Six providers, one shared network, and an outer-island signal that thins out the moment you leave Efate, Santo or Tanna.
This guide compares six eSIM providers for Vanuatu on price, plan range and which network they actually use. You will find a full plan-by-plan breakdown, the carrier each provider names (or does not), and what to buy for a short trip to Efate versus a longer swing through Tanna or Santo. There is also a practical rundown of what catches first-time visitors off guard, from cash to inter-island transport.
Four of the six providers we checked name Digicel as their Vanuatu carrier, the same network gov.uk itself points travellers toward at Port Vila airport. Saily and GigSky do not disclose a specific carrier. The table sorts by entry price first, since that is where the spread between providers is widest.
| Provider | Plans | From | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
|
eSIMply
The only provider with Digicel confirmed on its own page and the steepest discount here, up to 49% off. Entry pricing from $6.95, with a five-tier Unlimited ladder alongside the fixed-data range.
Up to 49% off
|
1GB to 10GB, plus Unlimited · 3-30d | $6.951GB / 7d |
Digicel |
|
Airalo
Names Digicel and carries the widest range and the single largest bucket here, 20GB / 30 days for $49.
|
1GB to 20GB, plus Unlimited · 3-30d | $7.001GB / 3d |
Digicel |
|
Saily
No carrier disclosed. Three simple tiers from NordVPN’s eSIM brand, topping out at 5GB / 30 days for $30.99.
|
1GB to 5GB · 7-30d | $7.991GB / 7d |
Not disclosed |
|
Nomad
Names Digicel but at the highest entry price of any carrier-disclosing provider, $15 for 1GB / 7 days.
|
1GB to 5GB · 7-30d | $15.001GB / 7d |
Digicel |
|
Roamless
Names Digicel with unlimited hotspot, but the highest price per gigabyte here, up to $47.45 for 3GB.
|
1GB to 3GB · 30d only | $16.951GB / 30d |
Digicel |
|
GigSky
No carrier disclosed, but the cheapest provider at every tier we compared, from $4.99 for 1GB / 7 days.
|
1GB to 10GB · 7-30d | $4.991GB / 7d |
Not disclosed |
Prices are from each provider's public Vanuatu product page, shown in USD.
A physical SIM is genuinely easy to buy in Vanuatu: gov.uk confirms you can pick one up from Vodafone or Digicel directly at Port Vila airport, with no complex registration process reported by travellers. What you get that an eSIM does not is a local phone number, useful if you need Vanuatu contacts to reach you by call or SMS.
What you give up is the wait: buying on arrival means finding the counter, then queuing, before you can get online, whereas an eSIM installed before you fly is active the moment you land. Entry pricing for a data-only eSIM starts at $6.95 for eSIMply’s 1GB / 7-day plan, competitive with what a physical SIM’s data add-on typically costs.
For most trips, a data-only eSIM plus your existing number for calls and messaging apps covers everything you actually need. Only add a local SIM as well if you specifically need people in Vanuatu to reach you on a local number.
The only provider here with its Vanuatu carrier confirmed on its own product page, at the steepest discount of any competitor we checked.
eSIMply names Digicel directly on its own Vanuatu page, matching the carrier gov.uk itself points travellers toward at Port Vila airport. Entry pricing starts at $6.95 for 1GB over 7 days, down from a $12.60 list price, a discount that runs as high as 49% at the 2GB tier. Every plan activates the moment you land, with no ID or registration step to complete first.
Fixed data runs from 1GB up to a 10GB / 30-day plan at $36.95, and a five-tier Unlimited ladder covers stays from 3 to 15 days for travellers who would rather not track a data cap. The optional app shows remaining data and lets you recharge without buying a whole new eSIM.
| Plan | Validity | Price | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $6.95 | Save $5.65 (45%) |
| 2 GB Best value | 15 days | $11.95 | Save $11.45 (49%) |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $16.95 | Save $15.45 (48%) |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $27.95 | Save $24.25 (46%) |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $36.95 | Save $32.35 (47%) |
Standard QR-code install. Vanuatu plans activate automatically on first connection to Digicel, so there is nothing to configure manually beyond turning data roaming on for the eSIM line.
Names Digicel directly and carries the widest plan range and the single largest data bucket of any provider we checked.
Airalo names Digicel on its Vanuatu page, the same carrier eSIMply and gov.uk both point to, and backs it with by far the widest plan range of any provider we checked, sixteen tiers across three validity windows. A 20GB / 30-day plan at $49.00 is the largest fixed-data bucket available from any provider on this list.
Entry pricing starts at $7.00 for 1GB over 3 days, a touch above GigSky and eSIMply at the 1GB tier but with a much wider spread of mid-size options between 3GB and 10GB. A five-tier Unlimited ladder runs alongside the fixed-data range for travellers who would rather not think about a cap at all.
| Plan | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 3 days | $7.00 |
| 3 GB | 7 days | $18.00 |
| 5 GB | 7 days | $27.00 |
| 10 GB Best value | 15 days | $37.00 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $49.00 |
NordVPN-backed with a short, simple Vanuatu range and no disclosed carrier.
