Best VPNs for South Africa in 2025 and some to avoid

Have you ever been frustrated by being unable to access your favorite shows from home while visiting South Africa? Or have you ever been concerned about lurking threats jeopardizing your online safety? We get it. To help improve your online experience, we’ve carried out extensive hands-on testing to find the best VPNs for South Africa.

With robust encryption, fast speeds and large server networks, these VPNs shield your online activities and open the gateway to global streaming content, making you feel right at home.

For those in a hurry, we will get straight to the point with our curated list of the top VPNs for the country.

Our list of the best VPNs for South Africa:

1. NordVPN: Our top VPN for South Africa! Very fast provider with a huge server network. Zero logs, impeccable security and great for streaming. 30-day money-back guarantee.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for South Africa.
2. Surfshark: The best value VPN for South Africa. Secure service that keeps no logs and easily bypasses geo-restriction measures and government blocks.
3. IPVanish: No-logs service with a lot of servers and the option to change your IP address at specific time intervals. Allows unlimited device connections.
4. CyberGhost: A user-friendly VPN with great security, fast speeds, and no logs. Makes it easy to unblock sites in South Africa and internationally.
5. ExpressVPN: Solid provider with its own router app and always-on obfuscation. Strong security, no logs, and you can even purchase it anonymously.
6. PureVPN: Zero-logs VPN with decent speeds and 24/7 customer support. No issues with popular South African streaming services.
7. ProtonVPN: A great option for everyday usage in South Africa or anywhere else. Fast, privacy-conscious, and highly-customizable.
8. Private Internet Access: Boasts strong security and unlimited device connections. Servers in over 91 countries, including SA, and also supports WireGuard.
9. PrivateVPN: Reliable South African servers and a strong focus on user privacy. Allows port forwarding and has static IP addresses available.

We recommend internet users in South Africa use a VPN while browsing the web. Short for Virtual Private Network, a VPN encrypts all the internet traffic flowing to and from your device and routing it via an intermediary server. It helps maintain privacy and anonymity on the internet and makes it difficult for hackers and government agencies to spy on your activity.

A VPN is also an excellent choice for foreign expatriates living in South Africa and local residents traveling abroad. A South Africa VPN allows you to access online content such as DST, BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Hulu, ESPN, BeIN Sports, MTN, Sky Go, and Super Sports.

The best VPNs for South Africa – Our hands-on review

We’ve compared the most important features of the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for South Africa.

Criteria for the best South African VPNs

Our ranking of the best VPNs for South Africa is based on our testing in the following areas:

• Speed: Fast server speeds are essential for streaming, downloading, and browsing. We tested each VPN’s servers multiple times for a representative idea of day-to-day speeds.
• Streaming: We checked that providers worked with a range of popular South African TV channels. We then tried them out with notoriously difficult-to-access platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer.
• Security and privacy: To find the best VPNs for keeping you safe online, we evaluated providers on 16 different security and privacy metrics. We only recommended those that scored highly.
• Ease of use: To help you get connected with the minimum of fuss, we looked for providers that scored highly on 10 different ease-of-use metrics.
• Value for money: Finding the best deal isn’t just about the monthly subscription fee. We take a holistic view of “value” by evaluating providers on eight different criteria.

The above is just a summary — we explore our testing process more fully later in the article.

The best VPNs for South Africa

Here’s our list summary of the best VPNs for South Africa:

1. NordVPN

Jan 2025

NordVPN has a stellar reputation in the VPN business because it’s been around for over a decade and offers a product that packs a punch. Its ever-expanding server network currently stretches to 118 countries overall. The provider has more than 50 servers in South Africa, and approximately 7,000 overall. This makes it as easy to get a South African IP address as it is to get one in Australia.

NordVPN declines to hold any data about its users. This means there’s no metadata about browsing habits, timestamps, or choice of servers. The policy has thwarted attempts by authorities to force Nord to hand over customer data. The company’s no-logs policy has been independently audited multiple times. Its Panama-based headquarters mean it doesn’t fall under the purview of Western agencies and has no mandatory data retention laws to comply with.

