Recent studies infer an 89% rise in Egypt's digital payment system use in 2022, while Egypt's internet penetration stands at 35.6%. With a large section of the country's 90 million-strong population being less than 30 years of age, the government provides one of the world's largest eCommerce demographics.
The government encourages schools, banks, hospitals, and retail stores to subscribe to digital transaction services with the intent to normalize mobile money.
Current Payment Solution Landscape in Egypt
The COVID 19 pandemic has been a significant motivator, leading users to rely on emerging FinTech solutions like digital banking and wallets.
In totality, there are three primary incentives for users who back this sentiment:
- The benefit of physical distancing (pre and post-COVID)
- Payment flexibility
- Ease of digital book-keeping
Egypt intends to use this evolving FinTech revolution to recreate the success of the 'Takaful and Karama' social program so that a digitally secure and equitable digital payment ecosystem elevates Egypt as a successful economic model.
Egypt presents a staggering $5,400,000,000 in online shopping market value, with a $479.42 average annual online spend. Moreover, a sound regulatory environment promises a 12% yearly market growth to allow several electronic payment gateway systems to increase rapidly.
Criteria to Look Out For Payment Gateways in Egypt
Payment gateway providers offer customers a combination of a convenient UX, usage offers, and other incentives and perks. However, there are different criteria beyond these factors to help you ratify the best payment gateways in Egypt.
1. Reliability
Digital payment gateways are responsible for conducting data transactions that contain highly confidential payment information and business information. Therefore, a payment gateway must pass the reliability test by offering users a secure digital payment system.
2. Supported currencies
A multi-currency payment gateway helps businesses and customers conduct international commercial transactions seamlessly.
3. Payment options
Companies cater to a variety of customers across varied geography. As a result, customers can facilitate a smooth payment process in their native currency without additional conversion charges.
Multiple payment options allow the customers to pay in flexible and novel ways via digital transactions. API integrations, widgets, and hosted secure payment pages give businesses different conversion methods as users want more convenient eCommerce/mCommerce options.
Also read: "Top 5 Payment Methods in Egypt That Your Business Needs To Know"
4. Market integrations
Digital payment gateways offer optimized market integrations to optimize the onboarding process. As a result, users have to traverse a more condensed transaction flow during the checkout process. It also cuts down the development expenses for applications wishing to integrate a digital payment gateway.
5. Security
Security is essential in any digital financial transaction, especially in Egypt. However, with the proliferation of viruses such as ClipBanker, only 28% of the present user ecosystem confessed faith in digital financial systems.
6. Pricing and other fees
Payment gateway systems should be transparent with service charges and tariffs to gain consumers' trust. Users must always search for services that offer competitive onboarding and service charges based on currency and payment method.
11 best payment gateways in Egypt
1) 2Checkout/Verifone
2Checkout is a monetization platform that helps your business expand into domestic and international markets. 2Checkout's modular gateway design and availability across 180 countries help eCommerce businesses offer global tax and financial regulations compliant services. There are consistent transaction fees worldwide, while a 2% fee is levied on accepting payments from customers outside a business user/eCommerce provider's country.
Setup fee
Non-enterprises users can sign-up for free, while small businesses selling digital products or services via subscription models can also benefit from this factor.
Custom pricing plans are available for enterprise businesses that want scalable payment gateway services.
Transactional fee
- For non-enterprise businesses
- Global eCommerce- 3.5% + $0.35
- Subscription-based services- 4.5% + $0.45
- Global digital goods eCommerce- 6.0% + $0.60
- Custom fees are levied based on sales volume for enterprise businesses
Annual fee
None
Accepted payment methods
The platform supports around 45 different payment methods, ranging from boilerplate debit/credit cards and PayPal to regional payment methods, online wallets, and payment methods local to other countries.
Supported currencies
200+ country-native currencies, including EGP, CAD, DOP, EUR, MXN, and USD.
Approvals and onboarding time
Seven business days
eCommerce platform integration
Ready! E-Commerce, wooCommerce, Shopify, and many more.
2) Paymob
Paymob is a digital payment facilitation software operative in the Middle East and Africa. The payment gateway creates a seamless user transaction experience across diverse eCommerce operations. Paymob caters to businesses for POS systems, digital wallets, mobile-synchronised cashless, and mass payout systems.
