Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you ever wanted to know about AfroTools. The full, unfiltered, absurdly detailed version.

250+
Live Tools
54
Countries
12
Categories
0
Cost

🌍 General

What is AfroTools?

AfroTools is Africa's Everything Platform. It's a collection of 250+ free browser-based tools covering tax calculations, PDF editing, image processing, currency conversion, CAD drafting, developer utilities, health calculators, and much more — all built specifically for the African context.

Every PAYE calculator uses the official tax rates from each country's revenue authority. Every currency converter pulls live exchange rates. Every tool works without uploading your data to any server. It's built by Africans, for Africans, and it's free forever.

Is AfroTools really free?

Yes. 100%. No asterisks. Every tool on AfroTools is free to use, no sign-up required. We believe access to quality tools shouldn't depend on your subscription tier or where you live.

We do offer optional Pro features (like premium PDF exports, batch processing, and AI-powered insights) for power users who want to support the platform, but the core tools — every PAYE calculator, every PDF operation, every image converter, every currency lookup — are completely free.

How many countries does AfroTools support?

All 54 African countries. Every single one. From Nigeria to Seychelles, from Morocco to South Africa, from Djibouti to Cape Verde. Our PAYE tax calculators cover every African nation with their specific tax brackets, pension schemes, social security contributions, and health insurance deductions.

Do I need to create an account?

No. You can use every tool without an account. Period. Creating an account (via Google or email) lets you save calculations, favorite tools, and sync across devices — but it's entirely optional.

Who built this?

AfroTools was built by African developers who got tired of using tools that didn't understand the African context — tools that didn't know what NHIF was, couldn't handle CFA francs, or thought "Africa" was one country. We decided to build the tools we wished existed.

How often are tools updated?

Constantly. Tax rates are updated within 48 hours of any official gazette notice. Currency rates are refreshed multiple times per day. New tools are shipped weekly. You can check the changelog for the full version history.

Is AfroTools open source?

The codebase is hosted on GitHub at github.com/Ozaveshe/afrotools. We welcome contributions, bug reports, and feature requests. See the Contributing section below for how to get involved.

💰 Tax & PAYE Calculators

Are the PAYE calculations accurate?

Yes. Our PAYE calculators use the official, gazetted tax rates from each country's revenue authority:

  • Nigeria: NTA 2026 and PITA 2025 dual-regime with CRA, rent relief, pension (8%), NHF (2.5%)
  • Kenya: KRA 5-band PAYE with NSSF Tier I/II, SHIF 2.75%, AHL 1.5%
  • Ghana: GRA 7-band tax with SSNIT Tier I/II/III, all personal reliefs
  • South Africa: SARS 7-band tax with UIF, retirement deductions, medical credits, age rebates
  • Egypt: ETA progressive rates (0%~27.5%) with EGP 20,000 exemption, NOSI, bracket exclusion

Each calculator is verified against official revenue authority examples. When a country updates its tax law (like Kenya's Tax Laws Amendment Act 2024), we update within 48 hours.

What's the difference between NTA 2026 and PITA 2025 for Nigeria?

Nigeria's tax system is in transition. The Nigeria Tax Act (NTA) 2026 was signed into law and introduces new brackets and rules. The Personal Income Tax Act (PITA) 2025 is the legacy system still used by many employers during the transition period. Our Nigeria PAYE calculator lets you toggle between both regimes so you can compare your take-home under each system.

Which social security schemes are included?

Every country's calculator includes ALL mandatory deductions. Examples:

  • Nigeria: Pension (8% employee + 10% employer), NHF (2.5%), NHIS
  • Kenya: NSSF Tier I + II, SHIF (2.75%), Affordable Housing Levy (1.5%)
  • Ghana: SSNIT Tier 1 (5.5% employee), Tier 2 (5% employer managed)
  • Rwanda: RSSB pension (6%+6% — doubled January 2025)
  • Tanzania: NSSF (10%+10%), Skills Development Levy (3.5%), Workers Compensation Fund (0.5%)
  • Ethiopia: Pension (7% employee + 11% employer) with ETB 15k cap

Every single deduction is itemized in the results breakdown.

