Best Free VPNs for South Africa - Top VPNs for People in SA

Best Free VPNs for South Africa

Several African countries have a history of internet censorship. However, South Africa is well known for internet freedom. Therefore, the need for a Virtual Private Network (VPN) may not be immediately apparent. However, accessing TV content like StarSat, Netflix South Africa, and MediaBox will be challenging if you leave South Africa.

Furthermore, your local banks may flag your accounts for fraud alerts if you try connecting from abroad. This is because these services use geo-restrictions to prevent foreign access. Yet again, while browsing inside South Africa, hackers and data snoops can compromise your data.

These are some reasons why you need the best free VPN for South Africa. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can hide your IP address. Then, you can get another IP address from any other country. If you obtain a South African IP address, for instance, you can unblock local South African content from abroad. 

Finally, a VPN can encrypt your internet connection, protecting you from cybercriminals. In this review, you’ll learn about the best free VPNs for South Africa.

Best Risk-Free VPNs for South Africa

Before reading about the free VPNs for South Africa, it’d be great to know your risk-free options. Risk-free VPNs are those that offer a money-back guarantee on their payment options. So, you can use the VPN “free” for some time. However, you must first pay the subscription fee. You can then request a hassle-free refund within the guarantee period.

Below, we discuss two excellent risk-free VPNs for South Africa.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN devices

Features

  • Number of servers: More than 3,000
  • Speeds: Unlimited
  • Server locations: 160 in 105 countries
  • Maximum devices supported: 5
  • 24 live chat: Yes
  • 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes

Pros/Cons

  • Fastest VPN out there
  • Strict no logs policy
  • 256-bit AES encryption
  • Few discounts
Visit ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is the best risk-free VPN for any purpose and in almost any country. With a presence in over 94 countries worldwide, ExpressVPN will have VPN solutions regardless of your location. In these countries, ExpressVPN maintains over 3000 servers in 160 server locations. ExpressVPN also has server locations in South Africa. So, you can get a South African IP address for a safer and more private internet.

ExpressVPN’s servers are suitable for various purposes. For example, you can safely torrent content with these South African servers. You can also unblock geo-restricted South African content. Whichever way you choose to use your South African ExpressVPN IP address, you’ll be able to do so at fast speeds.

While using this risk-free South African VPN, you’d enjoy the best internet security too. ExpressVPN protects your internet connection with AES 256-bit encryption. In addition, you can also browse privately and anonymously. This is because ExpressVPN has a strict no-log policy. 

South African internet users can also surf the net on various devices. ExpressVPN has apps for the major operating systems and gadgets. Importantly, you can protect five of these devices simultaneously on a single ExpressVPN subscription.

Finally, it’s noteworthy that ExpressVPN has slightly costly plans. However, its excellent services justify the costs. You can also get discounts on longer subscriptions, and there’s the 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Pros: Fastest VPN out there; Strict no logs policy; 256-bit AES encryption;
  • Lowest price: $6.67

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NordVPN

NordVPN devices

Features

  • Cryptocurrency accepted? Yes
  • Simultaneous connections: 6
  • Dedicated IP-addresses? Yes
  • Servers: 5342 in 58 countries

Pros/Cons

  • Lots of pricing options
  • Netflix support kept up to date
  • 256-bit AES encryption
  • Slow app
Visit NordVPN

You can use NordVPN risk-free for South Africa. Whether you’re connecting from within or outside South Africa, NordVPN has just the right features for you. Firstly, it has about 5200+ servers in 60 countries across the world. With 50+ servers in South Africa, including Johannesburg, NordVPN clearly has enough servers for risk-free South African users.

In addition, you can choose between NordVPN’s general and specialty South African servers. Specialty servers are clearly a better option. For example, with the specialty servers, you get the Double VPN feature. In addition, other special features such as P2P-dedicated servers and Onion Over VPN are also available. All the servers are fast and have solid unblocking features.

However, if you can’t choose the best NordVPN South African server, the Quick Connect feature can do the work for you. While connected to a NordVPN South African server, you can browse securely behind its 256-bit encryption. With this encryption, you’ll be safe from hackers on all continents. Similarly, no third party can access your connection logs. Since NordVPN wouldn’t save the logs, third parties can’t get their hands on them.

You can also use NordVPN risk-free on any device or operating system. You also get to use NordVPN on six devices simultaneously. Finally, you can use NordVPN risk-free with reasonable subscription costs. The money-back guarantee also applies to all payment plans.

