Africa
AfricaSouth Africa eSIM
Landmarks · Cape Town · Johannesburg
From $2.90. Data only, no app, and your home number keeps working.
Not sure which size? Work it out
7 days at about 600 MB a day ≈ 4.2 GB. 5 GB fits, $8.29.
Same 5 GB / 30 days: $8.29 here, $12.50 at Airalo. Checked 31 Oct 2026.
- Refund if unusedNot installed? 30 days to cancel.
- QR by emailInstall on Wi-Fi, switch on when you land.
- Secure checkoutStripe. Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay. Pay in your own currency.
- Independent reviewRead our MyBestSim review.
- A person, not a botWrite any hour: a reply in minutes.
- Networks
- Cell C + MTN + TelkomYour phone picks the strongest of these on its own. No setting to change.
- Internet via
- France or Germany
- Top-up
- Same profileAdd more GB to this same eSIM later, from your order page. No new QR, nothing to install.
Prices checked 31 Oct 2026, in US dollars.
34 brands’ prices for South Africa, side by side →
Also visiting Botswana? Plan the whole trip, one payment →
South Africa only: 5 GB for 30 days is $8.29. Crossing borders? Africa regional covers 29 countries on one QR, South Africa included: 5 GB for 30 days is $32.79.
QR mail in about a minute
Tap Add eSIM on Wi-Fi
Land, switch roaming on
South Africa eSIM in numbers
- No app and no account: pay on this page and the QR code arrives by email in about a minute. The cheapest way in is 1 GB for 7 days at $2.90. How buying without an app works.
- 5 GB for 30 days costs $8.29, which is $1.66 a GB; the 20 GB pack brings it to $1.37 a GB.
- For 5 GB lasting 30 days, ours is number 4 of the 29 brands we compare for South Africa; the lowest is MegaEsim at $7.00 (prices read 30 Oct to 31 Oct 2026). Every brand side by side.
- Each pack on its own page, with the same data at other brands: 1 GB, 7 days, 3 GB, 30 days, 5 GB, 30 days, 10 GB, 30 days, 20 GB, 30 days.
eSIM, local SIM or pocket Wi-Fi in South Africa?
A local SIM is often cheaper per GB. The difference is where you get it and what it asks for. Prices from each operator’s own page, read 24 Oct 2026.
Compare 4 options: price, where to get it, ID
| Option | What you get | Price | How you get it | ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inbox eSIM | 5 GB / 30 days | $8.29 | Online before you fly; QR by email, installs on Wi-Fi | None |
| Vodacom Travel Bundle | 3 GB, R50 airtime, 30 SMS, 30 days | R299 (about $18) | Vodacom airport stores and participating retailers | RICA registration |
| Vodacom Travel Bundle | 10 GB, R150 airtime, 100 SMS, 30 days | R699 (about $42) | Vodacom airport stores and participating retailers | RICA registration |
| MTN Traveller Bundle | 10 GB, 30 days | R499 (about $30) | MTN stores at OR Tambo, Cape Town and King Shaka airports | Passport |
Before you land in South Africa
Our South Africa plan can connect to Vodacom, MTN, Cell C or Telkom, so your phone uses whichever is strongest where you are. 4G reaches almost everyone, but signal can thin out in remote rural areas, so download offline maps before long drives.
5 things to know, each with its source
- 4G reached 99.5% of South Africa's population in 2025 and 5G reached 58%, according to the regulator ICASA. ICASA
- Rural 4G coverage was lowest in the Northern Cape (89% of people) and the Western Cape (93%) in 2025. ICASA
- The government's spectrum policy sets 31 December 2027 as the deadline to switch off all 2G and 3G networks. Connecting Africa
- Under the RICA law, a South African SIM is only activated after you register your full name, ID or passport number and residential address. MTN
- Eskom reported 504 days in a row without load shedding in early October 2026, counted from 16 May 2025. SAnews
Questions
What is the best eSIM for South Africa?
For most trips, 5 GB for 30 days is enough: $8.29 here, against $12.50 at Airalo for the same data (read 31 Oct 2026). It is data only and needs no app: the QR code and a one-tap install link arrive by email. Every brand's price for South Africa, dated and sourced, is on our comparison page.
Which South Africa eSIM for a month?
Every one of these lasts 30 days: 3 GB $5.49, 5 GB $8.29, 10 GB $14.59, 20 GB $27.49. The 30 days start when the eSIM first connects to a network there, so you can buy before the trip.
Can I buy a South Africa eSIM without an app?
Yes. You pay on this page and the QR code and a one-tap install link arrive by email: no app and no account. It is data only, with no phone number, so your home SIM keeps your calls and SMS.
Does the South Africa eSIM come with a phone number?
No. It is data only: no local number, calls or SMS on this eSIM. Your home SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts (your carrier's roaming rates apply to them), and WhatsApp, FaceTime or Signal calls run over the eSIM's data. If you need a local number in South Africa, for example for a service that texts a code, buy a local SIM there.
Which South Africa eSIM for a week or two?
For 7 days: 1 GB $2.90. The 30-day packs cover one or two weeks too: 3 GB $5.49, 5 GB $8.29.
Will WhatsApp keep my number with a South Africa eSIM?
Yes. WhatsApp stays on your home number: this eSIM is data only and has no number. Leave your home SIM in the phone with its data roaming off, use the South Africa eSIM for mobile data, and do not re-register WhatsApp.
11 more questions
Is a South Africa eSIM cheaper than roaming?
Usually, for a trip of more than a day or two. US carriers charge $12 a day for roaming (AT&T International Day Pass, Verizon TravelPass, read 31 Oct 2026) where they cover South Africa, so a week costs $84. Here 5 GB for 30 days is $8.29 in total.
How much is the South Africa eSIM?
From $2.90 in USD, and the price on this page is the price you pay. Sizes run from the 1 GB pack up; pick one in the list above.
When does the South Africa plan start?
First attach to a covered network. Install on Wi-Fi before you fly. After you land, turn data roaming on for this line.
Can I hotspot in South Africa?
Yes, it uses the same GB. We never block it; rarely, a local network limits it.
Which networks in South Africa?
Cell C + MTN + Telkom. Your phone joins whichever of these is strongest where you are.
Is this 5G in South Africa?
This pack runs on 3G/4G, without 5G.
What APN do I use in South Africa?
Automatic unless the QR mail names one
Can I use this South Africa eSIM in another country?
No. This pack is South Africa. A new country is a new QR. Keep this one if you return.
Can I top up the South Africa plan?
Same profile, same coverage. Extra GB is a top-up, not a new QR.
How long do I have to install the South Africa eSIM?
Start using within 180 days of purchase. After that an unused pack can expire. Scan on Wi-Fi before you fly.
What if I buy the wrong plan?
QR not scanned and not on the phone? Email within 30 days of issue. We cancel and refund. Installed? Buy the right country and keep this QR for later.