Can I export my tax calculation as a PDF?

Yes. Every PAYE calculator has a "Download PDF" button that generates a professional tax summary with your full salary breakdown, all deductions, and net take-home pay. The basic PDF is free. Pro users get a premium PDF with charts, year-over-year comparisons, and employer cost analysis.

Do you support Francophone countries?

Yes. We have PAYE and VAT calculators for all Francophone African countries including Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, DRC, Gabon, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Chad, Togo, Benin, Guinea, Madagascar, and more. Each uses the correct local tax terminology (IRPP, CNSS, CNPS, INPS, etc.) and the relevant DGI/OTR rates.

What about VAT calculators?

We have individual VAT calculators for 50+ African countries plus a Pan-African VAT Calculator that lets you compare rates across countries side-by-side. Each supports: add VAT, extract VAT, reverse VAT, multi-item invoice mode, and country-specific exemptions (zero-rated goods, reduced rates, etc.).

Can I compare my salary across different African countries?

Yes! Use our Japa Cost Calculator to compare total relocation costs from any of 36 African origins to 21 global destinations across 55+ visa pathways. It includes cost of living, quality of life indices, visa success predictors, and community insights. For raw salary comparison, calculate your take-home in each country using the individual PAYE calculators.

🛠️ Tools & Features

How many tools does AfroTools have?

As of March 2026, AfroTools has 250+ live tools across 12 categories: Salary & Tax, Document & PDF, Image & Design, Developer Tools, Education, Health, VAT & Business Tax, Mortgage & Property, Business & ROI, Language & Translation, Uniquely African, and Engineering & CAD. We ship new tools weekly.

What categories of tools are available?
  • Salary & Tax: PAYE calculators for all 54 countries
  • Document & PDF: Split, merge, compress, rotate, add page numbers, watermark
  • Image & Design: Compress, resize, convert, QR codes, watermarks
  • Developer Tools: JSON formatter, Base64, hash generator, regex tester, JWT decoder
  • Education: GPA calculators, WAEC/JAMB tools, scholarship finders, loan calculators
  • Health: BMI, medical report interpreter, pregnancy tracker, SHIF calculator
  • VAT & Business Tax: VAT calculators for 50+ countries, margin calculator, break-even
  • Mortgage & Property: Mortgage calculators, stamp duty, registration fees
  • Business & ROI: Invoice generator, ROI calculator, payroll tools
  • Language: Yoruba, Swahili, Hausa, Amharic translators and learning tools
  • Uniquely African: Japa calculator, generator sizing, ajo tracker, mobile money tools
  • Engineering & CAD: AfroDraft 2D CAD, solar calculator, borehole estimator
What's the Medical Report Interpreter?

Upload or paste your lab results and get plain-English explanations. It covers 60+ biomarkers including CBC (Complete Blood Count), lipid panels, liver function tests, kidney function, thyroid panels, and diabetes markers. It explains what each value means, whether it's normal, and what you should discuss with your doctor. Your data stays in your browser — nothing is uploaded.

What is the Japa Cost Calculator?

"Japa" is Nigerian slang for emigrating. The Japa Cost Calculator gives you a realistic total cost estimate for relocating from any of 36 African cities to 21 global destinations. It covers:

  • Visa application fees and processing costs for 55+ visa pathways
  • Flight costs, initial accommodation, and settling-in expenses
  • Cost of living comparison (rent, food, transport, utilities)
  • Quality of life indices (safety, healthcare, education)
  • Visa success probability based on your profile
  • African community size and diaspora network strength at each destination

📄 PDF Workspace

What can the PDF Workspace do?

