eSIM plans · AfricaCape Verde eSIM: How Much Data You Need (2026)
HelloRoam takes 31 currencies at checkout. Airalo, Holafly, Nomad and Saily take one. 11 GB covers 7 days in Cape Verde at 1.5 GB a day, which is the 20 GB tier at $217.26, on a published list naming CVMOVEL. Airalo wins reach, 200+ destinations to 186.
Your Cape Verde data plan starts with one number: 11GB. That covers 7 days of maps, messaging and social media at 1.5GB a day on the local network on the published list. If you grab the 20GB plan for $217.26, you get 9GB of headroom beyond your 11GB baseline. Video callers and streamers pay $28.08/day for uncapped data on the local network on the published list instead of guessing a GB total.
One operator carries Cape Verde on the published list, CVMOVEL.
Checking email and loading maps holds a trip on the 0.5 GB light band, 4GB over 7 days. If you scroll social feeds and use navigation, then 1.5GB/day (11GB total) fits better. If you stream video or join calls, then 3GB/day (21GB total) is the target. Cape Verde's 1 carrier on 4G LTE carry 6 plan options for all three profiles.
Matching plans to usage profiles in Cape Verde: If you only use email and maps, the 5GB plan at $58.50 matches your 4GB target. Social media and navigation users fit the 5GB plan at $58.50, which delivers $11.70/GB across 7 days. If you stream video or run hotspot sessions, unlimited data at $28.08/day on the local network on the published list is the direct answer.
The tier that fits a Cape Verde trip
Three tiers, and all 5 providers scored inside each one. Most travelers land on Moderate. Not sure? Take the quiz.
Light use, 1 to 3 GB
Maps and transit apps · Translation and messaging · Email and boarding passes
Light week in Cape Verde, phone out only for directions? HelloRoam wins this tier 86 to 83, with Nomad second. Nomad undercuts the winner at $3.00 a gigabyte against $3.50. Optimising for cost alone? Nomad. No plan this small exists at Holafly, which is why it sits at 31. A 3 GB plan for Cape Verde runs $37.29.
| Provider | Plan at this size | Per GB at 0.5 GB/day | Tier match |
|---|---|---|---|
| HelloRoamMost Support LanguagesTier pick | Fixed 1 GB and 3 GB tiersPublished rate $3.50/GB | $3.50 | 86/100 |
| NomadLowest Fixed Rate | Fixed 1 GB and 3 GB tiersPublished rate $3.00/GB | $3.00 | 83/100 |
| SailyOnly Built-In VPN | Fixed 1 GB and 3 GB tiersPublished rate $3.99/GB | $3.99 | 77/100 |
| AiraloOnly Regional Bundles | Fixed 1 GB and 3 GB tiersPublished rate $4.50/GB | $4.50 | 74/100 |
| HolaflyBest Unlimited Value | No plan at this size, unlimited daily onlyPublished rate $2.99/day | No rate to quote | 31/100 |
Moderate use, 3 to 7 GB
Photo sharing and social apps · Browsing and short video · Music and a call home
Posting photos and browsing through a week in Cape Verde? Holafly takes Moderate at 96 out of 100. HelloRoam is next at 86. The cheapest gigabyte at this usage is also Holafly's, $1.99. HelloRoam finishes on 86 and loses the tier. A 5 GB plan for Cape Verde runs $58.50.
| Provider | Plan at this size | Per GB at 1.5 GB/day | Tier match |
|---|---|---|---|
| HolaflyBest Unlimited ValueTier pick | Unlimited daily, no 5 GB tierPublished rate $2.99/day | $1.99 | 96/100 |
| HelloRoamMost Support Languages | Fixed 3 GB and 5 GB tiersPublished rate $3.50/GB | $3.50 | 86/100 |
| NomadLowest Fixed Rate | Fixed 3 GB and 5 GB tiersPublished rate $3.00/GB | $3.00 | 83/100 |
| SailyOnly Built-In VPN | Fixed 3 GB and 5 GB tiersPublished rate $3.99/GB | $3.99 | 77/100 |
| AiraloOnly Regional Bundles | Fixed 3 GB and 5 GB tiersPublished rate $4.50/GB | $4.50 | 74/100 |
Heavy use, 10 GB and up
Streaming and video calls · A full remote work day · Laptop hotspot
Running a whole working day off mobile data in Cape Verde? The match score puts Holafly first here, 96 to HelloRoam's 66. Nobody beats its $1.00 a gigabyte at 3 GB a day. The provider our rubric puts first scores 66 here, which is not enough. Neither Saily and Nomad sells an unlimited day, so heavy use means buying the biggest bundle first. A 10 GB plan for Cape Verde runs $106.77, and unlimited runs $28.08 a day.
