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Mobile Recharge · South Africa

Recharge South Africa
in seconds.

6 South Africa operators can be topped up here (MTN, Vodacom, MTN South Africa Data, Vodacom South Africa Data, Telkom, Telkom South Africa Data), with plans from $2.55 to $72.08. MTN, Vodacom, MTN South Africa Data, Vodacom South Africa Data and Telkom tie for the most credit per dollar today, about ZAR 8.67 per $1. The cheapest way to keep a number active is Vodacom South Africa Data at $6.98 for 30 days (Vodacom 500MB 30d), about 23¢ a day. Prices checked 30 October 2026.

✓ Delivered in seconds, or your money back. If the operator rejects it, you get a full refund.

VodacomMTNTelkom+ 700 more carriers, 170+ countries

How to recharge a South African number

  1. Enter the number. Type the South African mobile number with +27, for example +27 71 123 4567 (drop the leading 0). The operator is detected automatically.
  2. Pick a plan. Choose a top-up or bundle. The price shown includes the Slashtel service fee, with nothing added at checkout.
  3. Pay and send. Pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The credit is sent to the phone, usually within minutes, and you get an email confirmation.
South Africa number format
Written locally071 123 4567Enter here+27 71 123 4567Digits after +279

Drop the leading 0 when you add +27.

Example format only, not a real number. Source: Google libphonenumber data.

How to recharge a South Africa number from abroad

  1. 1Enter the number. Type the South Africa mobile number with the country code (+27). The operator is detected automatically; no account or app needed.
  2. 2Pick a plan. Choose airtime or a data or validity plan, from $2.55. What the number receives and the validity are shown before you pay.
  3. 3Pay by card. Pay from abroad with Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Your bank may ask you to confirm in its app; that takes a few seconds.
  4. 4Delivered in minutes. The recharge lands on the number within about a minute and you get a receipt by email. If the operator rejects it, you are refunded in full.
Operators
6
Plans listed
42
Price range
$2.55 to $72.08
Most credit per $1
MTN, Vodacom, MTN South Africa Data, Vodacom South Africa Data, Telkom, ZAR 8.67
Cheapest to keep active
Vodacom South Africa Data, about 23¢ a day
Validity range
1 to 30 days
Country code
+27
Local currency
ZAR

Operators compared

OperatorPlansFromCredit per $1 (best plan)Cheapest per day (28+ days)Validity
MTN7$5.45ZAR 8.67No long plansOperator default
Vodacom7$5.45ZAR 8.67No long plansOperator default
MTN South Africa Data8$2.65ZAR 8.65No long plans1 to 30 days
Vodacom South Africa Data8$4.36ZAR 8.6523¢ (30-day plan)1 to 30 days
Telkom7$5.45ZAR 8.63No long plansOperator default
Telkom South Africa Data5$2.55ZAR 8.23No long plansOperator default

Live prices checked 30 October 2026, including our service fee. Cost per day uses the cheapest plan lasting 28 days or more, useful for keeping a number active.

South Africa plans and prices

Telkom South Africa Data recharge

PlanOn the phoneYou pay
Telkom Weekly 100MBZAR 16$2.55
Telkom Weekly 250MBZAR 32$4.38
Telkom Weekly 500MBZAR 53$6.79
Telkom Weekly 1GBZAR 79$9.78
Telkom Weekly 2GBZAR 105$12.76

Telkom recharge

PlanOn the phoneYou pay
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 41.46$5.45
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 62.19$7.83
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 104$12.59
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 207$24.49
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 311$36.39
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 415$48.29
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 622$72.08

Vodacom South Africa Data recharge

PlanValidityOn the phoneYou pay
Vodacom 3GB 1d1 daysZAR 32$4.36
Vodacom 500MB 30d30 daysZAR 55$6.98
Vodacom 1.5GB 7d7 daysZAR 75$9.26
Vodacom 3GB 7d7 daysZAR 110$13.25
Vodacom 7.5GB 7d7 daysZAR 220$25.82
Vodacom LTE 20GB+20GB 30d30 daysZAR 229$26.84
Vodacom LTE 50GB+50GB 30d30 daysZAR 379$43.98
Vodacom LTE 100GB+100GB 30d30 daysZAR 479$55.39

MTN recharge

PlanOn the phoneYou pay
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 41.68$5.45
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 62.52$7.83
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 104$12.59
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 208$24.49
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 313$36.39
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 417$48.29
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 625$72.08

