Cape Verde eSIM
Sub-Saharan AfricaGet a Cape Verde eSIM and connect the moment you land. Buy a prepaid data plan, scan the QR, and you are online in minutes, with no roaming bill and no local SIM to find. Pay in crypto with no ID to buy. Plans start at $2.99.
- Instant delivery to your dashboard
- Prepaid, no contract, no auto-charge
- Works on any eSIM-ready phone
- Paid in crypto, no card or ID to buy
Cape Verde eSIM at a glance
Live prices, updated October 2026- Price
- From $2.99
- Data plans
- 1 GB to Unlimited
- Validity
- 3 to 30 days
- Networks
- CVMovel, Unitel T+
- 5G
- Yes, where available
- Setup
- Scan a QR, ~2 min
- Payment
- Crypto
- ID to buy
- None
Choose your plan
Pick a data plan for a set number of gigabytes, a daily plan with fresh data every day, or an unlimited plan so you never think about data.
Data plans
Choose your gigabytes. Best value if you know roughly what you use.
Daily plans
1 GB of full-speed data every day of your trip. After that, you stay online at a slower speed that still works for messaging and maps, and full speed returns the next day.
Unlimited plans
Never watch your data. Just pick how long your trip is.
Prices are in USD and payable in crypto. No contract and no auto-renewal, and any balance you do not use stays on your account for next time.
Turning on roaming can cost $10 or more a day. A whole Cape Verde trip starts at $2.99.
See the plansWhy an eSIM for Cape Verde
Cape Verde is ten volcanic islands adrift off West Africa, a former Portuguese colony with a soul all its own, sung into the world by the barefoot morna of Cesaria Evora. It is a country of two moods: the flat desert islands of Sal and Boa Vista, ringed with turquoise water, dunes, and kitesurf-perfect wind, and the mountainous green drama of Santo Antao, laced with hiking trails, and Fogo, crowned by its live volcano. Add the music and carnival of Mindelo and the warmth Cape Verdeans call morabeza, and get an eSIM before you fly and land already online.
Cape Verde is spread across many islands, so coverage is decent on the main islands and their towns, and thins in the mountainous interiors and remote corners. You buy the data before you fly, pay from your crypto balance with no ID, and keep your home number on its own SIM for calls and codes.
- 4G across Sal, Santiago, Sao Vicente, and the island towns.
- Honest about the mountainous interiors and remote islands, where signal thins.
- Online on arrival at Sal or Praia international airports.
- Pay in crypto with no ID, and keep your home number.
Is a Cape Verde eSIM right for you?
Whoever you are travelling as, the setup is the same: buy, scan, connect. Here is what it means for you.
Cape Verde eSIM vs a local SIM vs roaming
Coverage is a main-islands story here, decent there and thin in the mountains, on every option. The difference is how you buy, whether you show ID, and how you pay. Here is how they compare.
SimVala eSIM
- Ready before you flyYes
- ID to buyNo
- Online the moment you landYes
- Island-town coverageDecent
- Mountains and remote islandsThin, all networks
- Pay in cryptoYes
- Typical cost, 1 weekA few dollars
Cape Verdean tourist SIM
- Ready before you flyNo, shop on arrival
- ID to buyYes, passport required
- Online the moment you landAfter the shop
- Island-town coverageDecent
- Mountains and remote islandsThin, all networks
- Pay in cryptoNo
- Typical cost, 1 weekAround 500 to 1,500 CVE
Home roaming
- Ready before you flyYes, but pricey
- ID to buyNo
- Online the moment you landYes
- Island-town coverageDecent
- Mountains and remote islandsThin, all networks
- Pay in cryptoNo
- Typical cost, 1 weekOften 10+ dollars a day
Cape Verdean SIMs from CVMovel or Unitel T+ need your passport at a shop. An eSIM skips that. The mountain gaps are geography, not the plan. Costs are rough guides, not quotes.
