For South Africans abroad

Find yourpeople.Feel at home.

Howzit connects South Africans living abroad — in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US. Find friends nearby, join local events, chat in real time, and get practical advice for life in your new country.

Download Free →See how it works

10K+

SA expats

50+

UK cities

4.8★

Rating

The Challenge

Moving abroad is brave.
It shouldn't be lonely.

Whether you just landed at Heathrow, Sydney or Toronto, or you've been abroad for a decade, Howzit was built for exactly where you are right now.

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Moving countries is exciting.

But it can also be incredibly isolating — especially when you don't know a single person in the country.

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Generic apps aren't built for expats.

They don't understand what it's like to be SA abroad — the culture, the humour, the homesickness.

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Life admin is overwhelming.

Visas, banking, healthcare, driving licences — where do you even start? We've got you covered.

How it works

From landing to belonging

Three simple steps to finding your SA community near you.

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Step 01

Set up your profile

A friendly 6-step onboarding — photo, your area, when you arrived, why you moved, your interests and home language. Done in minutes.

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Step 02

Discover SA locals near you

Browse an interactive map or list of South Africans in your area. Filter by life stage, interests, home language, and how long they've been in the country.

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Step 03

Connect and chat

Send a friend request, chat in real time once accepted. Attend events, plan braais, and build your UK tribe.

Features

Everything you need to thrive

Built by South Africans, for South Africans. Every feature designed around the real challenges of expat life.

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Discover

Find SA locals near you

Interactive map & list view with powerful filters — interests, home language, life stage, family situation, career.

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Profiles

Rich SA profiles

Every profile tells their SA story. Privacy-first: full names only visible once you're connected as friends.

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Connect

Friend requests

Send, accept or decline with real-time badge notifications. Build your UK tribe one connection at a time.

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Chat

Real-time messaging

Chat directly — fast, built-in, no third-party app needed. Works beautifully on iPhone and Android.

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Events

Community events

Braais, pub nights, rugby watch parties. RSVP Going, Maybe or Not Going. Create your own events in seconds.

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Guide

Newcomers Guide

Banking, healthcare, driving, employment rights and more — curated articles written by SA expats for SA expats.

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Alerts

Smart notifications

Friend requests, messages, event RSVPs, 24-hour event reminders. Always in the loop, never overwhelmed.

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Auth

Sign in with Google or Apple

Quick, secure sign-in on both platforms. Or use your email. Get started in under a minute.

Community love

What the community says

❝

I moved to the UK knowing nobody. Within a week on Howzit UK I had friend groups and a braai invite. Absolutely lekker app!

Annika V.

📍 Manchester, UK

❝

The Newcomers Guide alone is worth downloading for. I figured out the NHS and my UK driving licence without panicking. Sho!

Brendan K.

📍 Leeds, UK

❝

Found my whole London tribe here. Monthly get-togethers, braais, rugby nights. It feels like having a little piece of home.

Thandeka M.

📍 London, UK

Early Access

Want to try the latest features
before everyone else?

Join our beta programme and help shape Howzit. Be first to experience new features and give us your feedback directly.

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iPhone Beta

Join via Apple TestFlight

How to install →

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Android Beta

Join via Google Play