A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is very important for anybody living in or traveling to South Africa. Not only will a VPN secure your online privacy by encrypting your internet traffic, but it will also enable you to access blocked streaming services from your home country.
Based on our exhaustive testing process, we disclose the top VPN for South Africa based on our testing results, and we also explain how to use your VPN effectively in South Africa.
South Africa has one of the region’s highest internet penetration rates, with over 52% of its 55 million-strong population using the internet. The internet environment is considered “free and open” by internet advocacy group Freedom House, with the government trying to connect as many South Africans as possible.
South Africa does not currently have tight internet restrictions, and the nation enjoys the freedom to participate in lively digital activism. However, last year, the government voted against a United Nations resolution promoting greater internet freedom internationally, damaging its reputation somewhat. Domestic liberties might be jeopardized.
For these reasons, we suggest that South African internet users use a VPN while browsing the web. A VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, encrypts all internet data that passes through your device and routes it via an intermediate server. It contributes to online privacy and anonymity by making it more difficult for hackers and government agencies to track your activities.
Additionally, a VPN is a fantastic alternative for international expats living in South Africa, as well as for local citizens visiting overseas. With a South African VPN, you may access online content like DST, BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Hulu, ESPN, BeIN Sports, MTN, Sky Go, and Super Sports.
Best VPN for South Africa
The following elements contribute to our rating of the top VPN for South Africa:
- Rapid response and dependable service.
- Strong security and the absence of logs.
- Easily unblock geo-restricted African content.
- In South Africa, servers are available for local citizens going overseas.
- Numerous servers located across the globe for international expats living in South Africa.
NordVPN
NordVPN has a good reputation in the VPN industry due to its longevity and the strength of its product. It is quick, stores no data, supports numerous VPN connections, and offers a diverse range of servers.
NordVPN simply refuses to save any user data. This implies that no information about surfing patterns, timestamps, or server selections is stored. Due to the policy, authorities have been unable to compel Nord to pass over client data. Additionally, the firm is domiciled in Panama, which means it is exempt from Western regulatory authorities and does not have to follow obligatory data retention regulations.
NordVPN maintains over 5,000 servers in several countries and offers a variety of connection choices based on your unique needs, including downloading, P2P file sharing, video streaming, and anonymity. Multiple servers are located in South Africa.
The service works flawlessly with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. It’s pretty extensive regarding connectivity options—multiple devices may connect simultaneously. This makes it an excellent option for sharing with friends and family and dividing the charge.
All internet traffic is encrypted using the industry-standard 256-bit AES algorithm. Additionally, there are 2,048-bit SSL keys and DNS leak prevention.
Linux, Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android are all supported.
Is it possible to use a free VPN in South Africa?
Individuals who believe VPNs are not worth the money may opt for a free VPN service. However, it is preferable to know the whole truth before pursuing a course of action that you may regret later.
The reality is that multiple free VPN and proxy companies have been exposed to data harvesting and sales (more about this in the next section). Additionally, there will very certainly be download limits, bandwidth restrictions, and an incredibly limited range of servers. These services are not available to fiercely protect your privacy, so do not anticipate world-class standards.
Additionally, free VPN providers must monetize. You will almost certainly be inundated with intrusive advertisements and headache-inducing pop-up windows. This signifies that you are now the product. Our advice is to be cautious online and pay a few dollars each month—otherwise, you risk incurring hundreds of dollars in damage if your device becomes infected with malware or your data is exposed.
One VPN to avoid in South Africa
One of the primary limitations of using a VPN to access the web is that there is an implicit agreement that the provider will take all reasonable steps to ensure your privacy and anonymity. After all, this is why they were created. While recommended VPNs have never been accused of disclosing customer data, there are a handful that do not place the same premium on this promise. We strongly advise you to avoid these. Consider the following example:
HolaVPN
Israel-based Hola has boasted a massive user base of around 50 million, mostly due to the popularity of its free proxy plugin for the Chrome browser. Regrettably, it opted to use this for illicit purposes, transforming it into a massive botnet army.
Users of Hola had a piece of their bandwidth diverted to assaults on other websites, pornographic distribution, and other heinous online behaviors. All of this occurred without their permission. We feel it is preferable to avoid Hola or to delete it if it has already been downloaded.
How can I use a virtual private network (VPN) in South Africa?
From your home, you may access US Netflix and other services.
We’ll walk you through two instances of how to utilize your VPN in this section. If you are a foreign expatriate and want to get a non-South African IP address while physically present in the nation, follow these instructions. Additionally, these methods safeguard your online anonymity and security; just choose any server location and your data will be protected.
How to unblock streaming services in South Africa is as follows:
- Browse our suggested VPN provider and choose the package that’s right for you. We suggest NordVPN in particular.
- Create an account and pay for the service.
- After that, download the associated applications (for your phone) or software (for your computer) (for PC or MacOS).
- Clear your browser’s cookies and cache in all of your web browsers (Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer) to eliminate outdated location markers.
- Restart your computer or device.
- Begin by launching the VPN companion program and logging in.
- Choose a server in the nation from which you’re trying to receive an IP address—for example, the United States or Great Britain.
- Allow a few seconds to establish the connection. After that, a green notification icon should appear on the taskbar.
- Browse the web normally.
You’ll see that the host websites will make the assumption that your location is in the nation to which you are now connected. This will allow for the availability of streaming media content and local online banking services, such as DST and Netflix US.
