The ZELF Rand Report 2026: the dollar tax on SA agency tools
Five clients on per-brand subscriptions cost about R10 888 a year for link pages, QR codes and invoicing. On ZELF credits, R85.71 to R120. Method and sources inside.
Short answer
Priced on the cheapest plans that cover the work, a South African solo agency with five clients pays about R10 888 a year for Linktree Starter pages, QR Code Generator Pro Advanced and Rebill Premium, and R9 700 of that is billed in dollars. The same year on ZELF credits costs R85.71 to R120. Every 10% the rand weakens adds about R970 to the subscription bill.
Most tools South African solo agencies use are priced in dollars and billed per brand or per account. The bill grows with every client you add and with every move in the exchange rate, whether the work comes in or not.
This report puts a number on that. It prices a year of link pages, dynamic QR codes and invoicing for 3, 5 and 10 clients on published plans, next to the same work on ZELF credits. ZELF publishes this report, so the method and sources are listed in full.
The dollar tax, by client count
One link page, four dynamic QR codes and one invoice a month for each client, over a year:
| Clients | Subscriptions | Extra if the rand weakens 10% | On ZELF |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | R8 512.02 | +R732.40 | R48.57–R68.00 |
| 5 | R10 888.02 | +R970.00 | R85.71–R120.00 |
| 10 | R16 828.02 | +R1 564.00 | R178.57–R250.00 |
Subscriptions are Linktree Starter for each page, QR Code Generator Pro Advanced and Rebill Premium, on annual billing. Prices checked 10 October 2026 at R16.50 to the dollar.
One credit, in rands
Your cost per credit depends only on the pack you buy. Bigger packs cost less per credit:
- Copper — 100 credits
- R100.00 R1.00
- Gold — 600 credits
- R500.00 R0.83
- Platinum — 1 400 credits
- R1 000.00 R0.71
Between R0.71 and R1.00 per credit across the packs. Every job below is charged in credits, so this rate is all you need to turn a job into a rand cost.
What a client job costs
These are ZELF's published credit costs. They do not include your own time, which is yours to price.
| Client job | Credits | In rands |
|---|---|---|
| Client link page | Free | R0 |
| Each extra client page | 10 | R7.14–R10.00 |
| Print or campaign QR code | 1 | R0.71–R1.00 |
| QR add-on (schedule, password, scan cap, webhook) | 1 | R0.71–R1.00 |
| Logo or photo upscale | from 4 | from R2.86 |
| Old photo restore | from 3 | from R2.14 |
| Headshot from a selfie | from 3 | from R2.14 |
| Client invoice (quotes free) | 1 | R0.71–R1.00 |
How the numbers were worked out
- 1 We took each vendor's published list price on 10 October 2026, on annual billing where offered, and chose the cheapest plan that covers the job.
- 2 Dollar prices are converted at R16.50 to the dollar. Linktree charges per page, so its cost grows with every client; QR Code Generator Pro and Rebill charge per account.
- 3 The workload per client is one link page, four dynamic QR codes and one invoice a month. The first ZELF page is free.
- 4 ZELF costs come from live credit pack prices, from about R0.71 a credit on Platinum to R1 on Copper, so they update when pricing does.
What the dollar tax looks like at different sizes
Three clients
About R8 512 a year in subscriptions, against R48.57 to R68 on ZELF.
Ten clients
About R16 828 a year, because Linktree bills every page. On ZELF, R178.57 to R250.
A weaker rand
If the rand slides 10% against the dollar, the five-client bill rises by about R970 with no new features. ZELF credit prices are set in rands.
Frequently asked questions
Where do these numbers come from?
Competitor prices come from each vendor's own pricing page, linked under Sources and checked on 10 October 2026. ZELF prices come from its published credit packs and job costs, read live on this page.
Is this a fair comparison?
We used the cheapest plan that covers the work, on annual billing, which keeps the subscription total low. Free plans can cover a lighter workload; the comparison guides for link pages, QR codes and invoicing show when they are enough.
Do credits expire?
No. Credits never expire, and failed image jobs are refunded, so an unused credit is still worth what you paid for it.
Can I quote this report?
Yes. Link to this page and include the check date, since vendor prices change.
Sources
Invoices
Quote the job, invoice the client, get paid by card or EFT.
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