Streaming-wise, the provider works to access the whole gamut of streaming platforms. We successfully used it with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, BBC iPlayer. It also worked great with South African services such as ShowMax, DStv, and SABC+.

If you want to change your location for streaming purposes on a device that doesn’t support VPNs, NordVPN has you covered with its smart DNS feature. The provider also works with a range of routers, making it possible to spoof the IP address of every connected device in a network.

NordVPN’s specialty servers make it possible to router your traffic through an additional VPN server (Double VPN), obfuscate your traffic to evade blocks in countries such as China, or connect to the Tor network in a single click using the Onion Over VPN servers.

NordVPN has long been considered one of the quickest providers around, so whether you’re looking to stream, torrent, or make video calls, it’s up to the task. In fact, when we tested its South African servers, it significantly outperformed the other providers, delivering speeds of over 400 Mbps two out of three times. We did notice a fair degree of slowdown in the evening but, even with that, NordVPN boasted average speeds of 388.33 Mbps:

Apps are available for Linux, Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. These come with a kill switch and split tunneling — should you wish to use other apps outside of the VPN tunnel. All internet traffic is secured by 256-bit AES encryption, which comes as standard. It’s coupled with 2,048-bit SSL keys and DNS leak protection. The provider also protects against WebRTC and IP leaks — which we checked using the browserleaks.com site.

NordVPN is one of the few providers that has its own connection protocol — NordLynx. Switching to this protocol allows users to enable post-quantum encryption, which the provider says offers protection against quantum computers.

NordVPN subscriptions allow up to 10 devices to connect at any one time. This makes it a good choice for sharing with friends and family and saving on costs by splitting the bill.

BEST VPN FOR SOUTH AFRICA:NordVPN is our top choice. A solid all-round performer in South Africa. Accesses Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. A great choice for security and privacy. Use up to 10 devices at once with great internet connection speeds. Offers a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Here’s our full review of NordVPN.

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2. Surfshark

Surfshark is the cheapest South African VPN. It currently operates around 3,200 servers, nine of which are in South Africa.

This service boasts excellent unblocking ability, meaning it’s ideal for live streaming region-locked content abroad. Best of all, Surfshark has no connection limit, allowing you to secure all of your devices at once.

Despite its low price point, Surfshark offers exceptional performance. There was remarkably little variance in speed regardless of which time of day we tested, and on all three occasions, it delivered speeds in excess of 330 Mbps.

Overall, this service averaged an impressive 349.67 Mbps which, for context, is enough to stream dozens of 4K videos simultaneously. In short, you shouldn’t notice any issues, even if your entire family is using the internet at the same time.

Reassuruingly, this VPN takes your security seriously. It uses effectively uncrackable 256-bit encryption, a kill switch (in all versions), and protection against DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 leaks to keep your activities private at all times. In the image below, you can see for yourself how Surfshark kept our UK location hidden while connected to one of its servers in the US.

The provider’s Alternative ID generator allows users to create a fake persona in a few clicks — complete with name, address, and date of birth. This can be useful if you want to sign up to an online account but feel wary about using your real details.

Surfshark adheres to a strict no-logs policy that has been independently audited. This ensures your online activities can’t be traced back to you. Users in restrictive countries such as China can bypass blocks by enabling NoBorders mode.

Surfshark apps are available for iOS, MacOS, Android, Windows, and Linux (note that this has a full GUI rather than being command line only). These come with split tunneling, and an ad, tracker and malware blocker.

BEST BUDGET OPTION:Surfshark is an inexpensive service that lets you connect as many devices as you like, so you can stream and browse securely at home or on the go. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of Surfshark here.

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3. IPVanish

IPVanish is another supremely reliable VPN service that prioritizes strong encryption, stringent privacy, and fast speeds. It’s a completely logless VPN which means there’s absolutely no data retention of any kind — a claim that has been verified by third-party auditors.

