Which Shopify payment gateway is best for a South African store?
Shopify Payments is not available in South Africa, so every local Shopify store needs a third-party payment gateway. The main options are PayFast, Yoco, Peach Payments, Paystack and PayGate. PayFast is the most widely used all-rounder because it covers card and instant EFT and is trusted locally. Whichever you choose, remember Shopify adds a third-party transaction fee on top of the gateway fee.
Picking the right payment gateway is one of the first real decisions for a South African Shopify store, and it affects both your fees and your conversion rate. This guide compares the main local gateways, explains the Shopify third-party fee, and shows how to choose.
Note: Payment gateway fees change often. Always confirm current pricing on each provider's own site before deciding.
TL;DR: Quick Answer
Because Shopify Payments does not operate in South Africa, you must connect a third-party gateway. For most local stores PayFast is the safest default: it supports card and instant EFT and shoppers recognise it. Yoco suits small businesses, Peach Payments and PayGate suit larger or more custom setups, and Paystack is a strong modern option. Shopify charges an extra third-party transaction fee of roughly 0.5% to 2% depending on your plan, on top of the gateway's own fee, so a higher Shopify plan can pay for itself at volume.
Key takeaways
- Shopify Payments is not available in South Africa, so a third-party gateway is compulsory.
- Shopify adds a third-party transaction fee (about 0.5% to 2%, lower on higher plans) on top of the gateway's fee.
- PayFast is the most common all-rounder; Yoco is popular with small businesses; Peach and PayGate suit larger stores; Paystack is a strong modern choice.
- Offer both card and instant EFT, since many South African shoppers prefer EFT over entering card details.
- Compare the total cost, not just the headline rate: gateway fee plus Shopify third-party fee plus any monthly fee.
- Whichever you pick, test a real transaction on mobile before you launch.
What a payment gateway is, and why the choice matters
A payment gateway is the service that securely takes a shopper's payment at checkout and moves the money to your account. On Shopify it sits between your store and the shopper's bank or card. The choice matters for two reasons: it decides which payment methods your customers can use, and it sets the fee you pay on every sale. Offer too few methods and you lose sales to checkout abandonment; pick the wrong fee structure and you erode your margin on every order.
Is Shopify Payments available in South Africa?
No. Shopify Payments, Shopify's built-in gateway, is not available in South Africa as of 2026. That is the single most important fact for a local store. It means you cannot use Shopify's native card processing, and you must connect one of the approved third-party gateways instead.
Why does Shopify charge an extra fee in South Africa? Because Shopify Payments is unavailable locally, South African stores use a third-party gateway, and Shopify applies a third-party transaction fee of roughly 0.5% to 2% depending on the plan, on top of the gateway's own fee. Higher Shopify plans carry a lower third-party fee, so at higher sales volumes a more expensive plan can reduce your total cost per order.
The main payment gateways for South African Shopify stores
Five gateways cover almost every South African Shopify store. The right one depends on your size, the methods you want to offer, and how custom your setup is.
| Gateway | Methods | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| PayFast | Card, instant EFT, more | Most stores; the trusted all-rounder |
| Yoco | Card | Small businesses wanting quick, simple setup |
| Peach Payments | Card, EFT, wallets | Growing and mid-size stores |
| Paystack | Card, EFT | Modern stores wanting a clean developer-friendly option |
| PayGate | Card, EFT | Larger or enterprise stores |
You are not limited to one. Many stores run PayFast for card and instant EFT and add a second option to cover a specific audience. It also pays to get the fundamentals right: see our Shopify SEO checklist for South African stores. Offering instant EFT alongside card is one of the highest-impact things you can do for local conversion.
What do South African payment gateways cost?
As a rough guide, local card processing fees sit around 2.9% to 3.5% per transaction, sometimes with a small per-order fee, and instant EFT is often a little cheaper. Exact rates vary by provider, by your monthly volume, and change over time, so treat these as ballpark and confirm the current numbers with each gateway. The number that actually matters is the all-in cost.
Store owners fixate on the headline gateway rate and forget the Shopify third-party fee sitting on top of it. Add both together, plus any monthly cost, and compare that total against your average order value. That is the real cost of taking a payment.
Wynand van der Westhuizen, Creative Director, Juicy Designs
The three costs to add up for every gateway:
- Gateway transaction fee: the percentage the gateway takes per sale.
- Shopify third-party fee: roughly 0.5% to 2% depending on your Shopify plan.
- Any monthly or setup fee: some gateways charge a fixed monthly amount.
How to choose the right gateway for your store
Match the gateway to your stage, not to a single number. A new store with low volume usually wants the simplest, most trusted option so shoppers are comfortable and setup is fast, which is why PayFast or Yoco are common starting points. A higher-volume store should compare total cost carefully and may move to Peach or PayGate, and should look hard at moving to a higher Shopify plan to cut the third-party fee. Whatever your stage, make sure you offer instant EFT as well as card, and that the checkout still feels fast and trustworthy. We handle this as part of ecommerce web design and conversion rate optimisation.
How to add a payment gateway to Shopify
Connecting a gateway takes minutes once you have an account with the provider. In Shopify, go to Settings, then Payments, and under third-party providers choose your gateway and enter the API keys from your gateway account. Activate it, then place a small real test order to confirm the money arrives and the order is marked paid. Repeat the test for every method you enable, and always test on a phone using mobile data, since that is how most South African shoppers will pay.
If you would rather have it set up and optimised for you, our team configures South African Shopify stores end to end as part of ecommerce growth work. Get a free quote and we will recommend the gateway mix that fits your store.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify Payments available in South Africa?
No. Shopify Payments is not available in South Africa as of 2026, so local stores must connect a third-party gateway such as PayFast, Yoco, Peach Payments, Paystack or PayGate. Shopify then adds a third-party transaction fee, roughly 0.5% to 2% depending on your plan, on top of the gateway's own fee.
Which payment gateway is best for a South African Shopify store?
For most stores PayFast is the safest default because it supports card and instant EFT and shoppers trust it. Yoco suits small businesses, Peach Payments and PayGate suit larger stores, and Paystack is a strong modern option. The best choice depends on your volume and the total cost, not just the headline rate.
How much do Shopify payment gateways cost in South Africa?
Local card processing fees are typically around 2.9% to 3.5% per transaction, with instant EFT often a little cheaper, but rates vary by provider and volume and change over time. Remember to add the Shopify third-party fee of roughly 0.5% to 2% on top, plus any monthly fee, and confirm current rates with each gateway.
Can I offer more than one payment gateway on Shopify?
Yes. Many South African stores run one gateway for card and instant EFT and add a second to cover a specific audience or method. Offering instant EFT alongside card is one of the highest-impact things you can do for local conversion, because many shoppers prefer EFT to entering card details.
How do I lower my Shopify payment fees in South Africa?
Compare gateways on total cost, encourage instant EFT which is often cheaper than card, and consider a higher Shopify plan, since higher plans carry a lower third-party transaction fee. At higher volumes the plan upgrade can more than pay for itself in reduced fees per order.