Pay At Services
Pay@ is a South African payment aggregator, founded in 2007, that enables 500+ billers to accept customer payments via a single integration spanning 40+ retail, banking, mobile money, and voucher networks across Southern Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersStellenbosch, South Africa
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Pay At Services does
Pay@ Services (Pty) Ltd is a South African payment aggregator headquartered in Stellenbosch that enables billers to accept customer payments through a single integration spanning physical retail, banking apps, mobile money, and voucher networks. Founded in 2007, the company positions itself as operating the largest payment network in the region, with 40+ integrated payment channels including major retailers (Shoprite, Pick n Pay, SPAR, PEP, Ackermans, Makro), all major South African banks (ABSA, Capitec, FNB, Nedbank, Standard Bank), mobile wallets (MTN Momo, Voda Pay, Snap Scan, Zapper), and prepaid voucher systems. Pay@ serves 500+ billers across insurance, financial services, media and entertainment, government, and SMEs.
The company's product portfolio is anchored by two core offerings: the Pay@ Integrated Solution, an enterprise B2B gateway with both real-time API and file-based batch integration supporting automated reconciliation at a 99.995% matching rate, and Pay@Go, a self-service portal for SMEs that enables invoice creation, QR code generation, and bulk payment requests without technical integration. A third product, PayThat, was launched in 2022 as a dedicated traffic fine payment platform for the City of Cape Town. The platform supports bill presentment across printed, PDF, SMS, QR, in-app, web, and USSD formats.
Pay@ generates revenue purely through per-transaction fees, with no setup or monthly subscription charges. Pricing varies by channel: 2.85% (minimum R1.85) for online and digital payments, 2.85% (minimum R5.00) for in-app bank payments, and 3.50% (minimum R7.00) for in-store retail payments. Geographic operations cover South Africa plus Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, operates with 11-50 employees, and holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification (FSP No. 29423).
Pay At Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pay At Services
- Legal name
- Pay@ Services (Pty) Ltd
- Website
- https://payat.co.za
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pay@ is a South African payment aggregator, founded in 2007, that enables 500+ billers to accept customer payments via a single integration spanning 40+ retail, banking, mobile money, and voucher networks across Southern Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pay At Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Payment Aggregation Services
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bill Pay, Invoicing & Payables Platforms (BPAMAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Embedded Payments (Pay-ins, Pay-outs, Wallets) (FSAGALAB), Recurring Billing, Subscriptions & Tokenized Payments (CRAFALAH), Marketplace / Platform Acquiring (PayFac & Sub-Merchant Management) (FSAMABAF)
Keywords
Where Pay At Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stellenbosch
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pay At Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Transaction Fees: Pay@ charges transaction fees as a percentage of each payment processed. No setup fees, no monthly subscription fees. Fees vary by payment channel: online/digital payments at 2.85% (minimum R1.85), in-app payments at 2.85% (minimum R5.00), and in-store retail payments at 3.50% (minimum R7.00). Revenue is purely transaction-based with no recurring subscription component.
- Integrated Solution Services: Enterprise clients using the Integrated Solution pay per-transaction fees only. No setup or ongoing subscription fees are charged for API integration services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Online Payments - Card/Scan to Pay/Zapper/EFT/Capitec Pay/Nedbank/FNB |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | In-App Payments - Capitec/FNB/Nedbank |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | In-Store Retail Payments - Selected Retailers |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Integrated Solution Enterprise Pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels4 records
Pay At Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pay@ operates a payment aggregation platform that enables billers (insurance companies, banks, municipalities, subscription services, and SMEs) to accept customer payments through a unified interface spanning physical retail stores, banking apps, mobile money, digital wallets, and voucher networks. The company offers an API-based Integrated Solution for large enterprises and a self-service Pay@Go portal for SMEs, providing real-time bill validation, automated reconciliation, and multi-format bill presentment with no setup or subscription fees.
