Both BestMed and Bonitas are popular are well known medical aid names that provide a comprehensive selection of tailored plans. Here, we compare in these two medical aid schemes to help you decide on the best option for your healthcare needs in 2026.
Which offers more affordable cover – BestMed or Bonitas?
👉 While Bonitas offers the lowest premium on its BonStart plan, overall both medical aids offer a greater selection of affordable medical aid plans designed for young families, students and pensioners.
Do both schemes offer gap cover?
👉 No, BestMed doesn't have their own Gap cover. Once your savings are depleted, you have access to your day-to-day benefits. Therefore, you do not have to fund any gap. Bonitas offer gap cover.
👉 Bonitas’ three Gap Cover options have also been designed to provide the most comprehensive medical expense shortfall cover along with extensive financial protection against a wide range of health risks.
Do both schemes offer wellness programs?
👉 Yes, they do. We will explain both wellness programs below.
Bestmed
💙 BestMed's Tempo wellness program offers a comprehensive approach to improving overall health and well-being. It includes three key components: Fitness, Nutrition, and Emotional Wellbeing.
💙 The program is designed to be flexible and accessible, with no complicated points systems or tiers. All members, regardless of their benefit option, can access Tempo benefits at no additional cost.
Key features of the Tempo program include:
✅ Health Assessments: Regular assessments help members monitor their progress and identify areas for improvement.
✅Emotional Wellbeing Support: Access to services and benefits to support mental health.
✅ Nutrition and Fitness Programs: Personalized guidance to improve diet and physical activity.
✅ Online Access: All Tempo journeys are available online, allowing members to manage their health from the convenience of their mobile devices.
✅ Flexibility: Members can choose between face-to-face consultations with healthcare providers or online journeys.
👉 Note: Bestmed members’ dependants only.
💙 The HA needs to be done at a contracted pharmacy (Dis-Chem, Clicks or Van Heerdens), on-site at participating employer groups, or online in the Health Assessment tab via the Fitness and Nutrition Journeys.
Bonitas
Bonitas Wellness Benefit Booster
💙 Once you have completed a wellness screening or online wellness questionnaire (on the Bonitas Member App), you can access the Benefit Booster to pay for out-of-hospital claims or a program to stop smoking.
👉 These include:
✅ GP and specialist consultations
✅ Acute and over-the-counter medicine
✅ Biokineticist and physiotherapist consultations and treatment
✅ Paramedical services such as dietician, speech and occupational therapy consultations and treatment
✅ Alternative healthcare such as homeopathic consultations and treatment and acupuncture
✅ Non-surgical procedures and tests e.g. wart removal
✅ X-rays
✅ Blood tests
💙 Each adult dependent must complete a wellness screening or online wellness questionnaire to access the benefit. However, child dependents can access the Benefit Booster if one adult dependent has completed the wellness screening or online wellness questionnaire.
Do both schemes offer hospital plans?
👉 Yes, both BestMed and Bonitas offer hospital plans. You have a choice of only having hospital coverage with your plan or combine it with day to day expenses.
👉 Both plans cover you in hospital for unlimited emergency and planned procedures. You also get access to some additional benefits for wellness and preventative care. It includes full cover in hospital for specialists, and full cover for chronic medication.
Who is BestMed Medical Scheme?
👉 Bestmed was founded in 1964 and currently has more than 250 000 lives under its care. The Scheme is the largest self-administered scheme in South Africa and the fourth largest open medical scheme.
👉 BestMed has also been recognized for its outstanding contribution to the medical aid and healthcare industry, and has received a number of awards. In 2020 and 2021 it received the highest rating for perceived quality, perceived value, customer service and customer loyalty in the Medical Scheme Industry Category in the South African Customer Satisfaction Index (SA-csi). The scheme also received the highest rating for customer expectations, and have the lowest rating in the industry for beneficiary complaints.