To secure web traffic, IPVanish uses 256-bit encryption on the OpenVPN protocol by default, SHA512 authentication, and a DHE-RSA 2,048-bit key exchange with perfect forward secrecy. The lattermost feature means that your past data will remain encrypted even in the unlikely scenario of a hacker gleaning access to your account. The lightweight WireGuard protocol is also available. This tends to be faster than OpenVPN.

The Scramble function — available when connecting via OpenVPN — is able to bypass some blocks, though it doesn’t currently work in China.

Other features include an internet kill switch terminates internet traffic if the VPN connection drops out; app-based and domain-based split tunneling; and an ad, tracker and malware blocker. Leak protection is optional, but enabled by default. We confirmed that it worked by checking our IP address while connected to an IPVanish server in the US.

Servers are spread out worldwide and don’t compromise on any aspects of the web experience. There’s an option to connect to over 2,200, including six servers in South Africa.

IPVanish has always been one of the faster VPNs on the market but it’s really kicked things up a notch lately. Across three tests, it delivered average speeds of 199 Mbps, with its worst result being a still solid 179 Mbps. That’s more than enough for any day-to-day task! There was minimal variance on its South African servers too, though naturally, performance does drop slightly the further away you are from your chosen location. Below, you’ll find our complete results:

IPVanish worked very well with the South African streaming platforms we tested it with. We also had no problem accessing international services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney Plus. It even worked with BBC iPlayer.

There are apps for both iOS and Android as well as desktop support for Windows and MacOS. The company allows any number of devices to be connected simultaneously, setting it apart from most other VPNs on the market.

IPVanish is popular with Kodi users because it allows them to download the Android APK directly to their device. The interface is also remote control friendly for Kodi devices that lack a keyboard and mouse.

SECURE EVERY DEVICE:IPVanish has a large network of servers. Great for families and multiple connections. Reasonable speeds for streaming. Solid security and privacy. Works well with Kodi but look elsewhere if you want to access Netflix. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of IPVanish.

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4. CyberGhost

CyberGhost will appeal to beginner users because it’s relatively inexpensive, offers decent speeds and strong encryption, and is both easy to set up and to use.

The company is headquartered in Romania and privacy advocates will be pleased with the fact that it has a stated policy of not storing any user data. This claim has been verified by third-party auditors.

Let’s come back to service standards. The company has been adding new server locations at a voracious speed — right now, there are 11,500+ servers online. They’re spread across 100+ countries, including South Africa. This makes CyberGhost’s server network the largest on the market.

In addition to its regular servers, CyberGhost has servers optimized for names streaming platforms. This takes the guesswork out of streaming, and comes in particularly handy if you’re someone with subscriptions to multiple services.

Using CYberGhost’s streaming servers we had no issues watching Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu.

Speed-wise, this service is virtually tied with IPVanish, with average speeds of 198.33 Mbps. Across our three tests, it remained remarkably consistent, even though we were a fair distance from South Africa. No matter whether you’re hoping to play online games with friends, torrent anonymously, or watch TV in the highest-possible quality, this VPN is up to the job. Let’s take a closer look at its speed test results:

Encryption standards are robust – the company deploys 256-bit AES encryption on the OpenVPN protocol by default along with 2,048-bit RSA keys and MD5 HMAC authentication. These are considered to be top-tier standards.

An internet kill switch is included; as is split tunneling; automatic wi-fi protection; and an ad, tracker and malware blocker. CyberGhost’s Smart Rules enables users to specify that CyberGhost opens and connects every times they open a particular app. Alternatively, users can specify that a specified app launches when they connect to CyberGhost. Needless to say, there are lots of customization options.

Apps are available for both Android and iOS as well as desktop support for Windows, MacOS, and Linux. One paid account allows for seven devices to connect at a single time.

Beginner friendly:CyberGhost is easy to use. Great privacy and security. A good option for the price-conscious. Reliable in South Africa. Unblocks BBC iPlayer and most other popular streaming sites. 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of CyberGhost.

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5. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a solid all-around VPN. It offers fast speeds and combines them with military-grade encryption protocols and a rustic design. It’s easy to install and works just right.

