Stay online in South Africa from the moment you land in Johannesburg or Cape Town. Install a data eSIM before you fly, skip the SIM counter in arrivals, and keep your usual number for calls and texts while you use maps, ride-hailing apps and WhatsApp on the road and on safari.
South Africa eSIM
South Africa eSIM plans
Every plan is data only, priced in US dollars, with no contract and nothing to return.
Our picks
Three plans we would buy ourselves, by the trip you are taking. Every plan we sell is listed below.
Short trip
10.5 GB
1.5 GB a day
7 days
A week or so away: maps, messages, rides and the odd video call.
$1.14 per GB
$11.99
Buy this planLong trip
22.5 GB
1.5 GB a day
15 days
Two weeks or more, with room for photos, streaming and work email.
$0.89 per GB
$19.99
Buy this planHeavy use
Unlimited data
7 days
You stream, work online or share your connection every day.
Full speed for the first 5 GB each day
$24.99
Buy this plan
Fixed data
One allowance for the whole trip, used at your own pace.
Daily data
A fresh allowance every day, slower above it until the next day.
Unlimited data
No cap on data, with a fair-use speed limit after heavy daily use.
Also covered by Global (170 countries)
One eSIM that also works in the other countries of the bundle, for a trip that crosses borders.
See every country in Global (170 countries)
No eSIM, no charge. If your payment goes through and we cannot issue your eSIM, we refund you in full. Refund policy
Real people. A person answers every day, 07:00 to 23:00 Paris time, within 2 hours. How we look after you
Safe checkout. Secure payment by Stripe. Cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Local networks. See which ones it uses in South Africa
Which South Africa plan fits your trip
South Africa plans come in two shapes. The plan cards above show the days and data on sale:
- Daily data suits steady use: maps, rides, messages and photos every day. A city stay or a Garden Route road trip is steady from day to day, so this is the usual pick.
- Unlimited suits heavy users, video calls and remote work from Cape Town. A fair-use policy applies; the plan details say how.
See fixed, daily or unlimited for how each type behaves. Going on to Mozambique, Zambia or another country? Check the global plans further down for one install across your route, and check that every country you visit is on the plan's list.
Landing in South Africa
Most international flights arrive at O.R. Tambo in Johannesburg or Cape Town International, with King Shaka near Durban for the east coast. Install the eSIM at home while you are on your own Wi-Fi, then turn on data roaming for the eSIM line once you are off the plane. You can then book a ride or message your driver before you reach the exit. Uber and Bolt both run in the main cities.
Coverage on the road and on safari
Coverage is strong in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban, in the Winelands, and in the towns along the Garden Route such as Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. It thins out on long stretches of the N1 and N2 between towns, in the Karoo, in the Drakensberg, on the Wild Coast and inside game reserves. In Kruger and the private reserves, signal is usually found near the rest camps and lodges and fades in the bush. Download offline maps before a road trip or a game drive.
Power cuts and signal
South Africa has had periods of scheduled power cuts, known as load-shedding. During them, some mobile masts run on backup batteries and the signal can weaken or drop in places. Keep your phone charged, carry a power bank, and save your bookings and tickets to the phone.
How much data do you need?
A typical traveler using maps, ride-hailing, messaging and photos uses about 1 GB a day. Sharing safari videos, video calls and working from a laptop push that up, so remote workers are better served by an unlimited plan.
Networks in South Africa
South Africa's mobile networks are Vodacom, the largest, MTN, Cell C and Telkom. A travel eSIM connects to one of them as a roaming partner, which is why data roaming must be on for the eSIM line. The partner network can differ from plan to plan, so check the plan details, or ask us at support@esimlounge.com before you buy.
How to install your eSIM
Install it at home before you fly, then switch it on when you land.
Check your phone
Your phone must support eSIM and be carrier unlocked. Most phones from the last few years do.
Scan the QR code
Scan the code from your email while you still have Wi-Fi at home. It takes about two minutes.
Switch on when you land
Turn on the eSIM line and data roaming for it. Keep your usual SIM for calls and texts if you like.
South Africa eSIM questions
Is an eSIM cheaper than my own carrier's roaming in South Africa?
Usually, yes. UK, US and Australian carriers typically charge a daily pass for each day you use your phone abroad, and over a week those passes add up to more than a plan here. Check your own plan's roaming terms to compare.
Should I buy a SIM card at the airport in South Africa instead?
For data, an eSIM is simpler: you set it up at home, skip the queue in arrivals and keep your usual SIM in the phone. A South African SIM must be registered with your passport and an address under the RICA law before it works, and it gives you a local number, which a travel eSIM does not. For maps and messaging, the eSIM does the job.
Does it work in Kruger and on safari?
Usually near the rest camps, gates and lodges, less so in the bush. Download offline maps and your park bookings before a game drive, and expect gaps on long drives between camps.
Does it work along the Garden Route?
Yes, in the towns along the route. It can drop on the stretches between them and in the mountain passes, so download offline maps before a road trip.
Can I use Uber, Bolt and WhatsApp with it?
Yes. The eSIM gives you mobile data, so ride-hailing apps, WhatsApp, Google Maps and your banking apps work as they do at home. Calls on WhatsApp and FaceTime work over the data too.
Will I keep my phone number?
Yes. Your usual SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts, and the eSIM carries your mobile data. Keep data roaming off on your usual SIM to avoid roaming fees from home.
When does the plan start counting days?
On most plans the days start when the eSIM first connects to a network in South Africa, not when you install it. The plan details say how yours works.