Comparison

Netstar Companion vs SA e

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Netstar Companion

This app provides on-demand emergency response by dispatching the nearest armed responders or medical services to your location. It offers a nationwide network and features like shake-to-activate panic, location sharing, and emergency recording.

Highlights
  • On-demand emergency dispatch
  • Nationwide armed responder network
  • Shake-to-activate panic button
  • Real-time location sharing
  • Emergency audio/video recording
  • Family membership options
Features
Read full description

Netstar Companion is an on-demand emergency response service that dispatches the nearest Armed Response Officer or Emergency Medical Services to your location – whenever you tap the app on your smartphone.β€’ Feel safe & supported for just R69p/m:With Netstar Companion, you have access to over 1500 armed responders nationwide.β€’ No matter the emergency, we've got you:Whether you need armed response or medical assistance, just tap your app! β€’ Quick & efficient response:The app automatically dispatches the closest responder to your phone's GPS location.β€’ One family, one membership:Add additional family members to your account at a reduced fee.KEY FEATURES & BENEFITS β€’ Mobile Response:Netstar Companion is not limited to a specific place. You can use it from home, at the office – anywhere, any time.β€’ Autonomous Dispatch:Smart technology identifies the closest responder to your location and autonomously dispatches them.β€’ Pinpoint Geo-located Incidents:The closest response vehicle is navigated to your exact GPS location, resulting in greater response accuracy.β€’ Nationwide Response Network:We have partnered with the best response companies, to give you access to over 1500 armed responders, nationwide.β€’ Rapid Response:The Netstar Companion Control Room will quickly call you on receiptof your panic.β€’ Shake-to-Activate Mechanism:The emergency panic feature can also be activated by simply shaking your phone.β€’ Emergency Messages:The app can send SMS messages with a link to your real-time location to 5 specified emergency contacts.β€’ Emergency Recording:A 20-second audio/video recording is triggered on activation of a panic. The app automatically sends the file to the Netstar Companion server for safekeeping. This can be used as evidence in future legal action.HOW DOES IT WORKβ€’ Tap Your App for Help:When in an emergency, simply open the Netstar Companion app and tap the β€˜activate now’ button.β€’ Closest Responder Activated and User Contacted:The alert is autonomously distributed to the 5 closest response vehicles to your location and the control room attempts to contact you to gather information. If the control room is unable to make contact with you, the responder will still arrive at your location.β€’ GPS Navigation:The accepting response vehicle is navigated via the responder device, directly to the incident location through built in GPS and accurate tracking.β€’ Instant Client Profile:Client identity and other key information are automatically shared with the dispatched response vehicle and the control centre.β€’ Control Room Back-Up:The control centre oversees all activations and can support in dispatching additional resources if required. e.g. SAPS and EMS.HOW TO SIGN UP1. Subscribe to Netstar Companion at www.netstar.co.za/companion2. Download the Netstar Companion app from your app store.3. Complete the registration process in the app, using the same cellphone number as entered during the online subscription process.For more information about this service, please visit www.netstar.co.za/companion, email companion@netstar.co.za or phone 010 822 9288.

About

SA e

Features
Read full description

The South African e-Services app envisions a future where every citizen experiences seamless, efficient, and personalized government service at their fingertips. Our aim is to continually evolve, innovate, and adapt to the dynamic needs of the South African population, ensuring that our digital gateway remains a reliable and indispensable tool for all. We are excited to announce the introduction of our current lineup of services, which includes: Birth & Parenting

Screenshots

Netstar Companion4 screens
SA e3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Netstar Companion at every 3 weeks against SA e's every 3 months. SA e's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Netstar Companion ships an update every 3 weeks, SA e every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 6 level
Netstar Companion versus SA e: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNetstar CompanionSA e
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews14.3% of reviewsβ€”
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks β€” betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeβ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.112.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size51 MB34 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperNETSTAR (PTY) LTDSTATE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGENCY

In-app purchases

None

Netstar Companion

No in-app purchases

None

SA e

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Netstar Companion free?
Netstar Companion is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SA e free?
SA e is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Netstar Companion or SA e have ads?
Neither Netstar Companion nor SA e shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Netstar Companion or SA e?
Netstar Companion ships an update every 3 weeks, and SA e every 3 months. Most recently, Netstar Companion was updated on October 7, 2026 and SA e on October 25, 2026.

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