Cashfree Payment Gateway vs Paystack
Cashfree Payment Gateway
cashfree.comPaystack
paystack.comSide by side
| Figure | Cashfree Payment Gateway | Paystack |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | 1 NGN/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 7 | 10 |
| Spec score · Payment Gateways | 8.8 (#6) | 8.7 (#9) |
| Headquarters | Bengaluru, Karnataka, India | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Payment methods | The gateway supports UPI, cards, net banking, wallets, EMI, pay-later products and more than 180 payment modes. | Supported payment channels listed include cards, bank accounts, bank transfers, USSD, POS, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa QR, and mobile money. |
| Rating on Capterra | 4.4 out of 5 from 85 reviews. | 4.4 out of 5 from 17 reviews |
| Rating on G2 | 4.0 out of 5 from 31 reviews. | 4.1 out of 5 from 9 reviews |
| Rating on Trustpilot | 1.5 out of 5 from 43 reviews. | 1.5 out of 5 from 249 reviews |
| Recurring payments | Subscriptions, UPI AutoPay and eNACH support automated recurring debits. | Its APIs let businesses collect one-time and recurring payments from an app or website. |
| Security certifications | Cashfree states that it holds PCI DSS v4.0.1 Level 1, ISO 27001/27017/27018/9001 and SOC 2 Type 2 certifications. | Paystack states that it is PCI DSS Level 1 certified and ISO 27001:2022 and ISO 27701 certified. |
| Self-hosting | The product is delivered as Cashfree-hosted payment infrastructure; the official materials describe APIs, SDKs and plugins rather than a self-hosted gateway. | Paystack is delivered as a hosted service with its API and dashboard; its terms reserve ownership of the platform and documentation. |
| Support | The maker says enterprise accounts can receive a dedicated account manager and WhatsApp support. | Paystack says its Customer Success team is available around the clock. |
| What it does | Cashfree provides payment collection, payouts, international payments, identity verification and fraud-detection infrastructure for businesses. | Paystack is a payment service provider for African businesses supporting online and in-person payments. |
Plans
Cashfree Payment Gateway
- Festive offerFree
- Instant SettlementsPriced on request
- Payment Gateway standard platform feePriced on request
- Standard platform feePriced on request
- EMI payment feePriced on request
- EnterprisePriced on request
- Introductory payment-gateway offerPriced on request
Paystack
- AccountFree
- Paystack transaction pricing (Nigeria)Free
- Dedicated virtual accounts1 NGN a month
- Nigeria local transactions1.51 NGN a month
- Nigeria international transactions3.91 NGN a month
- Nigeria transfers up to NGN 5,00010 NGN a month
- Nigeria transfers NGN 5,001–50,00025 NGN a month
- Nigeria transfers above NGN 50,00050 NGN a month
- Test SmartPeak P1000 terminal85,000 NGN, paid once
- Live SmartPeak P1000 terminal100,000 NGN, paid once
In their own words
Cashfree Payment Gateway
Cashfree Payment Gateway lets businesses accept online payments through hosted checkout, web elements, mobile integrations, APIs, plugins, payment links, and forms. Cashfree lists 180+ payment modes, including UPI, cards, wallets, EMI, and Pay Later, and says merchants can accept international payments in 140+ currencies. Integration options include Android, iOS, React Native, and Flutter, with Shopify and WooCommerce plugins also listed. Cashfree says its UPI gateway connects to 8+ banks and routes transactions between them; the default UPI settlement cycle is T+2 days, while instant settlements are available to eligible businesses. It lists PCI DSS, ISO 9001, and ISO 27001 certifications and identifies itself as an RBI-authorised Payment Aggregator. Onboarding is described as paperless, with a payment expert contacting new sign-ups within 24 working hours. Standard platform fees are priced on request, deducted from successful transactions before settlement. A festive offer gives eligible new merchants no gateway fees on the first ₹20L of GMV, though GST applies and exclusions and campaign conditions apply.
Paystack
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.