E-commerce has seen significant growth in South Africa over the past few years, with more and more businesses adopting online sales as a way to reach new customers and increase revenue. Payment providers play a crucial role in facilitating these transactions and ensuring that customers can make secure and convenient payments. Two of the most popular payment providers for WooCommerce stores in South Africa are YOCO and Payfast. In this blog post, we will compare these two payment providers based on their features, pricing, and customer support.
Features YOCO vs Payfast
YOCO Features:
- Point-of-sale (POS) system for in-person card payments
- Loyalty program to incentivize repeat business
- Marketing support for merchants who are new to e-commerce
Payfast Features:
- Easy integration with WooCommerce
- Support for various payment methods, including credit and debit cards, EFT, and SnapScan
- Fraud protection to ensure secure transactions
While YOCO and Payfast offer similar features, YOCO stands out with its point-of-sale system, loyalty program, and free online store setup and marketing support. These additional features may be appealing to some merchants who are looking for more comprehensive support for their e-commerce business. On the other hand, Payfast’s core features, such as easy integration with WooCommerce, support for multiple payment methods, and fraud protection, are also essential for any online store and ensure a smooth and secure checkout process for customers.
Pricing YOCO vs Payfast
Pricing is an important consideration for any business, and YOCO and Payfast have different fee structures. YOCO charges a flat fee of 2.95% per transaction, with no monthly fees or setup costs. Payfast, on the other hand, charges a percentage-based fee that ranges from 2% to 3.5%, depending on the transaction volume. Payfast also charges a monthly fee of R100 for businesses that process more than R10,000 per month. Overall, YOCO may be a better choice for small businesses or those with low transaction volumes, while Payfast may be more cost effective for larger businesses.
Customer Support
Both YOCO and Payfast offer customer support via phone, email, and live chat. However, YOCO has a reputation for providing excellent customer service, with a dedicated team that is available 7 days a week to help merchants with any issues they may encounter. YOCO also provides a comprehensive knowledge base that includes articles, videos, and FAQs to help merchants get started and troubleshoot common problems. Payfast also offers good customer support, but some merchants have reported longer response times and less personalized support.
Conclusion
To summarize, YOCO and Payfast are both reliable payment providers that offer comparable security measures and features. Small businesses or those seeking additional features such as loyalty programs and in-person payments may prefer YOCO. On the other hand, Payfast may be more cost effective for larger businesses or those with high transaction volumes. YOCO has a reputation for providing exceptional customer support, while Payfast offers good support but may not be as personalized. At WeDev.Africa, we have experience integrating both payment gateways into mobile apps and WordPress WooCommerce stores. Ultimately, the decision to choose between YOCO and Payfast will depend on the unique needs and priorities of each merchant.
