FairSIM eSIM for Cape Verde
Cape Verde is ten islands with ten different trips. Sal and Boa Vista are flat, windy and built for beach weeks, kitesurfing and all-inclusive resorts. Santiago has the capital, Praia, and the cobbled streets of Cidade Velha. São Vicente has Mindelo and its music, Santo Antão has the ridge hikes, Fogo has a volcano you can climb and sleep inside. Moving between them means flights and ferries whose times shift, and most of the confirming happens on WhatsApp with a local guide or a guesthouse owner.
One rule to handle before you fly: most European, UK and US passport holders do not need a visa for short stays, but you are expected to complete the online pre-registration and pay the airport security tax (TSA) on the government EASE platform before departure. Airlines check it. It is a web form, so you want working data for the receipt, and a copy saved offline.
A FairSIM eSIM connects to Unitel T+ or CVMóvel, the two mobile networks in the country, on 4G in the towns and resort areas with 3G as the fallback. There is no 5G here, and we will not pretend otherwise. You install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi, which matters because a lot of flights from Europe land in Sal or Boa Vista late in the evening, when the airport SIM counters may already be shut.
- CarriersUnitel T+
- CompatibilityCheck if eSIM is available on your phone
- No days lostPurchase now, data will start when you arrive
Cape Verde eSIM plans
Plan starts: On first data use
Coverage in Cape Verde
- 4G LTE5G
Unitel T+
Part of the Unitel group, listed on the coverage sheet as Unitel T+ Telecomunicações. 4G in Praia, Mindelo, Santa Maria, Espargos and Sal Rei, with 3G and 2G as fallback on quieter islands.
- 4G LTE5G
CVMóvel
The incumbent, part of CV Telecom, with the widest reach across all inhabited islands. 4G in the main towns and tourist areas, 3G on rural roads and in the mountains.
4G LTE in the towns and resort areas, dropping to 3G or 2G in the interior. No 5G in Cape Verde
Typical speed: Expect comfortable 4G for maps, messaging and social video in Santa Maria, Sal Rei, Praia and Mindelo. Speeds fall in the evening peak, inside thick-walled resorts and on mountain roads. Treat HD streaming as a bonus, not a given.
Coverage follows people and roads. Santa Maria and Espargos on Sal, Sal Rei on Boa Vista, Praia and Assomada on Santiago, and Mindelo on São Vicente are solid. The Santo Antão ridge, the Fogo crater rim, the Maio interior and the desert tracks behind the Boa Vista dunes drop to slow data or nothing. Ferry crossings lose signal in the middle and pick it up again near port.
How much data do you need in Cape Verde?
It depends on how you travel. Find your trip below, then pick the plan that matches. You can always top up in the app.
Sal beach and kitesurf week
Santa Maria base, wind sessions, seafood dinners.
Why data matters: Windguru and Windy checks every morning, instructor and rental chats on WhatsApp, GoPro clips uploaded from the beach bar, and maps for the quad tracks north to Pedra de Lume.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 20 GB
Boa Vista all-inclusive
Resort days on Chaves or Santa Monica with a couple of excursions.
Why data matters: Resort Wi-Fi is fine in the lobby and weak in the room. The eSIM covers video calls home, excursion bookings and the turtle or dune tour pickup message.
- 7 days
- 3 GB
- 14 days
- 5 GB
- 30 days
- 10 GB
Island hopping by ferry and plane
Santiago, Fogo, São Vicente, Santo Antão in one trip.
Why data matters: Ferry times and plane schedules change. You need data at the port to check CV Interilhas updates, rebook a domestic flight, message a guesthouse about a late arrival and pull up offline maps when signal drops.
- 7 days
- 10 GB
- 14 days
- 15 GB
- 30 days
- 25 GB
Mindelo music and Carnival
São Vicente for live morna and funaná, or February Carnival.
Why data matters: Event listings and venue changes spread on Facebook and WhatsApp groups, plus photo and video uploads late at night when hotel Wi-Fi is asleep.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 20 GB
Remote work stay
A month or more in Santa Maria or Mindelo on the remote working visa.
Why data matters: Calls on Teams, Zoom and Meet, Personal Hotspot for the laptop when the apartment connection drops, and a backup line for the days the fixed link is out.
- 7 days
- 10 GB
- 14 days
- 20 GB
- 30 days
- 30 GB
What your home carrier charges in Cape Verde
Daily roaming passes look small until you multiply them by the length of the trip. FairSIM plans for Cape Verde start at $9.99 and never bill per day.
| Carrier | Roaming charge | FairSIM |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T International Day Pass (US) | $12 per day per line, $6 for each additional line, charged only on the days you use it | from $9.99, no daily fee |
| Verizon TravelPass (US) | $12 per line per day, 5 GB of high-speed data per day then slower speeds | from $9.99, no daily fee |
| EE (UK) | £8 per day with only 500 MB of data | from $9.99, no daily fee |
| Orange (France) | A zone Pass Voyage at €29.99 for 31 days; €13.31 per MB without it | from $9.99, no daily fee |
Carrier prices as published on their roaming pages at the time of writing. They change often; check your own plan before you fly.
How FairSIM works
Three steps between you and the internet abroad. Nothing to pick up at the airport.
Pick a destination and a plan
Choose the country or region and the data you need. The price you see is the price you pay.
Tap install
On iPhone (iOS 17.4+) the eSIM installs in one tap, no QR code. Do it at home while you still have Wi-Fi.
Land and connect
Turn on data roaming for the FairSIM line when you arrive. Your plan starts when it first connects.