Setup fee
Free
Transactional fee
The annual fee is 2.75%+3 EGP for local sales, startups, SMBs, and SMEs. Meanwhile, all enterprises and international sales charges are available on inquiry only.
Annual fee
None
Accepted payment methods
Paymob accepts all major credit and debit cards, mobile wallets, COD, loyalty points redemptions, instalments, and kiosk payments.
Supported currencies
EGP, USD, and various native currencies of all major countries.
Approvals and onboarding time
Instant approvals and onboarding
eCommerce platform integration
The platform recommends Shopify but integrates with just about any eCommerce CMS solution.
3) Payfort/Amazon Payment Services
Payfort is a digital payment system acquired by Amazon Payment Systems. APS's services are available in eight Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt.
Setup fee
1200 EGP
Transactional fee
For transactions less than EGP 600,000, users pay 2.75% + EGP 2.5. There is a management fee of an additional 650 EGP. Various instalment payment options are available to customers wherein they have to pay EGP 5 per transaction.
On the contrary, lending payments from customers cost 1.5% + EGP 2.5/transaction. There are customised plans for transactions above EGP 600,000, available upon request.
Annual fee
None
Accepted payment methods
There are 18 leading currencies, including eight different Middle-Eastern currencies.
Supported currencies
EGP, USD, and various native currencies of all major countries.
Approvals and onboarding time
Immediate onboarding within an hour of registration
eCommerce platform integration
APS connects with all leading eCommerce platform integrations
4) Paymentwall
Paymentwall touts itself as an all-in-one payment solution for ambitious merchants, as it renders a digital payment solution for all.
Setup fee
Free for users
Annual fee
USD 1200
Transactional fee
Eu Cards - 2.1% + €0.25
Non Eu Cards - 3.9% + $0.30
1% Cross border
Accepted payment methods
eWallets, mobile and land-line payments, payment kiosks, prepaid cards, debit cards, bank transfers, payment kiosks, and more.
Supported currencies
The platform supports 150 currencies, catering to its current list of serviced countries.
Approvals and onboarding time
The onboarding process is spread over three days.
eCommerce platform integration
Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and other leading eCommerce platforms can be integrated with the platform.
5) PayPal
PayPal needs little introduction, as it has served as the default digital payment gateway for numerous eCommerce services and individual customers for over a decade.
PayPal is one of the few payment gateway services known across the globe as it provides transactions in every imaginable currency with competitive transaction fees.
Setup fee
Free
Transactional fee
- 2.9% + $0.30 for domestic transactions
- 4.4% + a fixed fee depending on the location of the business user
Annual fee
None
Accepted payment methods
eWallets, mobile, debit/credit cards, COD, and every other commonly accept payments system
Supported currencies
EGP, AUD, CAD, CZK, EUR, and other native currencies
Approvals and onboarding time
Immediate, following a one-time flow
eCommerce platform integration
PrestaShop, Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, OpenCart, Magento, BigCommerce, and CS-Cart, among other leading eCommerce services.
6) Vapulus
Vapulus is another unique service that uses machine learning and data science to optimise user transactions. In addition, it supports favoured payment gateways and offers lower network fees, each of which is customised to meet business needs.
Setup fee
Free
Annual fee
None
Transactional fee
Free
Accepted payment methods
The platform accepts credit cards, debit cards, and e-cheques.
Supported currencies
Globally supports and accepts all currencies.
Approvals and onboarding time
Immediate onboarding and verification
eCommerce platform integration
Offers integrations for Squarespace, Shopify, Selz, and WooCommerce
7) Fawry Pay
Fawry Pay is a novel payment gateway solution that supports online, in-app payments, payment terminals, and POS terminals for Egyptian services.
It supports 105,000 merchant locations across Egypt and offers digital payment processing services.
Setup fee
A free trial followed by a charge of 999 EGP
Transactional fee
2.75% transaction fee + 3.00 EGP processing fee for all transactions
Annual fee
None
Accepted payment methods
The platform accepts cash, credit/debit, and other online mobile banking solutions like FawryPay, OneCard, etc.
