view of online and in-store sales

Yoco combines online and in-person earnings into unified payouts, visible in the same app. Payment links can be created from the Sales section of the Yoco App and added to digital invoices. For a business that mainly trades face to face and occasionally takes online orders, that simplicity matters.

Online card pricing and simplicity

Yoco's published online rate range of 2.55% to 2.95% (excluding VAT) carries no fixed per-transaction fee and no monthly or setup fee for online payments. On small card payments that can work out cheaper than a rate with a fixed fee added. Yoco's gateway page states payouts arrive within a maximum of two business days, with instant payout options available.

Fees: a worked example

Using only the published headline local card rates, before VAT, for illustration:

On card payments alone, Yoco's published online rate is lower at these values. But that isn't the whole picture:

• Payfast's instant EFT rate (2.0%, minimum R2.00) is lower than its card rate, so a business with many EFT payers pays less on those.
• Payfast charges R8.70 (excl. VAT) per payout withdrawal, with an optional immediate payout at 0.8% (minimum R14.00).
• Both offer better rates at volume, from different thresholds.
• Check how each quotes VAT, and whether your rate falls at the top or bottom of Yoco's range.

For a wider comparison with other providers, see payment gateway fees in South Africa.

Which should you choose?

Choose Payfast if:

• Online is your main sales channel
• Your customers want instant EFT, QR wallets or buy now, pay later
• You need subscriptions or tokenised repeat billing from your gateway
• You run on a platform that Payfast has a plugin for and Yoco doesn't

Choose Yoco if:

• Most of your sales happen in person
• You want payment links and online store payments in the same app as your card machine
• Your online payments are mainly by card and relatively small in value
• You want straightforward, percentage-only online pricing

Consider both if you need Yoco's in-store hardware and Payfast's online payment range. Using multiple payment gateways is common, but it means reconciling two sets of payouts.

How CentraPoint works with both

CentraPoint connects to both PayFast and Yoco as gateway modules, alongside other providers such as Ozow, Paystack and Peach Payments. You contract with each provider directly; CentraPoint handles the invoicing, payment links, hosted checkout and reconciliation around them. It also supports gateway-managed subscriptions via PayFast, as well as subscriptions CentraPoint renews itself using saved card tokens, debit orders or invoices.

Frequently asked questions

Is PayFast or Yoco cheaper?

On published local online card rates as of September 2026, Yoco's percentage is lower and has no fixed fee, while Payfast charges 3.2% plus R2.00. Payfast's instant EFT rate and your payment mix can change the answer, so model your own transactions using each provider's current pricing page.

Can Yoco handle subscriptions?

Yoco's online payment pages, as of September 2026, describe payment links, a gateway and invoices but don't describe a subscription billing feature. Ask Yoco directly, or use billing software that works with your gateway.

Does Payfast have card machines?

Yes. Payfast by Network offers a digital card machine and a printer card machine for in-person payments, alongside its online gateway.

Can I use PayFast and Yoco at the same time?

Yes. Many businesses use one for in-store payments and another online, as long as they have a process for reconciling payouts from both.