Need the best VPN for South Africa? Just in case you’re not sure about which one to go with, I’ve shortlisted a few that secure online privacy and the ability to unblock unlimited services in South Africa, and abroad.
Almost 54% of the population in South Africa is among a list of regular internet users. Even though there isn’t really a law enforcing online censorship, there are certain restrictions that go against internet freedom in South Africa.
Therefore, for safety and geo-unblocking purposes, I have put together a list allowing you to choose the best VPN to use in South Africa; bypassing multiple restrictions.
TLDR;
To sum up a shorter version of why I chose these 5 VPNs as best for South Africa, it’s because they offer great security features.
It involves running on military encryption and all the major protocols, dedicated IP, fast speeds, and Multi-device logins. They also provide access to restricted content and/or streaming platforms like US Netflix, Hulu, or Super Sports wherever you are and offer South African IP addresses to access local content from abroad.
They are:
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- Surfshark Our top VPN for South Africa! Unlimited device connections, safe jurisdiction, no-logs, and budgeted plans.
- NordVPN Best VPN for security in South Africa. Offers a large server network, unblocks international and South African content worldwide.
- ExpressVPN VPN with the fastest speeds and no-logs for South Africa. Fastest connection, secure, zero-logs, and unblocks international and South African streaming services.
- IPVanish US servers for Netflix in South Africa. Doesn’t log user data, unblock numerous US-content in South Africa.
- CyberGhost Top VPN for privacy and streaming in South Africa. Great privacy and security features, streaming, and torrenting compatibility for South Africa.
The core purpose of a VPN is for online privacy, to provide unlimited access to restricted platforms, and protect your device. With the best VPN or South Africa, you’ll access streaming services like Netflix, DSTV, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, etc.
All this and more will be available to the locals of South Africa; additionally providing access to South African platforms like SABC 1, SABC 2, SABC 3, Vidi or ETV, etc. from overseas.
An overview
South Africa, being one of the heaviest populated countries in the world with over 58 million inhabitants, are known to be some of the biggest and most active internet users in the world.
But what happens when most of the content displayed within its regions have major restrictions put its way?
Yes, trying to bypass blocks in the way of foreign content is a risk and shouldn’t be encouraged, but, no one said that using a VPN is illegal. You’ll be able to safely gain access to streaming or virtual platforms in South Africa and while traveling abroad.
The best VPN for South Africa
Before we discuss in detail, the 5 top VPNs for South Africa, you should know why you need one. The thing is, you’ll need a VPN regardless of being a tourist or a local within the country.
This is mainly because there are certain geo-blocks put on some of the local, as well as international channels/websites that you’d normally visit on a daily basis.
It’s like if you’re a local or just visiting the country, and want to access Netflix or any other website, you’ll either be completely blocked off or will only be limited to the South African library. So, on that note, you may actually need a VPN to gain access.
So without further ado here’s a list of the top 5 VPNs to get you unlimited streaming capacity.
1. Surfshark – Top choice for South Africa
| Price | $2.49/mo. |
| Refund | 30-Days |
| Website | Surfshark |
Based in the British Virgin Islands, we have Surfshark, one of the best to make it to my list of top VPNs. Just in case you haven’t heard much about this provider, let me tell you one thing; you’re missing out!
To choose the best South African VPN, I ran a lot of tests and combined other user-experiences to get suitable results for all-round needs. Surfshark made the cut!
It’s one of the best to crack down geo-restricted platforms; not falling short in providing some of the best security measures. This makes it the best for keeping your internet surfing safe in South Africa.
With its bullet-proof AES 256-bit encryption, it supports simultaneous multi-logins to unlimited devices, a reliable privacy policy, a multi-hop feature, and an in-built Kill Switch.
There’s so much for Surfshark to offer, and you could check that out in a detailed Surfshark review.
It’s known for unblocking many restricted websites like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, and other South African local channels that sometimes have a block put its way.
Surfshark provides rich sever coverage; having around 1700+ servers in 64 countries including a South African server. So, you can now access any content you need by simply just connecting to any server you need to unblock unlimited services.
Surfshark comes with a list of best protocols known for streaming. It offers OpenVPN, allowing fast speeds and anonymity, with all servers supporting P2P.
Additionally, Surfshark is compatible with all major devices like Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Firestick, and more.
Another great thing about Surfshark is its pricing. It also thinks about everything and allows its potential customers to get a feel of the VPN by providing a free trial with premium access to all its features.
If you feel like testing out the VPN a little more than the 7-day free trial, there’s also a refund policy with a 30-day trial period.
2. NordVPN – Robust security for South Africa
| Price | $3.71/mo. |
| Refund | 30-Days |
| Website | NordVPN |
NordVPN is one of the best for bypassing geo-blocks and works like a charm in South Africa.
