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Paystack

paystack.com

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Spec score 8.8 #1 of 22 in Direct Debit Processing Software

What it is

Paystack helps businesses in Africa accept online and in-person payments from customers around the world. Listed channels include cards, bank accounts and transfers, USSD, POS, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa QR, and mobile money. Its APIs support one-time and recurring payments through an app or website, instant transfers, and customer identity verification. The dashboard provides reporting, alerts, exports, transaction reports, customer search, and purchase insights. Listed integrations include WooCommerce, Shopify, Chargebee, Zapier, Wix, and Xero; developer materials include an API and SDKs for Android, iOS, and Flutter. Paystack says its automated and manual fraud systems help protect against fraudulent transactions and related chargeback claims. It states that it is PCI DSS Level 1, ISO 27001:2022, and ISO 27701 certified. The pricing page lists no subscription, integration, or maintenance fee, but transaction fees apply. In Nigeria, local transactions cost 1.5% plus NGN 100; that NGN 100 is waived under NGN 2,500, with local fees capped at NGN 2,000. Automatic settlement is free and generally reaches the merchant's bank account the next working day.

Spec sheet

What it does
Paystack is a payment service provider for African businesses supporting online and in-person payments.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.paystack.com
API
The public API is RESTful and JSON-based, uses HTTPS, and provides separate test and live keys.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Integrations
Paystack advertises more than 50 integrations spanning ecommerce, accounting, invoicing and CRM platforms.Read 14 Oct 2026 · website-v4.paystack.co
Security
Paystack states it is PCI DSS Level 1 certified and ISO 27001:2022 certified.Read 5 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Support
Paystack says its Customer Success team is available around the clock.Read 5 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Headquarters
Lagos, NigeriaRead 28 Sep 2026 · paystack.com
API changelog
The September 2026 API changelog adds webhook-event history lookup, payload viewing and webhook resending.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Company funding
Paystack's company history lists a $1.3 million seed round in December 2016 and an $8 million Series A in August 2018 led by Stripe with Visa, Tencent and Y Combinator participation.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Company ownership
Paystack says Stripe acquired the company in October 2020 to accelerate commerce across Africa.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Company profile
LinkedIn lists Paystack as a privately held software-development company founded in 2015 with 51–200 employees and primary headquarters in Sunnyvale, California.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Data location
The privacy FAQ says customer data is stored in a private AWS cloud with servers in Ireland.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.paystack.com
Data protection
Paystack states it has ISO 27701 certification for data privacy and protection.Read 5 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Developer platforms
Paystack documents an API and SDKs for Android, iOS, and Flutter.Read 5 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Direct-debit outage
The status page records a Nigeria Direct Debit incident on February 27, 2026 lasting 9 hours 26 minutes.Read 14 Oct 2026 · status.paystack.com
Disputes
Merchants can manage chargebacks and fraud claims in the dashboard, by email and through webhooks or the Disputes API.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Documentation depth
Developer documentation provides interactive walkthroughs, code snippets, searchable guides, sample projects and API references.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.paystack.com
Fraud protection
Paystack says automated and manual fraud systems help protect against fraudulent transactions and related chargeback claims.Read 5 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Identity verification
Paystack documentation lists customer and account-detail verification capabilities.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Invoices
Invoices send a specific customer a payment request with line items, due dates, reminders and collection tracking.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.paystack.com
Licence
The Paystack platform is proprietary; separate PaystackOSS client libraries such as paystack-python are released under MIT.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Limit: currency coverage
Gartner and G2 reviewers report restrictions on available currencies, including local-currency-only card acceptance in some deployments.Read 14 Oct 2026 · gartner.com
Limit: held funds and support
Trustpilot complaints repeatedly describe compliance holds, delayed payouts and slow or absent customer-service responses.Read 14 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Limit: pricing and automation
G2 review summaries identify cost, limited automation, limited customization, integration problems and delays as recurring negatives.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Markets
The help center says live service is available to businesses registered in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and Kenya.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.paystack.com
Mobile-app limitation
Paystack says its Merchant mobile app does not replicate every dashboard feature and is intended as a complement.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.paystack.com
Outage
The status history records a major global outage on December 5, 2025 lasting about one hour and affecting API, checkout, dashboard and merchant tools.Read 14 Oct 2026 · status.paystack.com
Payment collection
Merchants can collect card, bank-account and mobile-money payments through Paystack checkout tools.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Payment methods
Supported payment channels listed include cards, bank accounts, bank transfers, USSD, POS, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa QR, and mobile money.Read 5 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Payment pages
Payment Pages create shareable links for one-time, recurring or product payments without requiring an embedded website form.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.paystack.com
Praise: ease of integration
Gartner reviewers repeatedly praise Paystack as easy to integrate and say its technical documentation and community help are strong.Read 14 Oct 2026 · gartner.com
Praise: usability and support
G2 reviewers commonly mention an easy interface, fast processing, useful payment methods and responsive support.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on Capterra
4.4 out of 5 from 17 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Rating on G2
4.1 out of 5 from 9 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on Gartner Peer Insights
4.2 out of 5 from 4 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · gartner.com
Rating on Google Play
3.6 out of 5 from 883 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Rating on Trustpilot
1.5 out of 5 from 249 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Recurring billing
The product suite includes recurring payments and subscription billing with subscription-management links.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Recurring payments
Its APIs let businesses collect one-time and recurring payments from an app or website.Read 5 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Reporting
The dashboard provides reporting, alerts, exports, transaction reports, customer search, and customer purchase insights.Read 5 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
SDKs
Official developer tools include InlineJS plus Android, iOS, Flutter, Node and Python libraries.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Security certifications
Paystack states that it is PCI DSS Level 1 certified and ISO 27001:2022 and ISO 27701 certified.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Security controls
Paystack describes encrypted card storage, TLS 1.2 or newer, HSTS, mutual TLS and an independent vulnerability-reporting program.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Self-hosting
Paystack is delivered as a hosted service with its API and dashboard; its terms reserve ownership of the platform and documentation.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Settlement
The pricing page says automatic settlement is free and generally reaches the merchant's bank account the next working day (T+1).Read 5 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Shopify integration
Paystack can be added from Shopify Admin payment methods and activated in the store settings.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.paystack.com
Storefront
Paystack Storefront is a hosted online store for selling physical and digital products.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Transfers
The developer documentation includes APIs for sending money to bank accounts and mobile-money numbers.Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Transfers and identity
The APIs support instant transfers and customer identity verification.Read 5 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Who it serves
Paystack describes its customers as businesses ranging from startups and entrepreneurs to large corporations and global brands operating in or serving Africa.Read 5 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
WooCommerce integration
An official WooCommerce plugin lets merchants accept Paystack payments in WooCommerce checkout.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.paystack.com

