About BleedRate
"See exactly where your money goes to government"
Our Mission
BleedRate exists for one reason: to show you the complete truth about your tax burden—not just income tax, but the total government revenue hidden in every aspect of your life.
Most tax calculators focus narrowly on income tax. BleedRate goes further. We calculate:
- Direct taxes: Income tax (PAYE), UIF, dividends tax
- Consumption taxes: VAT, fuel levies, excise duties on alcohol and tobacco
- Utility taxes: Electricity levies, health promotion levy, plastic bag levy
- Property taxes: Municipal rates, transfer duty, vehicle license fees
- Travel taxes: Airport taxes, fuel levies on every litre of petrol
- Hidden taxes: Import duties, embedded corporate taxes in prices
The Result: Most people pay 30-50% of their gross income to government—far more than they realize—because they only see their paystub, not the full picture.
Why This Matters
Financial Awareness
You can't manage what you don't measure. Knowing your true tax burden is the first step to intelligent financial planning.
Informed Voting
How do you evaluate a politician's tax policy if you don't know your own tax burden? BleedRate helps you understand what you're actually paying.
Strategic Decisions
Want to reduce your tax burden? First, see where the money flows. Should you live in a different province? Buy a locally-assembled car instead of imported? The calculator shows the impact of real decisions.
Accountability
Government revenue is taxpayer money. Transparency about tax burden creates accountability. If citizens knew the real numbers, policy would shift.
The Problem We Solve
❌ The Old Way
"I earn R50,000/month. My income tax is about R7,000. So I pay 14% tax."
This person is missing R15,000-R20,000/month in hidden government revenue.
✅ The BleedRate Way
"I earn R50,000/month. After ALL taxes (income, VAT, fuel, utilities, property, travel, embedded corporate taxes), I pay about R20,000/month to government. That's 40% of my income."
This person now sees reality and can make informed decisions.
About BleedRate
Created by an Independent Developer
BleedRate was built because there was a clear need: South Africans were paying taxes but had no clear picture of the total burden.
This calculator is based on official South African tax rates from SARS. It's an educational tool, not professional tax advice, and it should not be treated as such.
Mission: BleedRate exists to illuminate the hidden costs of government revenue. Tax burden is often invisible in our daily lives. We believe transparency and financial awareness are essential to informed decision-making. Technology should reveal problems, not hide them.
Get Involved: Found a bug? Disagree with a rate? Have an idea? Open an issue on GitHub or contact us directly.
Accuracy & Disclaimers
⚠️ Important Disclaimers
- Not Professional Tax Advice: This calculator is for educational purposes only. It is NOT a substitute for professional tax advice from a qualified tax professional or accountant. Always consult a professional before making tax-related decisions.
-
Estimates Only: BleedRate provides estimates based on published tax rates. Your actual tax liability may differ based on:
- Personal circumstances (rebates, deductions, exemptions)
- Provincial variations
- Changes in tax law (rates are updated annually)
- Individual business income or investment structures
- Data Sources: Tax rates are sourced from SARS official publications, Treasury releases, and tax year 2026/27 legislation. However, tax law is complex and subject to interpretation. We do our best to be accurate, but we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy.
- No Liability: Use of this calculator is at your own risk. We are not liable for any decisions made based on these estimates, nor for any financial, legal, or tax consequences that result from use of this tool.
How We Ensure Accuracy
✅ Official Sources
All tax rates are pulled from official SARS publications and Treasury documents.
✅ Annual Updates
Tax rates change yearly. We update BleedRate every tax year (typically March/April) with new rates.
✅ Open Source
BleedRate's code is open source on GitHub. Anyone can review, audit, and suggest improvements.
✅ Community Review
We welcome corrections and feedback. If you find an error, please report it via GitHub or email.
What We DON'T Do
- ❌ We don't store your data: Your calculations are processed in your browser and not saved to our servers (unless you choose to save them).
- ❌ We don't sell your information: We never sell your personal data to third parties.
- ❌ We don't provide tax filing services: We can't file your taxes for you. We're a calculator, not an accountant.
- ❌ We don't provide personalized tax advice: We show estimates for your profile. Real tax planning requires a professional.
- ❌ We don't track you: We use minimal analytics. We don't follow you across the web.
Contact & Feedback
Found a bug? Disagree with a tax rate? Have an idea for a new feature? We want to hear from you.
- General Inquiries: contact@bleedrate.co.za
- Report a Bug: GitHub Issues
- Privacy Questions: contact@bleedrate.co.za
- Source Code: GitHub Repository
Acknowledgments
BleedRate stands on the shoulders of giants:
- SARS for publishing official tax rates and regulations
- South African Treasury for tax policy documentation
- Open Source Community for the tools and libraries we use
- Users & Testers for feedback and bug reports