The best eSIM for Madagascar in 2026: prices, networks and what Airtel means for you

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

The best eSIM for Madagascar depends on two things: how much data you need and which network the eSIM puts you on. Most travel eSIMs connect to Airtel, the slowest of the three networks in independent measurements, while Yas (the former Telma) and Orange are much faster. We read the Madagascar pages of seven providers on 20 October 2026 and compared price, network and the rules that matter between Antananarivo, the RN7 and Nosy Be.

Which is the best eSIM for Madagascar?

For unlimited data, Yesim was the cheapest verified Madagascar-only plan for a week, two weeks and a month; Orange Travel was cheapest for 5 and 10 days; for a fixed allowance, Nomad, Yesim and Orange Travel led. These verdicts cover single-country plans; Maya Mobile's global plan, also a one-time purchase, costs less on paper and is discussed separately below. Here are the winners by need, on prices checked on 20 October 2026:

• A stopover or a single day in Antananarivo: Yesim sells 1 day of unlimited data for €8.50, Holafly for €8.90.
• A long weekend (3 days): Airalo's Madagascar plan costs €18 for 3 days of unlimited data at 3 GB a day, just under Holafly's €19.50.
• Five days: Orange Travel's unlimited plan costs €24.99, a 20% discount that the page's product data dates to 15 November 2026, against €28.50 at Airalo and €29.50 at Holafly.
• One week, the classic Antananarivo and Andasibe trip: Yesim costs €32 for 7 days of unlimited data, Airalo €36.50 and Holafly €37.90.
• Ten days, enough for a run down the RN7: Orange Travel costs €37.99, Airalo €43 and Holafly €44.90.
• Two weeks to a month: Yesim costs €49 for 15 days and €69 for 30 days; Holafly costs €60.50 and €106.50.
• A light user who wants a fixed allowance: Nomad's 3 GB valid 30 days costs €10.67, Yesim's 10 GB valid 30 days €22, and Orange Travel's 20 GB valid 30 days €28.99 on promotion.
• A faster network than Airtel: Ubigi names Orange Madagascar and Yas, Orange Travel names Orange, Airtel and Telma, and aloSIM names Telma.

If you continue to Mauritius or Réunion, read our guide to one eSIM or two for Mauritius and Réunion and the best eSIM for Mauritius: some regional plans cover all three islands.

The Madagascar eSIMs side by side

The table lists the Malagasy network each provider names, its unlimited week and a typical fixed plan. All figures were read on the providers' own pages on 20 October 2026 and are quoted in the currency each page displayed.

Unlimited prices by length tell the rest of the story. Holafly sells any number of days from 1 to 30; Yesim sells 1, 7, 15 and 30 days; Airalo stops at 10 days; Orange Travel sells 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 days.

Saily also sells Madagascar plans, but its page blocked automated reading on 20 October 2026, so we leave it out of every verdict. Maya Mobile's global plan, discussed below, is a special case.

Is an unlimited eSIM for Madagascar worth it?

For a week or more, the cheapest unlimited plans cost less than the typical Madagascar plan with a daily allowance of at least 1 GB. The comparison database esimdb listed 7,271 plans from 229 providers covering Madagascar on 20 October 2026. Among Madagascar-only plans with at least 1 GB a day at full speed, the median price was €51.29 for 7 days (49 plans from 33 providers), €58.45 for 10 days, €72.87 for 15 days and €97.81 for 30 days, with dollar prices converted at the European Central Bank rate.

Yesim sits well below that median at 7, 15 and 30 days: €32 against €51.29 for a week, €49 against €72.87 for 15 days and €69 against €97.81 for a month. The 30-day median rests on only 28 plans, so treat it as an order of magnitude. Holafly is below the median for a week (€37.90) and 15 days (€60.50) but above it for 30 days (€106.50). Orange Travel's 10 days at €37.99 is far below the €58.45 median, but it is a discounted price that Orange's product data dates to 15 November 2026; the crossed-out price shown is €46.99.

The fine print differs. Airalo publishes its rule plainly: 3 GB a day at full speed, then 1 Mbps. Holafly's FAQ says operators may apply a fair usage policy that reduces speed "for no more than one (1) day". Yesim's Madagascar page says only that "data speed may be limited in accordance with the network operator's Fair Usage Policy", without a figure, and we found no speed rule for Orange Travel's unlimited plans. Cheaper plans exist from small brands, the lowest at €12.59 for 7 days, but esimdb lists it as slowing to 128 kbps after 1 GB a day, and we did not check those sellers' own pages.

Maya Mobile is the outlier. Its Madagascar page sells one global unlimited plan at $9.99 for 3 days, $19.99 for 7 days, $27.99 for 14 days and $49.99 for 30 days. Each package is a one-time purchase: its FAQ says "There is no automatic recurring charge unless you choose to turn on Auto Top-Up", an option you add at checkout. The price card also carries the line "Auto-renews while Travel Mode is on", but the FAQ is explicit that a plan renews only if Auto Top-Up is turned on. Its headline promises "no caps, no throttling", while the plan data on the same page reads "5GB Per Day full speed, then speed drops to 3Mbps", and its terms describe a daily high-speed "Daily Quota". The network named in that plan data for Madagascar is Telma. With 5 GB a day at full speed, $19.99 for a week costs less than any Madagascar-only unlimited week in our table; with Auto Top-Up off, the plan simply ends with no further charge.

Airtel, Yas or Orange: which network does each eSIM use?

Most travel eSIMs use Airtel, which nPerf users measured as by far the slowest network in Madagascar, although Airtel's own customers recorded a 4G footprint as wide as Yas's. Madagascar has three mobile networks: Yas, the brand that replaced Telma in November 2024 and belongs to Axian Telecom; Orange Madagascar, part of the Orange group; and Airtel Madagascar, part of Airtel Africa. Yas explains the change in its rebranding FAQ, which says there will be no change to its core services, prices or contracts. Several eSIM sellers still write "Telma".

On esimdb, 5,226 of the plans covering Madagascar name a network: Airtel appears in 3,624 of them (69%), Telma in 1,610 (31%) and Orange in 990 (19%). Holafly, Airalo and Yesim's Madagascar page name Airtel only. Nomad names "Airtel / Yas", Ubigi "Orange Madagascar" and "Yas", Orange Travel "Orange, Airtel, Telma", and aloSIM "Telma".

The speed gap is large. In nPerf's barometer of mobile internet in Madagascar, built from speed tests run by users of the nPerf app between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, Yas users averaged 133.58 Mb/s download, Orange users 56.52 Mb/s and Airtel users 10.49 Mb/s. Latency was 33.46 ms on Yas, 44.40 ms on Orange and 87.89 ms on Airtel. nPerf notes that Yas has led its Madagascar barometer for five years in a row.

Coverage tells a different story. nPerf's separate 4G and 5G coverage barometer for September 2025 to August 2026, built from signal readings recorded by Android users, gave Airtel the best 4G coverage score (80.14%), a hair ahead of Yas (80.09%) and well ahead of Orange (68.61%). Each operator is measured only where its own customers went, so the figures show where users found 4G, not a guaranteed map. The regulator, the ARTEC, gives a national figure on its website: 4G reached 80% of the population in 2024 and 3G 98%.

For a traveller, 10 Mb/s is enough for maps and messages but slow for photo uploads and video calls. If speed matters, a plan on Yas or Orange is worth a few euros more; if you mostly want a signal on long drives, Airtel's measured 4G footprint is a point in its favour, although Yas's is almost identical.

Pros and cons of each provider

Each provider below was read on 20 October 2026. Prices are for Madagascar-only plans unless stated.

Yesim

• Pros: the cheapest verified Madagascar-only unlimited plans for 1, 7, 15 and 30 days (€8.50, €32, €49 and €69); cheap fixed plans valid 30 days (1 GB for €7, 3 GB for €12, 10 GB for €22, 20 GB for €35); validity "begins upon connection to a compatible network", and the plan can be activated within 180 days of purchase.
• Cons: its Madagascar page names Airtel only; most prices are shown as discounts on higher list prices; hotspot "depends on operator"; no figure for the speed limit, only a mention that the operator's fair usage policy may apply.

Airalo

• Pros: the cheapest verified Madagascar-only 3-day unlimited plan (€18); a clear published cap of 3 GB a day, then 1 Mbps; rechargeable online.
• Cons: Airtel only, 4G only; no unlimited plan longer than 10 days on the Madagascar page; fixed plans are expensive (10 GB for 30 days at €41.50); we found no hotspot rule on the page.

Holafly

• Pros: any length from 1 to 30 days; 1 GB a day of shared data for a hotspot; a monthly 1 GB backup allowance it calls "Always On"; a frank warning that coverage "may be weaker or less stable" in "certain parts of Masoala National Park, Tsingy de Bemaraha, Isalo National Park, and along rural routes in the west of the island".
• Cons: Airtel only; more expensive than Yesim at every length both sell; its 30-day price (€106.50) is above the esimdb median; no local phone number.

Orange Travel

• Pros: the cheapest verified Madagascar-only unlimited plans for 5 and 10 days; access to Orange, Airtel and Telma; the cheapest large fixed plans we found (20 GB for 30 days at €28.99, 100 GB for 30 days at €52.99); hotspot allowed.
• Cons: those prices are discounts that the page's product data dates to 15 November 2026; no 7-day or 30-day unlimited plan; no published speed rule for the unlimited plans.

Nomad

• Pros: the cheapest verified 3 GB and 5 GB plans valid 30 days (€10.67 and €15.12), and 10 GB valid 30 days for €22.24, a few cents above Yesim; names both Airtel and Yas; can be activated up to 60 days after purchase; hotspot supported.
• Cons: no unlimited plan; the only short plan is 1 GB for 7 days at €6.23.

Ubigi

• Pros: names Orange Madagascar and Yas, the two faster networks in nPerf's measurements; "Smartstart" starts the plan on arrival; "data sharing allowed"; 25 GB for 30 days at €44.
• Cons: no unlimited plan; 10 GB for 30 days costs €29, more than Yesim or Nomad.

aloSIM

• Pros: runs on Telma, now Yas; a free international phone number with every plan; hotspot allowed; 20 GB for 30 days at $43.
• Cons: prices in US dollars; its page oddly lists 10 GB ($48) above 20 GB ($43), so check the basket before paying; no unlimited plan.

Is a Yas tourist eSIM cheaper than a travel eSIM?

Yes, if you can reach a Yas shop and 5 GB is enough: the Yas tourist eSIM costs 60,000 Ar (about €11.88) for 30 days. It includes 5 GB of data, one hour of national calls, 5 minutes of international calls to a list of 40 countries and 50 SMS. Yas sells it in nine shops, including its Ivato airport shop, Nosy Be Mall, Diego Foch, Sainte Marie and Tuléar, and asks you to register with its staff before you scan the QR code. Prices are converted at the central bank rate of 19 October 2026 (5,050.02 Ar to the euro).

A local line also unlocks very cheap top-ups. Orange's Akama+ bundles cost 30,000 Ar (about €5.94) for 20 GB valid 30 days, and Yas sells 15 GB valid 30 days for 75,000 Ar (about €14.85). Our Madagascar local SIM guide compares the Yas, Orange and Airtel offers and what nPerf measured around Nosy Be and the national parks.

The catch is the shop. A travel eSIM installed at home works as you land, while the Yas eSIM needs a counter visit, and we found no operator page listing the documents a foreign visitor must show, so take your passport. Many travellers combine both: a small travel plan for the first hours, then a local line once in town.

Which eSIM should you pick for your trip length?

Yesim for an unlimited week or month, Orange Travel for 5 or 10 days while its promotion lasts, and Nomad, Yesim or Orange Travel for a fixed allowance. Here is how the choice plays out on typical itineraries.

A few days in Antananarivo and Andasibe

For 3 days, Airalo's €18 is the cheapest verified Madagascar-only unlimited plan; for 5 days, Orange Travel's €24.99. Andasibe-Mantadia National Park lies about 150 km east of the capital, and a 3 GB fixed plan is enough for maps and messages on that trip.

Ten days to two weeks on the RN7

The RN7 runs 980 km from Antananarivo to Toliara, and Isalo National Park lies near Ranohira, between Ihosy and Toliara. Orange Travel's 10-day unlimited plan (€37.99) and Yesim's 15 days (€49) are the cheapest verified Madagascar-only options, and Orange Travel can also use Telma's network. nPerf's coverage barometer is the closest thing to a measurement of that route, set out below.

A month, or a beach stay in Nosy Be

Yesim's €69 for 30 days of unlimited data is the cheapest verified Madagascar-only month. For a lighter user, Orange Travel's 20 GB valid 30 days (€28.99 on promotion) or Yesim's 20 GB (€35) cost less, and the Yas tourist eSIM is cheaper still if you pass through a Yas shop.

Will an eSIM work on the RN7, in the parks and on Nosy Be?

In towns, yes; in the parks and on remote roads, expect gaps whatever you buy. No operator publishes coverage figures for individual parks, and Holafly itself warns about Masoala, Tsingy de Bemaraha, Isalo and rural routes in the west. The best independent data is nPerf's coverage barometer, which scores each operator by region, using the six former provinces.

• Fianarantsoa region (the RN7 via Fianarantsoa and Ihosy on nPerf's map, and Isalo): Yas scored 80.78%, Airtel 66.64% and Orange 38.70% for 4G.
• Toliara region (the end of the RN7 and the south-west coast): Airtel 75.20%, Yas 60.50%, Orange 46.38%, from relatively few readings.
• Antsiranana region (the far north, from Antsiranana to Ambanja on nPerf's map; Nosy Be lies just off this coast): Airtel 92.46%, Yas 77.04%, Orange 71.29%, but Airtel users supplied only a sliver of the readings there (Orange about 80%, Yas 19%), so Airtel's lead rests on very few measurements.

Those scores mix geographic coverage and coverage where users actually are, and each operator is measured where its own customers went. Download offline maps before leaving Antananarivo, and see our local SIM and coverage guide for the details by region.

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

The providers we read let you install the eSIM at home and start the plan in Madagascar, so set it up before you fly. Yesim's validity begins on connection to a compatible network; Ubigi's Smartstart starts the plan on arrival; Nomad's plans start on connection and must be activated within 60 days of purchase; Holafly's plan "activates immediately upon connecting your eSIM to any supported network", and it tells you to set up the eSIM before departure and turn on data roaming on arrival.

Hotspot rules differ:

• Holafly: 1 GB of shared data a day.
• Yesim: "depends on operator".
• Nomad, Ubigi, Orange Travel, aloSIM and Maya: sharing allowed, according to their pages.
• Airalo: we found no hotspot rule on its Madagascar page.

None of the travel plans we compared includes a Malagasy phone number. Keep your home line on with data roaming off if you need bank codes by SMS; our guide to running two eSIMs at the same time explains how.

What should you sort out before landing at Ivato?

Install the eSIM at home, check that your phone is unlocked, and download offline maps. Ivato International Airport lies about 16 km north-west of central Antananarivo, so you will want data for a map or a ride into the city.

• eSIM support: find your model on our list of eSIM-compatible phones, for example the iPhone 17 range or the Galaxy S25 range.
• Unlocked: a phone locked to your home operator will refuse a Malagasy 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.

If a seller asks for your phone's EID, our guide shows where to find the EID number. If nothing connects on arrival, check that data roaming is on for the eSIM line, then work through 10 fixes for a travel eSIM not working abroad.

How we compared

We read each provider's Madagascar page, or the plan data it embeds, on 20 October 2026, and recorded price, validity, data, network, start of validity and hotspot rule. We computed market medians with the esimdb database, using Madagascar-only plans with at least 1 GB a day at full speed, promotions included, excluding plans also listed for Mauritius or Réunion, and converting dollar prices at the European Central Bank rate of 19 October 2026 (1 euro for 1.1225 dollars) for the medians only.

Speed figures come from nPerf's April 2026 mobile barometer and coverage figures from its September 2026 coverage barometer. The Yas tourist eSIM and the Akama+ bundles come from the operators' own pages. We did not buy the plans or measure speeds in Madagascar. Prices change often, and Orange Travel's product data dates its discounted prices to 15 November 2026, so check the provider's page before you buy. For the same comparison on the neighbouring island, see our Mauritius eSIM guide.