eSIM for Cape Verde
Land connected in Cape Verde. Pick a plan below - it activates in seconds, no physical SIM, no roaming fees.
Best eSIM plans for Cape Verde
Three travel data plans that suit most trips to Cape Verde, or see the full list of Cape Verdian eSIMs below.
Your Cape Verde eSIM guide
How to install your Cape Verde eSIM in 3 steps
Getting set up takes a few minutes and can be done entirely before you leave home, well ahead of any island-hopping.
- Buy your plan and get the QR code. Choose your data size - plans start from £6.86 - and it arrives by email as a QR code, so there's no need to visit an operator shop or show your passport, which is a requirement for a physical local SIM here.
- Scan and install before you fly. Open your phone's eSIM settings, scan the code over Wi-Fi, and let it install. Doing this before departure means you land with everything already configured, rather than hunting for signal at the airport in Sal or Praia.
- Land and turn on data roaming for the eSIM. Switch on mobile data and data roaming for the new eSIM line, and it connects automatically to CVMovel or Unitel T+ once you're within range - useful the moment you touch down, whether that's Amílcar Cabral International on Sal or Praia's Nelson Mandela airport on Santiago.
Coverage in Cape Verde
Two operators run the show here: CVMovel and Unitel T+. CVMovel positions itself as the market leader with coverage reaching the large majority of the population, while Unitel T+ tends to edge ahead specifically in the islands most tourists visit - Sal, Boa Vista, Praia (Santiago), and Mindelo (São Vicente). Both run 2G, 3G and 4G LTE networks across the populated islands, so day-to-day browsing, maps and messaging should hold up well in these areas.
5G exists only in early, limited form - currently reported in pockets of Praia and nowhere else confirmed - so it's not something to plan a trip around; 4G is the connection you'll actually rely on.
Coverage is noticeably uneven once you move beyond the well-served islands. Santo Antão, Fogo and Brava have more limited networks, and you should expect gaps on mountain and hiking trails even on islands with generally good coverage. The inter-island ferries that connect much of the archipelago add another wrinkle: crossings are infrequent on some routes (some islands see only a couple of sailings a week), and signal can disappear mid-journey, so it's worth treating each island as its own connectivity zone rather than assuming continuous coverage as you travel between them.
How much data do you need?
| Usage level | Typical daily use | Good for | Suggested plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Around 300MB/day | Maps, messaging apps, occasional photo upload between beach days | 1GB (7 days) for a short trip, or £10.96 plan for longer stays |
| Moderate | Around 750MB/day | Social media, browsing, some video calls, checking ferry schedules | 3GB (30 days) or 10GB (30 days) depending on trip length |
| Heavy | 1.5GB/day or more | Streaming, frequent video calls, hotspotting a laptop while island-hopping | 10GB or 20GB (30 days) |
eSIM vs roaming vs local SIM
| Option | Setup | Typical cost | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home carrier roaming | Works automatically, no setup | Around £9/day on some US carriers; £7–£10/day on some UK plans | EU 'roam like at home' rules don't apply here - a premium roaming zone, so many home plans are costly and some heavily throttle data speeds |
| Local physical SIM | Buy in person from an operator shop | Local CVMovel/Unitel rates | Passport required for registration; stick to official stores in main cities to avoid activation issues |
| eSIM | Install online before you fly, from £6.86 | A fraction of standard roaming costs | No passport or shop visit needed; ready to use as soon as you land |
Practical connectivity tips
Plan connectivity island-by-island rather than assuming it'll be consistent throughout your trip. Sal, Boa Vista, Santiago (Praia) and São Vicente (Mindelo) are your most reliable bases for data, covering popular stops like Santa Maria beach, the Plateau district in Praia, Cidade Velha, and Pedra de Lume's saltwater crater. If you're heading to Santo Antão, Fogo or Brava, or venturing onto hiking trails, download offline maps and anything else you'll need in advance, since signal there is noticeably weaker.
Ferry crossings are a common connectivity blind spot - check sailing times at the port before departure, since some routes only run a couple of times a week, and don't count on staying connected mid-crossing.
Save Cape Verde's emergency numbers as soon as you arrive: 130 for medical, 131 for fire, 132 for national police, and 8001112 for civil protection, with 112 also working. Keep them handy separately from your data plan, since you'll want them accessible even if you're briefly out of coverage.
Travelling beyond Cape Verde?