The company operates over 3,000 VPN servers in 105+ countries, including a few in South Africa.

We were impressed with how fast connections were established — in most cases it felt instantaneous. This is largely thanks to ExpressVPN having its own connection protocol — dubbed Lightway. OpenVPN is also available.

ExpressVPN obfuscates all traffic automatically, which is great news if you’re connecting from a country that restricts VPN use. It even works in China, which just shows how effective it is.

Other features include split tunneling and options to block adult sites, malware, trackers, and ads. ExpressVPN says that leak protection is built-in. We confirmed this to be the case by checking for leaks while connected to one of its servers in the US.

ExpressVPN is one of the faster providers we’ve seen, with average speeds of around 260 Mbps in our most recent tests. Its South African servers were quite a bit slower, but still capable of handling anything you throw at them, averaging 161.67 Mbps.

ExpressVPN delivered the most consistent speeds by far, with less than 5 Mbps between its highest and lowest results; that’s extremely impressive given that many of its rivals are significantly less reliable.

The provider is well-known for its streaming prowess, and can unblock local South African services as well as all the major platforms. This includes Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Hulu and BBC iPlayer. A smart DNS feature is available for VPN-incompatible devices to access new content.

If you’re worried about privacy and anonymity, ExpressVPN’s policy of not storing any user logs should ease your concerns. The company stores only minimal information, including metadata pertaining to the “date (not time) of connection, choice of server location, and total bandwidth used.” Your individual IP address will never be logged.

As for encryption parameters, ExpressVPN uses 256-bit AES-CBC protocols as well as HMAC authentication and perfect forward secrecy. There’s an internet kill switch included, which the company calls a ‘network lock’. This feature means all web traffic will be temporarily halted if the connection drops unexpectedly. That’s an additional layer of security — ensuring there are no momentary open doors for prying eyes to enter.

ExpressVPN allows up to eight devices to connect simultaneously. It has apps available for Android and iOS as well as desktop clients for Windows, MacOS, and Linux.

SPEED AND SECURITY:ExpressVPN is a quick, privacy-conscious VPN that works great in South Africa. Hard to beat on privacy and security. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Here’s our in-depth review of ExpressVPN.

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6. PureVPN

PureVPN users in South Africa can get a secure, reliable connection using any of the nearby servers in Johannesburg or any of the other 65+ supported countries.

The provider also has shortcuts available to various streaming services. Simply choose the desired platform from the menu and PureVPN will connect you to the most appropriate server and open the platform’s website at the same time. You still need a subscription for paid-for streaming services, but it’s a time-saver all the same.

We used these servers for streaming Netflix, Hulu, and several other platforms. Regular servers in South Africa were fine for accessing local services such as ShowMax and DStv.

Overall, PureVPN delivered steady performance with speeds hovering around the 160 Mbps mark on average. This is more than fast enough for streaming in high resolution.

That said, there was quite a high level of falloff during our test at noon. During this time, it returned results of just below 130 Mbps which is still respectable, despite dropping the service’s average speed to 162.33 Mbps. You’re unlikely to experience performance issues with this VPN unless your speeds are already very slow though, so that’s a relief.

One of the best things about this service is that it makes staying safe as simple as possible. A kill switch and DNS and IPv6 leak protection are enabled by default. We confirmed the lack of leaks by connecting to a US server from the UK and checking the displayed IP address.

PureVPN only uses industry-approved encryption (256-bit AES on OpenVPN and ChaCha20 on WireGuard). It doesn’t log any data that could identify you, something proven by multiple independent audits. It even offers automatic obfuscation, which helps you maintain your anonymity while in countries with strict digital censorship.

It offers apps for Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, and MacOS. These are easy to use, with a user-friendly dashboard that won’t intimidate those with no VPN experience.

Up to 10 devices can be connected simultaneously and support staff are available around the clock over live chat (though they sometimes take a few minutes to respond). The provider’s website provides detailed instructions for installing the service on dozens of different routers.

