Sao Tome and Principe 1GB 7 days
CST / Unitel STP
- Data
- 1GB
- Validity
- 7 days
- Hotspot
- Yes
- Technology
- 4G
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
from$4.90
Sao Tome and Principe eSIM
Sao Tome and Principe is two small volcanic islands in the Gulf of Guinea where nearly everything on a trip is arranged by conversation rather than by booking button: the driver who takes you out to an abandoned cocoa plantation, the boatman running turtle or whale trips, the guesthouse owner who wants to confirm your room once more the day before. Portuguese is the working language and English stops fairly quickly outside the hotels, so a translation app gets used about as often as the map does. Being contactable through the day matters far more here than raw speed.
Plans listed
8
Network
CST, Unitel STP
Technology
4G
Local currency
STN
Picked by how you travel
Best for a short trip
Fixed
Best for heavy data
Sao Tome and Principe 20GB 30 days
CST / Unitel STP
- Data
- 20GB
- Validity
- 30 days
- Hotspot
- Yes
- Technology
- 4G
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
from$55.90
These picks are computed from price per GB, validity and plan features only — never from what we earn.
All Sao Tome and Principe plans
Sao Tome and Principe 20GB 30 days
CST / Unitel STP
- Data
- 20GB
- Validity
- 30 days
- Hotspot
- Yes
- Technology
- 4G
- Hotspot
- Best value per GB
- Long stay
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
from$55.90
Sao Tome and Principe 10GB 30 days
CST / Unitel STP
- Data
- 10GB
- Validity
- 30 days
- Hotspot
- Yes
- Technology
- 4G
- Hotspot
- Best value per GB
- Long stay
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
from$28.90
Sao Tome and Principe 2GB/day 15 days
CST / Unitel STP
- Data
- 2GB per day
- Validity
- 15 days
- Hotspot
- Yes
- Technology
- 4G
- Hotspot
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
from$79.90
Sao Tome and Principe 1GB/day 10 days
CST / Unitel STP
- Data
- 1GB per day
- Validity
- 10 days
- Hotspot
- Yes
- Technology
- 4G
- Hotspot
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
from$27.90
Sao Tome and Principe 512MB/day 7 days
CST / Unitel STP
- Data
- 512MB per day
- Validity
- 7 days
- Hotspot
- Yes
- Technology
- 4G
- Hotspot
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
from$10.90
Sao Tome and Principe 5GB 15 days
CST / Unitel STP
- Data
- 5GB
- Validity
- 15 days
- Hotspot
- Yes
- Technology
- 4G
- Hotspot
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
from$16.90
Sao Tome and Principe 3GB 15 days
CST / Unitel STP
- Data
- 3GB
- Validity
- 15 days
- Hotspot
- Yes
- Technology
- 4G
- Hotspot
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
from$11.90
Sao Tome and Principe 1GB 7 days
CST / Unitel STP
- Data
- 1GB
- Validity
- 7 days
- Hotspot
- Yes
- Technology
- 4G
- Hotspot
- Budget
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
from$4.90
How much data you actually need
A normal visitor here uses roughly 300MB–800MB a day, most of it messaging, maps and Portuguese translation. If you upload diving clips or video call home every evening, budget nearer 1.5GB a day instead.
When you land
The main gateway is Sao Tome International (TMS), only a few kilometres from town, with flights arriving mainly from Lisbon, Accra and Libreville. Principe has its own strip, Principe Airport (PCP) at Santo Antonio, reached on a 35-minute hop in a small aircraft from Sao Tome. Switch the line on as you land, because guesthouse pickups here are usually confirmed by message rather than at an airport desk.
Where coverage changes
Service is densest in Sao Tome town and along the northern and eastern coast road where the villages line up. It thins or disappears once you are inside the Obo rainforest in the island's middle, around Pico Cao Grande, on the run south to Porto Alegre and on the offshore islets such as Ilheu das Rolas. On Principe it clusters around Santo Antonio, while the southern coast and the forest walking routes have effectively nothing, so download the offline map before you leave town.
Cities travellers ask about
- Sao Tome — Bayside capital with Portuguese colonial buildings and the central market.
- Santo Antonio — Principe's main town, tiny and much quieter than the big island.
- Trindade — Hill town near the capital, on the way to waterfalls and old plantations.
- Neves — Northern port town, the launching point for dive and fishing boats.
- Porto Alegre — Far south end of the main island; long road in and patchy signal.
Apps to install before you fly
- WhatsApp, the channel guides, drivers and guesthouses use for almost everything
- Google Translate with the offline Portuguese pack
- An offline map app such as OsmAnd or Organic Maps for the forest roads
Networks in Sao Tome and Principe
| Operator | Technology |
|---|---|
| CST | 4G |
| Unitel STP | 4G |
These are the networks operating in the country. A given plan may reach only some of them — check the network named on the plan itself.
Plan comparison
| Plan | Data | Validity | Hotspot | Sold by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sao Tome and Principe 1GB 7 days | 1GB | 7 days | Yes | eSIMonline |
| Sao Tome and Principe 3GB 15 days | 3GB | 15 days | Yes | eSIMonline |
| Sao Tome and Principe 5GB 15 days | 5GB | 15 days | Yes | eSIMonline |
| Sao Tome and Principe 10GB 30 days | 10GB | 30 days | Yes | eSIMonline |
| Sao Tome and Principe 20GB 30 days | 20GB | 30 days | Yes | eSIMonline |
| Sao Tome and Principe 512MB/day 7 days | 512MB per day | 7 days | Yes | eSIMonline |
| Sao Tome and Principe 1GB/day 10 days | 1GB per day | 10 days | Yes | eSIMonline |
| Sao Tome and Principe 2GB/day 15 days | 2GB per day | 15 days | Yes | eSIMonline |
FAQ
Will data still work when I go over to Principe?+
It works in Santo Antonio and the larger villages, but along the southern coast, on the forest trails and at the beaches you reach by boat, you can be out of range for long stretches. Save your maps, your domestic flight details and your accommodation's number to the device before you take the small plane over from Sao Tome, and fix pickup times while you still have signal rather than assuming you can call from the other end.
Do I need Portuguese to get around on my own?+
You do not need to speak it, but you should carry a translation app. Outside hotels and tour operators, English does not go far, and agreeing a car price, asking directions or ordering in a small restaurant usually ends with you holding the screen out for the other person to read. Download the offline Portuguese pack too, because the places where you most need it are often exactly the places where the signal is weakest.
How do I get between the two islands, and what should I prepare?+
Most people fly: a small aircraft between Sao Tome and Principe takes about 35 minutes. Boats do run, but the schedule is unreliable and the crossing takes far longer. Guesthouses and the domestic airline often confirm by message or email rather than through a full online system, so screenshot every confirmation and keep it on the device, and leave slack in your plans because domestic hops can shift with the weather.
When does a Sao Tome and Principe eSIM start counting days?+
Most plans here start when the phone first connects to a network at the destination, so you can install in advance at home and switch it on after landing. Each plan page states its own rule.
Do I have to remove my home SIM?+
No. The eSIM is a second line, so you keep your home number for SMS OTP. Turn off roaming data on the home line and set the eSIM as the data line.
Related
Plan data in this build comes from a demo supplier used to exercise the system. Prices and networks are replaced with live data once a supplier API is connected.
Last updated: September 4, 2026