From overseas, access South African TV, websites, and applications.
Another scenario in which you may use your VPN is if you are a South African resident traveling overseas and want a local South African IP address. A VPN may be used to view content, access online banking, or search for cheaper airline tickets.
How to unblock South African websites from overseas is as follows:
- Choose our suggested VPN and choose a server location in South Africa.
- Register and pay for the VPN—choose between monthly and yearly plans based on how often you want to use it.
- After that, download the VPN client software for your phone or computer from the VPN download website.
- To delete outdated location identifiers, clear your cookies in all web browsers (Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer).
- Restart your computer or device.
- Begin by launching the VPN companion program and logging in.
- Connect to a server in South Africa by selecting one and clicking connect.
- Allow a few seconds to establish the connection. After that, a green notification icon should appear on the taskbar.
- Browse the web normally.
Our process for identifying the best VPN for South Africa.
We are aware that accessing the web from South Africa presents certain difficulties. To begin with, you’ll encounter geo-restricted websites and services. Second, you may be concerned about government spying. This necessitates the use of a multi-purpose VPN that provides not only high performance but also full privacy protection. We have detailed our methods for determining the best VPN for South Africa below:
- Unblocking: Fortunately, South Africa has nothing in the way of internet restriction. However, like with other nations, you will come across websites that are region-locked. As a result, it’s critical to have a VPN with robust unblocking capabilities. This includes the ability to access restricted streaming services such as Netflix (many VPNs fail to do this).
- Speed: It is possible that you are experiencing sluggish speeds as a result of ISP throttling. If this is the case, you may discover that using a VPN enhances the quality of your connection. That’s because, in addition to delivering fast servers, the top VPNs also feature limitless bandwidth, allowing you to watch and torrent freely.
- Network size: The network size of a VPN is critical. The more nations in which it has servers, the more content is available. The VPN we suggest has servers in dozens of countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Most have thousands of servers, which implies that each one has a small number of users for optimal performance.
- Security: Security dangers are ubiquitous, regardless of location. A VPN encrypts your data, preventing hackers from accessing it. The top VPNs for South Africa are constantly improving their security features. Certain providers now provide Double VPN servers, which add an additional layer of encryption. Others include password managers as well.
- Privacy: According to the Freedom House study Freedom of the Net 2020 for South Africa, there are some worries about “potentially unchecked government surveillance.” We evaluated VPN logging practices to determine which do not maintain identifying records, allowing you to access the web anonymously.
- Ease of use: We exclusively propose beginner-friendly VPNs. This implies it should provide simple-to-use desktop and mobile applications. You should be able to connect to the server or make configuration changes in a matter of seconds. Additionally, you should have access to live chat and email assistance 24 hours a day.
- Value for money: With so many VPNs available, you don’t need to pay a fortune. While there are more VPNs that meet some of the criteria outlined above, some are just too pricey. We’ve sought out those that we believe are reasonably priced. Additionally, we’ve added VPN promo codes to help you save even more.
Naturally, all of the foregoing is just a portion of our exhaustive VPN testing technique. We independently test each VPN to ensure that we are providing you with the most accurate and up-to-date information possible. This way, you’re more likely to locate a VPN that meets your specific requirements, whether for streaming or security.
VPNs for South Africa FAQs
Are virtual private network (VPN) services lawful in South Africa?
In South Africa, there are no restrictions prohibiting the use of a VPN, and although the country’s internet is presently declared free by Freedom House, more privacy is never a bad thing. When traveling, you’ll be more dependent on public wifi networks, thus it’s a good idea to utilize a VPN wherever feasible. This is particularly critical if you want to visit neighboring nations as well, since some, such as Zimbabwe, have a far bleaker view of those who publish rebellious content online.
Can I use a VPN to access South African online banks?
While online banking providers virtually always encrypt your traffic by default, why would you decline the opportunity to safeguard it even further? VPNs are incredibly beneficial in this respect, and much more so if you often use public wifi networks, which are sometimes considerably less secure than they should be.
You should have no difficulty logging into your Standard Bank, FirstRand, or Absa accounts while connected to a VPN. Indeed, doing so may assist you in avoiding being blocked by automated security systems for attempting to log in from a foreign location.
Is it safe to use WiFi hotspots in South Africa?
While public hotspots are typically secure for surfing, we advise avoiding using them for anything vital, such as banking. This is for two reasons: first, there is no way of knowing who may be monitoring your activity or what they may be doing with the generated data.
Second, public networks are seldom secure, making them vulnerable to assault. A skilled attacker may fake a hotspot, take your personal information (including passwords), and vanish in a matter of minutes, leaving you completely unaware.
I reside in South Africa; which mobile application is the best?
There are several VPN applications available for Android and iOS. Of course, determining which mobile application is the finest is very subjective. Based on our experience with a variety of high-quality VPNs, we’ve determined that NordVPN’s mobile app is the best. It’s simple to use and provides access to a network of over 5,000 servers, including over 50 in South Africa.
Is it possible for a VPN to convert my IP address to a South African IP address?
If your VPN provider offers servers in South Africa, you may change your IP address to a South African IP address. Once connected, you may use your South African IP address to access South African websites and services, even if you’re situated elsewhere. NordVPN is the finest VPN for South Africa, with over 50 servers located in the country. Surfshark and ExpressVPN, on the other hand, are two excellent choices.