Coverage and networks in Cape Verde
Depending on the plan, your eSIM connects to one of Cape Verde's networks, CVMovel or Unitel T+. The main islands, Sal, Santiago, Sao Vicente, and Boa Vista, get solid 4G around the towns and resorts, thinning across the mountainous interiors of Santo Antao and Fogo and the remoter islands.
Expect strong eSIM coverage in Praia, Mindelo, Santa Maria, with data across the rest of Cape Verde. Signal follows the local network, so it is strongest in cities and along main routes.
Coverage by area
Decent, usable 4G across the flat desert islands and their resort towns of Santa Maria and Sal Rei. This is where a lot of beach-trip data gets used.
Reliable across Praia, Mindelo, and the main towns, with good signal in the built-up areas.
Signal thins across the ribeiras of Santo Antao, the slopes of Fogo, and the remoter islands, on either network. Download offline maps before hikes and crossings.
How much data do you need in Cape Verde?
Whether your Cape Verde trip is 7 days, 2 weeks, or a month, pick the data size to match. Not sure? Slide your trip length below and we will suggest a plan.
A Cape Verde trip leans on maps, ferry and inter-island flight times, hotel and excursion bookings, translation from Portuguese, and a stream of beach, mountain, and music photos to the cloud. For a one to two week trip, 5 to 10 GB suits most people, and you can top up any time. Resorts also have wifi.
Estimate your data for Cape Verde
Social, photos, some video
An estimate to guide you, not a limit. Wi-Fi at your hotel covers a lot, and you can top up any time, so it is fine to start smaller.
Typical usage per hour
Using an eSIM in Cape Verde's top cities
One Cape Verde eSIM covers all of these. Here is what to expect, city by city.
eSIM in Santa Maria
Solid 4G across the beach town at the south of Sal, the heart of the resort, kitesurf, and diving scene. A well-connected base for the flat desert islands.
eSIM in Mindelo
Reliable coverage across the cultural port capital on Sao Vicente, home to morna, carnival, and a lively harbour. Handy for maps, music, and the ferry to Santo Antao.
eSIM in Praia
Good signal across the national capital on Santiago, the biggest city and gateway to Cidade Velha, the first colonial town in the tropics. Useful for maps and inter-island flights.
Yes, you can call and text in Cape Verde
Your eSIM is internet. So every calling and messaging app works, just like at home. No new apps to learn, nothing to set up.
Message anyone
WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook all run over your data.
Call home for free
Voice and video on WhatsApp, FaceTime, or Messenger, no call charges.
Need a real number?
A data eSIM has no number of its own. Add a virtual number for codes and a local line.
Grab a Cape Verde number before you fly
Get login codes and a real line to give out, all in your dashboard. Paid in crypto, no ID.
Pay for your Cape Verde eSIM in crypto
This is where SimVala is different. There is no card and no ID to buy. Top up a balance with any of nine coins, then buy your Cape Verde plan from it. Monero is accepted for the strongest privacy, and your QR lands in your dashboard the moment payment confirms.
Bitcoin
Monero
Ethereum
Tether
USD Coin
Solana
BNB
TRON
PolygonPay by QR in one scan
No card details, ever. Just scan and send.
- 1. Pick your coin and amountWe show a payment address and a QR code.
- 2. Scan and send from your walletThe quote holds for 15 minutes, no fee maths.
- 3. Balance ready, buy your planYour eSIM QR lands in your dashboard right away.
Set up your Cape Verde eSIM in about two minutes
No SIM to pop out, nothing to post. It works the same on iPhone and Android. Here is all it takes.
- 1Buy your plan
Pick a plan above and pay from your crypto balance. A few taps and it is done.
- 2Open your QR code
The moment your order completes, your eSIM QR appears in your dashboard.
- 3Add the eSIM in Settings
iPhone: Settings, then Cellular, then Add eSIM. Android: Settings, then Network, then Add eSIM. Scan the QR.
- 4Turn it on and land online
Switch the line on when you land at Sal or Praia, and you are online in seconds.
This is your eSIM QR. You scan it once, and your Cape Verde line turns on. That is the whole install.
Will it work on your phone?
