Add or remove VAT, or work back from a VAT amount. Shows net, VAT and total, with South Africa’s 15% as the default rate.
South Africa
Digital tools and online services for South African users and businesses
Most software reviews are written for the US or UK. This section covers what matters locally: VAT and SARS rules, rand pricing, local payments, WhatsApp, .co.za hosting and data costs. Throughout, we explain which situations a tool may suit, rather than naming a “best” one.
Browse by category
Business Tools
Everyday tools for running a small business: scheduling, customer management, automation and organising work.
WhatsApp Business · Calendly · HubSpot CRM · Zoho CRM
Website HostingHosting, domains and email for your website, including local providers that sell .co.za domains, plus WordPress, the software many hosted sites run on.
HOSTAFRICA · Domains.co.za · xneelo · Afrihost
EcommercePlatforms for selling online, and what to check about local payments, delivery and consumer rules before you build a store.
WooCommerce · Shopify · Wix · Squarespace
PaymentsWays to take card and online payments locally. Fees, settlement times and the documents you’ll need vary by provider.
Yoco · Payfast
WhatsApp BusinessSelling and supporting customers on WhatsApp, from the free WhatsApp Business app to tools that manage messages alongside Facebook and Instagram.
WhatsApp Business · Meta Business Suite
AccountingBookkeeping and accounting tools, and what to check about VAT, bank feeds and your accountant before you choose.
Sage Accounting · Xero · QuickBooks Online
InvoicingCreate invoices and quotes, add VAT correctly and get paid, from free generators to full accounting software.
Zoho Invoice · Sage Accounting · Xero
MarketingEmail, social media and design tools, and the consent rules that apply to direct marketing in South Africa.
MailerLite · Brevo · Mailchimp · Buffer
Creator ToolsEditing, recording and channel tools for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and podcasts.
YouTube Studio · CapCut · DaVinci Resolve · Canva
AI ToolsAI assistants and creative tools, and what to watch for with costs, privacy and accuracy.
ChatGPT · Claude · Perplexity · NotebookLM
Free South African calculators and generators
Set up for South Africa (15% VAT, SARS tax tables, rands), and free to use in your browser.
Convert pay between hourly, monthly and annual, and estimate South African PAYE and UIF.
Calculate gross and net profit from price, unit cost, units sold and fixed costs.
Find the selling price from cost and markup, or the markup from cost and price.
Add up start-up and running costs to see monthly spend, first-year cost and cash runway.
Create a professional invoice or tax invoice with VAT, then download it as a PDF or print it.
Key South African figures
The rates and thresholds our tools and guides use. Each is checked against an official source and shows the date we verified it. If a figure passes its review date before we re-check it, it’s flagged here automatically.
| Figure | Value | In effect from | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| VAT standard rate | 15% Planned increases announced in the 2025 Budget were reversed. ⚠ This may be out of date: it was due for re-checking on 28 February 2027. Check the source. | 1 April 2018 | SARS — Value-Added Tax Verified 16 October 2026 |
| Compulsory VAT registration | Taxable supplies over R2.3 million in 12 months Previously R1 million. ⚠ This may be out of date: it was due for re-checking on 28 February 2027. Check the source. | 1 April 2026 | SARS — Value-Added Tax Verified 16 October 2026 |
| Voluntary VAT registration | Taxable supplies over R120,000 in the past 12 months Previously R50,000. Other conditions apply. ⚠ This may be out of date: it was due for re-checking on 28 February 2027. Check the source. | 1 April 2026 | SARS — Value-Added Tax Verified 16 October 2026 |
| Current tax year (individuals) | 1 March 2026 – 28 February 2027 (“2027 year of assessment”) ⚠ This may be out of date: it was due for re-checking on 28 February 2027. Check the source. | 1 March 2026 | SARS — Rates of tax for individuals Verified 16 October 2026 |
| Income tax threshold (under 65) | R99,000 a year R153,250 for 65–74; R171,300 for 75 and older. ⚠ This may be out of date: it was due for re-checking on 28 February 2027. Check the source. | 1 March 2026 | SARS — Rates of tax for individuals Verified 16 October 2026 |
| UIF contributions | 1% employee + 1% employer, on earnings up to R17,712 a month ⚠ This may be out of date: it was due for re-checking on 28 February 2027. Check the source. | 1 June 2021 (ceiling) | SARS — Unemployment Insurance Fund Verified 16 October 2026 |
| Retirement contribution deduction | Up to 27.5% of remuneration or taxable income, capped at R430,000 a year Previously R350,000. ⚠ This may be out of date: it was due for re-checking on 28 February 2027. Check the source. | 1 March 2026 | National Treasury — Budget 2026 Tax Guide Verified 16 October 2026 |
General information, not legal or tax advice. Laws, tax rates and regulations change. Tax figures shown here were checked against SARS and National Treasury on the dates given, but always confirm current figures with SARS or a registered tax practitioner. Check official sources, such as SARS, the Information Regulator and the relevant Acts, or ask a qualified professional before you make decisions. Tool details come from each tool’s ToolTarvern profile and may have changed. Check the vendor’s own site.
