The verdict in three sentences
The headline rate is the worst selection criterion: an aggregator 0.5 point cheaper but with fragile webhooks will cost you more in ghost orders than it saves. What truly matters in 2026 is the triad of volume, wallet coverage and reconciliation reliability. CinetPay leads on country coverage, Hub2 on rate at high volume, Paystack on international cards.
The three aggregators compared 2026
Here are the key parameters to line up before deciding (2026 order of magnitude, to confirm per sector at quote).
| Criterion | CinetPay | Hub2 | Paystack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local fee (wallets) | 2.5-3.5% | 2-3% + setup | 1.5% |
| Card fee | 3.5% | 3% | 3.9% |
| Settlement delay | T+1 to T+3 | T+1 | T+2 |
| Country coverage | 10+ | CI / SN | Multi (SN, NG, GH) |
| Webhook reliability (retry) | Good | Very good | Very good |
| API cap | High | High | High |
| Integration support | Medium | Strong | Strong |
Hub2 often charges an initial setup but its degressive rate becomes unbeatable past 10M FCFA/month. Paystack shines once international cards exceed 30% of payments.
Decision matrix by monthly revenue tier
The choice changes radically with your monthly revenue. Here is the recommendation per tier (2026 estimate).
| Monthly revenue tier | Priority | Recommended aggregator | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| < 2,000,000 FCFA | Simplicity, zero setup | CinetPay or PayDunya | Fast plug-in, no fixed fees |
| 2,000,000 - 10,000,000 FCFA | Webhook reliability | Hub2 or Paystack | Solid reconciliation, native retry |
| > 10,000,000 FCFA | Negotiated rate | Hub2 (degressive) | Economy of scale on fees |
| Heavy foreign-card traffic | Card acceptance | Paystack | Best international authorization |
At 15,000,000 FCFA/month, moving from 3% to 2.3% fees is 105,000 FCFA monthly savings, over 1,260,000 FCFA/year: the Hub2 setup pays off in weeks.
Mini case study
Ibrahim runs a fashion marketplace in Abidjan and Dakar, 8,500,000 FCFA monthly volume, 20% on cards. On CinetPay at 3% he pays 255,000 FCFA/month in fees. Migrating to Hub2 at 2.4% (after setup) he drops to 204,000 FCFA/month, i.e. 51,000 FCFA saved per month and above all a native-retry webhook that eliminates his 4% unreconciled orders. Combined fee + reliability gain: over 900,000 FCFA/year.
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FAQ
Should I pick the aggregator with the lowest rate?
No. A fragile webhook loses 3 to 6% of orders in missed confirmations, far exceeding 0.5 point of fees. Prioritize reconciliation reliability, especially above 2M FCFA/month.
Which aggregator to sell internationally?
Paystack offers the best international card acceptance (authorization ≈ 3.9%), relevant once diaspora or foreign customers exceed 30% of payments.
Is Hub2 worth its setup fee?
Yes above 10,000,000 FCFA/month: its degressive rate (down to ≈ 2.3%) amortizes the setup in weeks and its reconciliation is among the most robust on the market.
Can I run several aggregators in parallel?
Yes, and it's recommended: a primary aggregator (volume) plus a backup (failover on API outage) prevents any collection outage. A payment-router architecture handles the switching.
How long to integrate these aggregators?
Expect 2 hours to 2 days depending on plugin or custom API. The long part isn't the payment call but the signed, idempotent, reconciled webhook.
Let's talk about your project. We audit your volume and integrate the optimal aggregator with a failover router and reliable reconciliation. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