This Panama based VPN envelopes a huge list of 5000+ servers in 59 countries, with almost 53 of those servers in South Africa. So accessing many geo-prohibited platforms both locally and internationally, such as Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer and others, shouldn’t be a problem. It’s also P2P compatible.
The best part about NordVPN is that even if you’re headed for a vacation to South Africa, you can connect to its services on 6 different devices, simultaneously. Some of the devices that NordVPN supports, include Firestick, Android, iOS, Windows, Android TV, and macOS.
NordVPN is also packed with many other unique security features like a Kill Switch, 256-bit AES encryption which includes 2048-bit SSL keys, and a DNS leak protection. This VPN also supports all major protocols like PPTP, L2TP/IPsec, IKEv2, and the main protocol for streaming; OpenVPN.
There are other features that make this VPN stand out, like the NordVPN CyberSec feature.
Read more about other advanced features in my detailed NordVPN review!
NordVPN believes in your privacy, hence, it has a reliable no-logs policy. You’ll find it a great choice for South Africa and many other countries around the world.
To run a few tests of your own, you can take up the NordVPN 7 day free trial or the 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you’re not fully happy with the results, you can always ask for an account cancellation or a full refund.
3. ExpressVPN – Access the fastest speeds
| Price | $6.67/mo. |
| Refund | 30-Days |
| Website | ExpressVPN |
ExpressVPN is one of the few to top the list for the best VPN for South Africa.
You’ll find it located in the British Virgin Islands and is known for being able to bypass restricted websites with utmost security even within South Africa.
It covers a huge platform of 3000+ servers in 94 countries, with the inclusion of South African servers in its list.
You’ll easily be able to access any channels you like, and from wherever you like. A few of the SA services it unblocks while traveling include MTN and SuperSport. You’ll also be able to access services like BBC iPlayer, Hulu, US Netflix, HBO, and Amazon Prime.
ExpressVPN will give you the best internet surfing experience from wherever you are, considering that it also works in China. During testing, this provider delivered the best speed results.
Some of these features include AES 256-bit encryption, a Kill Switch by default, a Smart DNS feature called MediaStreamer, and much more.
This is just the tip of the iceberg! You’ll find more details in my ExpressVPN review.
This company also allows you to simultaneously connect up to 5 devices. Speaking of, ExpressVPN supports all the major platforms, some of which include Windows, macOS, Android, Firestick, iOS, Nvidia Shield, and much more.
Most of its apps are user-friendly and are pretty simple to download and install. All-in-all, ExpressVPN is one of the top-performing providers for users in South Africa. You’ll find its performance completely within your expectations.
You can even test the VPN in SA, using the ExpressVPN 7 day free trial for Android and iOS smartphones. There’s also a 30-day refund you can use to test other platforms.
I’m sure you wouldn’t be disappointed! However, if you are, the ExpressVPN support team is always helpful in providing steps to a full refund or account cancellation services.
4. IPVanish – Unblock unlimited US content
| Price | $2.91/mo. |
| Refund | 30-Days |
| Website | IPVanish |
Lastly, we have IPVanish, a US-based VPN having around 1500+ servers in 75+ countries, providing fast speeds for all your streaming and torrenting desires; including access to restricted services.
There are two things that make this VPN a unique pick for South Africa. Firstly, it has around 6 servers dedicated to Johannesburg (South Africa).
Secondly, since it’s located in the States, it makes it much easier to access geo-restricted websites like the US Netflix library. All you need to do is connect to one of the US or ZA servers; giving you the freedom to enter streaming sites with geo-blocks.
Some of the websites or services that IPVanish has successfully unblocked, include Netflix, Comcast, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, Hulu. You can even use this provider for the best gaming experience. You can access these by using the IPVanish split tunneling feature for Android, Fire devices, and Android TV devices as long as you have a paid subscription for streaming services.
Besides the above, if privacy or security is what you’re looking for in South Africa, IPVanish is also known for having pretty staunch features. Some of it includes AES 256-bit encryption, multiple protocols (IKEv2, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPsec), unlimited bandwidth, and unlimited simultaneous device connections.
So, you can now connect to multiple supported devices, some of which include Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. It is also applicable to all Kodi users.
If you’re as intrigued as I am of the idea of IPVanish, then you should test the waters with its free trial and 30-day refund.
However, if you still need a little more assurance; definitely check out the IPVanish review for its full performance results.
5. CyberGhost – Targets the protection of online privacy
| Price | $2.25/mo. |
| Refund | 45-Days |
| Website | CyberGhost |
Based in Romania, we have CyberGhost, another perfect VPN for accessing geo-blocked platforms in South Africa. Known to be one of the cheaper VPNs, having a huge display of servers, 6000+ servers in 90+ countries to be exact, it has around 10 dedicated servers towards Cape Town (South Africa).
