Paystack

What Paystack does

Businesses across Africa can use Paystack to accept online and in-person payments from customers worldwide. Checkout supports cards, bank accounts, bank transfers, USSD, POS, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa QR and mobile money.

Paystack provides tools for single or repeat collections, bank-account and mobile-money transfers, customer verification and chargeback management. Payment Pages make shareable payment links, and invoices can show line items, due dates, reminders and collection progress.

Fees and plans

Paystack has a free account and no free trial. The account has no subscription charge, and integration is free; transaction fees apply when payments are processed. The Nigeria transaction-pricing page also lists zero maintenance fees.

For Nigerian local collections, the published rate is 1.5% of the payment plus NGN 100. Payments under NGN 2,500 avoid the fixed amount, and total local fees are limited to NGN 2,000.

International cards are listed at 3.91 NGN per transaction, with settlement in NGN unless the USD option is selected.

Transfers in Nigeria cost 10 NGN per transfer for amounts up to NGN 5,000, 25 NGN for NGN 5,001–50,000 and 50 NGN above NGN 50,000. Each dedicated virtual-account transaction costs 1 NGN, subject to a NGN 300 cap.

Another Nigeria local-transactions listing gives a per-transaction price of 1.51 NGN, waives NGN 100 below NGN 2,500 and caps the fee at NGN 2,000. SmartPeak P1000 terminals are priced at 85000 NGN one-time for testing and 100000 NGN one-time for live use. Automatic settlement is free and usually reaches the merchant bank account on the next working day (T+1).

Where it runs

Paystack runs as a hosted service with a web dashboard and API, plus Android and iOS support. Developer resources include InlineJS and libraries for Android, iOS, Flutter, Node and Python.

Its public interface uses RESTful JSON over HTTPS, with distinct keys for testing and live operation. Listed integrations include WooCommerce, Shopify, Chargebee, Zapier, Wix and Xero.

The facts do not specify which dashboard functions are available inside Android or iOS apps.

Protection, as Paystack describes it

Paystack says it is certified to PCI DSS Level 1, ISO 27001:2022 and ISO 27701 standards, the latter covering data privacy and protection. It says card data is encrypted and describes TLS 1.2 or newer, HSTS, mutual TLS and an independent vulnerability-reporting program.

Paystack describes automated checks alongside manual review for detecting fraudulent transactions and related chargeback claims. Disputes can be managed in the dashboard, by email, through webhooks or via the Disputes API.

Its privacy FAQ says customer data is stored in a private AWS cloud with servers in Ireland. Paystack says its Customer Success team is available around the clock.

Strengths

Paystack combines payment collection, recurring billing, transfers, identity checks, invoices, payment links and a hosted storefront. Its dashboard includes reports, alerts, exports, transaction reports, customer search and purchase insights.

Developers receive documented APIs and SDKs, with walkthroughs, code samples, searchable guides, sample projects and API references in the documentation. Official plugins are available for WooCommerce, and Shopify activation is handled through Shopify Admin.

Catches to check

Live service is listed for businesses registered in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and Kenya. Check whether the business location, intended currencies and payment methods are supported before sign-up; Paystack lists six supported currencies.

Most published charges are per transaction, transfer or device rather than a monthly subscription. Nigeria rates have thresholds, waivers, caps and settlement-currency conditions that affect the amount received.

Paystack is a hosted proprietary platform, and its terms reserve ownership of the platform and documentation. Separate PaystackOSS client libraries, including paystack-python, use the MIT license.

Who should skip Paystack

Businesses registered outside Paystack's listed live markets, or teams that need self-hosting, may need another service. The published Nigeria transaction and transfer conditions may also be unsuitable for some payment flows.

For other payment gateway options, see Payment gateways. Businesses focused on shareable checkout links can compare Payment link apps.

Verdict

Paystack fits African businesses seeking one hosted system for payment collection, recurring billing, transfers, verification and dispute handling. Its API, SDKs, dashboard and commerce integrations serve developers as well as businesses using established platforms.

Companies outside Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and Kenya, teams requiring self-hosting, or payment flows that cannot accommodate Nigeria's transaction, transfer and terminal charges may find it unsuitable. The provider's published certifications and controls describe its stated security and privacy measures, but the facts do not establish coverage beyond those statements.

Questions