| Provider | Plan at this size | Per GB at 3 GB/day | Tier match |
|---|---|---|---|
| HolaflyBest Unlimited ValueTier pick | Unlimited dailyPublished rate $2.99/day | $1.00 | 96/100 |
| HelloRoamMost Support Languages | Fixed up to 20 GB, unlimited in some destinationsPublished rate $3.50/GB | $3.50 | 66/100 |
| AiraloOnly Regional Bundles | Fixed up to 20 GB, unlimited in some destinationsPublished rate $4.50/GB | $4.50 | 54/100 |
| NomadLowest Fixed Rate | Fixed tiers only, no unlimited planPublished rate $3.00/GB | $3.00 | 43/100 |
| SailyOnly Built-In VPN | Fixed tiers only, no unlimited planPublished rate $3.99/GB | $3.99 | 37/100 |
Every figure in the rate column starts life as a published entry price, then gets expressed per gigabyte at the tier's daily usage. A per-day plan and a per-GB plan only meet on that one scale. Published entry rates: Airalo $4.50/GB, Saily $3.99/GB, Holafly $2.99/day, Nomad $3.00/GB, HelloRoam $3.50/GB. Those are catalogue floors, not prices for Cape Verde. Where a plan price for Cape Verde appears above, it is HelloRoam's. That is the one per-destination price feed we hold. The other four publish a floor and nothing destination-specific we can verify, so we quote no Cape Verde price for them at all.
How trip length changes your Cape Verde plan
Short trips and extended stays need different data strategies. Find your trip length below.
Short trip (1-3 days)
A 1-3 day trip needs 5GB at moderate use. The 5GB plan at $58.50 covers maps and messaging on the local network on the published list.
Standard trip (5-10 days)
For a week-long visit, 11GB covers moderate daily use. The 20GB at $217.26 on the local network on the published list fits this range.
Extended stay (14-30 days)
Extended stays of 14-30 days push past fixed plan limits. Unlimited data at $28.08/day on the local network on the published list removes the cap.
Your Cape Verde shortlist, all 5 providers
Two questions decide most e-sim purchases: how big the bundle is and how long it lasts. Here is both, next to tethering, phone numbers and each published rate.
| Provider | Our rubric score | Min to max GB | Min to max validity | Hotspot | Local number | Entry rate | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 HelloRoamMost Support LanguagesTop of our rubric | 8.7/10 | 1 GB to 20 GB, plus unlimited | Unlimited runs 1 to 30 days, fixed window not published | Not published | No, data only | $3.50/GB | Get Plan |
 HolaflyBest Unlimited Value | 8.6/10 | Unlimited daily, no GB tiers | 1 to 90 days | Capped at 1 GB per day | No, data only | $2.99/day | Get Plan |
 AiraloOnly Regional Bundles | 6.9/10 | 1 GB to 20 GB | 7 to 30 days | Included, full speed | No, data only | $4.50/GB | Get Plan |
 NomadLowest Fixed Rate | 6.6/10 | From 1 GB, top size not published | 30 days on the plans we list | Not published | No, data only | $3.00/GB | Get Plan |
 SailyOnly Built-In VPN | 6.5/10 | From 1 GB, top size not published | Not published | Included on all plans | No, data only | $3.99/GB | Get Plan |
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Who you're connecting to
In Cape Verde, the underlying carrier matters more than the brand on your plan.
Carrier routing determines the right plan for each traveler type in Cape Verde. Urban 4G LTE coverage in Cape Verde runs mostly on CVMOVEL, which handles navigation, social apps and video calls without much fuss. None of the five publishes which of those carriers it uses here, so pick on plan shape and cover instead. Crossing more than one border on this trip? Airalo is the only one of the five publishing a regional bundle, from 16 to 130 countries on a single profile. Reach costs it price: a published $4.50/GB, the dearest floor here. Burning 3 GB a day on video calls? Holafly is the only provider of the five publishing unlimited daily across its catalogue, from $2.99/day. Light users pay for data they will not use. Saily is the privacy option: Nord Security VPN on every plan, published from $3.99/GB. Support is the weak spot, email in a single language with no live channel. Nomad's $3.00/GB is the cheapest published fixed rate here. Support is email in two languages, and coverage stops at 200 destinations. Trips move, and dates slip. HelloRoam's 180-day refund window on unactivated eSIMs covers that, and support answers in 63 languages on chat, WhatsApp and email. Its entry rate is $3.50/GB. Cape Verde's 1 operator all deliver 4G LTE speeds. Pick the plan that matches your daily GB target, not the carrier brand.