Six things to check before you choose software in South Africa
Rand or dollar billing?
Subscriptions billed in US dollars or euros change in rand terms with the exchange rate. Check the currency before you budget.
VAT on invoices
If you’re a VAT vendor, your invoicing or accounting software must produce tax invoices with the details SARS requires.
Local payments
Customers expect local cards and instant EFT. Check that your store or invoicing tool supports a South African payment gateway.
Bank feeds
Automatic bank feeds save hours. Confirm support for your specific bank before choosing accounting software.
POPIA
If you store personal information about customers, the Protection of Personal Information Act applies. Know where your tools store data and how to export or delete it.
Data and power
Many customers browse on mobile data, and load-shedding can interrupt work. Lightweight sites, offline-friendly apps and backups help.
South African guides
AI tools for South African creators
How South African creators can use AI for scripts, voiceovers, editing and research — and what to check about dollar billing, data costs, accuracy and POPIA.
· 7 min read
Ecommerce tools available in South Africa
Selling online in South Africa: hosted stores vs WooCommerce, local payment gateways such as PayFast and Yoco, delivery, VAT on prices and the consumer rules to check.
· 8 min read
How to calculate VAT manually in South Africa (with worked examples)
Add or remove 15% VAT by hand, work back from a VAT amount, avoid the most common mistake, and get rounding right — with formulas for spreadsheets too.
· 7 min read
How to choose business software without wasting money
A practical, step-by-step process for picking software for a small business — from listing the job to running a free trial that actually tells you something.
· 8 min read
How to write an invoice in South Africa (and when it must be a tax invoice)
What to put on an invoice, when it needs to be a tax invoice, how to show VAT, and practical tips for getting paid faster — with a free invoice generator.
· 7 min read
How VAT works in South Africa: a plain-English guide
What VAT is, who charges it, output and input tax, zero-rated vs exempt supplies, and what it means for your prices — with a worked example.
· 7 min read
Invoice software for South African businesses
How to choose invoicing software in South Africa: tax invoices, the R2.3 million VAT registration threshold, bank feeds, and when a free generator is enough.
· 7 min read
Online booking tools for South African businesses
Let customers book online: what to look for in a booking tool, how WhatsApp fits in, public holidays, deposits and no-shows — for South African businesses.
· 6 min read
VAT-inclusive vs VAT-exclusive pricing: which to use and when
When to show prices including or excluding VAT, how to avoid quoting mistakes, how to set retail price points, and how to compare supplier quotes fairly.
· 6 min read
Website tools for South African small businesses
How to choose between a website builder, WordPress with local hosting and a .co.za domain — with the costs, checks and free tools South African small businesses need.
· 7 min read
WhatsApp tools for South African businesses
Use WhatsApp for sales and support: the Business app vs the Business Platform, catalogues, click-to-chat links, QR codes, consent and POPIA.
· 7 min read
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