Saily keeps its Vanuatu range simple: three tiers only, from 1GB over 7 days up to 5GB over 30 days. It does not name a Vanuatu carrier anywhere on its product page, saying only that it connects to Vanuatu’s best networks.
At $7.99 for the entry 1GB plan, Saily sits a little above eSIMply and GigSky but below Nomad, and the 5GB / 30-day plan at $30.99 is a reasonable mid-trip option if you would rather not track data closely. The Saily app, built by the team behind NordVPN, adds security features like ad and tracker blocking on top of the data plan.
| Plan | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $7.99 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $19.99 |
| 5 GB Best value | 30 days | $30.99 |
Names Digicel directly but at the highest entry price among the providers that disclose a carrier.
Nomad names Digicel directly for Vanuatu, describing its network as Digicel with plans starting from $15. That entry price, $15.00 for 1GB over 7 days, is more than double eSIMply’s equivalent plan.
The range stays short at three tiers, topping out at 5GB over 30 days for $45.00. The Nomad app shows a live data balance and supports add-on top-ups if you run out before your plan expires.
| Plan | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $15.00 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $29.00 |
| 5 GB Best value | 30 days | $45.00 |
Confirms Digicel and unlimited hotspot use, but the highest price per gigabyte of any provider checked.
Roamless names Digicel on 3G/4G for Vanuatu and lists unlimited hotspot sharing with no stated speed cap, useful if you plan to share the connection with a laptop. Every plan runs a flat 30 days, so there is no short-stay option for a long weekend.
Pricing is the steepest we found here: $16.95 for 1GB, rising to $47.45 for 3GB, well above every other provider at the same data tiers. A free 100MB trial tier is available to new customers, but the paid tiers above it are priced for convenience rather than value.
| Plan | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB Best value | 30 days | $16.95 |
| 2 GB | 30 days | $32.95 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $47.45 |
The cheapest provider we found at every comparable Vanuatu data tier, with no carrier named.
GigSky undercuts every other provider on this list at every data tier we compared for Vanuatu, from $4.99 for 1GB over 7 days up to $32.99 for 10GB over 30 days. It does not name a specific Vanuatu carrier, saying instead that the eSIM automatically connects to the best available local network.
The paid range runs four tiers plus a free 100MB new-customer trial, with validity stretching from 7 to 30 days as the data size increases. GigSky positions itself as a mobile operator in its own right rather than a reseller, notable given its reputation for higher prices in some other countries.
| Plan | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB Best value | 7 days | $4.99 |
| 3 GB | 15 days | $11.99 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $19.99 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $32.99 |
Vanuatu throws a few curveballs that have nothing to do with your data plan. It runs mostly on cash, the flag carrier is not currently flying, and land here belongs to families and villages rather than the state. Your eSIM keeps you online where it matters, but it will not solve any of that.
Nearly every eSIM sold for Vanuatu, including eSIMply’s, runs on the same network, Digicel. Gov.uk’s own advice notes coverage “varies across the country”, and that is most obvious the moment you leave Efate, Santo or Tanna’s main towns.
Pentecost Island, home to the Nagol land-diving ceremony, has some of the thinnest signal of any regularly visited island. Download offline maps, translation packs and anything else you need before you leave Port Vila, rather than assuming a data connection will be there when you land.
The flag carrier, Air Vanuatu, is currently not operating domestic or international flights, according to gov.uk, though other airlines continue to serve the country. That matters for anyone planning to island-hop between Efate, Tanna and Santo on a fixed itinerary.
Boats are not a dependable backup either: the same advisory calls inter-island boat services infrequent and often unreliable. Confirm which airline is flying your specific route before you lock in accommodation on a different island.
Standing on the rim of an active volcano is a genuine Vanuatu highlight, and Mount Yasur on Tanna is one of seven active volcanoes gov.uk lists in a country it calls part of the seismically active “Ring of Fire,” with over 2,000 recorded seismic events a year.
The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department tracks a live alert level for every active volcano, and access can close on short notice if that level rises. Check it yourself before you fly to Tanna rather than assuming your tour operator will.
Most land in Vanuatu belongs to a family or village rather than the state, and gov.uk warns that travelling off the beaten track without paying a landowner’s “visiting fee” can count as trespassing, with most beaches also charging a small entry fee.
A Reddit traveller thread describes the same thing from the visitor’s side, flagging people asking for money just to look at their land as a first-trip surprise. Carry small vatu notes for these fees, since they are normal here, not a scam.
Getting around Efate means flagging a shared minibus off the side of the road or negotiating with a taxi, since a detailed traveller guide confirms the bus service runs informal minibuses rather than fixed routes, and there is no ride-hailing app to fall back on.
The same guide notes Port Vila has no traffic lights at all, and gov.uk adds that many roads are unsurfaced and public transport is often in poor repair. Having data to message your driver or accommodation directly matters more here than in a country with an app to hail one.
Flying is how you island-hop here, and it is worth checking who is actually flying: Air Vanuatu is currently not operating domestic or international flights per gov.uk, though other airlines continue to serve the country. Around Efate, transport means a shared minibus flagged off the road or a taxi, since there is no ride-hailing app and Port Vila has no traffic lights at all.