MTN South Africa Data recharge

PlanValidityOn the phoneYou pay
250MB data1 daysZAR 17$2.65
Weekly 250MB data7 daysZAR 30$4.12
1GB data1 daysZAR 33$4.47
Weekly 1.2GB data7 daysZAR 69$8.60
Weekly 2.5GB data7 daysZAR 105$12.68
Weekly 6GB data7 daysZAR 210$24.68
Monthly 3.5GB + 3.5GB data30 daysZAR 215$25.25
Monthly 12GB + 12GB data30 daysZAR 499$57.68

Vodacom recharge

PlanOn the phoneYou pay
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 41.68$5.45
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 62.51$7.83
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 104$12.59
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 208$24.49
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 313$36.39
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 417$48.29
Airtime top-up≈ ZAR 625$72.08

Live from the operators, updated 30 October 2026. Prices are in US dollars and include our service fee; nothing is added at checkout. Enter the number above for the exact plans on that line.

Why recharge here

Built for life between two countries

Keep your South African number alive

Bank OTPs, banking apps and ID verification all need your home SIM active. A small recharge every validity cycle keeps it working while you're abroad.

Send credit home in seconds

Parents' phone out of balance? Recharge it from here with your card and they get it before you've closed the tab.

One account, everything

Same Slashtel account as your travel eSIM. One WhatsApp support line for both. Data without borders, in both directions.

Supported operators

Every major South African carrier

Vodacom
Prepaid top-up · instant
Auto-detect
MTN
Prepaid top-up · instant
Auto-detect
Telkom
Prepaid top-up · instant
Auto-detect

Enter the number and we detect the operator automatically. Plans and amounts shown are live from the operator.

Pay with a card from any country. Top up numbers in South Africa with a Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay or Google Pay issued anywhere (debit or credit; prepaid and gift cards are not accepted). No local bank account, local wallet or local number needed.

Country code +27: how to call South Africa and its number format.

Questions, answered

What is the cheapest way to keep a South African number active from abroad?

Vodacom South Africa Data at $6.98 for 30 days (Vodacom 500MB 30d), about 23¢ a day, as of 30 October 2026. .

Which South Africa operator gives the most credit per dollar?

MTN, Vodacom, MTN South Africa Data, Vodacom South Africa Data, Telkom, at about ZAR 8.67 per $1 on 30 October 2026, against ZAR 8.23 per $1 for Telkom South Africa Data.

How do I enter a South African mobile number?

Enter it with the country code +27. A number written locally as 071 123 4567 becomes +27 71 123 4567, so drop the leading 0 after the country code. South African mobile numbers have 9 digits after the country code. The example is a format guide, not a real number.

How do I recharge a South African mobile number from abroad?

Enter the number with the country code, pick a plan and pay by card. The operator is detected automatically and the credit goes straight to the phone. You do not need an account or a bank account in South Africa.

Which South Africa operators can I top up?

Telkom South Africa Data, Telkom, Vodacom South Africa Data, MTN, MTN South Africa Data and Vodacom. Plans and prices on this page are live from each operator.

How much does it cost to recharge a South African number?

Plans currently start from $2.55 and go up to $72.08, including our service fee. The exact price is shown before you pay, with no extra charges at checkout.

Can I recharge a South African number from the UK, UAE, USA or Canada?

Yes. From the UK, UAE, USA, Canada or anywhere else, enter the number with +27, pick a plan and pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. You see the full price before paying, and the credit usually reaches the South Africa number within minutes.

Can I recharge someone else's number in South Africa?

Yes. Slashtel tops up any prepaid number in South Africa, your own or a family member's. You only need the number; the person does not need an account.

What if I enter the wrong number?

Recharges are delivered instantly and cannot be reversed once they reach a valid number, so check the number before you pay. If the operator rejects the number, Slashtel resends or refunds you in full.

What currency do I pay in?

Prices on this page are in US dollars and include the Slashtel service fee. At checkout your card may be shown and charged in your local currency, and the exact amount is confirmed before you pay.

Is it safe to pay on Slashtel?

Yes. Payments are processed by Stripe with 3D Secure where your bank supports it, and Slashtel never sees or stores your full card details.

How long does the recharge take?

Most recharges arrive within a few minutes. If the phone is switched off, the credit lands when it next connects. You get a confirmation email with your order reference.

What happens if the recharge fails?

If the operator rejects the recharge, we resend it. If it still can't be delivered, write to esim@slashtel.com or message us on WhatsApp with your order reference and we'll sort it out.

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