So many people are afraid to travel to Cuba because of internet access. But I have good news for you. Yes it exists! But there a few things you need to know.
I first started traveling Cuba in 2017 to write a Cuban food guide. I based myself in Havana. It is crazy to think that a digital nomad would choose Cuba.
Initially I used data roaming from my Canadian phone company, bought scratch cards and went to the park. It was expensive and slow.
Thankfully it got better quickly, and prices decreased. I last visited in December 2025 and can share it’s actually quite easy to get a Cuban SIM card or an eSIM
Four Ways to get Internet in Cuba
You have four ways to get mobile data in Cuba. Over the years I’ve used all three! Each option balances cost against convenience differently.
- The tourist SIM (CubacelTur) is the easiest choice.
- The local SIM is cheapest.
- eSIMs work for newer iPhones that don’t have SIM card trays.
- Roaming (non-US travelers)
All three connect to the same network. Cuba has one state owned cellular provider called ETECSA. Your connection speed and coverage will be identical regardless of which option you pick.
Tourist SIM Cards: Easy But Pricey
CubacelTur offers two packages designed for visitors.
The Básico plan runs $13.99 for seven days. You get 4GB of data, 20 minutes and 20 texts.
The Plus plan costs $34.99 and includes 10GB of data, 100 minutes and 100 texts. It lasts 30 days from activation and includes unlimited WhatsApp and Facebook.
This is what I chose in December and it was great for everyday use as Whatsapp was the primary method to communicate with Cubans.
I ordered it in advance on the official Suena Cuba website. You can pay with credit card and you give them your flight details. Your SIM will be at the ETECSA counter, next to the luggage carousel when you land .
The booths are open 24/7 at major airports like José Martí in Havana, Varadero and Holguín.
You can extend your tourist SIM on the website. Each purchase extends your expiration date. The Básico extends by seven days per purchase. The Plus extends by 30 days. But there’s a hard limit of 90 days total.
After that, your SIM stops working permanently. You can’t extend it further or reactivate it.
NOTE: You can also buy your sim card at the airport but you must pay in foreign currency. I saw people do it but it seemed to be a hassle as not everyone’s credit cards worked.
Local SIM Cards: Cheap But Harder to Find
Back in 2020 I used a local SIM card. This is when foreigners could use them. The regular Cuban SIM costs 1,000 CUP. That’s under $3 USD if you exchange money well.
The catch? ETECSA stores often run out of stock. You might wait in line for hours only to hear they’re sold out. Or they just won’t sell to a tourist because they are low and tell you to go online to get the tourist SIM.
Local SIMs don’t expire as long as you add credit once every 11 months. Miss that deadline and your number disappears forever. But if you visit Cuba regularly, this is your best deal. You keep the same phone number year after year.
Data packages for local SIMs are heavily subsidized. You can buy 16GB for 950 CUP (around $2.50 USD). Compare that to tourist pricing and the savings add up fast.
If you’re on a budget message your casa particular host to see if they will get you one as waiting in line is a hassle and often involves a bribe to get to the front of the line.
eSIMs: For Newer iPhones Only
If you have an iPhone 14, 15 or 16 sold in the United States, you don’t have a physical SIM tray. You’ll need an eSIM instead.
Two providers work reliably in Cuba for 2025. GigSky offers plans from $19.99 for 1GB. GlobaleSIM and Kolet also serve Cuba with similar pricing starting around $9.99.
All eSIMs are data only. You won’t get a Cuban phone number. But WhatsApp, FaceTime and other apps work fine over your data connection.
Install your eSIM before you leave home. Cuban wifi is too slow and unreliable for downloading and activating an eSIM after you arrive.
Data Roaming
I don’t recommend this option as it’s not cheaper nor faster. If you run out of data you cannot top up like the Cuba SIM.
This won’t work if you’re American, but if you are Canadian or European check into your data roaming charges and if it covers Cuba. I recently switched to Freedom Mobile for their international roaming plan which is $45/month and includes 50GB of data abroad. It also covers Cuba!
Other Ways to Get Online
You don’t need a SIM card to access the internet in Cuba. But the alternatives come with limits.
Cuban airports offer 30 minutes of free wifi. You’ll need your passport number to connect. Additional time requires purchasing wifi cards.
Hotels and resorts usually include wifi for guests. Speeds can be frustratingly slow. You’ll likely get a login code at check in. Some hotels sell wifi access to non guests by the hour.
In December I went to several restaurant cafes and bought a wifi scratch card for 5 hours of internet for $1 USD. At Hotel Capri they’ll let you use it at the rooftop pool. Although the card can be used several times it only works at that hotel.
