Cape Verde SIM Card for Tourists: Alou vs Unitel T+ Prices

Cape Verde has two main local mobile brands to consider: Alou and Unitel T+. Current official offers create a fairly clear split: Alou has inexpensive prepaid bundles, while Unitel T+ provides a Morabeza eSIM that international visitors can buy without presenting identification.

Physical SIM pricing needs more caution. Neither operator currently publishes enough information to treat a headline prepaid bundle price as the guaranteed complete tourist cost, because SIM-card issuance or activation charges are not consistently disclosed.

Prices and terms checked on September 1, 2026. Operator prices, eligibility rules and purchase conditions can change. Alou’s 700 CVE figure is the bundle price, not a verified all-in physical-SIM total.

Want mobile data ready without visiting a local shop? See Cape Verde eSIM plans.

Can Tourists Buy a SIM Card in Cape Verde?

Yes, visitors have local mobile options in Cape Verde, but the strength of the eligibility evidence differs by product.

Unitel T+ gives tourists the clearest documented route. Its Morabeza eSIM portal says buyers do not need to present a document, although they must create an account and log in to complete the purchase. The eSIM can also be bought before travel and must be activated within 45 days of purchase.

Physical SIM registration is less transparent. Alou’s published prepaid service conditions state that customer registration takes place before service activation, yet the current public material does not clearly specify which documents a short-term foreign visitor must present or whether a passport alone is sufficient.

Cape Verde’s regulator, ARME, published a consultation on SIM registration rules in 2021. That page describes a proposed regulatory framework rather than evidence that every detail of the proposal became the current registration procedure, so it should not be treated as a modern passport checklist.

Anyone choosing a physical SIM should therefore bring a passport and complete the purchase through an official operator location rather than relying on an outdated registration guide.

Alou Prepaid SIM and eSIM Plans

Alou currently publishes some of the lowest clearly stated local prepaid bundle prices.

Its D’Kel Bom range combines mobile data with calls and SMS. The most useful benchmark for many trips is D’Kel Bom Mês 1: 5 GB for 30 days at 700 CVE, including unlimited calls and SMS within the Alou mobile network.

Higher 30-day tiers include:

• 7 GB for 1,000 CVE

• 9 GB for 1,500 CVE

• 12 GB for 3,000 CVE

• 15 GB for 5,000 CVE

Some higher tiers add minutes to other national networks or international calls, so the cheapest package is not automatically the best fit when voice service matters.

Alou also publishes these packages through its eSIM section, including the 5 GB / 30-day option at 700 CVE. The operator therefore supports both traditional mobile service and digital-SIM functionality, although its public eSIM page does not spell out tourist-specific identification requirements as clearly as Unitel T+ does.

See the official Alou D’Kel Bom offer for the current package list.

The important price caveat with Alou

Seven hundred escudos is the verified package price. Current official pages do not clearly publish a universal physical SIM starter-card charge, activation charge or complete first-payment total for foreign visitors.

That distinction matters. Treating 700 CVE as the guaranteed amount needed to walk out of a shop with a new working physical SIM would go beyond the available evidence.

Visitors mainly interested in a cheap 30-day local bundle should still keep Alou near the top of the shortlist, but the final store total should be confirmed before payment.

Unitel T+ Morabeza eSIM

Unitel T+ offers the strongest directly documented tourist purchase process through its Morabeza eSIM portal.

Current packages include 10 GB for 10 days at 1,100 CVE, 15 GB for 15 days at 1,650 CVE, and 25 GB for 15 days at 2,750 CVE. Unlimited-data options are also displayed for shorter stays.

The purchase rules are unusually clear:

• No identification document is required to buy the Morabeza eSIM.

• Account creation and login are required.

• The QR code is delivered digitally after purchase.

• Purchase can be completed before arriving in Cape Verde.

• Activation must occur within 45 days of purchase.

• Each QR code can be installed.

• An unlocked, eSIM-compatible device is required.

• Hotspot use is supported.

Unitel T+ also says a mobile number is associated with the eSIM and supplied with the QR code, which becomes useful when renewing through supported local channels.

See the official Unitel T+ Morabeza eSIM portal for current packages and purchase conditions.

What about a physical Unitel T+ SIM?

Unitel T+ operates physical stores across Cape Verde and publishes prepaid mobile packages for existing mobile service. Its regular mobile-data pages, however, do not give enough tourist-specific information to present the advertised package price as an all-inclusive physical-SIM purchase total.

Visitors specifically wanting Unitel T+ without a store visit have much stronger evidence for choosing Morabeza eSIM than for estimating the complete cost of a new physical starter SIM.

Where to Buy a SIM Card in Cape Verde

Official operator stores are the safest choice when buying a new physical SIM because staff can confirm current identification requirements, SIM issuance charges and package activation.

Alou lists 30 locations across the country. Its current store directory includes shops in Praia, Santa Maria, Espargos, Sal Rei and other towns, plus an official store at Sal Airport.

Use the official Alou store directory to check locations before visiting.

Unitel T+ states that physical stores are available across all Cape Verde islands. Its Morabeza eSIM removes that dependency entirely when the traveler has a compatible unlocked phone.

Airport availability should not be generalized across the country. Alou specifically confirms a Sal Airport store; that does not prove that every Cape Verde airport has the same operators, opening hours, stock or prices.

Registration, Activation and Payment

Local SIM setup deserves more attention than the package headline because published procedures differ by operator and product.

Alou

Alou’s prepaid terms say service activation is preceded by customer registration. Current public information does not provide a sufficiently clear foreign-tourist document list to promise that a passport is the item needed.