HelloRoam publishes its local operator list for Cape Verde, and the next section prints that list in full. The other four providers publish no equivalent list, so the cards below carry published facts about each provider instead of a carrier we would be guessing at.
Airalo
4G LTEReaches the most destinations of the five, at 200.
Saily
4G LTEAdds VPN routing on every plan.
Holafly
4G LTEUnlimited daily plans with fair-use speeds after the threshold.
Nomad
4G LTELowest fixed per-GB rate of the five, at $3.00.
HelloRoam
4G LTERuns on 204+ carrier partners with a 180-day refund window.
Who you connect to in Cape Verde
HelloRoam publishes one local operator for Cape Verde. That operator is CVMOVEL. 117 of the 185 destinations HelloRoam publishes work this way.
One operator means no fallback. If CVMOVEL has no bars where you stand, your phone has nowhere else to go. Save offline maps for Cape Verde before you fly.
HelloRoam lists no 5G operator in Cape Verde, so expect 4G on the ground. Your tier still comes from trip length and daily habits, not from the operator count.
| Local operator | Network labels |
|---|---|
| CVMOVEL | 4G |
Where this table came from: HelloRoam's own destination catalogue, read on 17 August 2026. That catalogue publishes an operator list for every destination it sells, and we copied it. Nobody ran a speed test to build it, and no throughput number sits behind any row.
What uses your data in Cape Verde
Activity-level data breakdown for a Cape Verde trip.
Streaming
The heavy benchmark is 3 GB a day, and video is what puts a traveler there. A 7-day Cape Verde trip on that band needs 21 GB. The 20GB plan at $217.26 covers it. Dropping the picture quality one step moves the same day back toward the 11 GB moderate total.
Navigation
The light band is 0.5 GB a day, and maps plus a ride app fit inside it. A 7-day Cape Verde trip on that band needs 4 GB. The 5GB plan at $58.50 is the tier that matches.
Social media
Social apps put a Cape Verde traveler on 1.5 GB a day, the published moderate band. 11 GB covers 7 days, and the 20GB plan at $217.26 is the tier sized for it. Uploading photos over WiFi at night keeps the total there.
Work tools
Video calls run at the heavy benchmark of 3 GB a day. A 7-day working trip to Cape Verde needs 21 GB, and the 20GB plan at $217.26 is the smallest tier that covers it. Audio-only calls drop the same day back toward the 0.5 GB light band.
Your Cape Verde pricing notes
If you compare per-GB rates across Cape Verde plans, bigger tiers win on unit cost: 1GB at $15.80 ($15.80/GB), 3GB at $37.29 ($12.43/GB), 5GB at $58.50 ($11.70/GB), 10GB at $106.77 ($10.68/GB), 20GB at $217.26 ($10.86/GB). Moderate travelers stretch their budget with 5GB at $58.50. That works out to $11.70/GB across a 4-day trip. If you only need email and maps, 1GB at $15.80 keeps you connected without paying for data you will not use. If your trip runs longer than 8 days, unlimited data at $28.08/day costs less than the 20GB fixed plan at $217.26. A 14-day unlimited plan drops to $24.99/day (11% off). Streaming daily? Holafly's published $2.99/day unlimited is the shape that fits. Under a gigabyte a day, Nomad's $3.00/GB fixed rate wins the maths. The cheapest eSIM plan for Cape Verde in our price feed is 1GB at $15.80, a catalogue price. Across published entry rates, Nomad sets the lowest fixed floor at $3.00/GB.
See how Cape Verde compares to similar destinations in Africa. For device-specific setup, read our guides for iPhone, Samsung, and Pixel.
How to activate your Cape Verde eSIM
Pick the plan that matches your daily data target for Cape Verde. Scan the QR code under Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM while connected to WiFi at home.
If you want to receive calls on your home number while abroad, keep both lines active. Set the eSIM as "Travel Data" for internet and your home SIM for voice.
If your eSIM is pre-installed, CVMOVEL connects the handset to 4G LTE in Cape Verde the moment your phone leaves airplane mode. Setup runs under 30 seconds.
Common Cape Verde eSIM questions
Direct answers grounded in real plan data and carrier coverage.