- Continuing to Senegal - the nearest mainland West African stop for many Cape Verde itineraries
- Heading north to Morocco - a common next leg for longer West Africa/Atlantic coast trips
- Onward to Portugal - useful given Cape Verde's Portuguese-speaking ties and common flight connections
All Cape Verdian eSIM data plans
11 plans from £6.86. Prices include VAT, shown in GBP.
Not sure how much data you need?
Tell us your trip length and how you'll use your phone, and we'll point you to the right plan.
Local info for Cape Verde
Top destinations in Cape Verde
Explore the best Cape Verdian destinations and stay connected.
Frequently asked questions about eSIMs for Cape Verde
Does an eSIM actually work on Cape Verde's more remote islands, like Santo Antão or Fogo?
Yes, but expect it to be patchier than on the main tourist islands. Sal, Boa Vista, Santiago (Praia) and São Vicente (Mindelo) are well served by both CVMovel and Unitel T+, while Santo Antão, Fogo and Brava have more limited coverage, particularly once you're away from the main towns. Your eSIM uses the same local networks as any other SIM, so if there's a signal, it'll pick it up.
Will my eSIM keep working if I take a ferry between islands?
Not always. Cape Verde's islands are largely reached by ferry, with services on the main routes running around twice a week, and signal can drop out mid-crossing, especially on longer inter-island hops. It's worth checking the ferry timetable at the port before you leave and downloading anything you need offline, since some islands like Maio and São Nicolau have fairly infrequent sailings.
Is 5G available anywhere in Cape Verde?
Only in a limited way. 5G is still in early stages here, with coverage appearing in pockets of Praia and nowhere else confirmed so far. Don't plan your trip around finding 5G - 4G/LTE from CVMovel or Unitel T+ is the connection you'll actually be using across the populated islands.
Do I need to show my passport to get connected in Cape Verde?
Only if you buy a physical local SIM - operator shops require passport registration for that. An eSIM sidesteps this entirely: you buy and install it online before you land, so there's no in-country paperwork or shop visit needed. If you do go the local SIM route, stick to official CVMovel or Unitel stores in the main cities to avoid activation issues.
Which network has better coverage in the popular spots like Sal, Boa Vista and Mindelo?
CVMovel positions itself as the market leader with the widest population coverage island-wide, while Unitel T+ tends to be the stronger option in the main tourist hubs - Sal, Boa Vista, Praia (Santiago) and Mindelo (São Vicente). Both run 2G/3G/4G LTE across the populated islands, so either is a solid choice if you're sticking to those areas.
Why don't my usual UK or US roaming plans work well in Cape Verde?
Cape Verde sits outside most standard roaming deals - EU 'roam like at home' rules don't apply here, since it's treated as a premium roaming zone. Some home plans don't include Cape Verde at all, and others that advertise free roaming heavily throttle the speed, leaving you closer to old 2G than usable browsing. A local eSIM sidesteps all of this.
Will I get signal at sites like Cidade Velha or Pedra de Lume?
Yes, both are within covered areas. Cidade Velha, the UNESCO-listed former colonial settlement on Santiago, and Pedra de Lume, the saltwater crater on Sal, both sit within range of CVMovel and Unitel T+ networks, so you should have data for maps, photos and messaging at either stop.
Is Cape Verde's connectivity improving for visitors?
Connectivity for visitors is gradually improving as the islands expand their digital infrastructure, but the practical picture today is still the current one: strong 4G on the main islands, weaker signal on the remoter ones, and 5G limited to small pockets of Praia.
How much data do I actually need for a week in Cape Verde?
It depends on how you'll use your phone. If you're mostly using maps, messaging apps and occasional photo uploads between beach days on Sal or Boa Vista, a smaller plan will comfortably cover a week. If you're streaming music, making video calls, or hotspotting a laptop while island-hopping, go bigger - you'll burn through data faster on ferry days when you're catching up between patchy signal.
What number do I dial in a Cape Verde emergency?
Cape Verde has separate lines for different emergencies: 130 for medical, 131 for fire, and 132 for the national police, with 8001112 for civil protection or natural disaster situations. The general European-style 112 also works. It's worth saving these numbers to your phone as soon as you land, since your eSIM data plan won't affect your ability to make these calls.
The connectivity details on this page (networks, coverage, local SIM rules, prices and any numbers) are provided for general guidance and can change. Please confirm current details, especially emergency numbers and registration requirements, with official local sources before you travel.