The Alou app can purchase D’Kel Bom packages using Vinti4 card payment, but that app flow is geared toward adding packages to mobile numbers and should not be confused with proof that every visitor can open a brand-new line remotely.

Unitel T+ Morabeza

Morabeza eSIM has a simpler documented flow: choose a package, pay, receive the QR code and activate the eSIM on a compatible phone. No document is required for the purchase, while portal registration/login is required.

Physical SIM procedures can differ from this digital tourist product, so the no-document statement should not be extended to every Unitel T+ SIM sold in stores.

The regulator’s historical SIM-registration consultation can be viewed on the official ARME SIM registration page, but it should not be read as a current step-by-step tourist registration rule.

Local SIM or Roafly eSIM?

Local prepaid service wins easily on raw data price when a suitable package is accessible.

Alou’s 5 GB / 30-day D’Kel Bom package costs 700 CVE before any undisclosed SIM issuance or activation charge. Unitel T+ also offers larger Morabeza allowances for travelers who want a local operator product.

Roafly solves a different problem: predictable travel data without arranging a local physical SIM.

Owner-verified Cape Verde packages are 1 GB for 7 days at $12.90, 3 GB for 30 days at $34.90, and 5 GB for 30 days at $49.90. Plans are data-only, use Unitel T+, and support hotspot across the purchased data allowance with no separate hotspot quota.

Roafly can be installed before the trip, avoids a physical SIM swap and removes dependence on local store stock or opening hours. Keeping the primary SIM in the phone is also useful when the device supports the required dual-SIM arrangement.

Local service remains the more logical choice when you need local voice features, prefer a much larger allowance for the money, or plan to stay long enough that visiting a store is a minor inconvenience.

Roafly is more attractive when the priority is having data arranged before arrival and avoiding local registration or physical-SIM purchasing steps.

If your main question is how eSIM providers compare rather than which local SIM to buy, see best eSIM options for Cape Verde.

Coverage and Island Travel

Cape Verde’s geography makes blanket “best coverage” claims risky.

Unitel T+ says its Morabeza eSIM works across its national coverage on the islands, while Alou publishes its own 4G coverage information. Neither fact is enough to declare operator universally better on every beach, mountain road or island.

Roafly lists Unitel T+ as the supported local network for its Cape Verde plans. That network listing should not be interpreted as guaranteed coverage at every location or as proof of a particular speed or radio technology.

Trips involving several islands deserve more location-specific checking than a stay concentrated in Praia or Santa Maria.

Broader connectivity choices, including local SIMs, eSIMs and Wi-Fi, are covered separately in ways to get internet in Cape Verde.

Which Option Fits Your Trip?

Short trip with an eSIM-compatible phone

Unitel T+ Morabeza is compelling when you want a local operator plan and are comfortable buying directly from the operator. Its published no-document process removes of the biggest uncertainties around tourist SIM registration.

Roafly makes more sense when you would rather arrange a straightforward travel-data package before departure and do not need a local mobile number or traditional voice/SMS service.

One to four weeks with moderate data use

Alou’s 5 GB / 30-day package at 700 CVE is the standout local price benchmark. Confirm the complete new-SIM cost at the point of sale because the operator does not clearly publish every potential starter or activation charge.

Heavy data use

Unitel T+ Morabeza offers larger and unlimited-data packages, while Alou also scales beyond its 5 GB entry point. Comparing the actual allowance and validity is more useful here than forcing both operators into the same package size.

Need local calls or traditional mobile service

Local operators deserve priority. Alou’s D’Kel Bom packages include voice and SMS benefits, while Unitel T+ Morabeza options can include local calling features depending on the selected package.

Roafly’s Cape Verde plans are data-only.

Cape Verde SIM Card FAQs

How much does a tourist SIM cost in Cape Verde?

Alou currently sells a 5 GB / 30-day D’Kel Bom package for 700 CVE, but its website does not clearly state the complete first-time physical SIM cost. Unitel T+ sells its 10 GB / 10-day Morabeza eSIM for 1,100 CVE through its official portal.

Do tourists need a passport to buy a Cape Verde SIM?

Unitel T+ explicitly says no identification document is required for its Morabeza eSIM purchase, although an account is required. Physical SIM requirements are less clearly published, so carrying a passport and purchasing from an official store is the safer approach.

Can I buy a SIM card at Sal Airport?

Yes. Alou’s official store directory lists a store at Sal Airport offering sales, top-ups, payments and support. Current stock, waiting time and the complete starter-SIM price are not published, so those details should be checked at purchase.

Can I buy a Cape Verde SIM before my trip?

Unitel T+ allows its Morabeza eSIM to be purchased before travel. The operator says buyers have up to 45 days after purchase to activate it.

Roafly can likewise be arranged before departure when you want travel data without buying a local physical SIM.

Final Recommendation

Cape Verde gives visitors two very different local-value propositions.

Alou is the stronger starting point when low prepaid cost matters most, particularly with 5 GB for 30 days at 700 CVE. The missing piece is the complete first-time physical-SIM total, so confirm SIM and activation charges before paying.

Unitel T+ Morabeza is easier to recommend when tourist accessibility matters more than the lowest headline price. Its official portal supports purchase before travel, requires no identification document for the eSIM purchase and removes the need to find a physical store.

Roafly fits travelers who prefer to organize data before departure, keep their primary SIM in place and avoid local store or physical-SIM procedures. Local prepaid service is still likely to make more sense when a local voice service, larger allowance or lower verified local package price matters more.

Roafly publishes this guide and offers the travel-eSIM alternative discussed above.