What plan do I need?
The eSIM plan you need for Cape Verde depends on how you use data. A light user (maps and messaging) needs about 1GB, covered by the 1GB plan at $15.80. A moderate user (social media and navigation) needs 3GB at $37.29. A heavy user (streaming and video calls) needs 25GB at $217.26. Those are catalogue prices for Cape Verde, and the plans run on the local network on the published list.
How much data do I need?
Data usage in Cape Verde breaks down by app. The published bands are 0.5 GB a day for light use, 1.5 GB for moderate and 3 GB for heavy. Maps and messaging sit on the light band. Streaming and video calls sit on the heavy one. For 7 days, most travelers need 3GB (0.4GB/day). WiFi in Cape Verde is available at hotels and some restaurants, offsetting about 10% of usage.
Which provider is cheapest?
Cape Verde fixed plans start at $15.80 for 1GB on the local network on the published list. Unlimited runs $28.08/day ($196.56/week). Both are catalogue prices. Light users save on fixed. Unlimited passes the largest fixed bundle at $217.26 after 8 days. Across published floors, Nomad is the cheapest fixed rate at $3.00/GB.
Is an eSIM worth it?
An eSIM is worth it for Cape Verde. WiFi in Cape Verde covers hotels and some public areas, but an eSIM keeps you connected everywhere. The 20GB plan at $217.26 gives you 11GB on the local network on the published list for 7 days. That is $-107.26 less than carrier roaming.
eSIM vs SIM card?
An eSIM is better than a physical SIM card for Cape Verde in most cases. eSIM plans start at $15.80 for 1GB and activate in under 5 minutes from your phone. Airport SIM cards cost $15-25 after a 15-30 minutes wait at the local network on the published list counters. The eSIM runs on the same the local network on the published list network.
How to set up?
Set up your Cape Verde eSIM before boarding. Buy and install the plan while on home WiFi. The eSIM activates on CVMOVEL when your phone detects the local network. Cape Verde plans start at $15.80 for 1GB on the catalogue. Keep your home SIM active for calls and use the eSIM for data.
Plan match by traveler profile
Each profile maps to a specific plan size and provider for Cape Verde.
Backpacker
Over 14 days in Cape Verde, a backpacker runs through 7 GB on maps and messaging. The 10 GB plan is priced at $106.77 here, $10.68 per GB, on the local network on the published list. HelloRoam matches the shape and gives you 180 days to undo the purchase if the trip changes.
Backpackers staying 7 days in Cape Verde need 4GB for navigation and hostels. The 5GB plan at $58.50 matches.
Business traveler
A business traveler heading to Cape Verde should budget 15 GB for video calls and uploads across 5 days. That lands on the 20 GB plan, $217.26 on the local network on the published list. The shape fit here is HelloRoam, which answers support in 63 languages and refunds for 180 days.
Business travelers on video calls burn 21GB over 7 days. Unlimited data at $28.08/day on the local network on the published list removes the cap.
Family group
A family traveler in Cape Verde needs 14 GB for social media and navigation over 7 days. The 20 GB plan covers that at $217.26, or $10.86 per GB, on the local network on the published list. On published plan shape, HelloRoam is the closest fit of the five, and Airalo still reaches more places at 200.
A family of 3 sharing data uses 32GB over 7 days. The 20GB plan at $217.26 per device keeps everyone connected on the local network on the published list.
Digital nomad
A digital nomad heading to Cape Verde should budget 75 GB for remote work and streaming across 30 days. That lands on the 20 GB plan, $217.26 on the local network on the published list. On published plan shape, Holafly is the closest fit of the five, and Airalo still reaches more places at 200.
Remote workers run the 3 GB heavy band for uploads and calls. The 20GB plan at $217.26 handles 21GB over 7 days on the local network on the published list.
Your questions, answered
How many gigabytes per day should I budget in Cape Verde?
Build the daily figure from the parts. Maps and messages come to 0.5 GB a day, which is 4 GB over 7 days on the local network on the published list. Add social media and browsing and the rate reaches 1.5 GB a day, or 11 GB for the trip. Add streaming and it reaches 3 GB a day, or 21 GB. Past 3 GB a day the fixed tiers run out here, and unlimited days at $28.08 take over. Most Cape Verde travelers settle at the 1.5 GB rate.
Which plan shape fits my Cape Verde trip, fixed tiers or unlimited days?