ONLINE SECURITY ANYWHERE:PureVPN is a beginner-friendly provider with quick and reliable servers in South Africa. It doesn’t compromise where privacy is concerned and includes a 31-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full PureVPN review.

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7. ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN has a limited free plan, so if you just want to browse safely while on vacation, you won’t even have to pay anything. Upgrading does come with several benefits though. For instance, you’ll be able to access an impressive 10,000+ servers in 117+ countries, as well as use geo-restricted streaming platforms, protect up to 10 devices at a time, and speak directly to support staff if anything goes wrong. Additionally, the speed limiter will be removed.

The provider has 34 servers in South Africa, with users able to choose between them rather than simply choosing a city and being allocated one.

In addition to its regular servers, ProtonVPN has 105 Secure Core servers — some of which are housed in underground data centers to limit the risk of outside interference. Other features include a kill switch, automatic tracker-blocking, and split tunneling. Unusually, ProtonVPN allows port forwarding, which is good news for serious torrenters.

ProtonVPN’s speeds were impressive and more than suitable for live streaming, video calls, or downloading large files quickly. During our tests, it returned an average speed of 163.67 Mbps, beating PureVPN by a hair’s breadth.

Like its rival, it suffered from slower speeds at noon but that’s not a huge problem given its strong overall performance.

We also tested ProtonVPN’s streaming abilities. It worked fine with local South African services like SABC+. We were also able to access the big-name platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Disney Plus — though this sometimes required switching between servers before hitting on one that worked.

Crucially, ProtonVPN follows a strict no-logging policy, and we know this for sure because it has been independently audited. Your online activities are also kept private thanks to this VPN’s effectively uncrackable encryption. There’s also IPv6 and DNS leak protection, which we tested while connected to one of ProtonVPN’s US servers.

ProtonVPN has its own apps for MacOS, iOS, Windows, Android, and Linux. it can also be installed directly on most routers, though you’ll have to follow manual setup instructions.

BROWSE ANONYMOUSLY:ProtonVPN puts your privacy first and delivers solid speeds. With an expansive network and a proven no-logs policy, it’s perfectly suited to anyone living in South Africa.

Read our ProtonVPN review.

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8. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a reliable no-logs provider with no connection limit and robust security. As its name implies, the company strives to protect user privacy with extra measures like IP address masking, port forwarding, DNS leak protection, SOCKS5 proxy server connections, and more.

It’s not as powerful as ExpressVPN in unblocking content abroad, but it still works well with BBC iPlayer, YouTube TV, and other popular streaming services such as Netflix US and Max.

Servers are available in 91 countries, including South Africa. Connections are established faster than the majority of providers, though the resulting speeds are less impressive. In our tests, Private Internet Access was the slowest service. It did manage to break 100 Mbps but only in one of our three tests, leading to a final average speed of 93.33 Mbps.

Note that this is still well above what you’ll need for streaming 4K video (even on multiple devices) though, so the majority of people won’t notice much of a difference.

PIA provides apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, It also has Chrome and Firefox extensions. If you’re using Kodi or Firestick devices, there are dedicated versions for those as well.

PIA apps are a pleasure to use, with a minimalist interface that makes it clear what users need to do to connect. Those who prefer more information can bring up a wealth of connection data and access to quick settings in a single click.

For more finely tuned customization, there’s a dedicated Settings menu. Here, users can change the level of encryption used on their traffic when using OpenVPN (handy tip — reducing it will increase your connection speed). They can also set up app-based or domain-based split tunneling; or make use of PIA’s proxy servers.

 

Support is on hand day and night via a chat facility. You can try PIA for 30 days risk-free thanks to its money-back guarantee.

SUPPORTS WIREGUARD:Private Internet Access includes an unlimited simultaneous device limit, a network kill switch, and operates servers in 91 countries.

Read our full Private Internet Access review.

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9. PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN has a smaller network than most of its rivals, with roughly 200 servers spread across 63+ countries — including South Africa.

Despite this, it’s still worth your time. It has great value long-term subscriptions and can unblock a whole host of streaming platforms. We had no problems with either popular South African services or big players such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.