This is still largely a cash economy: bring USD, AUD, GBP or NZD to exchange at the National Bank of Vanuatu or a Port Vila exchange counter, and expect a surcharge on card payments in many places. Digicel’s local MyCash wallet is built for residents topping up a Vanuatu number, not for a short-term visitor.
If you drive yourself around Efate, gov.uk warns that many roads are not properly surfaced and driving standards are below UK levels, especially after dark. A UK photocard licence is valid for driving here, and a 4WD hire is worth it the moment you leave Port Vila’s main road.
Inter-island transfers now run on small aircraft from whichever carrier is covering Air Vanuatu’s routes, and gov.uk notes many domestic airports have basic or no facilities and schedules can shift for weather or volcanic ash. Build a spare day into any itinerary that depends on a same-day onward connection.
Vodafone and Digicel both sell local SIM cards at Port Vila airport if you would rather buy on arrival, per gov.uk, though an eSIM installed before you fly skips that queue entirely. Bring the currency you already hold, USD, AUD, GBP or NZD, and change it at the National Bank of Vanuatu or a Port Vila exchange counter rather than relying on your card everywhere.
Card surcharges are common enough outside hotels that it is worth asking before you tap, and ATMs thin out fast once you leave Port Vila or Luganville. Digicel’s MyCash wallet is advertised everywhere on Efate, but it is built around a local Digicel number, so it is not something a short trip typically needs.
This list leans toward what actually matters here: offline maps for islands with patchy signal, plus a couple of dive- and volcano-specific tools most generic packing lists skip entirely.
Tipping is not a local custom in Vanuatu and is not expected at restaurants, hotels or on tours, though rounding up for genuinely good service is welcomed and never considered rude.
Vanuatu runs largely on cash, and card payments commonly carry a surcharge outside hotels and resorts. Bring USD, AUD, GBP or NZD to exchange at the National Bank of Vanuatu or a Port Vila exchange counter, since ATMs thin out fast once you leave Port Vila or Luganville.
Five places where your mobile data will earn its keep, and where the coverage gap between islands actually starts to matter:
Vanuatu is a genuinely easy call compared with countries where you are juggling multiple regions or carriers. The decision mostly comes down to how much data you actually need and whether Digicel’s near-universal coverage matters enough to rule out the two providers that stay quiet about their network.
Our general guide to choosing an eSIM covers the basics that apply everywhere. The four questions below are specific to a Vanuatu trip.
A light user checking maps, messaging and the odd photo upload gets through a week on 3-5GB, which puts eSIMply’s 3GB / 30-day plan at $16.95 or GigSky’s 5GB / 30-day plan at $19.99 comfortably in range. If you are working remotely from Port Vila or streaming regularly, size up to eSIMply’s 10GB / 30-day plan at $36.95 or Airalo’s 20GB / 30-day plan at $49.00 instead.
Digicel is confirmed by eSIMply, Airalo, Nomad and Roamless, and gov.uk itself names Digicel and Vodafone as Vanuatu’s two carriers, so a Digicel-based plan gives you a known quantity. Saily and GigSky do not disclose a carrier, a reasonable trade-off for their lower prices but one that means you cannot verify the network in advance.
If Efate is your whole trip, any of the six plans will cover you comfortably, since Port Vila has the country’s strongest coverage. Add Tanna or Santo to the itinerary and it is worth sizing up slightly and downloading offline maps in advance, since signal thins out on the approach to Mount Yasur and around Luganville’s dive sites.
If Vanuatu is a standalone trip, a single-country plan from this list is the cheaper and simpler option every time. If you are combining it with Fiji, New Caledonia or other Pacific stops on the same trip, a multi-country balance like Roamless’s global eSIM can work out simpler, though you will pay Roamless’s higher per-gigabyte Vanuatu rate for that flexibility.
Set your new eSIM as the default for data and turn data roaming on for that line before you fly, then download offline maps for Efate, Tanna and Santo while you still have solid Wi-Fi. Signal on Pentecost and around Mount Yasur is thin enough that you want everything cached in advance.
Most questions about a Vanuatu eSIM come down to two things: which network you will actually be on, and whether one plan covers island-hopping the same way it covers a week on Efate.
Here is what we get asked most, based on the same pricing and network research behind the comparison above.
We work in eSIM technology full-time, so this isn’t a side-hustle review. For Vanuatu specifically, we checked each of the eight providers we normally compare directly against their own live product pages, and dropped two, Jetpac and aloSIM, once both confirmed they do not currently sell a Vanuatu plan at all.
We may receive commission from some providers if you purchase via our links, including eSIMply, which we operate ourselves. This never influences our rankings, and a provider that stopped disclosing its network or raised its prices out of line with the rest of this list would be reranked or dropped regardless of that relationship.
Jamie has worked in telecommunications for more than 8 years across mobile, SMS, eSIM, apps, and adjacent technology. He now writes for eSIMply as the tech content writer, analysing the top eSIM providers and breaking down what travellers actually need to know.
While we do our best to ensure accuracy, prices and plan availability are subject to change. Last updated by Jamie Cole.
