How to take payments on your website in South Africa

Taking payments online used to be complicated. Today, South African payment providers make it fairly simple to accept cards and instant EFT on your website. The trick is choosing what suits your business.

The main options

• Payment gateways such as PayFast, Yoco and Ozow connect your website to card payments, instant EFT and other methods.
• Payment links let you send a link on WhatsApp or email, which is great for services and deposits.
• Full online stores combine products, a cart and a gateway, so customers can order and pay without you.

What to compare

• Fees: check each provider's current pricing on its own website, including per-transaction and payout fees.
• Payment methods: card, instant EFT, QR codes, and whether your customers actually use them.
• Payout speed: how quickly money reaches your bank account.
• Fit: some suit online stores, others suit in-person and online sales together.

Common mistakes

• Making customers create an account before paying.
• Hiding delivery costs until the last step.
• Not testing the full checkout on a phone.

Start simple

If you mostly take bookings, a deposit link may be all you need. If customers keep asking "can I order online?", a proper online store pays for itself quickly. Our Online Store package includes gateway setup and testing.