PikoeSIM
Excellent
Madagascar eSIM
Plans from€3.39
1 GB 7 days
Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
- 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 | Madagascar only. Neighbouring countries are not included. |
| Local networks | Airtel Madagascar |
| Network technology | Connects to 4G/LTE where available. 5G is not confirmed on this plan. |
| Data & validity | 1 GB for 7 days, or 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB and 20 GB for 30 days. Fixed totals with no daily reset. |
| Calls & SMS | Data only: no local phone number, voice calls or SMS. Calling and messaging run over the internet and draw from your allowance, with no extra calling features. |
| 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 you buy. |
How it works
Pick a plan, add the eSIM to your phone, then connect once you're in Madagascar.
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 Madagascar
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 Madagascar
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 €3.39 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.
Which Madagascar eSIM should I buy?
Choose by trip length and how you use data. The cheapest plan is 1 GB for 7 days at €3.39, which suits a short holiday. The 30-day data plans are 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB and 20 GB, with 3 GB at €9.59. If your trip spans 14 days, that's 2 weeks and only the 30-day plans fit; a stay of just 1 day needs far less, so a one day visit won't justify the larger options. Compare pricing across the offers and judge best value on your whole trip's cost, not the best price alone.
What network does this eSIM use in Madagascar?
Listed networks: Airtel Madagascar. 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 eSIM?
An eSIM is a virtual sim card, also called an esim card, stored on your phone. Confirm your exact model and regional variant support eSIM, and that the device is network unlocked. On an iPhone running iOS, open Settings > Cellular and look for Add eSIM or Set Up Cellular, and check 'No SIM restrictions' under Settings > General > About. Android paths vary by maker, so use the compatibility guide and the list of compatible phones before you buy.
When do I install and start the eSIM?
Install on reliable Wi-Fi and keep the instructions before you travel. Your plan may arrive as a QR code to scan, but follow the steps supplied with your purchase: installing the profile and starting its validity can be separate events, and the start depends on the supplied plan instructions. Instant installation isn't a speed guarantee. On arrival, turn on the travel line and select it for mobile data.
Can I still use WhatsApp and get bank messages?
An existing WhatsApp account can run on the travel eSIM's internet access, and video on YouTube draws from the same allowance. The plan gives no local phone number, calls or SMS, so bank texts still depend on your regular SIM, carrier and bank. Check that line's charges before you leave it switched on.
Can I tether a laptop to this eSIM?
The listed networks support hotspot. Any device you connect draws from the same data allowance. A data hotspot or tethering draws from the same total allowance. Pause automatic laptop updates and photo backups if the data needs to last.
Will I have coverage everywhere on my itinerary?
The plan is Madagascar only; other countries are not included. Coverage still depends on the location, so keep essential bookings and route maps offline.
Does the data reset daily?
No. Each offer carries a fixed total for its stated validity, with no daily reset and no monthly subscription. A 30-day plan gives about one month of use, but 30 days isn't always a calendar month, so check the start and end on your purchase. Unused days don't roll over, and a larger allowance won't guarantee uninterrupted reception.
What happens when my data runs out?
Review the available plans before your allowance runs out. A top up isn't confirmed here, so treat a new purchase as a separate plan and follow its instructions; don't assume it extends the old one or reuses the same eSIM profile. Keep the existing profile installed while you sort out any account or connection issue.
What should I check if the connection fails?
Confirm you're in Madagascar, the eSIM is enabled and selected for mobile data, and the plan still has data and validity. Apply any supplied roaming and APN settings to the travel line, then toggle airplane mode or restart. Move if reception is weak. Keep your order reference and phone model handy when asking for help, and don't delete the eSIM as a first step.
How do I avoid charges from my home SIM?
Switch off automatic mobile-data switching and keep roaming disabled on your home SIM. Apply any travel-eSIM roaming setting only to the travel line. Calls and texts on your regular number still follow your home carrier's terms.
Where do I find support and refund terms?
Read the purchase conditions before you order and keep your order reference. Refund eligibility depends on the terms and any activation or usage. 'No contract' is a search term here, not a confirmed seller policy, so check the written conditions rather than assuming. Keep the installed profile while a connection problem is looked into.
Using your eSIM around Madagascar
A Madagascar eSIM that fits your route
Arriving at Antananarivo airport, a forest night at Andasibe and the western road to Morondava each need different daily planning. Put host messages and booking details on one prepaid data plan, and keep offline copies for the stretches between stops.
The 1 GB plan runs 7 days and costs €3.39. For a longer circuit there are four 30-day options: 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB and 20 GB. For light use with Wi-Fi, 3 GB at €9.59 is the affordable middle option; pay for more if you'll share photos and tether a laptop. Even 20 GB is a fixed total, not unlimited.
Plan for weak spots on roads and in forests.
Listed networks: Airtel Madagascar. Connects to 4G/LTE where available. 5G is not confirmed on this plan. Speeds and signal vary with your phone, location and network conditions. Save each day's meeting point before you leave. Forest terrain and long roads can interrupt service, and signal quality varies with your phone and location; 5G is not confirmed, and extra data won't improve the 4G coverage you get, so don't assume best coverage on every stretch.
Already saved.Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
Antananarivo: sort the first transfer early.
Before you land at Antananarivo airport, ask the accommodation for a clear pickup plan and the exact entrance address. Keep those messages with the booking so you can open them before mobile data even connects.
Madagascar's national tourism office publishes regional recommendations online. Use them to shape your route, then confirm each real journey with your transport operator instead of treating a map estimate as a timetable.
Save before you goYour first-night booking, the driver's name and your accommodation pin.
Andasibe: fix the walk before you go offline.
For an Andasibe forest visit, settle the reserve entrance, guide meeting time and return transport while you can still reach the organiser. A pin for the wider town won't replace the exact meeting point on your booking.
Keep wildlife photos on the phone and upload them later on Wi-Fi. Your data plan helps run the day, but don't make it the only way to find the group or the vehicle after a walk.
Save before you goThe guide's name, the confirmed entry time and a written return plan.
Morondava: plan the return from the baobabs.
The Avenue of the Baobabs is a well-known stop outside Morondava. Before heading out for photos, agree how long the driver waits and where the vehicle parks.
Save the accommodation pin for the return and keep enough battery for messages. If the next stop sits farther along a western circuit, confirm that leg separately with your organiser; a country data plan won't tell you whether a given road transfer is running.
Save before you goThe driver's meeting point, return time and your next confirmed booking.
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Compare data amounts and durations to find the plan that fits your trip.
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