Paystack is one of the most well-known online payment gateways in Africa, offering seamless checkout experiences, multiple payment options, and a quick integration process for ecommerce stores.
Whether you’re running a dropshipping site or scaling your online business in Nigeria or Ghana, Paystack is a go-to for local and international transactions.
In this review, I’ll walk you through Paystack’s pricing, features, and overall experience using the platform—so you can decide whether it’s the right solution for your online store.
Why You Can Trust This Review
We’ve analyzed over a dozen ecommerce payment processors, digging into real merchant experiences, platform limitations, payout speeds, and integration options.
We also spent time testing Paystack’s developer tools, dashboards, and transaction systems, so we can give you a fair and accurate review.
Paystack Pros & Cons
Paystack
Best for African ecommerce businesses
Score: 4.6 out of 5
✅ For selling online in Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa
✅ For accepting local + international card payments
✅ For fast setup and Stripe-level infrastructure
| Free to use | Fees per transaction: 1.5%–3.9% + ₦100 (approx. $0.10) |
|---|
What I Like
✔️ One of the easiest ways to start accepting payments in Nigeria and Ghana
✔️ Supports international cards, Apple Pay, and USSD payments
✔️ Fast settlement (24–48 hours)
✔️ Developer-friendly APIs and clear documentation
✔️ Seamless integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, and custom stores
What I Don’t Like
❌ Not available to merchants outside Africa
❌ Payouts for international payments can take 5–7 days
❌ Doesn’t support PayPal or crypto payments
❌ No multi-currency wallet feature
❌ FX markup fees not clearly disclosed
My Experience Using Paystack
Paystack is built for local merchants first, which becomes clear from the moment you set up your account. You can sign up in just a few minutes, and the platform guides you through a smooth onboarding process.
Once I was in the dashboard, I saw a clean layout and an intuitive setup checklist. I could:
- Add my business bank account
- Integrate Paystack into my Shopify store
- Create payment pages or invoices
- View transaction logs and issue refunds
Setting Up a Store
If you’re using Shopify or WooCommerce, the setup is incredibly easy:
- On Shopify, I just selected Paystack from the third-party payment provider list and connected my account.
- On WooCommerce, I installed the free Paystack plugin and added my API keys.
Everything synced quickly, and I was able to start receiving payments without dealing with complex forms or coding.
How Much Does Paystack Cost?
Paystack keeps its pricing transparent. There are no setup fees, monthly charges, or hidden costs. You only pay when you get paid.
Here’s a breakdown of Paystack’s fees:
| Transaction Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Local card payments | 1.5% + ₦100 (waived under ₦2,500) |
| Bank transfer payments | 1.5% + ₦100 |
| International payments | 3.9% + ₦100 |
| USSD payments (Nigeria) | 1.5% |
| Apple Pay | 3.9% + ₦100 |
| Refunds | Free (transaction fee not refunded) |
| Chargebacks | Merchant bears the cost |
If you’re processing a high volume of payments, Paystack also offers custom enterprise pricing.
For USD transactions, 3.9% + ₦100 equates to about $0.10 + 3.9% per transaction, which is in line with Stripe.
There’s no tiered pricing model, which means small businesses and large enterprises pay the same percentage unless a special arrangement is made.
This simplicity is great for predictability but can be a downside for high-volume merchants looking to negotiate lower rates. Still, for most ecommerce stores just getting started, the cost model is fair and straightforward.
Checkout and Payment Methods
Paystack’s checkout process is designed to be user-friendly and fast—especially on mobile.
Accepted Payment Methods:
- Visa, Mastercard, and Verve cards
- Bank transfers
- Apple Pay
- Mobile money (Ghana only)
- USSD payments
- QR Code payments
Customers can complete payments within 1–2 clicks, and Paystack auto-detects the best method based on device and location.
Custom Checkout Options:
- Inline checkout for embedding on your site
- Redirect checkout for hosted payment pages
- Customizable branding so the experience feels native
In short, the payment process is polished and flexible.
It’s also worth noting that Paystack supports saved card functionality, so repeat customers can check out even faster without having to re-enter their payment details.
This small feature goes a long way in improving conversion rates, especially for stores with a high percentage of returning buyers.
Settlement Speed and Currency Support
One of Paystack’s strengths is how quickly you receive your money—at least for local payments.
Payout Timelines
| Payment Type | Settlement Speed |
|---|---|
| Local payments | 24–48 hours |
| International payments | 5–7 business days |
Currency Support
| Currency | Supported? |
|---|---|
| NGN | Yes |
| GHS | Yes |
| ZAR | Yes |
| USD | Yes (converted) |
Funds are converted into your local currency, so you’ll need to watch out for foreign exchange markups, which aren’t clearly published.
You don’t have the option to hold or withdraw in foreign currencies, which can be a drawback if you prefer keeping your earnings in USD for international expenses.
