Top Flutterwave Alternatives in Africa: Best Payment Gateways for Scaling Businesses
- DusuPay
- Jan 10
- 3 min read
Flutterwave helped many African businesses get online payments working. But as volume grows and markets expand, many teams hit limits.
Fees increase.
Mobile money fails.
Some countries work well, others don’t.
Support slows down.
That is why many businesses now use Flutterwave alternatives that are more focused, more local, or more flexible.
Before we go deep, here is a straightforward summary of each option, their biggest strength, and who they are ideal for.
At a Glance: Best Flutterwave Alternatives and Who They Are For
Core strength: Deep African payment coverage and mobile money reliability
Ideal for: Global Businesses selling into Africa, Forex companies, SaaS platforms, marketplaces, betting and international companies entering African markets
Core strength: Enterprise-grade and high-risk payment infrastructure
Ideal for: Large businesses, PSPs, marketplaces, forex, gaming, and high-volume or high-risk merchants
Core strength: Reliable card and bank payments in Nigeria
Ideal for: Nigerian businesses, startups, ecommerce, and subscription-based companies
Core strength: Multi-country West African payments with one integration
Ideal for: SMEs expanding across Francophone and Anglophone West Africa
Core strength: Cross-border payments and FX between Africa and Europe
Ideal for: Businesses with international payouts, remittances, and multi-currency needs
Quick Comparison: Top Flutterwave Alternatives
Payment Gateway | Transaction Fees | Coverage | Best For | Key Strength |
DusuPay | Low and transparent | 15 African countries | Africa-first businesses | Local payment depth |
Elemitech | Custom enterprise pricing | Africa-focused | High-volume and high-risk | Enterprise infrastructure |
Paystack | 1.5% + ₦100 | Nigeria + Global | Nigerian businesses | Stripe-backed reliability |
PayDunya | 2.5% to 3.5% | West Africa | SMEs | Regional coverage |
Eversend | Transparent FX pricing | Africa + Europe | Cross-border | Multi-currency wallets |
1. DusuPay – Built for How Africa Actually Pays
DusuPay is built with one assumption: Africa is not card-first.
Customers pay with mobile money.
They pay in local currencies.
They expect fast confirmations.
DusuPay is designed around that reality.
Key strengths
10+ years in the industry
Coverage across 15 African economies
Reliable mobile money integrations
Strong local banking and telco partnerships
Simple onboarding for foreign businesses
Local currency settlements
Supported markets include: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon, Zambia and more.
Payment methods
Mobile money like M-Pesa, MTN, Airtel
Local bank transfers
Visa and Mastercard
USD and local currency collections
Pricing
Low transaction fees
Clear and predictable pricing
Discounts for volume
Ideal for: Global Businesses selling into Africa, platforms relying on mobile money, and companies that want fewer failed payments and fewer support tickets.
Pros
High payment success rates
Excellent regional expertise
Fast settlements
Strong local support
Cons
Limited outside Africa
2. Elemitech – Enterprise and High-Risk Payment Infrastructure
Elemitech is built for complexity. It focuses exclusively in high risk industries operating in Africa. Forex, Crypto, Financial services, Betting and the likes are their ideal customers
If your business breaks most standard gateways, Elemitech is usually the answer.
Key strengths
Enterprise-grade architecture
Advanced fraud and risk controls
Custom payment routing
White-label infrastructure
Dedicated account and technical teams
Features
Multi-currency processing
Real-time monitoring and reconciliation
Custom checkout flows
PCI DSS Level 1 compliance
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing
Volume-based discounts
Ideal for: Large businesses, marketplaces, PSPs, forex platforms, gaming companies, and high-risk merchants operating across multiple African countries.
Pros
Extremely flexible
Built for scale
Strong risk management
Cons
Not beginner-friendly
Not designed for small businesses
3. Paystack – Nigeria’s Most Trusted Gateway
Paystack is the default choice in Nigeria.
It works. It is stable. Developers like it.
Key strengths
Stripe-backed technology
Clean APIs and documentation
Strong fraud prevention
Reliable uptime
Payment methods
Cards
Bank transfers
USSD
QR codes
Pricing
1.5% + ₦100 local cards
3.9% international cards
Ideal forBusinesses operating mainly in Nigeria that want predictable, reliable card and bank payments.
Limitations
Nigeria-focused
Higher costs for international transactions
4. PayDunya – West Africa Without the Headache
PayDunya simplifies payments across West Africa.
One integration. Multiple countries.
Key strengths
Strong West African coverage
Mobile money focus
Simple multi-country setup
Countries supported: Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and others.
Ideal for: SMEs expanding across West Africa without building country-by-country integrations.
Limitations
Little coverage outside West Africa
Smaller ecosystem
5. Eversend – Cross-Border Payments and FX
Eversend focuses on moving money across borders, not just collecting it.
Key strengths
Africa to Europe transfers
Multi-currency wallets
Competitive FX rates
Ideal for: Businesses with international payouts, suppliers abroad, or heavy FX exposure.
Limitations
Limited checkout and merchant tools
Not ideal for local consumer payments
Final Word
Flutterwave is solid. But Africa is not one market.
If your priority is local payment success and mobile money, DusuPay should be first on your list. If you need enterprise flexibility and risk control, Elemitech is the better fit.
The smartest payment stack is not the most popular one. It is the one that lets your customers pay without friction.
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