A free income tax calculator for South Africa
This salary tax calculator is a combined PAYE and UIF calculator built around the latest SARS tables. Enter your gross pay and it works out your monthly income tax, your Unemployment Insurance Fund contribution, and the net salary that actually lands in your bank account. It works equally well as a PAYE calculator South Africa employees can trust for a payslip check, or as a quick planning tool before you accept a new offer.
You do not need to sign up or give an email address - results appear instantly in your browser as you type, and nothing you enter is stored.
How South African income tax is worked out
SARS uses a sliding scale of tax rates rather than a single flat rate. Your annual taxable income is split across brackets, and each portion is taxed at its own percentage - from 18% on the first band up to 45% on the highest. Your taxable income is your gross earnings less allowable deductions such as pension, provident or retirement annuity contributions. The calculator above annualises your salary, applies the bracket rates for the tax year you select, then subtracts your age rebate to reach the final PAYE figure.
Rebates, tax credits and what reduces your bill
Every taxpayer gets a primary rebate, with extra secondary and tertiary rebates from age 65 and 75. On top of these, medical aid contributions earn monthly medical scheme fee tax credits that lower the income tax you owe, and money paid into a retirement annuity is deducted from your taxable income before tax is calculated. Use the "Other deductions" field to add items like medical aid or retirement annuity premiums and see the effect on your net salary in real time.
PAYE and UIF: the two main payslip deductions
PAYE (Pay As You Earn) is the income tax your employer withholds each month and pays over to SARS. UIF is a separate 1% contribution, matched by your employer, capped on the first R17,712 of monthly earnings. Independent contractors usually do not pay UIF, so you can switch it off in the calculator for a self-employed estimate.
2025, 2026 and projected 2027 tax years
The tool lets you compare net pay across the 2025 and 2026 SARS tax years using official tax rates, plus a projected 2027 option for forward planning. Switching the tax year recalculates your taxable income, PAYE and take-home pay instantly so you can see how bracket and rebate changes affect your salary.
This income tax calculator provides estimates based on standard SARS rules and is for guidance only. Always confirm your exact liability with SARS or a registered tax practitioner.