Product overview
Pay@ Services operates a modular payment aggregator platform composed of a core enterprise product (the Pay@ Integrated Solution) and a self-service SME product (Pay@Go), supplemented by vertical-specific offerings (PayThat for traffic fines). The Integrated Solution is the primary B2B offering: a fully automated payment gateway with both API-based real-time integration and file-based batch integration, supporting bill presentment across all major formats and reconciliation with a 99.995% matching rate. Pay@Go is the lighter-weight, self-service variant designed for SMEs without technical integration needs — it provides a dedicated payment portal, invoice generation, QR codes, and bulk upload capabilities with no monthly subscription and per-transaction fees. Both products draw on the same underlying payment infrastructure: a combined Retail Network (physical stores), Digital Network (banking apps, cards, wallets, EFT), and Voucher Network (prepaid vouchers). PayThat is a separate branded portal for City of Cape Town traffic fine payments, developed in partnership with the municipal government. The company also offers a dedicated consumer-facing portal (payat.io) for making payments across 500+ billers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Pay@Go: Self-service payment collection solution for small businesses, enabling invoice creation, QR code payments, and bulk payment requests without technical integration.
- PayThat
Products and services
- Pay@ Integrated Solution Fully automated enterprise payment gateway enabling billers to present bills in any format (printed invoices, PDF, SMS, QR codes, payment links, in-app, web-based, USSD) and accept payments across retail and digital channels with real-time bill validation, payment confirmation, and daily reconciliation reports. Supports both API integration and file-based batch integration for large enterprise clients.
- Pay@Go Self-service payment collections platform for SMEs that enables invoice/payment request generation, QR code payments, and bulk payment request uploads without requiring a technical backend integration. Offers automated cash flow and reconciliation management with single bulk settlement within 5 days.
- PayThat Dedicated traffic fine payment solution developed in collaboration with the City of Cape Town, enabling motorists to pay traffic fines online via card, EFT, or third-party apps, with the option to pay anonymously using just the notice number. No additional fees beyond the fine amount.
Quantifiable outcome
- 99.995% reconciliation matching rate
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Pay At Services
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Pay At Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration13 records
Feature5 records
Pay At Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- City of Cape TowncorePay@ was appointed by the City of Cape Town as the new online and retailer third party service provider for traffic fine payments. Pay@ developed PayThat (paythat.co.za), enabling motorists to pay traffic fines online via card, EFT, or through third-party apps, as well as at participating retailers with card or cash.
- Capitec BankcoreIntegration with Capitec Banking App enabling customers to process payments online safely using their registered cell number without sharing banking information. Part of financial inclusion initiative.
- Shoprite GroupcoreMajor retail partner enabling cash and card payments at Shoprite, Checkers, and Shoprite U Save stores across South Africa.
- Pick n PaycoreKey retail partner providing in-store payment acceptance at Pick n Pay and Pick n Pay asap (digital), covering physical and digital payment options.
- SPARcoreRetail partner network covering SPAR stores for in-person bill payments via cash or card.
- PEP StorescoreMajor retail chain partner for cash and card bill payments at PEP stores nationwide.
- ABSA BankcoreBanking integration partner enabling ABSA Bill Pay functionality and in-app payment processing through ABSA channels.
- First National Bank (FNB)coreBanking partner providing in-app and online payment processing through FNB channels.
- NedbankcoreBanking partner integration for Nedbank Pay Bills and in-app payment services.
- Standard BankcoreBanking partner for digital payment processing through Standard Bank channels.
- MTN MomocoreMobile money partner enabling MTN Momo users to make bill payments through Pay@ network.
- MakrocoreRetail warehouse partner for bill payment acceptance at Makro stores.
- Stellenbosch UniversityminorCSR partnership where Pay@ donates desktop computers and funds scholarships for students pursuing computer science degrees to address skills gap in South Africa.
