SARS
South African Revenue Service — tax filing and compliance portal.
SARS at a glance
SARS is a government website and one of the most visited sites in South Africa, currently ranked #7 in the country. It was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Pretoria, South Africa. Today SARS is owned by South African Revenue Service. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 10 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through not advertising funded — public service portal. Its closest rivals include gov.za.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 9.4 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 9.7 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 10 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 10.6 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct49%
- Organic search40%
- Referral7%
- Social3%
- Email1%
Audience & demographics
- Men51%
- Women49%
- Age 25-3427%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
The audience is concentrated in South Africa, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- South Africa94%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets3%
- Europe1%
- North America1%
- Rest of world1%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 3 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- South Africa
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| sars | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| official application | Top 10 | High | — |
| tax payment | Top 10 | High | — |
| id document | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the South Africa web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 69% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading government apps in South Africa
Company information
- Website
- sars.gov.za
- Sector
- Government
- Owner
- South African Revenue Service
- Owner type
- Government agency
- Founded
- 1997
- Headquarters
- Pretoria, South Africa
- Ownership
- South African Revenue Service controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, referral
Financials
- Revenue
- Not publicly disclosed
- Ownership
- Government agency
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
SARS operates an official government service portal focused on South Africa. South African Revenue Service — tax filing and compliance portal. Revenue comes mainly from not advertising funded — public service portal, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Not advertising funded — public service portal
International presence
- Primary market
- South Africa
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (South Africa)
- #7 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading government site in South Africa
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| gov.za | ≈ 6 million / month | #8 class competitor | — |
What is SARS?
SARS (sars.gov.za) is an official government service portal serving users in South Africa. South African Revenue Service — tax filing and compliance portal. It ranks #7 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the government category.
Who owns SARS?
The site is operated by South African Revenue Service. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Pretoria, South Africa.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place SARS at roughly 10 million visits per month, about 0.3 million per day. Around 69% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 4.6 pages per visit with an average session of 6 min.
How SARS makes money
Revenue comes primarily from not advertising funded — public service portal, alongside .
Competitors in South Africa
Its closest rivals include gov.za.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1997
SARS is founded in Pretoria, South Africa.
- Growth phase
Expands its government offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #7 among the most visited websites in South Africa.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Official source for public services and documents
- Digital identity login replaces office visits
- No advertising or tracking clutter
- Accessible design requirements
Cons
- Navigation across departments is confusing
- Peak-time queues and downtime
- Some services still require paper steps
- Support channels are limited
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns SARS?
SARS is operated by South African Revenue Service. Government agency structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is SARS headquartered?
SARS is headquartered in Pretoria, South Africa.
When was SARS founded?
SARS was founded in 1997.
What is SARS's revenue?
SARS does not publish standalone revenue; income comes from not advertising funded — public service portal.
Who are SARS's competitors?
Main competitors in South Africa include gov.za.
How does SARS make money?
Mainly not advertising funded — public service portal.
Is SARS publicly traded?
SARS's ownership: Government agency.
How many visitors does SARS get?
Third-party estimates place SARS at roughly 10 million visits per month, mostly from South Africa, with 69% mobile traffic.
Is SARS safe?
SARS is an established government site founded in 1997 and ranked #7 in South Africa; use the official domain sars.gov.za and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementssars.gov.za
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageSouth Africa and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos