Best eSIM for Cuba 2026: which ones really work

Part of our Cuba eSIM guide: all articles and key facts →

The usual advice, "just buy a travel eSIM", runs into trouble in Cuba. The island has a single mobile network, run by the state company ETECSA, and several of the best-known eSIM brands do not sell it at all. Those that do charge far more per gigabyte than in most countries.

We read the Cuba pages of the main sellers on 22 October 2026 and kept only those whose prices and plans we could verify on their own pages or in their own plan data. Here is what works, what it costs per gigabyte, and when ETECSA's own tourist SIM is the better deal.

Which travel eSIMs actually work in Cuba in 2026?

Five sellers we could verify sold Cuba on 22 October 2026: GigSky, Yesim, Nomad, Roamless and Orange Travel. Three big names did not: Airalo, Holafly and Kolet. All five working options connect to the same network, ETECSA's, because Cuba has only one. What separates them is price per gigabyte, how long the plan lasts and whether you can share the connection.

Here are the winners by need, on prices read on the sellers' own pages or in their own plan data on 22 October 2026:

• A light user, 1 GB: Roamless sells 1 GB valid 30 days for $16.95, Yesim 1 GB valid 30 days for $18, GigSky 1 GB valid 15 days for $19.99.
• About 3 GB for a week or two: Nomad sells 3 GB valid 30 days for $49 and Roamless 3 GB valid 30 days for $49.95.
• 5 GB for a longer stay: Roamless ($64.95), Yesim ($66) and Nomad ($69), all valid 30 days, or roughly $13 to $14 per GB.
• 10 GB or more: Yesim's 10 GB valid 30 days costs $120 ($12 per GB), the lowest verified rate per GB for a travel eSIM in Cuba. Orange Travel sells 20 GB, but only for 10 days, at €248.99.
• Unlimited: only Yesim sells it for Cuba, at $31.20 a day for 1 to 7 days, or $218.40 for a week.

The cheapest data in Cuba, however, is not an eSIM. ETECSA's Cubacel Tur tourist SIM costs $13.99 for 4 GB over 7 days, about $3.50 per GB, with calls and SMS included, but it is a physical SIM that you collect at the airport or an ETECSA office. Our guide to Cubacel Tur, eSIM and roaming covers it in detail, and the section on Cubacel Tur below compares the two.

The Cuba eSIMs side by side

The table lists the network each seller names and its main plans. All figures were read on 22 October 2026 and are quoted in the currency each seller displayed. GigSky's prices come from the plan data its own web app loads, since its Cuba page shows plans only in the app.

Per gigabyte, the spread is narrower than the headline prices suggest. Yesim's 10 GB works out at $12 per GB, Roamless's 5 GB at $12.99, Yesim's 5 GB at $13.20 and Nomad's 5 GB at $13.80. GigSky stays between $18.33 and $19.99 per GB whatever the size. Orange Travel is the most expensive for small plans (€28.99 for 1 GB over 7 days) but drops to €12.45 per GB on its 20 GB plan. At the European Central Bank's rate of 22 October 2026 (1 euro for 1.1205 dollars), that is about $13.95.

Validity matters as much as price. Orange Travel's plans last 7 to 14 days, apart from its 20 GB plan, which lasts 10; GigSky's 1 GB and 3 GB last 15 days; Roamless, Yesim and Nomad's larger plans last 30 days. On a two-week trip, a 30-day plan leaves room for a delayed flight; a 7-day plan means buying twice.

The comparison site esimdb listed plans from more than 60 brands for Cuba on 22 October 2026, most of them small resellers. We kept to sellers whose own pages or plan data we could read, and left out GlobaleSIM (its site did not load for us), Firsty (we only saw its plans on a reseller site) and Saily (its pages blocked automated reading).

Which big eSIM brands do not sell Cuba?

Airalo, Holafly and Kolet did not sell a Cuba plan on 22 October 2026. If you already have one of their apps installed, check before you rely on it.

• Airalo: Cuba was missing from the list of 199 destinations its website loads, and the address that would hold its Cuba page returned an error, while the same pattern works for other countries such as Madagascar.
• Holafly: we found no Cuba product among the 415 product pages Holafly lists, and its Caribbean plan covers 18 countries, including the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, but not Cuba.
• Kolet: its Cuba page says plainly that "Kolet is not in Cuba yet" and offers a notification when it opens.

None of these sellers gives a reason on its page, so we do not speculate on one. What matters for travellers is the practical consequence: Orange France's own Cuba guide warns that "not all eSIMs work in Cuba" because of the roaming agreements with ETECSA, and a regional "Caribbean" or "Latin America" plan is no guarantee that Cuba is included. Read the country list before you pay.

If your trip combines Cuba with the Dominican Republic, you will probably need two plans: our Dominican Republic eSIM guide covers the other half of the trip.

Why does every Cuba eSIM end up on ETECSA's network?

Because ETECSA is the only telecom operator in Cuba. The state company is described as "the sole lawful provider of telephony and telecommunications" in the country; a 2003 decree merged the two mobile companies, Cubacel and C_COM, into it. Cubacel survives as the brand of its mobile service.

That explains the different names on eSIM pages. GigSky says it partnered with Cubacel, Orange Travel names "Etecsa", Roamless "Cubacell", and Nomad "C-COM (Empresa de Telecomunicaciones Celulares del Caribe SA)". They all point to the same network, so no eSIM gives you access to a faster rival, as you might find in other countries.

A travel eSIM is a roaming line: its profile belongs to a foreign operator, which connects to ETECSA through a roaming agreement. Those agreements define which technologies you get. ETECSA's own list of roaming partners, updated on 15 October 2026, shows the four French operators with GSM, GPRS and 3G only, while O2 in the UK and Telus in Canada are listed with LTE. Most eSIM sellers do not say which partner they use, and Roamless is the only one we read that states "3G/4G". Expect 3G at least, and treat 4G as a bonus.

We found no independent measurement of mobile speeds in Cuba. Ookla's Speedtest Global Index has no Cuba page, and neither nPerf nor Opensignal publishes a Cuba report we could find. ETECSA itself said in September 2026 that it had enabled 4G on more than 100 base stations by extending its 900 and 2100 MHz frequencies.

Pros and cons of each provider

Each seller below was read on 22 October 2026. Prices are for Cuba-only plans.

Roamless

• Pros: the cheapest verified 1 GB ($16.95) and 5 GB ($64.95), all valid 30 days; names the network ("Cubacell") and the technology (3G/4G); hotspot allowed; a free 100 MB to test the line.
• Cons: no plan above 5 GB; its page itself warns that data in Cuba is "limited and pricier than most places" and that 4G is mainly found in Havana, Varadero and the main towns.

Yesim

• Pros: the lowest verified price per GB on its 10 GB plan ($120, 30 days); the only unlimited plan for Cuba; validity begins on connection to a network, and the plan can be activated within 180 days of purchase; "ID verification: not required".
• Cons: no operator named; hotspot "depends on operator"; the unlimited plan costs $31.20 a day and is only sold for up to 7 days; the 5 GB and 10 GB prices are shown as discounts on higher list prices.

GigSky

• Pros: says it works directly with Cubacel; one eSIM reused across countries; "unlimited hotspot sharing" according to its Cuba page; prices shown in dollars or euros.
• Cons: the most expensive per GB of the dollar sellers ($18.33 to $19.99); short validity on small plans (15 days); prices are only visible in the app. In a guide published in October 2025, GigSky listed 3 GB at $43.99 and 5 GB at $79.99, below the $54.99 and $98.99 of October 2026.

Nomad

• Pros: the cheapest verified 3 GB ($49, 30 days); hotspot supported; the plan starts when it connects in Cuba, and can be activated up to 60 days after purchase.
• Cons: 1 GB lasts only 7 days, for $21; no plan above 5 GB.

Orange Travel

• Pros: names Etecsa; the only verified 20 GB plan (€248.99 for 10 days, or €12.45 per GB); hotspot advertised; prices in euros.
• Cons: by far the most expensive small plans (€28.99 for 1 GB, €58.99 for 3 GB); every plan lasts 7, 10 or 14 days, so a long trip means several purchases.

Is Cubacel Tur cheaper than a travel eSIM?

Yes, by far, if you can collect it. ETECSA's tourist line, Cubacel Tur, comes in two packages: the Básico, with 4 GB, 20 minutes and 20 SMS for 7 days, and the Básico Plus, with 10 GB, 100 minutes, 100 SMS and unlimited WhatsApp and Facebook for 30 days. On 22 October 2026, SuenaCuba, one of the two sellers recommended on the official Cubacel Tur site, cubaceltur.com, charged $13.99 and $34.99. That is about $3.50 per GB, against $12 to $20 for travel eSIMs, and the minutes work for national and international calls.

Extra data is cheap too: the Cubacel Tur site lists add-ons of 10 GB for $20, 20 GB for $30 and 50 GB for $50. Each purchase extends the line by 7 or 30 days, up to 90 days in total.

The catch is practical. Cubacel Tur is a physical SIM, and the Cubacel Tur site states that it is not an eSIM. You collect it at a CubacelTur desk at one of seven airports, including Havana's José Martí terminals 3 and 2, or at an ETECSA office, with your passport; lines are limited to three per passport and to adults. ETECSA's offices take payment only by UnionPay and Mir international cards, so most visitors order online before leaving. Your phone must also accept a second physical SIM, or you will have to remove your home SIM.

A sensible split, for many travellers, is a small travel eSIM for the first hours (a ride from the airport, messages home), then Cubacel Tur for the rest of the stay. Our Cubacel Tur, eSIM and roaming guide explains pickup and payment step by step.

Which option should you pick for your trip length?

Cuba trips tend to follow the same patterns: a few days in Havana, a week combining Havana with Viñales or Varadero, or two weeks across the island to Trinidad and Santiago de Cuba. Here is how the verified prices play out.

A long weekend or a cruise stop in Havana

1 GB is enough for maps, messages and a few photos. Roamless's $16.95 (30 days) or Yesim's $18 (30 days) are the cheapest verified travel options; GigSky's 1 GB costs $19.99 for 15 days. If you need unlimited data for a single day, Yesim charges $31.20.

One week: Havana plus Viñales or Varadero

Plan on 3 GB. Nomad's 3 GB costs $49 and Roamless's $49.95, both valid 30 days. Cubacel Tur's Básico gives 4 GB for 7 days at $13.99, if you are happy to collect a SIM at the airport.

Two weeks or more across the island

For 5 GB, Roamless ($64.95), Yesim ($66) and Nomad ($69) are within a few dollars of each other, all valid 30 days. For 10 GB, Yesim's $120 is the cheapest verified travel eSIM. Cubacel Tur's Básico Plus, at $34.99 for 10 GB and 100 minutes over 30 days, costs less than a third of that.

Remote work or heavy use

Yesim's unlimited plan costs $31.20 a day, or $218.40 a week, and its fair use terms allow the operator to slow you down. In a country where the mobile network is regularly cut by blackouts, paying for unlimited data is a gamble; a Cubacel Tur line with a 50 GB add-on ($50) is a cheaper base.

Will it work outside Havana, and during power cuts?

In towns, usually; during blackouts, often not. No operator or seller publishes a coverage map we could check, and Roamless writes that 4G is mainly found in Havana, Varadero and the main towns. Orange France's Cuba guide says the signal can become scarce in rural areas.

The bigger issue in 2026 is electricity. In an article published by the state outlet Cubadebate on 24 September 2026, reported by Directorio Cubano the next day, ETECSA said that numerous sites switch off when power is lacking, which can leave communities without mobile coverage, and that the base stations still running become congested. During the latest collapse of the national grid, "more than 80%" of its base station sites and "practically 70%" of its cabinets were interrupted, and internet traffic fell by up to 58%.

ETECSA says it is installing new batteries in Havana base stations to add several hours of autonomy, and solar panels to back up its main municipal sites, but that it is no longer viable to expand the network without power backup. On 14 October 2026, Infobae reported users losing Cubacel coverage during blackouts and instability after power returned.

A travel eSIM does not escape this: it roams on the same base stations. In practice:

• Download offline maps (Google Maps or Maps.me) and a translation pack before you fly.
• Save your accommodation's address and phone number offline.
• Keep a Wi-Fi fallback: ETECSA sells Nauta Wi-Fi cards at 25 CUP per hour in its offices, hotels and airports.
• Do not buy more data than you can use: plans keep running during outages.

When does the plan start, and can you share it?

Install the eSIM at home, on Wi-Fi, and let the plan start in Cuba. The sellers' rules differ slightly:

• Yesim: validity begins when the plan connects to a compatible network; activation within 180 days of purchase.
• Nomad: the plan starts automatically once connected to the destination network; activation within 60 days, after which it starts on its own.
• Roamless: connects automatically on arrival in Cuba; its data plans expire in 30 days.
• GigSky and Orange Travel: install before the trip and turn the line on when you land.

Hotspot rules: Roamless allows it without limit, GigSky advertises "unlimited hotspot sharing", Nomad and Orange Travel allow sharing, and Yesim says it "depends on operator".

None of the travel eSIMs we compared includes a Cuban phone number. Keep your home line switched on with data roaming off if you need bank codes by SMS, and remember that receiving calls on your home number in Cuba can be expensive. Our guide to running two eSIMs at the same time explains how to set up the lines.

What should you sort out before landing in Havana?

Install the eSIM at home, check that your phone is unlocked, and download everything you will need offline. Wi-Fi at Havana's José Martí airport and in many hotels is sold by the hour, so do not count on it for the installation.

• eSIM support: find your model on our list of eSIM-compatible phones.
• Unlocked: a phone locked to your home operator will refuse a foreign profile. Read do you need an unlocked phone for a travel eSIM.
• Installation: on Android, follow our step-by-step eSIM activation guide; if the line stays on "Activating", see our fixes for an eSIM stuck on activating.
• EID: if a seller asks for it, our guide shows where to find the EID number.

If nothing connects on arrival, check that data roaming is on for the eSIM line and that the phone has selected the Cuban network, then work through 10 fixes for a travel eSIM not working abroad. If the whole area has lost power, no setting will help: wait for the base station to come back or find Wi-Fi.

How we compared

We read each seller's Cuba page, or the plan data its own website loads, on 22 October 2026, and recorded price, data, validity, network named, start of validity and hotspot rule. For GigSky, whose Cuba page shows plans only in the app, we used the plan data served to its web app in dollars and euros. We checked Airalo's destination list, Holafly's product list and Caribbean plan, and Kolet's Cuba page to confirm that they did not sell Cuba.

Cubacel Tur's contents and pickup points come from ETECSA's page, its add-on prices from the Cubacel Tur site that ETECSA links to, and its package prices from SuenaCuba, a seller that site recommends. Network context comes from ETECSA's roaming partner list (updated 15 October 2026) and ETECSA's figures published by Cubadebate on 24 September 2026. Euro and dollar comparisons use the European Central Bank reference rate of 22 October 2026 (1 euro for 1.1205 dollars).

We did not buy the plans or measure speeds in Cuba, and we found no independent speed survey for the country. Prices change often, so check the seller's page before you buy. For the local SIM and your home operator's roaming, see our Cubacel Tur, eSIM and roaming guide, and for the rest of the region, our Cuba eSIM guide.