Supported currencies
Globally supports and accepts all currencies.
Approvals and onboarding time
Immediate onboarding and verification
eCommerce platform integration
eOffers integrations for Shopify, WooCommerce, and other common platforms.
8) Pay Tabs
Pay Tabs provides an award-winning patent gateway service, a one-stop solution for eCom services, startups, web-only stores, and enterprise businesses.
Setup fee
Free to setup
Transactional fee
2.85% + $0.27 per transaction for trades below $2000
Custom enterprise plan fee for sales with monthly volume > $50000
Annual fee
$49.99 per month for trades above $2000
Accepted payment methods
American Express, MasterCard, Visa, Mada, STC Pay, OmanNet, and more
Supported currencies
AED, USD, EUR, GBP, OMR, KWD, EGP, USD, EUR, GBP
Approvals and onboarding time
Immediate onboarding and verification
eCommerce platform integration
Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, PrestaShop, CS.Cart, OpenCart, Drupal Commerce, Zvenda, and more
9) Tap
Tap is a Kuwait-based payment gateway service that has revolutionized digital transactions in the Middle East. Currently, it supports over 1000 businesses, including MNCs.
Setup fee
Free to setup
Transactional fee
Free
Annual fee
Free
Accepted payment methods
KNET, Visa, & MasterCard, and other standard methods
Supported currencies
EUR, GBP, KWD, OMR, QAR, SAR, USD, AED, BHD, EGP
Approvals and onboarding time
1.28 minutes
eCommerce platform integration
WordPress, OpenCart, PrestaShop, Magento, and Shopify
10) Myfatoorah
MyFatoorah is a payment solution that offers a digital transaction gateway for Middle Eastern nations.
It serves as an invoicing solution, POS payment solution, GCC cards solution, KIF solution, and DHL logistics solution.
Setup fee
Free to setup
Transactional fee
2% for Kent payments
3.5% for credit cards
Annual fee
None
Accepted payment methods
KNET, VISA/MasterCard, American express, Sadad, Benefit, MASA, Debit Cards UAE, NAPS Qatar, Apple Pay, VISA/Mastercard Saudi, VISA/Master MADA, VISA/Master Qatar
Supported currencies
KD, KWD SAR; BD, BHD, and AED.
Approvals and onboarding time
Immediate onboarding and verification
eCommerce platform integration
Direct Payment API and website/app gateway integration with any eCommerce CMS framework use script languages like .Net, PHP, and Java.
11) Paysky
Paysky is a unified payment gateway solution specifically targeted at banks and FinTechs. It helps financial institutions build custom user experiences for individual digital financial services.
Setup fee
One time fee of $50
Annual fee
The platform's pay-per-feature model is apt for OMNI gateways, invoice clouds, PayBox for mini-POS systems, Smart Box for mobile POS, Pay Code for QR, and Virtual POS.
Accepted payment methods
ACH, Debit/Credit Card, Electronic Signature, In-Person, Mobile, Online Payments Point of Sale (POS), Recurring/Subscription Billing, Reporting/Analytics
Supported currencies
Multi-currency payment
Approvals and onboarding time
Immediate onboarding and verification
eCommerce platform integration
WooCommerce recommended
Local payment gateways and the rising complexities for businesses
The Egyptian government supports financial inclusivity and equity by waiving fees and increasing e-wallet limits to promote non-traditional and decentralized transactions. They have passed favourable regulations mandating electronic payments above EGP100,000 ($5,611.67) and levying a 10% penalty on the payment value for failure. Many businesses are in disarray about choosing an exemplary payment gateway service. As a result, they resort to multiple payment gateway solutions that prove more challenging on the management and budget to enhance customer conversions.
How inai helps you address multiple payment gateway integrations in Egypt?
Service providers can take advantage of these favorable market conditions for eCommerce in Egypt with inai. inai lets you facilitate one-click digital payment gateway integration with no-code setup and a secure checkout process.
We guarantee a 12% update in conversions as your customers enjoy seamless digital transactions across all payment systems. In addition, with a rapid onboarding and no-tech payment setup, you can immediately give your customers a lightning-fast payout experience.