Paid Memberships Pro - PayFast Gateway
Antivirus scan
Powered by ClamAV
✅ Verified clean
This product file has passed our security filters.
Want to run a fresh ClamAV scan right now? Takes a few seconds and shows scanner version, signature DB and live result.
This can take 5 to 30 seconds.
Clean file Threat detected
No threats detected in this file.
- File
- Size
- Scanned
- ClamAV
- Signature database
⚡ Powered by ClamAV
Scan could not be completed
Report product
If you detected an issue (broken file, malware, inappropriate content, etc.) let us know and we'll review it ASAP.
Sign in to report
About Paid Memberships Pro - PayFast Gateway
Charging memberships in rand without payments getting stuck halfway
This add on connects Paid Memberships Pro with Payfast, a South African processor that accepts payments from local and international customers in ZAR.
It needs Paid Memberships Pro installed and active: it doesn't work on its own, it is one more gateway inside that plugin.
From Payfast sign-up to first charge: the real flow with Payfast Gateway for PMPro
This is what the process looks like for a membership site starting with this gateway:
- Step 1, merchant account: you register and validate your Payfast account and, in its settings, retrieve your merchant details.
- Step 2, gateway in WordPress: in Memberships > Payment Settings you choose Payfast as the gateway, paste your details and the security passphrase, and set the currency to South African Rand.
- Step 3, the security passphrase: it is required to accept any payment. It is set inside your Payfast account, so have it ready before configuring the plugin.
- Step 4, testing: enable Payfast debug mode. With it you can test payments, cancellations and recurring charges, and the plugin keeps a log file so you can review what happened.
Free trials: no custom trial periods
The Payfast API does not support custom trial periods. To offer a trial you can set the initial payment to zero and adjust the recurring amount. If you need a variable-length interval between the initial payment and the start of the subscription, you will need the PMPro Subscription Delays add on. If your model relies on flexible trials, keep this in mind before choosing this gateway.
Orders stuck in pending: it's almost always the notification
The most common problem with Payfast is orders staying in pending status. It is almost always because the Instant Transaction Notification (ITN) doesn't arrive or isn't processed on your site. It works like PayPal's IPN: without it, the site can't confirm the charge was valid, and this affects both the initial payment and recurring ones.
- Notify URL set by hand: with PMPro you don't need to set it in Payfast. Leave the ITN status disabled, because the API handles it by itself. If there is a hardcoded URL or one from another site, the ITN fails.
- Server blocking: your hosting may block Payfast IPs. The ranges it uses are 197.97.145.144/28 and 41.74.179.192/27, plus the IP 144.126.193.139 for the sandbox. Ask your provider to confirm they are not blocked.
An order in token status is something else: it means the customer reached the Payfast payment page but didn't finish the purchase, just as happens with PayPal Express.
Frequently asked questions
Which currency is used?
The South African rand, selected in the payment settings.
Are there monthly or setup fees at Payfast?
A fee is charged per transaction and there are no setup costs or monthly fees.
Can I change gateways on a live site?
Yes, but carefully: it is best to follow a guide for switching gateways without affecting existing customers.
Is it useful for developers?
It includes filters and actions, for example to hide the update billing button, modify the data sent to Payfast or run code right before redirecting the customer.
Topics
Version history
-
v
1.8 Current 29 Oct 2026
-
v
1.7.4 1 Oct 2026
-
v
1.7.3 26 Sep 2026
-
v
1.7.2 14 Jul 2025
Customer reviews
Sign in to leave a review. Only people who have the product can review it.
No reviews for this product yet.
Frequently asked questions
-
GPL (General Public License) is the license under which WordPress and most premium plugins/themes are distributed. It grants you the right to use, modify and redistribute the software in as many projects as you want, with no domain restrictions.
-
Yes. With membership you get automatic updates via our GPLClub Updater plugin (installed on your WP, detects new versions and applies them). With individual purchase, you get one year of manual updates from your account.
-
Depends on the plan. Monthly: 3 domains. Semi-annual: 7. Annual and Lifetime: 15. Individual purchase: 1 domain.
-
GPLClub offers its own support for installation, configuration and compatibility. For direct support from the original author (feature requests, product-specific bugs), a license purchased from the author is required.