Connectivity tips for Cape Verde
Complete the EASE pre-registration and pay the airport security tax online before you fly, then save the confirmation as a PDF and a screenshot. Airlines ask for it at check-in.
Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi and switch the line on after landing. Turn on data roaming for the FairSIM line, or it will sit idle.
Download offline maps per island. Santo Antão's valleys and the Fogo crater are where signal disappears first.
Carry escudos in cash. Taxis, aluguers, market stalls and small guesthouses are cash only, and euros in resort areas get a poor rate.
Confirm every inter-island ferry and domestic flight the day before, by WhatsApp if you can. Schedules move with weather and demand.
Book the Pico do Fogo climb and the Santo Antão hikes through a guide who answers on WhatsApp; the trailhead has no reliable signal.
Keep your home SIM active for bank one-time codes, with its own data roaming switched off so it cannot charge you.
Sun and salt kill phones here. A waterproof pouch for boat trips and a power bank for long aluguer days are worth the space.
Can you rely on free Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi exists nearly everywhere a tourist goes, and it is uneven. Resort lobbies and pool bars in Santa Maria and Sal Rei are usually fine, rooms behind thick walls are weaker, and some hotels still limit you to one or two devices or throttle after a few hundred megabytes. Cafés in Santa Maria and Mindelo are good enough for email and calls. Guesthouses on Santo Antão, Fogo and Maio can be slow or down for hours, and ferries have no Wi-Fi at all. Treat hotel Wi-Fi as a bonus for big downloads and keep the eSIM as the connection you actually rely on.
Local SIM card or eSIM in Cape Verde?
CVMóvel and Unitel T+ both sell prepaid tourist starter packs, and you will find shops and kiosks in Espargos and Santa Maria on Sal, Sal Rei on Boa Vista, Praia and Mindelo. Registration needs your passport, prices are in escudos and top-ups are sold in small shops everywhere. The coverage is the same as what the eSIM uses, because these are the same two networks. Bring cash, since small counters may not take cards.
The practical problem is timing. Many flights from Lisbon, London, Manchester and the German charter hubs arrive in the evening or at night, airport counters are not open around the clock, and the taxi ride to your hotel is exactly when you want a map and a message to the driver. A FairSIM eSIM is installed at home over Wi-Fi, activates when it first sees Unitel T+ or CVMóvel, and needs no passport queue. If you are staying a month or more and want a local number for domestic calls, a local SIM alongside the eSIM is a reasonable combination.
Cape Verde eSIM questions
Does eSIM work in Cape Verde?
Yes. An unlocked eSIM-capable phone connects to Unitel T+ or CVMóvel with a travel eSIM. On iPhone that means XS, XR or newer; most recent Pixel, Galaxy S and mid-range Android models support eSIM too.
Which network will my Cape Verde eSIM use?
Unitel T+ or CVMóvel, the two mobile networks in the country. Your phone picks whichever the plan is provisioned for and whichever is strongest where you are standing.
Is there 5G in Cape Verde?
No. The networks available to the eSIM run 2G, 3G and 4G. You get 4G LTE in the towns and resort areas, and 3G or 2G in the interior. Anyone promising 5G in Cape Verde is guessing.
Will I have data on Boa Vista and Sal beaches?
In and around Santa Maria, Espargos, Sal Rei and the main resort strips, yes, on 4G. Out on the dune tracks, at remote beaches like Santa Monica's far end and on boat trips, expect it to drop. Download maps first.
Can I use Personal Hotspot in Cape Verde?
Yes. FairSIM plans support Personal Hotspot with no separate cap, which is useful when an apartment or guesthouse connection fails.
Do WhatsApp and FaceTime calls work?
Yes. Cape Verde does not block internet calling, so WhatsApp, FaceTime and Messenger calls work over the eSIM wherever 4G is decent. Quality drops on 3G, so stick to voice rather than video there.
How much data do I need for a week in Cape Verde?
A resort week on Sal or Boa Vista usually lands between 3 and 6 GB. Island hopping, daily uploads or working remotely pushes it to 10 GB or more. Use hotel Wi-Fi for large downloads.
Do I need a visa, and does the eSIM help with that?
Most EU, UK, US, Canadian and Brazilian passport holders do not need a visa for short stays, but you must pre-register online and pay the airport security tax before travelling. Handle it at home; the eSIM is there so you can pull up the receipt on arrival.
Local SIM or travel eSIM for Cape Verde?
A local CVMóvel or Unitel T+ SIM is fine if you land during shop hours, have escudos and want a local number. A FairSIM eSIM runs on the same two networks, is installed before you fly, and works from the moment you land, including on late-night charter arrivals.
What is an eSIM?
A SIM card built into your phone. Instead of a plastic chip, you download a profile. Every iPhone since the XS has one next to the physical SIM slot, so your home number stays put while FairSIM supplies the data.
Is my phone compatible?
FairSIM works with eSIM-compatible, carrier-unlocked iPhones: the XS, XR and everything newer, on iOS 17.4 or later for the one-tap install with no QR code. iPhones bought in mainland China do not support eSIM at all, even when unlocked. Not sure yours is unlocked? Check Settings, General, About, Carrier Lock, or ask your carrier. The full list is on the How it works page.
When should I install my eSIM?
Before you travel, while you still have Wi-Fi. Installing does not start your plan; the validity typically starts when the eSIM first connects to a network at your destination.
Do FairSIM eSIMs come with a phone number?
No. FairSIM eSIMs are data-only by design, which keeps costs low. For calls and texts, your physical SIM stays active so you keep your existing number, and WhatsApp, FaceTime and iMessage work over data.
