Kornelijus
Affordable and reliable. Traveled to the US for a trip and used blikst. It was much more affordable than other companies and was very
Cape Verde
Trust score 4.5
Features
- Coverage: Cape Verde
- Network Provider: Unitel
- Speed: 3G / 4G
- Tethering / Hotspot: Yes
Plan Details
Device Compatibility: Most modern smartphones are fully compatible with Blikst eSIMs. However, a few exceptions exist. Check our detailed compatibility list to confirm your device works flawlessly with our service..
Activation Policy: Enjoy automatic activation by simply scanning the QR code provided after purchase. Your eSIM will instantly activate upon your arrival at Cape Verde, ensuring immediate connectivity.
Delivery Time: Receive a confirmation email with your eSIM details right after completing your purchase. Quick and seamless delivery ensures you’re ready to go in minutes.
Description
Cabo Verde is ten islands strung off the coast of West Africa, and if you want to see more than one of them you'll be island-hopping by TACV inter-island flight or CV Interilhas ferry — both of which run on schedules that shift and need checking. A Blikst Cape Verde eSIM runs on Unitel's (Unitel T+) 3G / 4G network and keeps you online from the moment you land at Amilcar Cabral International on Sal (SID), Praia (RAI) on Santiago, Sao Pedro (VXE) on Sao Vicente, or Boa Vista (BVC).
Where Unitel works best across the islands
Sal (Santa Maria, Espargos), Boa Vista (Sal Rei), Sao Vicente (Mindelo), and Santiago (Praia, Tarrafal) all have reliable 4G across the populated areas. Santo Antao's mountain trails — Ribeira Grande, Paul, the Cova crater — have valley coverage that drops 3G or out entirely between villages; on the Paul-to-Ponta do Sol hike, expect extended offline sections. Fogo's volcano caldera at Cha das Caldeiras is patchy. Tiny Brava, Maio, Sao Nicolau, and Santo Antao interior are lighter on coverage and heavily valley-dependent. Beaches on the windward sides of Sal and Boa Vista — kite-surf territory — tend to hold signal well.
Cost vs. roaming
Most US and European carriers charge premium roaming to Cabo Verde — often $12+ per day. A Blikst plan sits well below that. Picking up a local CVMovel (now Unitel T+) SIM is possible at Sal and Praia airports but involves ID registration and a shop visit in Portuguese or Cape Verdean Creole. The eSIM connects on the same network without the paperwork.
Getting connected on arrival
Install the eSIM on home Wi-Fi before you fly — airport Wi-Fi is limited, especially at smaller islands like Boa Vista and Sao Vicente. When you land and switch off airplane mode, the Unitel line registers automatically. Turn off data roaming on your home SIM. If your itinerary connects through Lisbon, Dakar, or Boston, the plan activates only when a Cape Verdean tower picks it up on arrival. Inter-island flights and ferries stay on the same plan across the archipelago.
What travellers actually use data for in Cabo Verde
- WhatsApp: The default for every guesthouse, island taxi driver, hiking guide, and boat operator. Pickup arrangements, tide-dependent tour changes, and ferry-schedule updates all come through WhatsApp voice notes.
- CV Interilhas and TACV: Inter-island ferry and flight bookings and check-ins. Schedules change frequently and apps / web check-ins require data.
- Maps.me and Google Maps offline: Download offline maps of every island you plan to visit. Santo Antao hiking trails are much better covered on OpenStreetMap (Maps.me) than on Google.
- Wind and wave apps: Windy, Windguru, and the Portuguese IPMA site. Critical if you're kite-surfing Sal's Ponta Preta, windsurfing Boa Vista, or planning a surf trip to Santa Maria.
- Currency and banking: Cabo Verdean escudo (CVE) is pegged to the euro at ~110:1. Cards accepted in resorts and Mindelo; cash needed almost everywhere else. Apple Pay and Google Pay adoption is limited.
- Translation: Portuguese is official; Kriolu is widely spoken. Google Translate's camera mode helps with menus and signs outside the resort zones.
Plan sizing for typical trips
A one-week beach trip to Sal or Boa Vista on a single island works on 3 GB if you're on hotel Wi-Fi at night. A two-island trip (Sal plus Sao Vicente, or Santiago plus Fogo) fits into 5 GB. A proper island-hopping two-week itinerary covering three or four islands with hiking on Santo Antao sits in 10 GB. Kite-surfers staying a month at a Sal rental should look at 20 GB or higher.
