PikoeSIM
Excellent
Cape Verde eSIM
Plans from€4.79
1 GB 7 days
Santa Maria, Sal
- 4G/LTE data
- One prepaid price
- Check compatibility first
- Hotspot included
Choose your plan
Data for 7 days
Data for 30 days
Tech specs
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Country coverage | This eSIM card covers Cape Verde only; no other countries are included. |
| Local networks | T+ Telecom Cape Verde |
| Network technology | Connects to 4G/LTE where available. 5G is not confirmed on this plan. |
| Data & validity | 1 GB for 7 days, plus 30-day options from 3 GB up to 20 GB. Pricing is a fixed total per plan, not a daily rate. |
| Calls & SMS | Data-only features: no local number, standard calls or SMS. |
| Hotspot | The listed networks support hotspot. Any device you connect draws from the same data allowance. |
| Your phone | You need an eSIM-compatible, network-unlocked phone. Check the exact model and regional variant before buying. |
How it works
Pick a plan, add the eSIM to your phone, then connect once you're in Cape Verde.
01Choose your plan
Choose data and validity that cover your trip. Save the setup instructions for offline access.
02Install before you fly
Install over Wi-Fi using your plan's instructions. Check when the plan's validity starts.
03Connect in Cape Verde
On arrival, turn on the eSIM and select it for mobile data. Keep data roaming off on your regular SIM.
Compare ways to get online in Cape Verde
Use prepaid data on the phone you already carry. This is how PikoeSIM compares with a rental router, home-carrier roaming and a physical SIM.
Swipe or scroll to compare all four options
| What matters | PikoeSIMTravel eSIM | Pocket Wi-FiRental router | RoamingYour home carrier | Local SIMPhysical SIM card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Getting connected | Download the eSIM to your phone, then follow the activation steps that come with your plan. | Book delivery or collect a rental router from the provider. | Turn on roaming and confirm your destination is covered by your home plan. | Buy a SIM card and insert it into a compatible SIM slot on your phone. |
| Extra equipment | None. You use the eSIM-compatible phone you already have. | A separate device to carry, charge and keep within range. | None. You keep using your existing phone and SIM. | A physical SIM card. You might need to remove your usual SIM to fit it. |
| Data & cost | From €4.79 for 1 GB / 7 days. You pick a fixed allowance when you order. | Rental fees and data terms vary by provider. Check delivery, loss and damage fees before booking. | Your carrier's rates apply. Some home plans already include roaming at your destination. | Prepaid prices, data allowances and validity periods differ between local operators. |
| Sharing your data | The listed networks support hotspot. Any device you connect draws from the same data allowance. | Connect phones and other devices to the router. They all need to stay inside its Wi-Fi range. | Tethering depends on your carrier and your roaming plan. | Check that the local plan allows tethering before you rely on it. |
| Calls & SMS | Data only. Make calls and send messages through internet apps. | Internet only. Regular calls and SMS still use your phone's mobile plan. | Calls and SMS are billed under your carrier's roaming terms. | A local number, calls and SMS depend on the specific plan you buy. |
| After your trip | There's nothing to send back when your trip ends. | Return the router and accessories on time. Late or missing returns can trigger extra fees. | No hardware to return afterwards. | You don't need to return any rental device. |
Frequently asked questions.
Answers to common setup and buying questions.
How do I choose the right Cape Verde eSIM plan?
The 1 GB plan gives you 7 days for €4.79; it's the cheapest listed option and the best price for a short trip, suiting light maps and messaging when Wi-Fi covers larger downloads. The 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB and 20 GB plans each run 30 days. 3 GB costs €13.89, while 10 GB costs €45.79 for heavier use or sharing. A stay of 2 weeks (14 days) fits a 30-day plan, while a one day stopover rarely needs more than 1 GB if you leave video for Wi-Fi. These are fixed totals for the whole validity period, not daily allowances. There's no single best value; the best fit depends on your trip length and whether you stream YouTube on mobile data.
What mobile network does this plan run on, and is 5G part of it?
Listed networks: T+ Telecom Cape Verde. Connects to 4G/LTE where available. 5G is not confirmed on this plan. Speeds and signal vary with your phone, location and network conditions.
Is my phone compatible with this Cape Verde eSIM?
Confirm your exact phone model and regional version support eSIM, a virtual SIM card stored on the device, and that the phone is network unlocked. On an iPhone (iOS), open Settings, General, About and look for 'No SIM Restrictions', then find 'Add eSIM' in Cellular settings. On Android, follow the manufacturer's eSIM steps. Use the compatibility guide to check compatible phones before you buy.
Should I install my eSIM before travelling?
Yes, install the profile on a reliable Wi-Fi connection before you leave, then save the supplied instructions. Installation may use a QR code or a carrier app, but follow only what your plan supplies. Installing the eSIM and starting its validity can be separate events, so follow the plan's own activation directions. Instant installation is a search term, not a speed promise. On arrival, enable the travel line and select it for mobile data.
Are standard calls and SMS included with this plan?
