Tap any code to copy it, then dial to check your balance — no data needed.
| Check data balance | *135# |
| Check airtime balance | *100# |
| Buy data bundle | *135*1# |
| Buy Night Owl data | *135*2# |
| Send Please Call Me | *111*[number]# |
| Customer care | 082 111 |
| Check data balance | *136# |
| Check airtime balance | *136*1# |
| Buy data bundle | *136*2# |
| Buy WhatsApp bundle | *136*3# |
| Send Please Call Me | *121*[number]# |
| Customer care | 083 135 |
| Check data balance | *188# |
| Check airtime balance | *188*1# |
| Buy data bundle | *188*3# |
| Send Please Call Me | *140*[number]# |
| Check own number | *1# |
| Customer care | 081 180 |
| Check data balance | *101# |
| Check airtime balance | *101*1# |
| Buy data bundle | *147# |
| Send Please Call Me | *168*[number]# |
| Customer care | 084 140 |
| Check balance / buy data | rain.co.za app |
| Customer support | 0800 20 RAIN |
| Rain has no USSD menu — all account management is through their website or app. | |
USSD codes work even when you have no data left — they use the basic phone network, not internet.
Save a screenshot to your phone gallery so you always have the codes, even when offline.
Where a code says [number], replace it with the actual phone number before dialling.
USSD is instant — no loading, no login. The quickest way to check your balance mid-call.
A USSD code is one of those short strings that starts with a star and ends with a hash, like the ones you dial to check your balance. The most important thing about them is that they work with no data and no airtime. When your bundle is finished and you cannot open an app, a USSD code still lets you check your balance, buy a bundle or transfer airtime. That makes them a genuine lifeline in South Africa, where running out of data at the wrong moment is a daily reality.
Because they run on the network signalling channel rather than the internet, USSD menus also load instantly even on a weak 2G signal in a rural area. For millions of South Africans on basic phones, USSD is still the main way to manage a mobile account.
Open your phone dialler as if you were going to make a call, type the full code including the star and hash, then press call. A menu appears on screen with numbered options. Reply by typing the number of the option you want and pressing send. There is nothing to install and nothing to log into.
If a code does not work, make sure you typed it exactly, including the star and hash, and that you are using the SIM for that network. Codes are specific to each network, so a Vodacom code will not work on an MTN SIM.
Save your most used codes, especially the balance check and buy bundle codes, as contacts in your phone. That way you can dial them in one tap when your data has run out and you cannot search online.
Every price on DataCheck ZA is taken directly from the official prepaid data pages of Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, Cell C and Rain, then cross checked against pricing coverage on mybroadband.co.za and businesstech.co.za. We review every network at the start of each month and after any public price announcement.
DataCheck ZA is independent and based in the Eastern Cape. We are not owned by any network and we earn nothing when you choose one provider over another. Our only goal is to show the true cost per gigabyte so you can decide for yourself. Spotted a price that looks wrong? Tell us on our contact page and we will recheck it.
No. USSD codes work without any data, and checking balances or menus is normally free. They run on the network signalling channel, not the internet, which is exactly why they still work when your bundle is empty.
Usually because the code was typed incorrectly, the star or hash was left out, or you are using it on the wrong network SIM. Each network has its own codes, so double check the code matches the SIM you are dialling from.
Yes. Every major network has a buy bundle USSD menu that lets you purchase data using your airtime balance, with no app or data connection needed. This is the most reliable way to buy data when you are completely offline.
Yes, including basic feature phones. USSD does not need a smartphone, an internet connection or an app, which is what makes it so widely used across South Africa.
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