Comparison

Paystack Merchant vs Host by Carrot

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Paystack Merchant

This app enables businesses in Africa to receive payments globally through various methods like cards, bank accounts, and mobile money. It provides transaction management, payment requests, and easy login with biometric authentication. Users can also access support and update their business settings.

Highlights
  • Request and receive international payments
  • Support for cards, bank accounts, USSD, mobile money
  • Payment notifications
  • Transaction search and browsing
  • Biometric authentication login
  • Profile and business settings management
  • Help Center access
Features
Read full description

**With Paystack, run your business wherever you are** Paystack powers payments for businesses across Africa. The Paystack Merchant App puts everything you need to run your business in your pocket, from taking payments in person to tracking sales and resolving chargebacks. **Take payments in person** Enter an amount and accept payment by card, bank transfer, or mobile money. The app automatically applies the right minimum payment amount and formatting for each currency. Every payment appears in your Paystack Dashboard, ready for reconciliation. **Stay on top of your business** See today’s revenue, pending payouts, payment requests, and open disputes as soon as you open the app. You can also find transactions faster by filtering them by status, payment channel, or date. Need to issue a refund? Choose a full, half, or quarter refund directly from the transaction. **Create payment requests in seconds** Create, send, track, mark as paid, or cancel payment requests from the app. Select a customer from your saved customer list instead of entering their details again, then share the payment link through WhatsApp, SMS, or email. **Manage disputes more easily** Chargebacks and fraud claims that need your attention appear in a dedicated “Needs response” queue. A live countdown shows exactly how long you have to reply, and overdue disputes are clearly highlighted in red. Upload evidence, add notes, and respond without leaving the app. **Switch between businesses** Manage more than one Paystack business? Switch between your integrations with a tap, without signing out. The app automatically reloads with the information for the business you select. **Get real-time payment notifications** Receive a notification as soon as a customer pays, so you can confirm the transaction and keep your business moving. **Sign in quickly and securely** Set up a passkey once, then sign in with Face ID or a tap instead of entering your password every time. You can also stay signed in throughout your workday. **Built for Paystack merchants** The app supports merchants in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Côte d’Ivoire, with support for NGN, GHS, KES, ZAR, USD, and XOF. Minimum payment amounts and currency formatting are automatically adjusted for each market. **Completely rebuilt** Paystack 2.0 has been rebuilt from the ground up to be faster, lighter, and easier to use. Every screen has been redesigned as part of a more consistent experience, using Apple’s iOS 26 Liquid Glass materials. And we’re just getting started. Have feedback or ideas for what we should build next? Go to **Account → Help**. Paystack Payments Limited is a licensed and regulated payments processor.

About

Host by Carrot

Features
Read full description

Manage visitors and security in your estate with ease using Host by Carrot! This powerful app lets you scan and verify guest details, staff check in, issue and track gate passes, and ensure a seamless visitor experience — all from your smartphone. Whether you’re a company, property manager, security personnel, or homeowner looking for smarter access control, Host by Carrot gives you real-time insights, quick check‑ins, and reliable tracking. Say goodbye to manual logs and hello to efficient, secure visitor management!

Screenshots

Paystack Merchant4 screens
Host by Carrot4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Host by Carrot at every 5 days against Paystack Merchant's monthly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Paystack Merchant ships an update monthly, Host by Carrot every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Paystack Merchant versus Host by Carrot: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPaystack MerchantHost by Carrot
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.4 (25 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews22.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings25 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.616.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB51 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperPaystack Payments LimitedCarrotsuite Global Limited

In-app purchases

None

Paystack Merchant

No in-app purchases

None

Host by Carrot

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Paystack Merchant free?
Paystack Merchant is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Host by Carrot free?
Host by Carrot is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Paystack Merchant or Host by Carrot have ads?
Neither Paystack Merchant nor Host by Carrot shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Paystack Merchant or Host by Carrot?
Paystack Merchant ships an update monthly, and Host by Carrot every 5 days. Most recently, Paystack Merchant was updated on September 14, 2026 and Host by Carrot on September 23, 2026.

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