  • Pros: Lots of pricing options; Netflix support kept up to date; 256-bit AES encryption;
  • Lowest price: $3.71

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Top 4 Free VPNs for South Africa

Having reviewed the best risk-free VPNs for South Africa, let’s consider the absolutely free options.

ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN devices

Features

  • P2P support? Yes
  • 30-day money-back guarantee? Yes
  • Country of origin? Switzerland
  • Servers: 600+ in over 40 countries
  • Simultaneous devices: 5

Pros/Cons

  • Professional support
  • Modern interface and apps
  • AES-256 encryption
  • Lesser known provider
Try ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN is a creation from the brains behind ProtonMail. It’s one of the best free VPNs you can use for South Africa. This VPN has a free and paid option. Some of its excellent VPN features are available to both free users and subscribers, though. That’s because the subscribers cover the cost of what free users enjoy.

ProtonVPN has about 1,300 servers in 55 countries around the world, including South Africa. As a free subscriber, though, you’ll only have access to about 23 of these servers in three countries. This country list includes the US, Netherlands, and Japan. Therefore, you can get an IP address and unblock content from any of these countries. In addition, you can connect to these free servers to encrypt your internet connection within South Africa.

The only downside is that you cannot unblock local South African content. However, whatever you do on ProtonVPN, you’ll remain safe behind its AES-256 encryption. The VPN also processes key exchange with 4096-bit RSA. 

Furthermore, you’d enjoy ProtonVPN’s strict no-log policy even as a free user.  This means that ProtonVPN is one of the free VPNs that would never sell your connection logs to third parties. Finally, you can only use ProtonVPN as a free VPN for South Africa on one personal device. If you want up to ten simultaneous connections, you have to upgrade to a paid option. 

  • Pros: Professional support; Modern interface and apps; AES-256 encryption;
  • Lowest price: €4

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Hideme

Hideme devices

Features

  • Number of servers: 2000+
  • Server locations: 75 locations
  • Maximum devices supported: 10
  • 24 live chat: Yes
  • 30 day money back guarantee: Yes

Pros/Cons

  • Has free option
  • No log policy
  • Secure connection
  • Not very cheap
Try Hideme

Hide.me is another excellent free VPN for South Africa. Like ProtonVPN, Hide.me offers both free and paid options. Paid subscribers would access over 2000 servers in about 75 countries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Hide.me even has a server in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

However, you only get five server locations with Hide.me’s free plan. These include the US, Germany, and Canada. Fortunately, these five servers have P2P support. You’ll need to sign in with your email address, though. There are many advantages of using Hide.me free for South Africa. Firstly, this VPN wouldn’t throttle your internet browsing speed. Furthermore, as a free South African user, Hide.me will still protect your connection with AES 256-bit encryption.

Yet again, it stores no user logs and connection data. Therefore, they can’t sell this data to third parties for profit. Hide.me even blocks ads, malware, and trackers from malicious websites. Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages to using Hide.me free for South Africa. For example, you only get 10GB of data monthly with this VPN. 

However, if you aren’t a heavy internet user, 10GB may not be too bad for you. In addition, you cannot use Hide.me on multiple devices. Hide.me reserves this feature for its paid subscribers. However, the VPN has apps for many gadgets and operating systems.

  • Pros: Has free option; No log policy; Secure connection;
  • Lowest price: €4.99

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HotspotShield

HotspotShield devices

Features

  • Unlimited data? Yes
  • Simultaneous connections: 5
  • Military grade encryption? Yes
  • Servers: Over 3200 in 80+ countries

Pros/Cons

  • Unlimited HD streaming
  • Blocks malware
  • 256-bit AES encryption
  • Unreliable support
Try HotspotShield

We have another excellent pick for South Africa – Hotspot Shield.  This VPN also has paid and free plans. Impressively, its server spread covers over 80 countries and 35 cities. However, free users can access only one server location in the US. Worse still, you get only 500MB daily data that translates to about 15GB each month. Considering what other VPNs offer, this isn’t a terrible option.

Ordinarily, you can secure five of your devices with Hotspot Shield. However, you can only use Hotspot Shield free on one gadget. This free connection would lead to minimal browsing and streaming speeds of about 2Mbps. Furthermore, you don’t get to Hotspot Shield’s gaming support or 24/7 customer care attention.

Fortunately, while using Hotspot Shield free for South Africa, you will enjoy military-grade encryption. This VPN also wouldn’t store your lone device’s connection logs. Notably, too, this single device could be Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, or Chrome. 

If you prefer not to use Hotspot Shield free for South Africa, you can use its free trial. This free trial lasts for seven days. However, you get to enjoy all of Hotspot Shield’s features for these seven days. After the trial period, you can then subscribe to this VPN or continue using it free.

