Independent Analysis | Updated Regularly

Find the Cheapest Data in South Africa Right Now

Compare MTN, Vodacom, Telkom, Cell C and Rain. Get practical tools and clear next steps.

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Estimate your monthly needs

Video Streaming (HD)
1 hrs/day
Social Media
2 hrs/day
Messaging & Chat
1 hrs/day
Web Browsing
1 hrs/day
R
Estimated Monthly Need
61.5GB
Cheapest OptionTelkom

Telkom WhatsApp 250MB Daily

250MB • 1 Day
R4
Best Value OptionRain

Rain Unlimited 4G

Unlimited • 30 Days
R479
Recommended for Heavy UsersRain

Rain Unlimited 4G

Unlimited • 30 Days
R479

Telkom gives you 250MB for R4, which is R16.00 per GB.

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USSD Code Finder

Instant access to network services

VodacomBalance

Check Balance

*135#
VodacomData

Buy Data

*135*2#
VodacomData

Transfer Data

*135*1002#
VodacomOther

Check My Number

*135*501#
MTNBalance

Check Balance

*136#
MTNData

Buy Data

*136*2#

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Compare Data Prices by Network

See live network cards and jump directly to each operator hub.

V

Vodacom

12 active deals
Vodacom Hourly 50MB50MB
R5
Vodacom Daily 250MB250MB
R27
Cheapest Cost/GBR6.98
Updated: 8 May 2026
Compare Vodacom Data Prices
M

MTN

11 active deals
MTN Monthly 50GB50GB
R299
MTN Monthly 10GB10GB
R149
Cheapest Cost/GBR5.98
Updated: 8 May 2026
Compare MTN Data Prices
Best Value
T

Telkom

10 active deals
Telkom Daily 150MB150MB
R8
Telkom Daily 1GB1GB
R23
Cheapest Cost/GBR4.73
Updated: 8 May 2026
Compare Telkom Data Prices
C

Cell C

10 active deals
Cell C Daily 100MB100MB
R7
Cell C Daily 1GB1GB
R25
Cheapest Cost/GBR9.97
Updated: 8 May 2026
Compare Cell C Data Prices
R

Rain

2 active deals
Rain Unlimited 4GUnlimited
R479
Rain Unlimited 5GUnlimited
R599
Cheapest Cost/GBUnlimitedFrom R479/month
Updated: 8 May 2026
Compare Rain Data Prices

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Independent Scorecard

Benchmark comparison for Q1 2026

Coverage
Vodacom99.8% (Gold Standard)
MTN99.2% (Excellent)
Telkom95% (Good in Cities)
Cell C96% (Roaming on MTN)
RainUrban Metros only
Avg. 5G
Vodacom160 Mbps
MTN145 Mbps
Telkom110 Mbps
Cell C90 Mbps
Rain200 Mbps+
Resilience
VodacomHigh investment in backup
MTNAggressive Battery Rollout
TelkomModerate backup infrastructure
Cell CDependent on partners
RainHigh (Newer infrastructure)
Price Point
VodacomPremium pricing
MTNAggressive Promos
TelkomBudget Friendly
Cell CValue focused
RainUnlimited Fixed-LTE

*Cell C roams on MTN/Vodacom infrastructure in most areas.

Market Leader
Budget King

The Final Verdict

Winner for Value

MTN

With a lower average cost per GB and frequent "Boosta" bundles, MTN consistently delivers more data for less Rand.

Budget Champion

Telkom

Telkom's prepaid data remains the cheapest "Anytime" data in the country, often dropping below R5/GB for urban users.

Winner for Speed

Vodacom

Vodacom's 5G footprint and throughput remain the most consistent in urban metros according to recent benchmarks.