Install the profile before you fly, land on Sal or Boa Vista already connected, and get straight from the airport to the beach road without a SIM counter detour.
Important Information
- This eSIM plan is only compatible with iPhone, Samsung and Google devices.
- To activate this plan, you will need to provide your IMEI, EID/ICCID and preferred eSim Activation Date.
- On the specified date your eSim will be activated automatically in the USA no QR code needed.
- The plan must be purchased at least 2 days before the activation date to allow time for processing.
Our plans
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How to get your Bliskt eSIM data?
Check Device Compatibility
Confirm that your smartphone or device supports our Blikst eSIM functionality.
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Follow Installation Instructions
Use the provided step-by-step guide to set up and activate your eSIM in few minutes. Then enjoy your trip.
Learn MoreBlikst eSIM Reviews
Marius
Smooth, simple, just works. Use it again.
Elinga
Quick activation and stable connection. Super handy 🌟 Used it during my trip in Madeira.
James
Lovely support, got an esim for UK. Had no issues.
Capone
I used to have 3 mobile but the internet connection was not the best, that’s why I started to use Blikst and I find it very useful
eSIM FAQ
The Blikst Cape Verde eSIM runs on Unitel's network (Unitel T+, formerly CVMovel), one of the country's main mobile operators. You get 3G and 4G speeds, with reliable 4G across the populated areas of Sal, Boa Vista, Sao Vicente and Santiago. It keeps you online from the moment you land at Amilcar Cabral on Sal, Praia on Santiago, Sao Pedro on Sao Vicente or Boa Vista.
Sal (Santa Maria, Espargos), Boa Vista (Sal Rei), Sao Vicente (Mindelo) and Santiago (Praia, Tarrafal) all have reliable 4G across the populated areas, and the windward kite-surf beaches on Sal and Boa Vista hold signal well. Be honest with your expectations, though: Santo Antao's mountain trails drop to 3G or out entirely between villages, Fogo's Cha das Caldeiras caldera is patchy, and Brava, Maio, Sao Nicolau and Santo Antao's interior are lighter and heavily valley-dependent.
Right after you buy, you receive a confirmation email with your eSIM details, then you simply scan the QR code provided to install the profile. Do this on home Wi-Fi before you fly, as airport Wi-Fi is limited, especially on smaller islands like Boa Vista and Sao Vicente. Activation is automatic: when you land in Cape Verde and switch off airplane mode, the Unitel line registers itself and you are online straight away.
Most modern smartphones are fully compatible with Blikst eSIMs, though a few exceptions exist, so do check our detailed compatibility list to confirm your device works. Your phone must be carrier-unlocked. On an iPhone you can check eSIM support under Settings then General then About, looking for an EID number, and on Android you will find eSIM options in your network settings. If in doubt, the compatibility list is the quickest way to be sure.
It depends on your trip. A one-week beach stay on a single island like Sal or Boa Vista works on 3 GB if you are on hotel Wi-Fi at night. A two-island trip, such as Sal plus Sao Vicente or Santiago plus Fogo, fits into 5 GB. A proper two-week island-hopping itinerary across three or four islands with hiking on Santo Antao sits around 10 GB. Kite-surfers staying a month at a Sal rental should look at 20 GB or higher.
Yes, tethering and hotspot use are supported, so you can share your connection with a laptop, tablet or a travelling companion's phone. This is handy for checking CV Interilhas ferry times or TACV inter-island flights from a bigger screen, or for uploading photos in the evening. Just remember that hotspot use draws from the same data allowance, and bear in mind coverage is weaker on the quieter islands and mountain valleys.
This is a data plan, so it is built for getting you online rather than for traditional phone calls or SMS. In practice that is no hardship in Cape Verde, where WhatsApp is the default for every guesthouse, taxi driver, hiking guide and boat operator, and you can call or message freely over the internet using apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime. Because the eSIM is a separate digital line, your physical home SIM and number can stay in the phone.
Usually, yes. Most US and European carriers charge premium roaming to Cape Verde, often 12 dollars or more per day, and a Blikst plan sits well below that. Picking up a local Unitel T+ (formerly CVMovel) SIM is possible at Sal and Praia airports, but it involves ID registration and a shop visit in Portuguese or Cape Verdean Creole. The eSIM connects on the same network without the paperwork, so you go straight from the airport to the beach road.