SnapScan for South Africa: lower fees for club payments
We have added SnapScan as a payment option for South African clubs on OpenActive. The headline benefit for many clubs is simple: lower fees—both on each sale and when money moves out to your bank—while still giving members a payment method they already use every week.
Fees at a glance (indicative—confirm with providers)
| Feature | SnapScan | PayFast |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction fee | ~2.6%–2.95% | ~3.2%–3.5% + R2 |
| Monthly fee | None | None |
| Payout fee | Low (~R4) | Higher (~R8.70) |
| Payment types | QR + some online | Cards, EFT, QR, subscriptions |
| Setup | Very simple | Slightly more setup |
Why that matters for clubs
Small margins add up across memberships, visitor fees, and events. A lower percentage per transaction, no flat per-transaction rand on top in the same way as some PayFast mixes, and cheaper payouts can mean real savings over a season—especially if a large share of your members are happy to pay by QR in the SnapScan app.
What we built
Clubs in South Africa can enable PayFast, SnapScan, or both. When SnapScan is configured, checkout shows a QR code (and a path to pay in the app). We record the payment and rely on signed webhooks from SnapScan so we only complete the booking or membership when the payment is confirmed. Club admins enter the merchant details SnapScan provides and register our webhook URL with SnapScan, similar in spirit to how you wire up other gateways.
PayFast is still the right tool when you need cards, EFT, broader online methods, or subscription-style flows SnapScan does not cover the same way. The product point is choice: optimise for fee savings where QR fits your members, and keep PayFast where you need depth.
Behind the scenes
SnapScan is a first-class gateway and provider in our system—database, payment initiation, and membership flows all understand it alongside PayFast. That keeps reporting and club settings coherent instead of bolting on a one-off.
Bottom line
If lowering the cost of getting paid matters to your club—and your members already live in SnapScan—this option is for you. If you need every payment rail under one roof, keep or add PayFast; if you want to trim fees on a big chunk of volume, SnapScan is worth a serious look.
Fees and features above are for comparison only; verify current pricing with SnapScan and PayFast before making financial decisions.