Streaming US Netflix with PrivateVPN.PrivateVPN’s South African servers offer fairly reliable speeds though it’s far from the quickest provider we’ve tested. Its overall average speed was 117.67 Mbps, which is enough for most households, even if everyone likes to browse at the same time.

Note that this service does allow you to reduce your encryption level for slightly improved performance but we wouldn’t recommend doing so since your privacy should be your first priority.

There’s plenty to like from a security perspective. For starters, this VPN uses uncrackable encryption and backs it up with a kill switch, DNS and IPv6 leak protection. We confirmed that PrivateVPN was leak-free by connecting to one of its US servers and checking our IP address. We also carried out DNS and WebRTC leak tests.

PrivateVPN has a Stealth mode designed to help you browse safely in countries with strict digital censorship. It works in China, which is about as strict as it gets.

There’s a no-logs policy as well, though this hasn’t been independently audited at the time of writing. Still, PrivateVPN has been around for over a decade and has yet to have any breaches, which certainly says something.

The provider is one of the few VPNs that allows port forwarding. This is particularly useful if you do a lot of torrenting or gaming, though it’s not without its risks. PrivateVPN is also notable for having static IP addresses available in 15 countries.

PrivateVPN has its own MacOS, iOS, Windows, and Android apps. It can also be manually installed on Linux systems and routers; check the website for detailed setup instructions.

STEADY SPEEDS:PrivateVPN is a relatively quick provider that’s known for its strong streaming capabilities and extreme security focus. What’s more, every plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our PrivateVPN review.

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Methodology: Finding the best VPNs for South Africa

One of the biggest challenges consumers face is deciding which VPN to use. With hundreds of providers competing for your attention, there’s certainly plenty of subpar services to wade through. Our team does the hard part for you, personally testing dozens of VPNs and evaluating them on more than 40 individual data points. We’ve broken these down into five distinct categories and will explain why each is so important in more detail below:

Performance

Sluggish performance is the kiss of death for a VPN. No matter how secure it is, nobody is going to use a service that slows their connection to a crawl. The problem is that the same VPN can have very different speeds depending on which server you use, where you are in the world, and what time of day it is.

To account for this, we ran multiple speed tests throughout the day and averaged the results. Note that these were performed using a South African server to minimize latency and ensure that we get the best idea of the speeds you can actually expect to see.

After all the results were in, we weighted and normalized them, giving us a single overall score out of 10 for each provider. This is helpful because it allows us to more easily visualize how each service stacks up against its competitors. Let’s take a look:

NordVPN was the fastest provider we saw, so it earned a perfect score here. All others were graded on a curve, relative to the top-performer. That’s why, for instance, PIA has the lowest score despite still offering decent speeds. It’s worth mentioning that most VPNs can’t deliver performance anywhere near 90 Mbps, so no matter which of our recommendations you choose, you should be just fine.

Streaming ability

These days, most streaming services are geo-restricted. They may only be accessible from a single country, or change their content based on your location. That’s why our experts personally test each VPN against a variety of popular streaming platforms, noting how many they work with and how reliable their servers are for this task.

Once we’ve recorded all of the relevant information, our next step is to assign scores based on what each provider offers. These are weighted and normalized, giving us a final result out of 10 for each, as shown below:

Looking at these results, it’s safe to say we’ve found providers that excel at streaming. Every single one was able to access platforms like ShowMax and DStv Stream without any issues. NordVPN came in first place again due to its high speeds, ad-blocker, and Smart DNS service, though we had a three-way tie for second place between Surfshark, IPVanish, and ExpressVPN.

