Paystack vs SumUp Payment Links
Paystack
paystack.comSumUp Payment Links
sumup.comSide by side
| Figure | Paystack | SumUp Payment Links |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | 1 NGN/mo | £15.75/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 10 | 4 |
| Spec score · Payment Link Software | 8.8 (#7) | 8.6 (#10) |
| Payment methods | Supported payment channels listed include cards, bank accounts, bank transfers, USSD, POS, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa QR, and mobile money. | The Payment Links page displays Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Diners Club, Discover and UnionPay as payment methods. |
| Rating on Capterra | 4.4 out of 5 from 17 reviews | 4.8 out of 5 from 17 reviews for SumUp Point of Sale. |
| Rating on G2 | 4.1 out of 5 from 9 reviews | 4.6 out of 5 from 24 reviews. |
| Rating on Google Play | 3.6 out of 5 from 883 reviews | 4.3 out of 5 from 4.52K reviews for SumUp Personal Finance. |
| Rating on Trustpilot | 1.5 out of 5 from 249 reviews | 4.2 out of 5 from 59,787 reviews. |
| Security | Paystack states it is PCI DSS Level 1 certified and ISO 27001:2022 certified. | SumUp says every payment link is protected by 3D Secure 2. |
| Self-hosting | Paystack is delivered as a hosted service with its API and dashboard; its terms reserve ownership of the platform and documentation. | Payment Links is delivered as SumUp-hosted checkout infrastructure; the product pages do not describe a self-hosted deployment. |
| What it does | Paystack is a payment service provider for African businesses supporting online and in-person payments. | Payment Links creates secure online checkout links that merchants share so customers can pay without a website, online store, card reader or SumUp app. |
Plans
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
SumUp Payment Links
- Pay-as-you-goFree
- Payment LinksFree
- Payments Plus£19 a month
- Payments Plus annual£189 a year
In their own words
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.
SumUp Payment Links
SumUp Payment Links lets businesses collect online payments by sharing a link, without needing a website or card reader. Merchants can create links for fixed or open amounts, reuse them, set expiration dates and allow tips or notes. Links can be sent through Instagram, WhatsApp, SMS and email, or shown as QR codes. Customers pay on a secure page without downloading an app or creating an account. The SumUp Business App shows which links are paid or outstanding and lets merchants resend unpaid ones; after a payment, the merchant’s account is updated with a push notification. Listed payment methods are Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Diners Club, Discover and UnionPay. Link creation is supported in a browser, app, POS Lite and SumUp Register. SumUp says links use 3D Secure 2. The free plan has no monthly fee and charges 2.50% per transaction; paid plans start at £19/mo.