All payouts are automatically converted to your local bank currency, which is convenient but limits control for merchants managing multi-region sales.
Integrations With Ecommerce Platforms
Paystack supports all major ecommerce platforms with either direct plugins or API integrations.
| Platform | Supported? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Yes | Official support for Nigeria/Ghana |
| WooCommerce | Yes | Free plugin available |
| Magento | Yes | Community plugin required |
| PrestaShop | Yes | Supported via third-party module |
| Wix | No | Not officially supported |
| Custom site | Yes | Clean REST APIs and JS SDK available |
You can also create payment links, invoices, or donation pages without a full ecommerce setup.
For platforms that don’t have native Paystack support, you can still process payments by generating manual payment links or embedding a custom checkout flow using their API.
This flexibility makes Paystack a viable option for hybrid setups, such as those combining a CMS like Webflow or a no-code builder.
Analytics and Reporting
Paystack’s dashboard provides a good range of analytics tools, including:
- Real-time transaction history
- Sales and revenue charts
- Exportable reports for accounting
- Customer segmentation
- Payment method insights
You can also integrate Paystack with tools like Google Sheets or Zapier for more advanced reporting.
If you’re using a full-stack data tool like Google Data Studio or Metabase, you can extract raw data from Paystack’s API to build your own dashboards.
While the native analytics are solid for basic overviews, advanced users will likely prefer connecting to their own BI tools for deeper insight.
Developer Tools and Documentation
If you’re building your own online store or app, Paystack offers:
- Full-featured REST API
- JavaScript SDK
- Webhooks for payment status updates
- Test (sandbox) environment
- Clean, well-documented guides
Developers often rate Paystack’s API higher than Flutterwave’s due to its simplicity and reliability.
The sandbox environment mirrors the live setup closely, making it easy to test different payment scenarios before deploying to production.
Whether you’re building a subscription model, donation system, or one-click upsell, Paystack gives you enough flexibility without requiring overly complex logic.
Customer Support and Help Resources
Paystack provides multiple support channels:
- Live chat (available inside dashboard)
- Email: [email protected]
- Help center with guides: https://paystack.com/help
- Twitter/X support: @paystack
- Developer documentation: https://paystack.com/docs
From my experience, response times ranged from 1–6 hours on business days. Support is helpful, but complex disputes like chargebacks are usually deferred to the bank.
Paystack’s help center is surprisingly detailed, with guides for almost every feature—ranging from webhook testing to Shopify plugin troubleshooting.
That said, there’s no direct phone support, which could be a limitation for larger businesses that require real-time issue resolution.
Security and Compliance
Paystack is PCI DSS Level 1 certified, meaning it meets the global gold standard for card payment security.
Other features include:
- Data encryption
- 3D Secure for online transactions
- Automatic fraud detection tools
- Device fingerprinting
- SSL/TLS across all pages
No security issues or breaches have been publicly reported to date.
Additionally, Paystack monitors suspicious patterns using machine learning algorithms. This reduces the chances of fraud or abuse on your account, especially during high-volume sales periods like Black Friday or product launches.
It adds another layer of peace of mind for ecommerce merchants handling hundreds of transactions a day.
Comparing Paystack to Alternatives
If you’re choosing between Paystack, Flutterwave, and Stripe, here’s how they compare:
| Feature | Paystack | Flutterwave | Stripe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Local Africa | Africa + intl | Global markets |
| FX conversion fees | Moderate | Lower | Transparent |
| Shopify support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chargeback handling | Limited | Limited | Better tools |
| Developer tools | Strong | Moderate | Advanced |
If you need global coverage, Stripe might be better. But for Africa-first ecommerce, Paystack wins on ease of use and local trust.
It’s also worth mentioning that Flutterwave offers broader coverage for non-African merchants trying to enter African markets, while Stripe’s availability in African countries is still limited.
That puts Paystack in a strong position for merchants who are based in Africa and want a locally rooted, Stripe-backed solution.
Final Verdict: Should You Use Paystack?
Paystack is an excellent choice for ecommerce businesses in Africa – especially in Nigeria and Ghana. It’s quick to set up, trusted by thousands of merchants, and backed by Stripe’s infrastructure.
While there are limitations like FX markups and no multi-currency wallets, these aren’t dealbreakers for most small to mid-sized online stores.
I Recommend Paystack If:
- You run a Shopify or WooCommerce store targeting African customers
- You need local payment methods like USSD, bank transfers, or mobile money
- You want fast payouts with minimal hassle
You Might Want to Look Elsewhere If:
- You’re a non-African merchant wanting to collect payments from African buyers
- You need crypto or PayPal support
- You prefer global tools like Stripe or PayPal for advanced analytics
Paystack offers the best blend of local relevance, pricing transparency, and integration ease – and for African ecommerce, that’s tough to beat.
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