Pretty much everything. Split PDFs, merge multiple PDFs into one, rearrange pages with drag-and-drop, rotate individual pages, compress file size, add page numbers, add watermarks, and extract specific pages. Think of it as a free iLovePDF that runs entirely in your browser.

Are my PDF files uploaded to a server?

No. Never. All PDF processing happens 100% in your browser using JavaScript (pdf-lib and PDF.js). Your files are never sent to any server, never stored anywhere, and are discarded from memory when you close the tab. This makes AfroTools the most private PDF tool on the internet.

Is there a file size limit?

Since processing happens in your browser, the limit is essentially your device's memory. Most devices can comfortably handle PDFs up to 100-200 MB. For very large files (500+ pages), processing may take a bit longer but will still work. If your browser runs out of memory, try closing other tabs first.

Can I merge PDFs from different sources?

Yes. Drop multiple PDFs into the workspace, drag them into the order you want, and hit merge. You can even interleave pages from different files. The output is a single, clean PDF.

📐 AfroDraft CAD

What is AfroDraft?

AfroDraft is a full-featured 2D CAD drafting tool that runs in your browser. No downloads, no installation, no license fees. It's built for engineers, architects, and designers who need professional drafting capabilities without AutoCAD's price tag.

What features does AfroDraft have?

60+ AutoCAD-style features including:

  • Draw: Line, Polyline, Spline, Rectangle, Circle, Ellipse, Arc, Polygon, Construction Lines
  • Annotate: Linear/Angular/Radius Dimensions, Leader Notes, Text, Hatch Patterns
  • Modify: Move, Copy, Rotate, Scale, Mirror, Offset, Fillet, Chamfer, Trim, Extend, Stretch, Lengthen, Break, Divide, Explode, Join
  • Advanced: Rectangular & Polar Arrays, Blocks (create/insert), Object Grouping
  • Snap: Endpoint, Midpoint, Center, Intersection, Nearest, Perpendicular, Tangent
  • View: Grid, Rulers, Minimap, Zoom (scroll + pinch), Pan, Crosshair cursor
  • Layers: Full layer management with colors, visibility, lock
  • Export: SVG, DXF (AutoCAD compatible), PNG, Print Preview
  • Command Line: Type commands like AutoCAD — L for line, C for circle, @dx,dy for relative coordinates
Does AfroDraft work on mobile?

Yes. AfroDraft has full touch support with pinch-to-zoom, two-finger pan, and a mobile-optimized toolbar. On phones and tablets under 768px width, the sidebar panels are hidden and replaced with a bottom floating toolbar for quick tool access. Long-press for context menu. It's not a toy demo — you can do real drafting on a tablet.

Can I open AutoCAD DXF files?

AfroDraft saves in its own .afrodraft JSON format and can export to DXF (AutoCAD R12 compatible), SVG, and PNG. DXF import is on the roadmap. You can currently open previously saved .afrodraft project files.

Is there a dark mode?

AfroDraft defaults to dark mode (the way CAD tools should be). You can toggle to light mode with the Theme button in the top toolbar. Both themes are fully designed with proper contrast ratios.

💱 Currency Converter

How many currencies are supported?

42+ African currencies plus major international currencies (USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, AUD, etc.) and popular cryptocurrencies. That includes NGN, KES, GHS, ZAR, EGP, TZS, UGX, RWF, ETB, XOF, XAF, and every other African currency in circulation.

How often are exchange rates updated?

Exchange rates are fetched in real-time from forex data providers. The rates shown are mid-market rates (the midpoint between buy and sell prices). Note that banks and money transfer services typically charge 2-5% above the mid-market rate, plus fees.

What's the dollar to naira rate today?

Check the live rate on our Currency Converter. The rate changes throughout the day. We show the CBN-aligned mid-market rate. Note: the parallel market rate may differ from the official rate.

Does it support crypto?

Yes. The currency converter includes major cryptocurrencies (BTC, ETH, USDT, etc.) with live prices. You can convert between crypto and any African currency to see how much your Bitcoin is worth in naira, shillings, or rand.

