Selling Online in South Africa: PayFast vs Ozow vs Yoco
Choosing a payment gateway is one of the few genuinely consequential decisions in setting up an online store — get it wrong and you're either overpaying in fees or losing customers at checkout. Here's how the three most common options in South Africa actually compare in practice.
PayFast
The most established option for WooCommerce and general e-commerce sites. Supports cards, Instant EFT, and several other local payment methods in one integration. Setup is straightforward and well-documented, which makes it the safest default for a first online store.
Ozow
Focused specifically on Instant EFT — customers pay directly from their bank account rather than a card. Fees tend to be lower than card-based gateways, which matters for lower-margin products, but it doesn't cover card payments on its own, so many stores pair it with another gateway.
Yoco
Best known for in-person card machines, but also offers online payment links and checkout integration. A strong option for businesses that already use Yoco in-store and want one consistent system across online and offline sales.
Which one should you actually use?
- New WooCommerce store, want the safest all-round option: PayFast
- Selling lower-margin products where fees matter most: Ozow (often alongside a card option)
- Already using Yoco in a physical store: Yoco, for consistency across channels
Most stores Universal Hub builds end up running PayFast as the primary gateway with Ozow added as a lower-fee alternative — giving customers a choice without adding real setup complexity.