  • Pros: Unlimited HD streaming; Blocks malware; 256-bit AES encryption;
  • Lowest price: $6.99

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TrustZone

TrustZone devices

Features

  • Complete anonymity? Yes
  • Unblocking of all websites? Yes
  • Pricing options: 4
  • Servers: 164 in 80+ zones
  • Free trial: Yes

Pros/Cons

  • Military grade encryption
  • Bitcoin accepted
  • App for mobile devices
  • Lesser known provider
Try TrustZone

Trust.Zone is our last VPN choice for South Africa. This VPN has several servers in 98 zones worldwide, including Asia, Africa, Europe, and America. This is an impressive server spread for a free VPN. What’s more? Trust.Zone has a server in South Africa. 

However, Trust.Zone isn’t “free” in the same manner as other VPNs above. Instead, you can use Trust.Zone free for ONLY three days. Within these three days, you’ll enjoy all of Trust.Zone’s features. This includes military-grade encryption for one device.

Furthermore, you’ll benefit from Trust.Zone’s strict zero-logging policy. So, this VPN wouldn’t store or sell your connection logs like other free VPNs.

Trust.Zone’s servers also have significant unblocking capacities. So, they can quickly get you into local South African platforms from anywhere. You even get solid VPN protocols like OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec. Unfortunately, Trust.Zone also places a data cap for those free three days. This means you only get to use 1GB of data. For better options, you have to pay for Trust.Zone’s monthly, annual, or bi-annual subscriptions. Finally, you can register on Trust.Zone with your email address or through your social media accounts.

  • Pros: Military grade encryption; Bitcoin accepted; App for mobile devices;
  • Lowest price: €3

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How to Choose a Free VPN for South Africa

Using a free VPN can expose you to certain risks. Therefore, choosing a free VPN isn’t a decision you should make lightly. So, here are three questions you must ask before jumping on a free VPN.

How Many Servers Does the VPN Have?

This question is crucial because the more servers a VPN has, the more your options. Many servers mean you can unblock a lot of restricted content. However, few servers mean some of your favorite content may yet be inaccessible.

Can I Sign Up Anonymously?

If you’re choosing a free VPN, you need to know whether you can opt-in totally anonymously. This is because you need to reduce the data you allow free VPNs access. So, VPNs that grant you access without your email address are excellent.

Does the VPN Guarantee Online Security?

Using a free VPN for South Africa doesn’t mean you should expose your internet connection. Instead, you can check for free VPNs that still encrypt your data. This way, you can stay safe from cybercriminals while browsing.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Free VPN for South Africa

Is it legal to use a VPN in South Africa?

Yes, it’s lawful to use a VPN in South Africa. South Africa is among the countries that neither ban nor restrict the use of VPNs. However, like most other countries, what you do with your VPN affects its legality. For example, committing cyber crimes cannot become legal because you use a VPN. Torrenting copyrighted content can also get you into trouble with the law. Notably, if you’re using a VPN abroad to unblock local South African content, it’ll help to check the VPN laws of your resident country.

Can I get a dedicated South African VPN IP address?

Yes, you can get a unique South African IP address from a VPN. You share the default IP address you get from a VPN with other VPN users. However, you can request for a dedicated IP address. Notably, though, not all VPN service providers offer this option. The VPNs that provide unique IP addresses usually demand an extra fee for the service. Therefore, it’s doubtful that a free VPN can grant you a dedicated South African IP address. So, you may have to consider a risk-free VPN.

Are free VPNs worth it for South Africa?

Well, free VPNs are clearly not the best options for South African users. However, the prospect of enjoying VPN services without paying is still attractive. It’s thus crucial to know what you lose with a free VPN. Firstly, many free VPNs compromise users’ security and privacy. Since they need money to remain in business, they often sell users’ data to third parties. 

Furthermore, free VPNs have many other downsides. They include bandwidth and download caps, throttling, and sub-standard servers. Risk-free VPNs are thus the best choices for enjoying the best VPN services. 

Conclusion 

Indeed, as a South African, you probably enjoy better internet freedom than other African countries. However, that doesn’t mean that you don’t need a VPN. The truth is that government censorship isn’t the only thing you escape with a VPN. In fact, there are online threats worse than government censorship. 

Therefore, it’ll be best to secure your internet connection with the best free VPNs for South Africa. In addition, you can expand your internet access with free VPN servers in several countries. It would be best if you considered the risk-free VPNs on this list first, though.