A guide, not a sales page
What is a captive portal, and does your venue need one?
This page answers the questions South African venue owners ask before they start shopping: what a captive portal actually is, what it costs here, how it sits with POPIA, and when a venue is better off leaving its WiFi alone. When you want the product rather than the explanation, go to our hotspot management and captive portal software page.
Packages start at R399 per location per month, ex VAT. Support is Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00 SAST.
FAQ
Common captive portal questions.
What is a captive portal?
A captive portal is the branded login page a guest sees before they get internet access on a public or guest Wi-Fi network. It is where you put your name, set the rules for access, and ask for consent if you want the guest’s details.
What does a captive portal cost in South Africa?
Hotwireless packages are R399, R599 or R799 per location per month, ex VAT. R399 gives you the branded page with one tap to connect. R599 adds guest name, email and cell capture. R799 adds visitor numbers, new versus returning guests, busy times and how long guests stay connected. Hardware and installation are quoted separately per site.
Can I offer free access, vouchers and paid access?
Yes, on every package. Access can be free, free but advertising-supported, voucher-based, or paid, and you can set time and bandwidth limits per access tier.
How does POPIA consent work?
The login step carries plain-language consent wording, and where a guest gives their name, email and cell number, consent is captured at that moment. On the R399 package no guest details are collected at all.
Is guest Wi-Fi safe to run next to my card machine?
Guests are kept off your own network, so a card machine or an office PC is not sitting on the same network as the public.
When does a venue not need a captive portal?
If nobody outside your own staff ever uses the WiFi, a portal is solving a problem you do not have. The same goes for a venue where the WiFi is genuinely just for the card machine. A portal earns its keep once the public are on the network, once you want their details, or once one guest can slow the line down for everyone else.
Can we charge guests for access?
Yes. Vouchers and paid tiers are part of every package, and the price is yours to set. That side of it is explained on our WiFi billing and vouchers page.
Do you supply the router?
Yes. The equipment is ours to supply, set up and look after. Nobody at the venue has to log into anything, and a change to the login page or the access rules does not need a technician on site.
Use cases
Built around real South African venues.
The same captive portal is tuned for a coffee shop, a hotel, a public hotspot or a community Wi-Fi project.
Restaurants and cafes
Repeat visits and simple guest data capture.
Hotels and accommodation
Guest access, rate limits and branded landing pages.
Community free WiFi
Sponsor-funded public hotspots with fair access controls.
WiFi billing and vouchers
Charge for access, or hand out vouchers by time or data allowance.
Still deciding what your venue needs?
Tell us about the site and we will recommend one of the three packages, then quote you on the hardware and installation.
Or call us on 071 437 6694