Skip to content
Register

Payment integration

Accept invoice payments with PayFast

The PayFast integration lets customers pay your ZAR invoices from Invoice Crowd through PayFast checkout. Invoice Crowd verifies the payment before recording it, with recurring support where PayFast's requirements are met.

Review the flow All integrations
  • Status: Active for ZAR
  • Checked against the app
  • Provider terms still apply
Invoice Crowd Payment Methods with PayFast selected and a PayFast account set to Live, a paid invoice recorded after PayFast confirmed it, and the Refund window asking to refund in the PayFast dashboard and record it.

From setup to paid

How PayFast fits the Invoice Crowd payment boundary

Connection, customer checkout and final settlement are separate stages. Read the status and limitations before showing the method on a live invoice.

Connect the merchant account

Each business profile has its own account and live or test mode.

Invoice Crowd PayFast account form with Live and Sandbox modes and a fictional nickname, the business's PayFast accounts, and the Merchant Key kept write-only when editing.

Enter only the fields the provider requires

Merchant ID, merchant key, optional passphrase and Live/Sandbox mode.

  • Selected business profile
  • Explicit live or test mode
  • Write-only secret editing

Check the provider accepts your business first

Focused on eligible South African merchants and ZAR; PayFast controls onboarding, fees and account features.

  • Merchant country and account
  • Invoice and settlement currency
  • Provider fees and review

Understand the customer path

The payment option only shows when it can be used for that invoice.

Invoice Crowd invoice INV-2047 for Verde Coffee Roasters in ZAR, the customer's Select a Payment Method sheet with Pay Using Payfast, and what PayFast asks for next.

Use the one-time payment flow

Invoice Crowd generates the signed checkout form from server-owned amount data, then verifies the ITN signature, PayFast postback, merchant and exact ZAR amount.

  • The amount comes from the invoice
  • The payment is applied to that invoice
  • The customer pays on the provider's own page

Recurring payments work differently

Recurring setup and lifecycle operations are active when the merchant passphrase and provider API requirements are satisfied.

  • One-time and recurring differ
  • Some existing setups only keep running
  • New ones aren't offered where unsupported

Checked before the payment is recorded

An invoice is marked paid only when the provider confirms it.

Invoice Crowd Payments Needing Review holding a PayFast payment for INV-2047 that arrived after the invoice was paid, with the checks PayFast payments must pass before they are recorded.

The payment must match the invoice

Exact form and ITN signature, PayFast VALID postback, unique payment ID, allocation and exact ZAR amount.

  • Merchant account and mode
  • Same invoice, amount and currency
  • The provider reports it as paid

Know the current limits

PayFast is hidden for non-ZAR invoices. The browser return does not settle the invoice.

  • Nothing is assumed paid
  • Pending stays pending
  • Mismatches are refused

Integration facts

What to verify before using PayFast

The fields below describe the current Invoice Crowd path; the provider remains the source for merchant eligibility, fees and regional availability.

  • Availability

    Active for ZAR

  • One-time payment

    Invoice Crowd generates the signed checkout form from server-owned amount data, then verifies the ITN signature, PayFast postback, merchant and exact ZAR amount.

  • Recurring payments

    Recurring setup and lifecycle operations are active when the merchant passphrase and provider API requirements are satisfied.

  • Merchant setup

    Merchant ID, merchant key, optional passphrase and Live/Sandbox mode.

  • Settlement evidence

    Exact form and ITN signature, PayFast VALID postback, unique payment ID, allocation and exact ZAR amount.

  • Regional fit

    Focused on eligible South African merchants and ZAR; PayFast controls onboarding, fees and account features.

  • Current limits

    PayFast is hidden for non-ZAR invoices. The browser return does not settle the invoice.

  • Invoice data

    Amount, currency and allocation are derived from the current server-side invoice state.

  • Unmatched payments

    If a confirmed PayFast payment can't be applied to its invoice, for example because the balance changed after checkout started, Invoice Crowd holds it in Payments Needing Review. You then apply it to the invoice, keep it as customer credit, or refund it.

  • Refunds

    Invoice Crowd does not send PayFast refunds itself. Make the refund in your PayFast account, then record it with Refund on the invoice in Invoice Crowd, so the invoice and your books match.

  • Provider fees

    Gateway fees, exchange costs and settlement timing come from the merchant agreement, not the Invoice Crowd subscription.

  • Alternative gateways

    Configure another active provider when this gateway does not support the merchant, customer, currency or collection model.

Questions

PayFast and Invoice Crowd, answered

Is the PayFast integration currently available in Invoice Crowd?

Yes. PayFast is active in Invoice Crowd for ZAR invoices. Invoice Crowd builds the signed checkout form from the invoice amount, then verifies the ITN signature, the PayFast postback, the merchant and the exact ZAR amount before recording the payment.

What do I need to connect PayFast?

Merchant ID, merchant key, optional passphrase and Live/Sandbox mode. Focused on eligible South African merchants and ZAR; PayFast controls onboarding, fees and account features. PayFast needs a paid Invoice Crowd plan; the free plan includes PayPal.

How does PayFast one-time checkout work?

Invoice Crowd generates the signed checkout form from server-owned amount data, then verifies the ITN signature, PayFast postback, merchant and exact ZAR amount.

Does PayFast support recurring payments in Invoice Crowd?

Recurring setup and lifecycle operations are active when the merchant passphrase and provider API requirements are satisfied.

How does Invoice Crowd decide that a payment succeeded?

Exact form and ITN signature, PayFast VALID postback, unique payment ID, allocation and exact ZAR amount. A browser return or posted status alone cannot settle the invoice. A confirmed payment that can't be applied to its invoice is held in Payments Needing Review until you decide what to do with it.

Are gateway fees included in Invoice Crowd pricing?

No. Provider transaction fees, foreign-exchange costs, settlement timing and account terms are controlled by the gateway and merchant agreement. Check the provider before activation.

Can I refund a PayFast payment from Invoice Crowd?

Not through PayFast directly. Invoice Crowd sends refunds through the provider only for Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay, Square, Braintree, Authorize.net, Airwallex and GoCardless. For PayFast, make the refund in your PayFast account, then record it with Refund on the invoice in Invoice Crowd, so the invoice, its credit note and your books stay in step.

Test PayFast with a representative invoice

Start with sandbox or test mode where the provider offers it, verify the exact currency and payment result, then plan production activation.

  • Never marked paid from the browser alone
  • Provider terms apply
  • Current status is visible
Start free Payment gateway overview