No. The plan is data only, with no local phone number, standard voice calls or SMS. You can still use WhatsApp or an existing messaging service for internet calls and messages. SMS codes sent to your normal number need that SIM to stay reachable and depend on your home carrier's roaming terms.
Can I use my phone's hotspot to share the connection with a laptop?
The listed networks support hotspot. Any device you connect draws from the same data allowance. The data hotspot, or tethering, draws from the same total allowance. Pause laptop updates and cloud backups if you want to keep more data for maps and messages.
Do I need another eSIM if I move between islands?
No, these plans cover Cape Verde as a whole rather than just Sal. You can keep the same plan between included islands while it has data and validity left, wherever the listed network is available. Coverage is not guaranteed on ferries or mountain trails, so download the next island's map before the crossing.
Is my data allowance reset every day?
No. Your selected data amount is one total for the entire validity period and any tethered devices. There is no daily renewal and no unlimited allowance, whether your trip lasts 1 day or 30 days. 30 days is not the same as a calendar one month, so check the expiry on your plan. Watch the phone's data meter, but it may not match the provider's own accounting exactly.
How do I handle needing more data or a longer stay?
Check the available purchase options online and read the instructions for the next plan. Don't assume a new purchase extends an existing profile, carries over unused data, or works as a monthly subscription, and don't treat top up amounts or payment methods as confirmed here. Treat 'no contract' as a phrase to verify in the purchase terms, not a promise. Keep the installed profile until you have confirmed the correct next step.
How can I troubleshoot connection problems?
Check you are in Cape Verde, the travel line is enabled and selected for mobile data, and the plan still has data and validity. Apply only the APN and roaming settings supplied for that eSIM. Briefly toggle airplane mode or restart, then try another location. Keep the eSIM installed while you ask support for help.
How can I prevent my home SIM from using data?
Select the travel eSIM as your mobile-data line, disable automatic data switching and keep data roaming off on your regular SIM. If the travel plan itself requires roaming, apply that setting only to its line. Calls and texts on your home number can still trigger your home carrier's charges.
Which details should I verify before contacting support or asking for a refund?
Keep your order reference, phone model and a description of the problem ready. Read the purchase conditions for refund eligibility, especially after installation, activation or use. Don't delete the eSIM while a connection problem is still being investigated.
Using your eSIM in Cape Verde
A Cape Verde eSIM for your travel plans
PikoeSIM offers five fixed prepaid data plans for Cape Verde, so a beach holiday in Santa Maria and a walking trip on Santo Antão need different preparations. Save hotel directions, ferry details and inter-island bookings on your phone, plus an offline copy for the stretches where signal drops.
The 1 GB plan runs 7 days for €4.79, which suits light maps and messaging when Wi-Fi handles anything heavier. The 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB and 20 GB plans each run 30 days: 3 GB is €13.89 and 10 GB is €45.79 for heavier use or sharing. Each plan is a fixed total allowance for its whole validity period, not a daily refill. Whether that's affordable depends on your whole trip, not just the per-plan price, so match the duration and the data amount to your stay.
Keep a copy before you set off.
Listed networks: T+ Telecom Cape Verde. Connects to 4G/LTE where available. 5G is not confirmed on this plan. Speeds and signal vary with your phone, location and network conditions. Download island maps before you leave Wi-Fi. These are practical recommendations, not guarantees: connection quality depends on your phone and location, and a country-wide allowance is not a promise of reception at sea, on every beach or along mountain paths. We make no best coverage claim.
stop close.Santa Maria, Sal
Sal: keep the hotel entrance handy.
Santa Maria sits on Sal's southern coast, a short drive from Amílcar Cabral Airport near Espargos. Before you travel, send your accommodation the flight details and confirm the transfer meeting point. Save the full hotel name and a map pin, because a resort-area name on its own may not identify the entrance.
The national tourism guide lists Santa Maria, the Pedra de Lume salt pans and other sites around Sal. Pick a day out, then ask the activity operator for its meeting point and return arrangements and keep that message on your phone before leaving the hotel.
On a short stay, maps and short messages are a sensible use of the 1 GB plan. Automatic photo backup and YouTube video burn through that allowance fast, so save full uploads for Wi-Fi.
Save before you goHotel entrance, transfer confirmation and any excursion meeting point.
Santo Antão: confirm your crossing and arrange the next pickup.
Santo Antão has no airport, so most travellers fly into São Vicente and cross by ferry or small plane. The ferry runs several times a day and takes about an hour, but check the operator's current notices before you set out. Keep the actual sailing confirmation offline instead of relying on an old screenshot.
Agree where your driver or host will meet you at Porto Novo and send your accommodation name ahead. If a walk is part of the trip, save the route and sort the return transport before leaving your base. Pair a village name with the specific trailhead or entrance.
Use mobile data to send updates while you have a connection, but don't count on it during the crossing or in steep valleys. A bigger data allowance extends how much you can browse; it never improves the signal.
Save before you goYour confirmed ferry crossing, the operator's contact details, the walking route you picked, and the return pickup you arranged.
Choose your Cape Verde plan
Compare data amounts and durations to find the plan that fits your trip.
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