This is perfect for accessing any restricted platforms within or outside the country.
What’s also great about CyberGhost is the fact that it has separate tabs for server locations dedicated to streaming and torrenting, making it easier for its customers.
Just like Surfshark, it’s also rich in security features like AES 256-bit encryption, supports all major protocols like L2TP, IKEv2 and OpenVPN, a Kill Switch, and a no-log policy; protecting all your data.
CyberGhost makes accessing all restricted content look like a piece of cake. With having dedicated servers in South Africa, you never have to worry about skipping out on your favorite show ever again. It’s able to break through many streaming platforms like that of Netflix, HBO GO, Hulu, Kodi, and other local channels within ZA.
To add to that, it also allows 7 simultaneous multi-device logins. Some of the platforms that it supports include Android, iOS, Windows, FireTV, macOS, and much more!
There are more in-app features for you to check in this CyberGhost review.
Speaking of compatibility, it also works with TOR providing double encryption. However, it’s better to know the positives and negatives of using TOR as compared to a VPN, before diving in.
So if you feel like testing the VPN, there’s a CyberGhost free trial with full premium access.
Besides this, it also sports a very good refund policy, with a 14-day refund for its 1-month plan and a huge 45-day refund for any plan exceeding one month.
How to choose a suitable VPN for South Africa
When you look for something in the market or need a particular product, you would usually go through the regular procedure of checking to make sure every product you buy is top quality and crosses every criterion on your check-list. Looking for a good VPN should be just the same.
For instance, when you look to buy a VPN, you mainly go for one that can secure your every online activity, while keeping your identity completely safe and masked.
But in this scenario, since we’re discussing the best VPN for South Africa. So, you’d probably want to check out a VPN that can not only add security but also be able to access geo-restricted websites that are usually blocked within the country.
It doesn’t matter if you need a VPN for your company, or need it for your home, there are always certain features that you need to bear in mind. These are:
- Look for advanced security like military-encryption and a functional Kill Switch.
- A huge array of servers that include locations in major parts of the world, including South Africa.
- A provider that honors the no-log policy and keeps your data protected.
- One that has great speeds and unlimited bandwidth.
- Holding all the major protocols for streaming.
- Supports all or main devices and has a multi-device simultaneous login
- And the assistance of a 24/7 support chat or helpline.
Why do you need the best VPN in South Africa?
The internet is a wonderful place to be on. However, at the same time, there are so many cyber-crimes prevailing everywhere in the world.
With this in mind, South Africa is known to be ranked as 3rd, packing the heaviest cybercrime rates, even until today.
Many statistics show, that thousands of attempted cyber-attacks prevail in South Africa on a daily basis. Most are misled in online activities by clicking on the wrong link at the wrong time, being scammed into unethical activities; using your data as leverage when hacked.
It was also seen, that in the year 2018, a bill was proposed by the UN, to allow internet freedom in South Africa, which was voted against by the ZA government. This may have been due to the kind of content that some providers in ZA produced. It may have been deemed as inappropriate, hence, blocking a number of local websites and allowing only a few towards locals.
So, if you’re surfing the net or even trying to gain access to unauthorized or restricted content, you need to be extra careful.
If ever you need to be able to stream restricted content from services like Netflix, you definitely need to get yourself a good VPN. For that, I’ve enlisted some of the best for South Africa, (Surfshark, CyberGhost, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, IPVanish) which are still working.
It really doesn’t matter if you’re a local, or just a visiting tourist who really needs to keep up with all the latest shows while on vacation. If you’re in South Africa, definitely get yourself one of these VPNs, protecting all your data and devices; masking your identity.
Can you use a free VPN for South Africa?
You could, but, that wouldn’t be the best choice. Most people who can’t spend big on VPN services or who assume VPN protection is just not worth it, opt for a free choice
There’s a reason why we pay for the best VPN services instead of using a free one.
They lack in providing enough server locations and necessary security features like a Kill Switch, good speeds, etc.
Free VPNs fail to keep their users’ data secure and usually sell them to third party companies. But if you still insist on using them, there are 4 free providers that offer functionality in South Africa:
You can also see a statement made by one Quora user:
To conclude
Regardless of whether you’re living within the country or overseas, using the best VPN for South Africa (Surfshark, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, IPVanish, and CyberGhost), can help you unlock a world of online possibilities.
It’ll take you on the biggest journey to access content in South Africa and anywhere. Using one of these choices will ensure you the best speeds, security, no-logging policies, and much more at affordable rates! They all come with risk-free refund policies, just in case you’re not satisfied with the services.
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