South African Payment Gateway Comparison and Fees (2025)

Choosing the right payment gateway can make or break your online business. With so many options available to South African merchants — from Yoco and iKhokha to Peach Payments, Netcash, and PayGate — it’s important to understand which platform best fits your business model, budget, and technical setup.

Below, we’ve compiled a detailed comparison of the leading South African payment gateways, including setup costs, monthly fees, transaction rates, and key features such as subscription billing, settlement time, and multi-currency support.

Comparing the Top South African Payment Gateways

1. Peach Payments

Peach Payments is one of South Africa’s most technically advanced payment processors, offering support for cards, EFT, subscription billing, and tokenisation. They’re ideal for SaaS companies or eCommerce stores using platforms like WooCommerce or Shopify, thanks to robust APIs and excellent documentation.

Setup Fee: None

Monthly Fee: R200 (for tokenisation)

Transaction Fees: ~2.95% + R3.00 local, ~3.50% international

Settlement: T+2 days

Best For: Established online stores and recurring billing setups

2. Yoco

Yoco has made card payments accessible for small businesses with no setup or monthly fees. Its strength lies in its simplicity and portability — whether you’re running a pop-up shop or a small eCommerce website.

Setup Fee: None

Monthly Fee: None

Transaction Fees: 2.75%–3.00% local, ~3.40% international

Settlement: T+1–2 days

Best For: Small merchants, freelancers, and startups

3. iKhokha

iKhokha offers flexible solutions for both in-person and online payments. Their ecosystem includes POS devices and a growing set of eCommerce tools.

Setup Fee: Device purchase (for POS)

Monthly Fee: None

Transaction Fees: Varies by volume

Settlement: Daily

Best For: Hybrid merchants (in-store + online)

4. Netcash

Netcash provides a comprehensive suite of payment solutions including cards, debit orders, and EFT. It’s particularly strong for SMEs and subscription-based businesses.

Setup Fee: None

Monthly Fee: From R54/month

Transaction Fees: 2.95% + R1.50 local, 3.50% international

Settlement: T+1–2 days

Best For: SMEs with recurring payments or multi-method setups

5. PayGate

PayGate (part of DPO Group) has been a trusted name in South African online payments for years. It supports WooCommerce, Shopify, and custom integrations, offering reliability and local support.

Setup Fee: R250

Monthly Fee: R290–R875

Transaction Fees: 3.2% + R2.00 local, 3.50% international

Settlement: T+2 days

Best For: Established online businesses needing stability and support

Multi-Currency and Recurring Billing Support

If your business serves international customers, multi-currency support becomes essential. Among South African gateways:

• ✅ Peach Payments offers full multi-currency capabilities and subscription billing.

• ✅ Netcash and PayGate both support recurring billing.

⚠️ Yoco and iKhokha are limited to ZAR and do not offer recurring billing yet.

Settlement Times and Fees at a Glance

Settlement time (the delay between customer payment and your account credit) can influence your cash flow:

Fastest: iKhokha (Daily)

Standard: Yoco, Netcash (T+1–2 days)

Slower: Peach Payments, PayGate (T+2 days)

Transaction fees range roughly between 2.75% and 3.5%, depending on card type and volume.

Which Gateway Should You Choose?

Final Thoughts

Selecting the right payment gateway in South Africa is all about aligning your business size, transaction volume, and technical requirements with the right provider.
If you’re just starting, Yoco or iKhokha give you simplicity and affordability. For advanced businesses needing recurring payments or custom integrations, Peach Payments, PayGate, and Netcash are the best picks.