Security and privacy

A VPN’s primary goal is to shield your online activity from prying eyes. Services that can’t achieve this have no right being in our list (or on your devices). Our team checks to see whether providers use industry-approved protocols and encryption standards, whether they’ve been independently-audit, and how reliably they work in countries with severe digital censorship. All in all, we evaluate them on 15 key areas, as shown in the table below:

Once again, scores are assigned based on how impressed we are with each VPN’s performance in each area. The higher the score, the better the service is equipped to keep your browsing habits safe from snoopers. Let’s take a look at the full results:

This is a truly impressive set of results, with five of our nine top providers scoring above nine points. Surfshark and NordVPN were tied for first place but there’s definitely room for improvement: the former is based in a Nine Eyes country, which might make some people nervous, and the latter could do with bringing its authentication up to SHA-512, which is the gold standard.

Ease of use

Nobody wants a VPN that’s a hassle to use. The good news is that most major providers have worked hard to make their apps beginner-friendly, even if they offer lots of advanced functionality.

Here at Comparitech, we take the user experience very seriously, checking for anything that makes the service less stressful. This includes task-specific servers, 24/7 customer support, and the ability to connect automatically, among other things. Here’s a full list of things we consider when ranking the best VPNs for South African users:

One thing we realized very quickly is that all of our top providers have clearly focused on usability. NordVPN scored an impressive 9.6 out of 10, only losing out because some features weren’t included in every version of the app. This goes both ways, though, with mobile users getting access to a tapjacking protection tool that, for obvious reasons, isn’t available on desktop. PrivateVPN received the lowest score as it was slightly less reliable for streaming and lack of specialty servers, though we should mention that 8.6 is still an incredible result.

Value for money

Experience has shown us that you aren’t guaranteed a high-quality VPN just because it costs more. In fact, some of our top providers could be considered budget services! We begin by comparing a service’s functionality to that offered by similarly-priced rivals then look for ways to cut the cost. This might be by waiting for a sale, obtaining a student discount, or choosing a longer-term subscription. One other key point: to be eligible for a place in our list, VPNs must offer at least a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Surfshark came out on top in this category thanks to its lower than average monthly price, total lack of connection limits, and lower prices for students. IPVanish was hot on its heels, though! In contrast, PrivateVPN came in last place. You might be a little surprised, since it has a lower initial price point. That said, it doesn’t offer student discounts and has a strict 10-connection limit.

Can I use a free VPN for South Africa?

People who don’t think VPNs are worth the money might opt for a free VPN service. But it’s better to know the full truth before embarking on an option you might regret later.

Several free VPN and proxy providers have been caught mining and selling user data (more about this in the next section). Another point to consider is that there will be download caps, bandwidth throttling, and an inferior selection of servers. Such services aren’t out there to zealously guard your privacy either, so don’t expect world-class standards.

Free VPN companies have to monetize, too. You’ll be bombarded with invasive advertisements and migraine-inducing popup windows. This means you’re the product now. We recommend staying safe on the internet and cough up a few dollars each month. Otherwise, you might just incur thousands of dollars in losses if your device contracts a malware infection or your data is exposed.

One VPN to avoid in South Africa

One of the principal caveats of opting for a VPN to browse the web is an implicit understanding that the service will do all it takes to protect your privacy and anonymity. After all, that’s why they were designed in the first place. The recommended VPNs on this list have no documented cases of handing over customer data, but a few don’t value this commitment as much. We recommend you avoid them. Here’s such a case:

HolaVPN

Israel-based Hola once had a gigantic user base of almost 50 million — with people attracted to its free proxy extension for the Chrome browser. Unfortunately, it chose to leverage this for illegal activities and turned it into a huge botnet army.

Hola users saw a part of their bandwidth bifurcated for attacks on other websites, distribution of pornography, and other notorious online activities. And it all happened without their consent. We firmly believe it’s best if you avoid Hola or uninstall it if already downloaded.

Will Smart DNS change my location to South Africa?

There are a few things to consider when answering this question. The first is that Smart DNS does not encrypt your traffic the way a VPN does, so your location could potentially be discovered by someone looking closely at your traffic. The second thing to consider is that not all Smart DNS services work with South African broadcasters.

If you’re looking for a way to change your location to South Africa, then I would recommend using a VPN service instead of Smart DNS. A VPN will encrypt your traffic and ensure that your location remains hidden, and there are many VPN services that have servers in South Africa.

