Paga API vs Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API Comparison: Discover the best for Payment Gateways & Processors in Nigeria
Detailed technical benchmark and comparison between Paga API and Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API. Analyze pricing structures, verified webhooks, sandbox testing, authentication, and compliance for teams building in Nigeria.
VS
P
Paga API
Send money, pay bills & top up airtime at scale for agents
U
Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API
Accept international payments for e-commerce, gaming & travel platforms
Paga API is best for nigerian businesses and aggregators that need to send money, pay bills, and top up airtime at scale particularly agents, agent banking software providers, enterprise HR platforms, and mobile money aggregators wanting programmatic access to Paga's 20M+ user network.
Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API is best for nigerian and African businesses with international customer bases, global e-commerce merchants, gaming companies, travel platforms, and subscription services needing to accept 1,000+ payment methods across 150+ currencies with explicit support for Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania in Africa.
Paga API VS Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API Key Highlights
| Highlight | P Paga API | U Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | Custom HMAC headers: principal (public ID), credentials (password), and hash (SHA-512 of request params + secret key) | Terminal credentials (Terminal Code + Password) + SHA-512 signature server-to-server authentication for API gateway mode; OAuth 2.0 for some endpoints |
| Rate Limit | Not publicly specified | Not publicly documented enterprise SLA-based |
| Sandbox Mode | ✓ Available | ✓ Available |
| Webhooks | ✗ Not supported | ✓ Supported |
| API Services | Card Payments (Visa / Mastercard / Verve)Bank Transfer / Pay by TransferUSSD PaymentsVirtual Account Numbers | Card Payments (Visa / Mastercard / Verve)Bank Transfer / Pay by TransferUSSD PaymentsInternational / Multi-Currency Payments |
| Supported Regions |  Nigeria Ghana Kenya | NigeriaGhanaKenya |
Pricing & Fee Structure
| Fee Component | P Paga API | U Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API |
|---|---|---|
| Transfers & Payouts |
| Contact provider |
| Free Tier / Trial Credits | Contact provider | No publicly listed free tier |
| Rates & Additional Terms |
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Paga API & Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API Feature by Feature Comparison
| Feature / Capability | P Paga API | U Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API |
|---|---|---|
| Card Payments (Verve/Visa/Mastercard) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bank Transfer / Pay by Transfer | ✓ | ✓ |
| USSD Payments | ✓ | ✓ |
| Virtual Accounts | ✓ | ✗ |
| International / Multi-Currency Payments | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recurring Billing / Subscriptions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Payment Links & Hosted Checkout | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webhooks & Event Notifications | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sandbox Testing Environment | ✓ | ✓ |
| API Key / Token Authentication | ✓ | ✓ |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better between Paga API and Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API in Nigeria?
Paga API is best for: Nigerian businesses and aggregators that need to send money, pay bills, and top up airtime at scale particularly agents, agent banking software providers, enterprise HR platforms, and mobile money aggregators wanting programmatic access to Paga's 20M+ user network.. Meanwhile, Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API is best for: Nigerian and African businesses with international customer bases, global e-commerce merchants, gaming companies, travel platforms, and subscription services needing to accept 1,000+ payment methods across 150+ currencies with explicit support for Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania in Africa.. Your choice should align with whether your team prioritizes Paga API's developer ecosystem or Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API's specific capability set.
Does Paga API or Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API support webhooks and sandbox testing?
Paga API provides a dedicated sandbox testing environment and has webhook status unverified. Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API offers sandbox testing and supports real-time webhooks.
What are the fees and pricing models for Paga API vs Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API?
Paga API pricing: P2P transfers, airtime/data purchases, and loading Paga account: free. Paga to bank transfer: 1.5% of transfer amount (card-funded). Minimum fee ₦10. Custom enterprise pricing available for API partners.. Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API pricing: Custom enterprise pricing not publicly listed. Based on volume, payment methods, and regions. Contact Unlimit sales for a merchant pricing quote. No publicly listed free tier.. Both platforms offer tailored pricing structures for Nigerian transactions.
What authentication methods do Paga API and Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API use?
Paga API uses Custom HMAC headers: principal (public ID), credentials (password), and hash (SHA-512 of request params + secret key) authentication with Not publicly specified. Unlimit (formerly CardPay) API uses Terminal credentials (Terminal Code + Password) + SHA-512 signature server-to-server authentication for API gateway mode; OAuth 2.0 for some endpoints authentication with Not publicly documented enterprise SLA-based.