Most phones from the last few years support eSIM. Not sure? Scan your device in one tap.
Good to know
- •Coverage is decent on the main islands and towns, thinning in the mountainous interiors and remote islands.
- •Portuguese is official and Kriolu is the everyday language, so a translation app is handy off the resort.
- •Getting between islands is by ferry or small plane, where signal comes and goes, so download offline maps.
- •The eSIM carries data. Keep your home SIM active for calls and codes.
Popular in Cape Verde
Why travellers choose SimVala
4.8from 39,452 verified reviews“Got a number for business use. The activation was quick and I didn't have to contact support.”
“I was in Europe for two weeks and used the eSIM instead of roaming with my Canadian SIM. Much simpler.”
“Landed in Italy late at night and didn't want to find a shop. Had the eSIM ready already.”
“Needed a separate number for a few weeks. The whole process was quite simple.”
“Used the VoIP service for work calls. Took a little time to get everything set up, but works well now.”
“Bought it for a weekend in Albania. Installed it before leaving Zagreb and had no problems.”
“I mainly use it for data when travelling. So far the service has been reliable.”
“Didn't want another physical SIM. The QR setup was quick and I was connected pretty much immediately.”
“Used it while moving between a few countries. Nice not having to change SIM cards every time.”
Visiting more of Sub-Saharan Africa?
If Cape Verde is one stop of a bigger trip, buy a plan for each country from the same balance.
eSIM in Cape Verde: FAQ
Does my phone support eSIM?+
Most phones from the last few years do, including recent iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Pixel models.
How do I pay?+
In crypto only: Bitcoin, Monero, USDT, USDC, Solana, and more.
When does my plan start?+
Your plan validity begins when you install and activate the eSIM, not when you buy it.
Will an eSIM work in Cape Verde?+
Yes, as long as your phone supports eSIM and is carrier unlocked. The eSIM connects to a local network in Cape Verde and gives you data the moment you arrive.
How much data do I need in Cape Verde?+
It depends on what you do. Maps and messaging use very little, while video and hotspotting use much more. For a typical one to two week trip, 3 to 5 GB suits most travelers, and you can top up any time.
Can I keep my phone number in Cape Verde?+
Yes. Your home number stays on your physical SIM for calls and codes, while the eSIM carries local data. Both work at once on a dual-SIM phone.
Can I buy my eSIM before I travel?+
Yes, and you should. Buy and install it before you fly, then switch the line on when you land in Cape Verde. Your plan's days only start counting when you activate it, not when you buy.
Does the plan expire?+
Each plan runs for a set number of days once you activate it, shown on the plan. Any balance you have not spent stays on your account for your next trip, so nothing is wasted.
Can I use my eSIM as a personal hotspot?+
On most plans, yes, so you can share your connection with a laptop or a friend. Tethering uses more data, so pick a larger plan if you rely on it.
Will an eSIM work for hiking on Santo Antao?+
Around the ports and towns, yes, on 4G. Deep in the mountain ribeiras and on the trails, signal thins on every network, eSIM or local SIM, so download offline maps before you set out and enjoy the offline stretches.
Is coverage good on Sal for a beach holiday?+
Yes. Santa Maria and the Sal resort area have solid 4G for maps, excursions, and dinner bookings, and resorts add wifi. A ready-to-go eSIM means you are online the moment you land, which is handy on a short beach trip.
Do I need a passport to get connected in Cape Verde?+
Not with an eSIM. Local SIMs from CVMovel or Unitel T+ register against your passport at a shop. An eSIM sidesteps that entirely, with no ID and payment in crypto, so you are online the moment you land at Sal or Praia.
Is there an unlimited data plan for Cape Verde?+
Yes, an Unlimited 30-day plan, good for a longer stay or island-hopping. Sized plans are the cheaper pick if you use less, and you can top up any time. Remember no plan gives you signal deep in the mountains where there is none.
More for Cape Verde
Ready for Cape Verde?
Pay in crypto, scan the QR, and land connected. No card, no ID to buy. Set it up before you fly and you are online the second you arrive.