If you stream video or run work calls most days in Cape Verde, take the unlimited shape at $28.08 a day. If you keep to maps, messaging and evening browsing, take a fixed tier: a 7-day trip at 1.5 GB a day needs 11 GB, which the 20 GB plan covers at $217.26. Shape availability is not the same everywhere. Only Holafly publishes an unlimited daily plan everywhere it sells. With HelloRoam and Airalo, unlimited depends on where you are going. Nomad and Saily sell fixed per-GB tiers and nothing else. Holafly publishes no gigabyte bundle, which is what you give up for uncapped days.
Which eSIM plan fits a light or heavy data user in Cape Verde?
Calculate your Cape Verde data need by usage rate. At 0.5 GB a day for 7 days: 4 GB needed. The 5 GB plan at $58.50 covers it at $11.70/GB. At 3 GB a day for 7 days: 21 GB needed, and the 20 GB plan at $217.26 ($10.86/GB) is the largest tier sold here, so a heavy pace needs a second purchase or an unlimited plan. That is $0.84/GB less than the entry tier charges.
What should I check on my phone before I buy a Cape Verde plan?
Run the check before you pay, not at the gate. Dial *#06# and look for an EID number under the IMEI, because that number is what an eSIM profile installs against. iPhones from XS onward, Samsung Galaxy from S20 onward, and Pixel from 3 onward all qualify. Confirm the phone is carrier-unlocked as well. Those checks take a minute and they decide whether a Cape Verde plan works at all on 4G LTE. The spelling varies from site to site, e-SIM and e SIM included. The technology does not.
What starts the clock on a Cape Verde plan, the purchase or the landing?
Three events, one clock. Purchase: no countdown. Installing the QR code over WiFi: still no countdown. First connection to a Cape Verde mobile network: the countdown begins. That separation is what lets you set the phone up at home and arrive already connected. The 1 GB plan at $15.80 suits a short stay. The 20 GB plan at $217.26 suits a longer one. Buy within 3 days of departure and the window lines up with the trip.
Is Cape Verde well-covered by travel eSIM networks in Africa?
For a Africa trip centred on Cape Verde, the picture is simple. 1 operator (CVMOVEL) deliver 4G LTE service, and travel eSIMs ride the same infrastructure as local SIMs. Coverage is strongest in urban centres and transport hubs. The 5 GB plan at $58.50 ($11.70/GB) fits a standard Africa visit. If the trip grows another leg, check reach before loyalty. Published destination lists differ: Airalo, Nomad and Saily at 200, HelloRoam at 186 and Holafly at 160.
Which activities use the most mobile data in Cape Verde?
Streaming and video calls are the two activities that force a bigger tier in Cape Verde. Both put a day on the published 3 GB heavy band. Everything else a tourist does, navigation included, sits on the 0.5 GB light band or the 1.5 GB moderate one. Downloading video over hotel WiFi keeps the trip on the lower band, and the 5 GB plan at $58.50 then covers more days.
How do I match a Cape Verde plan tier to the number of nights I am staying?
Count the nights, multiply by 1.5 GB, and buy the first tier above that number. For Cape Verde at a moderate pace that maps out as: 1 to 2 nights takes the 3 GB plan at $37.29 ($12.43/GB); 3 nights takes the 5 GB plan at $58.50 ($11.70/GB); 4 to 6 nights takes the 10 GB plan at $106.77 ($10.68/GB); 7 to 13 nights takes the 20 GB plan at $217.26 ($10.86/GB). The 10 GB plan holds the lowest per-GB rate here at $10.68/GB. Add 20% on top if you stream video or run navigation for whole days, because a tier that fits exactly leaves you rationing on the last morning.
How many days must I commit to for unlimited pricing in Cape Verde?
Match the commitment to the trip, starting at 1 day for $26.96. Cape Verde prices unlimited by block: the 14-day tier lands at $24.99 a day against a $28.08 base rate, a 11% difference. Full 4G LTE speed runs to 2GB a day before fair-use terms apply. Holafly is the reference point for this shape among the five providers we score.
Which provider backs up a mis-sized Cape Verde plan?
Check the refund window before you buy, not after the plan disappoints you. HelloRoam and Holafly publish 180 days, Nomad and Saily 30 days and Airalo 14 days, each on an unactivated eSIM. Once the profile connects to a Cape Verde network, none of those windows applies, which is the detail most travelers miss. Support is your other fallback: HelloRoam publishes 63 languages over live chat, WhatsApp and email, around the clock. Sizing up first is still cheaper than any refund: the 10 GB plan holds the lowest rate here at $10.68/GB.
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