How do I use a VPN in South Africa?

Access US Netflix and other services from home

In this section, we’ll provide two examples of how to use your VPN. Follow these steps if you’re a foreign expatriate and would like to obtain a non-South African IP address while physically located in the country. These steps also protect your online anonymity and security. Simply select any server location, and your data will be secure.

Here’s how to unblock streaming services in South Africa:

1. Browse through our recommended list of VPN services and decide on a plan that works for you. We particularly recommend NordVPN.
2. Register and pay for the service.
3. Once that’s done, download the companion apps (for your phone) or software (for PC or MacOS).
4. Clear your cookies and cache in all web browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer) to remove old location identifiers.
5. Restart your device.
6. Open the VPN companion software and log in.
7. Select a server from the country you’re trying to obtain an IP address – such as the US or Great Britain.
8. Allow a few seconds for the connection to be established. Once that’s done there should be a green notification icon in the taskbar.
9. Browse the web like you normally would.

You’ll notice that the host websites will assume your location is in the country you’re currently connected to. This will open up things like streaming media content and local online banking services, including DST and Netflix US.

Access South African TV, sites, and apps from abroad

Another way you can use your VPN is for South African residents who are traveling abroad and need a local South African IP address. A VPN could be for streaming content, accessing online banking, or finding cheaper airline deals.

Here’s how to unblock South African websites from abroad:

1. Browse through our recommendations and settle for an option that has servers in South Africa.
2. Register and pay for the VPN – select either a monthly or annual plan depending on how frequently you’d like to use a VPN.
3. Once that’s done, get the apps for your phone or computer from the VPN download page.
4. Clear your cookies in all web browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer) to remove old location identifiers.
5. Restart your device.
6. Open the VPN companion software and log in.
7. Select a server in South Africa and click connect.
8. Allow a few seconds for the connection to be established. Once that’s done there should be a green notification icon in the taskbar.
9. Browse the web like you normally would.

Watch South African sports with a VPN

The best VPNs for South Africa are a great way to keep up with the latest South African sporting events. By connecting to a server in South Africa, you can unblock and stream sports in South Africa while you’re traveling abroad.

Here are some of the streaming platforms you can use a VPN to unblock, as well as their respective sports offerings:

DStv Stream

DStv Stream is a paid streaming platform that offers no shortage of sports channels. In particular, it offers well over a dozen SuperSport channels, many of which are specific to single sports. This includes SuperSport Rugby, SuperSport Cricket, and SuperSport Football. It even includes ESPN for a selection of international sports including American football.

Here are some of the sports covered alongside their respective channels on DStv:

• American football (ESPN 2)
• Baseball (ESPN 2)
• Basketball (ESPN 2)
• Combat (SS Variety 1)
• Cricket (SuperSport Cricket)
• Football (ESPN, SuperSport PSL, SuperSport Premier League, SuperSport La Liga, SuperSport Football)
• Golf (SuperSport Golf)
• Ice Hockey (ESPN 2)
• Motorsport (SuperSport Motorsport, Ignition)
• Racing (Racing 240)
• Rugby (SuperSport Rugby)
• Tennis (SuperSport Tennis)

There are additional SuperSport channels which show a mix of combat sports (UFC, MMA, boxing), football, and overflow premium content and this includes Blitz, Grandstand, SuperSport Variety 1-4, SuperSport Action, SuperSport Events

SABC Sport

SABC Sport is a free-to-air sports channel from the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). You can stream its sports-related content via the SBC Plus streaming platform.

• Athletics
• Basketball (NBA)
• Boxing
• Cricket
• Football (PSL, Bundesliga, Premier League)
• Motorsports
• Racing
• Rugby

Content is spread across the SABC 1, SABC 2, SABC 3, and SABC Sport channels. Note that while SABC+ is free, you still need to sign up for an account to watch.

Showmax

Showmax is a subscription-based streaming service. Although it doesn’t have a strong focus on sports, it still covers football, specifically the English Premier League (EPL) and the South African Premiership.

VPNs for South Africa FAQs