👉 Bestmed was ranked number one in the Medical Aid Industry performance category of the 2020 Ask Afrika Orange Index® and was also awarded the Excellence in Creating Access to Quality Healthcare (Organizations) award at the 2020 annual Titanium Awards presented by the Board for Healthcare Fundraisers (BHF).
👉 BestMed recognize that people’s healthcare needs are different, depending on their age, marital status, family size, general health, priorities and budget and keeping this in mind, offers three main medical plan ranges, each with its own unique benefit options to choose from.
👉 They have a solution for you whether you simply only want to pay for hospital expenses or demand a more comprehensive product. The three categories for plans on offer are beat, pace, and rhythm.
👉 The Beat range provides flexible hospital benefits as well as savings on certain options to cover out-of-hospital expenses. Beat1, 2, and 3 also allow you to reduce your monthly contribution by choosing a Network option.
👉 The Pace range offers more comprehensive in-hospital and out-of-hospital benefits. In addition, these options all have additional savings accounts to cover extensive out-of-hospital expenses.
👉 The Rhythm range consists of Network only options that offer in-hospital and GP benefits.
Who will benefit from BestMed Medical Scheme?
👉 BestMed offers comprehensive medical cover that is well-suited towards individuals, established families and higher income earners as well as pensioners. The scheme offers a comprehensive selection of plans, with greater coverage being afforded at higher premiums, with additional benefits for these members.
👉 BestMed also operates on a network-based coverage basis, so that individuals should first check whether they reside in areas that fall within the pre-selected GP, hospital and specialist network, making it a better option for those residing in urban areas.
👉 You might also consider the following options BestMed has to offer:
👉 The worldwide rating for Bonitas' financial security is AA+ (2026). As a percentage, it is 36.5% solvent.
👉 Since the majority of Bonitas contributors and beneficiaries are relatively young, under 30 years old, annual contribution increases tend to be more modest on average.
👉 Hospitalization, long-term care, and pharmaceutical coverage are all available at low costs through the various medical assistance plans offered by Bonitas. This organization is a great fit for both individuals and families seeking medical insurance.
👉 Bonitas wasn't the country of South Africa's initial medical aid provider, but it has swiftly become the largest. Its doors first opened in 1982.
👉 The 4,500 doctors, hospitals, and other medical facilities that make up the Bonitas network are dedicated to providing high-quality care at reasonable costs.
👉 To help tackle the rising expense of healthcare, Bonitas provides its clients with two distinct solutions: oncology management and hospital and medicine management.
👉 Many Bonitas policies include coverage for Lasik eye surgery in addition to other dental and vision therapies. The interest that is accrued on each participant's unused amount is carried over to the following year.
Who will benefit from Bonitas Medical Scheme?
👉 Bonitas is a good option for young families and individuals looking for affordable medical aid that will cover the most essential and important aspects of their medical needs, including GP visits, chronic medication, and medical emergencies in-hospital.
👉 You might also like to consider the following plans Bonitas has to offer:
Which medical aid offers the cheapest medical plan, Bonitas or Bestmed?
Bonitas’ BonCore plan is the cheapest at R1 275 per month. Bestmed cheapest plan is the Rhythm 1 Network plan at R1 736 per month.
Which medical aid, Bestmed or Bonitas are the most popular?
Bonitas is the most popular with 730 000 members compared to the 250 000 members of Bestmed.
Do Bonitas and Bestmed medical aids offer the option of gap cover?
Yes, both Bestmed and Bonitas have an option to apply for gap cover.
Do Bonitas and Bestmed medical aids have a waiting period?
Yes, both Bestmed and Bonitas have a three-month waiting period during which you are unable to submit a claim.
Which is the best medical aid between Bestmed and Bonitas?
Overall, Bestmed has received numerous awards since its inception in 1964 which speaks for itself. It also has the lowest rating in the industry for beneficiary complaints.
Bonitas is the younger of the two medical aids, and opened its door in 1982. Due to the more affordable medical plans, the members of Bonitas seems to be under 30 years of age.