Plans and prices

Account Free free account; transaction fees apply when processing payments free integration · test mode available Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Paystack transaction pricing (Nigeria) Free No subscription; transaction fees apply: local transactions 1.5% + NGN 100, with the NGN 100 waived under NGN 2,500 and local fees capped at NGN 2,000. No monthly subscription stated · zero integration fee · zero maintenance fee · transaction fees apply Read 5 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Dedicated virtual accounts 1 NGN a month per transaction fee capped at NGN 300 Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Nigeria local transactions 1.51 NGN a month per transaction NGN 100 waived below NGN 2,500 · fee capped at NGN 2,000 Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Nigeria international transactions 3.91 NGN a month per transaction international cards · settled in NGN by default or USD option Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Nigeria transfers up to NGN 5,000 10 NGN a month per transfer transfer amount up to NGN 5,000 Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Nigeria transfers NGN 5,001–50,000 25 NGN a month per transfer transfer amount NGN 5,001–50,000 Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Nigeria transfers above NGN 50,000 50 NGN a month per transfer transfer amount above NGN 50,000 Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Test SmartPeak P1000 terminal 85,000 NGN, paid once per device test physical terminal device Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com
Live SmartPeak P1000 terminal 100,000 NGN, paid once per device physical terminal device Read 14 Oct 2026 · paystack.com

Every Paystack plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Accepts a wide range of listed payment channels
  • APIs support one-time and recurring payments
  • Dashboard includes reports, alerts, exports, and customer search
  • Lists Android, iOS, and Flutter SDKs
  • Automatic settlement is free

Limits

  • Transaction fees apply
  • Nigeria local transactions cost 1.5% plus NGN 100
  • Local transaction fees are capped at NGN 2,000

Who it suits

It suits businesses operating in or serving Africa, from startups and entrepreneurs to large corporations and global brands. Its APIs and listed payment channels are relevant to businesses taking online or in-person payments.

Paystack in depth

Read the full write-up

Paystack is a payment service for businesses operating in or serving Africa, with online and in-person collection alongside transfer and identity APIs. It best suits teams that need several payment channels and developer tools in one service. The trade-off is transaction-based pricing: no subscription is stated, but local payments incur fees.

Overview

Paystack covers payment collection from customers around the world, with support for both digital checkout and physical sales. Its combination of payment methods, recurring-payment APIs and merchant reporting makes it more than a checkout endpoint. That breadth is useful for businesses building payment workflows, but those seeking a service focused only on direct debit may prefer a specialist.

Key features

Customers can pay by card, bank account or transfer, USSD, POS, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa QR and mobile money. This range gives merchants multiple ways to accept payment across online and in-person channels; the six supported currencies also help businesses serving customers beyond one currency market.

