Roatan SIM Card or Honduras eSIM: Staying Connected on the Island
Three ways to stay online on Roatan: keep your home plan and pay roaming, install an eSIM before you leave, or buy a local SIM card on the island. The right one depends on how long you stay. We are a local team and answer in English, French and Spanish.
Will my US or Canadian plan work in Roatan?
Yes, with international roaming turned on, but it is usually the priciest option. T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and the Canadian carriers each price Honduras differently and change it often, so check the exact rate in your carrier’s app before you travel. For a week or less, an eSIM almost always costs less.
Cruise day or a week-long stay: which option?
| Your trip | Our advice |
|---|---|
| Cruise stop (about 6 h ashore) | eSIM, installed on the ship before you go ashore. Never a physical SIM. |
| Resort week | eSIM, installed at home |
| A month or longer | Claro SIM card, topped up locally |
Claro vs Tigo on Roatan
From Patrice, who lives on Roatan: Claro has the widest coverage on the island and the cheapest plans. Tigo is a good backup.
This matters for eSIMs too: a travel eSIM rides on a local carrier’s network, and most sellers don’t tell you which one. We checked.
Honduras eSIM prices
US dollars, checked on September 28, 2026 on each seller’s own site.
| Provider | Network in Honduras | Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad | Claro | 1 GB / 7 days: $4.50 5 GB / 30 days: $13 10 GB / 30 days: $20 |
| Airalo | Tigo (Celtel) | Unlimited 3 days: $19.50 Unlimited 7 days: $36 |
| Saily affiliate link | not stated | 1 GB / 7 days: $6.29 3 GB / 30 days: $14.99 10 GB / 30 days: $38.99 |
| Holafly | Tigo | Unlimited 3 days: $19.90 Unlimited 7 days: $36.50 |
Our pick for Roatan: an eSIM on Claro. Of the sellers in this table, Nomad is the only one on Claro in Honduras, and the cheapest we found. Once the daily high-speed data runs out it slows to 512 kbps instead of cutting off, and hotspot is allowed.
Disclosure: if you buy Saily through our link, we earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It didn’t change our pick: we recommend Nomad, which pays us nothing.
Setting up your eSIM before you go
- Check that your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked (most iPhones since the XS and recent Android phones).
- Buy and install the eSIM at home or on the ship’s Wi-Fi: it needs internet to download.
- On arrival, pick the eSIM for cellular data and turn on data roaming for that line.
- Keep your home SIM on for texts (bank codes), with its data turned off.
Buying a SIM card on Roatan
- On the way to West Bay: two convenience stores in Flowers Bay
- West Bay: Captain Van’s and the Roa Market kiosk on the beach
- Coxen Hole: the small El Suampo market
Top up in person at convenience stores, gas stations and Eldon, or online.
Claro codes
*777#buy a plan*999#monthly free plan*120#check your balance*129#see your number
Once you’re connected
Our Roatan guide covers the island area by area, the airport page shows today’s flights, and our Roatan tours book directly with us.