How many prepaid units can I get after fees and block tariffs?

How it works

Understand the estimate

First subtract any purchase fee. The remainder buys units in the first block and then, if enough is left, in the second block. For example, a R500 recharge with no fee at R2.80/kWh for the first 350 kWh yields about 178.6 kWh.

Make it more accurate

If a block threshold applies to total monthly consumption rather than each recharge, adjust for units purchased earlier this month.

These figures are examples based on editable inputs. They do not represent verified current rates, supplier prices or quotes.

Why R500 buys different units in different homes

Prepaid electricity is sometimes purchased through increasing block tariffs. Fixed charges and available free or subsidised allocations can change the effective amount too. The example tariff blocks in this tool are deliberately editable, not a claim about your local municipality.

Try the numbers: Imagine R500 is available for electricity, R40 is deducted in charges, the first 100 kWh costs R2.50 each, and subsequent units cost R3.50. The first block uses R250; the remaining R210 buys another 60 kWh. The total is 160 kWh, not 200 kWh.

Before relying on the estimate

Before trusting any estimate, confirm whether your purchased token shows energy units separately from service fees and VAT. Record one or two real purchases to establish a useful benchmark.

For more detail, read our calculation and editorial standards. The current price and personal circumstances must come from you; we do not fetch or invent live supplier rates.