Paystack vs Pesapal
Paystack or Pesapal for your paid community?
Both work with Ubunya: members who pay are let in automatically, and lose access when their membership ends. Here's how they differ on fees, payment methods, tax and payouts.
The short answer
Choose Paystack if
- Registered businesses in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana or South Africa that want cards and mobile money in one place.
- Members should manage their own card and cancel without asking you.
Choose Pesapal if
- East African businesses that want card and M-Pesa payments from a local provider.
- Members are happy to pay again each month or year rather than save a card.
Side by side
| Paystack | Pesapal | |
|---|---|---|
| Handles sales tax and VAT (merchant of record) | No, you do | No, you do |
| Card fee | 2.9% local cards, 3.8% international cards, 1.5% M-Pesa (Kenya). Kenya rates shown; other countries have their own rates. Transfers out cost KES 20–350 depending on amount and destination. | Not published. Pesapal charges a per-transaction fee but publishes no rates; ask their sales team. |
| Members can pay with | cards, M-Pesa, Airtel Money, mobile money, Apple Pay, bank transfer, USSD, Pesalink, EFT | cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), M-Pesa, mobile money, mobile banking |
| Recurring billing | Subscriptions by card (and direct debit in Nigeria); M-Pesa and mobile money can't auto-renew. | Recurring payments by Visa or Mastercard only; the payer approves the schedule on Pesapal's page. |
| Who can sign up as a seller | Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Rwanda | Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
| Payouts | Local bank account or M-Pesa (Kenya), usually after 2 working days | Bank account in the country you registered in, within about 3 working days |
| Free test mode | Yes | Yes |
| Connecting it to Ubunya | Paste your secret key, then paste our webhook URL into Paystack. Paystack's signature is checked with your key. | Paste your consumer key and secret. We register the payment notification URL for you. |
| Prices on your community | Your Paystack plans. Each yearly plan can also be paid once with M-Pesa or mobile money. | You type the prices in: monthly, yearly or one-time. |
| Renewals in Ubunya | Cards renew automatically. Mobile money pays one year at a time. | Each payment buys one month or year; members pay again by M-Pesa, Airtel Money or card when it ends. |
| Members' billing page | Paystack's subscription page: change card, cancel. | None: members pay again from your community page. |
From Paystack's and Pesapal's own websites, checked November 2026. Prices change; check theirs before you sign up. Compare all 11 providers.
Questions
Which handles tax, Paystack or Pesapal?+
Neither is a merchant of record: you're the seller, so sales tax and VAT are yours to handle.
Can members pay with M-Pesa on Paystack or Pesapal?+
Paystack: yes. Pesapal: yes.
Can I use Paystack or Pesapal with Ubunya?+
Yes, both. Connect your own account under Manage → Payments. Paystack: Paste your secret key, then paste our webhook URL into Paystack. Paystack's signature is checked with your key. Pesapal: Paste your consumer key and secret. We register the payment notification URL for you.
What happens when a member stops paying?+
Their access stays until the end of what they paid for, plus the grace days you set (three by default). Then the community closes to them. Staff never lose access.
More comparisons
Charge for your community with the account you already have
Connect it under Manage → Payments. Paying members are let in automatically.