APIs support one-time and recurring collections from an app or website, as well as instant transfers and customer identity verification. Automated and manual fraud systems are intended to protect against fraudulent transactions and related chargeback claims. These capabilities suit businesses that want collection and adjacent payment operations in one integration, though the facts do not establish the scope or performance of the protection.

The dashboard includes reporting, alerts, exports, transaction reports, customer search and purchase insights. Those tools help teams monitor payments and examine customer activity. Integrations include WooCommerce, Shopify, Chargebee, Zapier, Wix and Xero, while documented API and SDK support covers Android, iOS and Flutter.

Paystack states that it is PCI DSS Level 1 and ISO 27001:2022 certified, and holds ISO 27701 certification for data privacy and protection. Its Customer Success team is available around the clock. Automatic settlement is free and generally reaches a merchant’s bank account the next working day (T+1), a useful cash-flow expectation rather than an immediate payout guarantee.

Pricing

The Paystack transaction pricing (Nigeria) plan costs nothing, with no subscription, integration or maintenance fee. Transaction fees still apply: local transactions cost 1.5% + NGN 100, with the NGN 100 waived on transactions under NGN 2,500 and local fees capped at NGN 2,000.

This structure suits businesses that want to avoid a recurring platform charge and pay in line with transactions. It is less attractive for merchants whose local transaction volume makes the percentage fee material. The NGN 2,000 cap limits local fees, while the waiver reduces the charge on smaller transactions; these terms are specific to local transactions and should not be read as the price for every payment method or market.

There is no paid subscription tier to compare: the free plan has no subscription charge, but it is not fee-free processing. No plan-specific quotas or seat limits are stated.

Platforms

Paystack supports Android, iOS, web and API. The documented API and SDKs for Android, iOS and Flutter give development teams several routes to integrate payment flows, while web support serves businesses accepting payments online. POS support extends its payment channels to in-person transactions.

Who it's for

Paystack serves startups and entrepreneurs through large corporations and global brands operating in or serving Africa. It is a strong fit for businesses that need multiple collection methods, recurring payments, transfers, identity checks and customer reporting in the same payment service. A business needing only a narrow direct-debit operation may find a dedicated option a closer match.

Pros and cons

Pros: No subscription, integration or maintenance fee, with the NGN 100 local charge waived under NGN 2,500 and local fees capped at NGN 2,000.

Pros: Broad payment coverage across online and in-person channels, plus APIs for recurring collections, transfers and identity verification.

Pros: Reporting, alerts, exports and customer insights give merchants tools to monitor activity beyond basic payment acceptance.

Cons: Transaction charges apply despite the zero subscription price, so processing costs remain a key part of the decision.

Cons: The stated local transaction rate and thresholds do not establish pricing for other markets or transaction types.

Alternatives

For a specialist direct-debit search, compare Direct Debit Processing Software or Payment Facilitation Platforms when the operating model is the deciding factor. If reach across borders is the priority, start with Cross-Border Payment Platforms; for a checkout-focused comparison, consider Hosted Checkout Software, Payment Gateways or Payment Processing Software.

Powens is a paid API option with a free trial and custom API plans; its enterprise plans offer dedicated hosting and support. Choose it if those enterprise terms matter more than Paystack’s stated Nigerian transaction pricing. Razorpay e-Mandate is another paid option across Android, API, iOS and web. IBANC pay-collect-control offers a one-time IBANC Standard plan at 279.00 EUR for one own bank account and batches up to 1,000 transactions, including CORE SEPA Direct Debits and SEPA Credit Transfers; consider it when that stated SEPA scope and fixed purchase suit better.

Rotessa charges $0.35 a month (billed 35¢ per transaction) for 251–1,000 transactions, with per-transaction pricing for users processing over 250 monthly; choose it if that transaction band is the relevant fit. SlimPay uses custom pricing for its production service. ClearDebit and Debit Success are paid API and web options. Cashfree eNACH charges for mandate creation or per presentation, with a separate platform fee; consider it when that mandate-based pricing model fits.

Verdict

Choose Paystack if your business operates in or serves Africa and needs broad payment acceptance plus APIs for recurring collection, transfers and identity checks. Its strongest case is the combination of channels and merchant tools without a subscription fee; its main drawback is that transaction charges still apply, with the stated local pricing tailored to Nigeria. Look elsewhere if a specialist direct-debit workflow or pricing for another market is central to your decision.

Verdict

Paystack specifies payment channels, API capabilities, developer coverage, and the listed Nigerian transaction pricing. There is no subscription fee listed, but transaction charges apply and the stated local rates have defined thresholds and a cap.

Where Specifiction places it

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