👤 Accounts & Data

What happens when I create an account?

You get a personal dashboard where you can:

  • See your recently used tools
  • Access saved calculations
  • Manage favorite tools
  • View your tax calendar and regulatory alerts
  • Get personalized tool recommendations

Sign in with Google (one click) or email/password. Your account is powered by Supabase with row-level security.

Can I save my calculations?

Yes. Even without an account, calculations are saved to your browser's localStorage (up to 50 per tool). With an account, your saves sync to the cloud via Supabase so you can access them from any device.

How do I delete my account?

Contact us and we'll delete your account and all associated data from Supabase immediately. We're GDPR-minded even though it's not required in most African jurisdictions — because your data is yours.

🔒 Privacy & Security

Is my data safe?

Extremely. Here's our approach:

  • Client-side processing: Tax calculations, PDF operations, image processing, and CAD drafting all happen in your browser. Your data never leaves your device for these operations.
  • No tracking of inputs: We don't log what salary you entered, what PDF you edited, or what currency you converted. Google Analytics tracks page views only.
  • Supabase auth: Account data is stored with row-level security — users can only access their own data.
  • HTTPS everywhere: All connections are encrypted.
  • No third-party data sharing: We don't sell, share, or monetize your data. Ever.
Do you use cookies?

We use localStorage for saving calculations and user preferences. Google Analytics uses its own cookies for anonymous page view tracking. We don't use cookies for advertising, retargeting, or user profiling.

Can my employer see my salary calculations?

No. Calculations run in your browser only. Nothing is sent to any server. Not even we can see what you calculated. If you're on a company network, your IT department might see that you visited afrotools.com, but they cannot see what values you entered or what results you got.

📱 Mobile & Compatibility

Does AfroTools work on mobile?

Yes. Every tool is responsive and mobile-optimized. The navbar adapts to mobile with a hamburger menu, tools resize to fit smaller screens, and touch interactions work properly throughout. AfroDraft CAD has dedicated touch support with pinch zoom and a mobile floating toolbar.

Which browsers are supported?

Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — all modern versions. We target ES2020+ and use standard Web APIs. If your browser supports async/await and Canvas, everything will work. Opera, Brave, and Samsung Internet also work fine.

Is there a mobile app?

Not yet, but you can add AfroTools to your home screen on both Android and iOS for an app-like experience. On Chrome Android: Menu > "Add to Home screen". On Safari iOS: Share > "Add to Home Screen". The site is a Progressive Web App (PWA) in spirit — fast, offline-capable for cached pages, and full-screen when launched from the home screen.

Does it work offline?

Partially. Once a tool page is loaded, the calculations work without internet (since they run in JavaScript). However, you need an internet connection to initially load the page, fetch exchange rates, or sync account data. Full offline support with a service worker is on the roadmap.

⚙️ Technical Details

What tech stack does AfroTools use?

Intentionally simple and fast:

  • Frontend: Vanilla HTML/CSS/JavaScript. No React, no Vue, no build step. Pages load in under 1 second.
  • Components: Web Components (Custom Elements) for the navbar and footer — shared across all 250+ pages
  • Auth: Supabase Auth with PKCE flow (Google OAuth + email/password)
  • Database: Supabase (PostgreSQL) with row-level security for user data
  • Hosting: GitHub Pages (static site)
  • PDF Processing: pdf-lib + PDF.js (client-side)
  • CAD Engine: HTML5 Canvas with custom 2D geometry engine
  • Analytics: Google Analytics 4

No server-side rendering, no Lambda functions, no Docker containers. Just HTML files served from a CDN. The simplicity is the point.

Why vanilla JavaScript instead of React/Vue?