Many casa particulars now offer wifi. Ask about charges when you book. Some hosts include it free, others charge hourly. The connection is often slower than hotels but works fine for email and messaging.
Public parks and plazas throughout Cuba have wifi zones. You’ll spot them easily when you see locals clustered on their phones. Buy an ETECSA wifi card to access these hotspots.
Some restaurants and cafés offer wifi to paying customers. Your server will give you a login code. You usually get 30 minutes to an hour of access.
Must Have Cuba Apps
Although Cuba has internet it is not equal in every locations. Most tourist destinations are prioritized with strong signals. But if you’re driving between cities there are lots of stretches with no signal.
And if the power goes out so do the cell towers. In some cases I have indicated when the app has a component that can be delivered to your phone to work offline.
Remember your phone must be unlocked to use any Cuban SIM or eSIM. Call your carrier before you travel. Most North American carriers can unlock your phone over the phone.
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
It sounds techy but is actually simple. A lot of companies that are affiliated with the US must block traffic from Cuba to comply with the embargo.
This is a program that masks your location so that you appear like you’re in a different country and can view the pages. This is important for everything from banking to flight information, the Apple App store, Airbnb or TikTok.
iPhone users, especially iPhone 17 users have reported having issues even connecting to hotel wifi without a VPN.
I have used several over the years and while people often say the free VPNs are fine you get very slow connections. I use NordVPN because it’s fast and never fails. My referral link gives readers 75% off and the program can be used on multiple devices, both laptops and phones.
Part of the Meta/Facebook/Instagram group, this app is used by most of the world for messaging, calling and video calls. It is so legit you can usually message hospitals and government offices around the world with Whatsapp.
It’s free and works on wifi. Get your family at home on Whatsapp before you go so you have a guaranteed connection with them.
If you want to organize transit between cities, airport taxis etc there are also two Facebook groups of legitimate taxis:
You can search for these groups on Whatsapp. the second called PIKERA and coordinates both car and motorbike taxis in Havana.
For travel between cities I’ve always found that the casa particular host can arrange a better price. I usually ask for a shared “colectivo” taxi which means you pay for a seat in a car vs the entire taxi, which is cheaper and on my last trip the taxis were never full.
Google Maps
I know people will disagree but it works in Havana. Download the offline map to all of Cuba. I also download Maps,me as a backup.
Parts of Cuba still run on slow 3G or have no coverage at all, especially in the stretch between Havana and Viñales . Having offline maps and translation apps downloaded ahead of time isn’t just convenient. It’s essential.
Google Translate
It’s easy to use, you can type a message, dictate one and even take a photo of a menu to translate it. But a fair warning that just as English varies from country to country so does Spanish. I like to compare Cubans to Scots – sometimes no one knows what they are saying.
But in two years living in Havana I learned to win people over with local slang and Cuban Spanish.
Once you download the map make sure to download the Spanish library to your phone so you can use it offline.
El Toque
Forget the XE currency conversion app. It doesn’t work here.
With increased inflation and for demand for foreign currency there is an official state currency rate and a street rate.
The street rate is more common and so “official” there is an app that sets the daily rates based on demand.
You can find the rate on the website or use the El Toque app.
I don’t recommend trying to change money on your own. Once you get the El Toque rate ask your Airbnb host to do it for you, they may charge a slight “commission” but you’re guaranteed not to be scammed and it usually has rates that are up to 40% better,
La Nave
Cuba’s version of Uber, you need to use your phone number with La Nave and unfortunately it doesn’t work with American numbers. However, if you get a Cuban SIM that gives you a Cuban number.
Telegram
It’s not my favorite app but locals use it. There are groups and channels for everything from buying medicine to available jobs and sharing news during turbulent times. In the past it has been blocked during protests.
To find groups just use the search function.
Alamesa
Some call it Cuba’s Trip Advisor, but a modified version that can be downloaded for offline use. It started as a restaurant app that has grown into activities as well.
Is Internet in Cuba Fast?
Yes but not as fast as the United States or Canada.
There is practically no broadband service. Wifi comes by satellite and an undersea fibre optic link so you’re sharing it with everyone else.
You aren’t going to be live streaming on Instagram and videos may need to buffer.
But Internet in Cuba is fast enough to video chat – although I wouldn’t count on Zoom unless you’re doing it in Havana at 4am when no one else is online.
The strength of wifi in Cuba depends on where you go, when you access it and the weather.
The absolute worst time to access wifi is on a weekend afternoon when it’s cloudy.
And if you’re heading to Santa Clara Cuba, it’s best to just look out the window instead of hoping for internet along the way.
Remember, you’re sharing wifi with everyone else. Weekends tend to be slow as do rainy, windy or cloudy days.
After all, it is an island.
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