- MiDO FoundationminorDigital literacy partnership where Pay@ funds deserving partners with equipment and financial support. Donation allowed purchase of cameras and extended impact to 8 additional digital hubs.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pay At Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Visa Direct: Global card network push-payment service enabling real-time payouts and bill payments. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering payment-rail capabilities that overlap with Pay@'s payout and bill presentment functionality at greater scale.
- Network International (Payfast parent): Middle East and Africa payment processor with South African presence via Payfast. Comparable as a broader payment processor/incumbent operating at greater scale than Pay@ across the region.
Direct peers
- Netcash: South African payment and billing solutions provider with debit order, EFT and card payment offerings. Comparable to Pay@ in serving South African billers with multi-channel payment collection.
- Zapper: South African QR payment network used by merchants and billers for consumer payments. Comparable to Pay@ as a payment acceptance channel available to South African billers.
- SnapScan: South African QR-based payment network owned by Standard Bank used for merchant and bill payments. Comparable as a payment channel competing for the same consumer payment occasions that Pay@ orchestrates.
- Peach Payments: South African payment gateway and aggregator serving online merchants and billers. Closely comparable to Pay@ as a regional payment aggregator offering multi-channel acceptance, developer APIs and enterprise integration.
- PayU South Africa: Global payment gateway with a strong South African presence offering card processing, EFT, instant payment and recurring billing. Comparable to Pay@ in providing multi-rail payment acceptance for South African merchants and billers.
- Payfast: South African online payment gateway supporting cards, EFT, instant EFT and SnapScan. Comparable to Pay@ as a multi-channel payment acceptance platform for South African merchants and billers.
- Ozow: South African instant EFT payment provider integrated into merchant checkout and bill pay flows. Comparable as a digital payment rail that competes for the same merchant and biller integration wallet.
Emerging players
- Stitch: South African financial data and payment infrastructure provider for fintechs. Comparable as an emerging payment infrastructure peer in the South African market; also a documented Pay@ channel partner.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pay At Services social profiles
Digital presencePay At Services compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Pay At Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pay At Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Pay At Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pay At Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pay At Services
What does Pay At Services do?
Pay@ operates a payment aggregation platform that enables billers (insurance companies, banks, municipalities, subscription services, and SMEs) to accept customer payments through a unified interface spanning physical retail stores, banking apps, mobile money, digital wallets, and voucher networks. The company offers an API-based Integrated Solution for large enterprises and a self-service Pay@Go portal for SMEs, providing real-time bill validation, automated reconciliation, and multi-format bill presentment with no setup or subscription fees.
Is Pay At Services a public or private company?
Pay At Services is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Pay At Services founded?
Pay At Services was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Pay At Services based?
Pay At Services is headquartered in Stellenbosch, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Pay At Services make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are integrated Solution Services.
Who are Pay At Services's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Visa Direct and Network International (Payfast parent). Direct peers are Netcash, Zapper, SnapScan, Peach Payments, PayU South Africa, Payfast and Ozow. Stitch is listed as an emerging player.
Does Pay At Services have an API?
Yes. Pay@ provides an Online API for real-time bill validation and payment notifications to business-provided endpoints. Real-time validation confirms valid account numbers and amounts, sending notifications without delay. Pay@ also offers a file-based integration option where account numbers, customer information, and payable amounts are submitted to Pay@, payments are locally validated, and a recon file of received payments is provided at day end or a set interval. Separate info sheets are available for Payment Apps, Retailer payment flows, QR Codes, eCommerce (pay-io), Pick n Pay Payouts, Pay with EFT, and Recurring/Subscription Payments. Developer documentation is at payat.co.za/our-solutions/integrated-solution-page.
What industry is Pay At Services in?
Pay At Services's product category is Payment Aggregation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAFAF, Bill Pay, Invoicing & Payables Platforms, with a secondary code of FSAGALAB, Embedded Payments (Pay-ins, Pay-outs, Wallets). Its NAICS code is 52232 and its SIC code is 6159.