Quick answer
PayShap is instant, consumer-friendly, and limited to lower value tiers. RTC is near-real-time and supports higher-value credits. EFT credit is the cheapest option for batched, non-urgent payments like salaries. All three settle into SAMOS at different cadences.
At-a-glance comparison
| Attribute | PayShap | RTC | EFT Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | Under 10 seconds | Under 60 seconds | Same-day or next-day |
| Value tier | Retail (lower) | Medium | Any (batched) |
| Cost | Low | Medium | Lowest |
| Addressing | ShapID / phone / account | Account number | Account number |
| Use case | P2P, retail purchase | Urgent supplier credit | Salaries, bills |
When to use PayShap
Choose PayShap for low-value, urgent person-to-person or person-to-merchant payments. Its proxy addressing (ShapID, phone number) makes it ideal for paying someone whose account details you don't have.
When to use RTC
Choose RTC for sub-minute credits above PayShap's value tier — for example, a corporate paying a supplier the same day, or a customer transferring funds urgently to another customer's bank.
When to use EFT credit
Choose EFT credit for cost-sensitive batched payments where same-day or next-day arrival is acceptable — salaries, bill payments, supplier payments where the invoice is not yet due.
TL;DR
- PayShap = instant, retail, proxy-addressed.
- RTC = sub-minute, medium-value, account-addressed.
- EFT credit = cheapest, batched, same-day or next-day.
- All three settle into SAMOS, just at different cadences.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheapest?
EFT credit, because batching amortises per-message processing cost.
Which is fastest?
PayShap and RTC both feel instant; PayShap is typically under 10 seconds, RTC under 60.
Are there value limits on PayShap?
Yes — scheme-level limits set by BankservAfrica and individual banks.
Do these rails work on weekends?
PayShap is 24/7. RTC and EFT availability follows banking-day cut-offs and SAMOS windows.
See also from our Modernization silo: ISO 20022 in South Africa: SAMOS Migration Story and SAMOS Participants: Settlement Banks in South Africa. For the foundations, return to the SAMOS homepage or browse the full Knowledge Hub.