Performance and accessibility. Many AfroTools users are on slower connections and older devices. A React bundle adds 40-100KB of JavaScript before your tool even loads. Our vanilla approach means:

  • Pages load in under 1 second on 3G
  • No JavaScript framework overhead
  • No build step — edit an HTML file and deploy
  • Works on older browsers and devices common in Africa
  • SEO-friendly (no client-side hydration required)

We use Web Components for shared elements (navbar, footer) which give us component reusability without the framework tax.

How does the tool registry work?

There's a single JavaScript file (tool-registry.js) that contains metadata for all 300+ tools (both live and planned). Each entry has an ID, name, icon, description, URL, category, status, supported countries, and priority score. Category pages, search, and the homepage all read from this single registry — add a tool once and it appears everywhere.

How does auth work technically?

Auth is handled by Supabase Auth using the PKCE (Proof Key for Code Exchange) flow:

  1. User clicks "Sign in with Google" — the Supabase SDK generates a code verifier and challenge
  2. Browser redirects to Google OAuth consent screen
  3. Google authenticates and redirects back to Supabase's callback
  4. Supabase generates an authorization code and redirects to our /dashboard/?code=xxx
  5. Our code manually exchanges the code for a session using exchangeCodeForSession()
  6. Session is stored in localStorage and auto-refreshed by the SDK

We deliberately handle the code exchange manually (not via detectSessionInUrl) to avoid a race condition where the auth state listener fires before the exchange completes.

What about SEO?

Every page has proper meta tags (title, description, canonical, og:*, twitter:*), structured data (JSON-LD for FAQPage, WebSite, Organization schemas), and semantic HTML. Being a static site means search engines can crawl everything without needing to execute JavaScript. We also have XML sitemaps for all tool pages.

🏢 For Businesses

Can my company use AfroTools for payroll?

AfroTools is designed for individual salary calculations, not as a full payroll system. However, HR teams regularly use our PAYE calculators to verify payroll software output, estimate costs for new hires, or compare take-home pay across different African countries when planning expansion. For bulk payroll processing, we recommend using our calculators as a verification tool alongside your payroll system.

Do you offer an API?

Not yet, but it's on the roadmap. A REST API for tax calculations, currency conversion, and tool data would allow developers to integrate AfroTools into their own products. If you're interested in early access, reach out via the contact page.

Can I advertise on AfroTools?

Yes. We offer tasteful, non-intrusive advertising placements on high-traffic tool pages. Our audience is primarily African professionals (accountants, engineers, developers, HR managers) — a hard-to-reach demographic with significant purchasing power. Contact us for rates and placement options.

Can I white-label AfroTools for my business?

We're open to partnerships. If you're a fintech, HR platform, or accounting firm that wants to embed our calculators, let's talk. We can provide embeddable widgets or white-label solutions for the right partners.

🤝 Contributing

How can I contribute to AfroTools?
  • Report bugs: Open an issue on GitHub with steps to reproduce
  • Suggest tools: Tell us what tools you need via GitHub Issues or the contact page
  • Submit PRs: Fork the repo, make your changes, submit a pull request
  • Verify tax rates: If you're a tax professional in any African country, help us verify our rates are current and accurate
  • Translate: Help us translate tools into French, Portuguese, Swahili, Amharic, or any African language
  • Spread the word: Share AfroTools with colleagues, on social media, or in professional groups
I found a bug. How do I report it?

Open an issue at github.com/Ozaveshe/afrotools/issues with:

  1. Which tool/page the bug is on
  2. What you expected to happen
  3. What actually happened
  4. Your browser and device (e.g., Chrome on Android 14)
  5. Screenshots if possible

We typically fix bugs within 24-48 hours.

I'm a tax professional. Can I help verify rates?

Absolutely! We'd love that. If you're a chartered accountant, tax advisor, or HR professional in any African country, your expertise is invaluable. You can verify rates by opening a GitHub issue with the correct rates and official source document, or reach out via the contact page. We'll credit you in the changelog.

🔍

No questions match your search

Try different keywords or contact us directly.

Still have questions?

Can't find what you're looking for? Reach out and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.

Contact Us