The Best SIM Cards in Samoa for Travellers 📱 [2024]

© SamoaPocketGuide.com

How to Get a Samoa SIM Card

First things first, you need to make sure that your phone is unlocked, is compatible with GSM networks and with frequencies of 700, 900 and/or 1,800 MHz. Find out more in Will Your Phone Work in Samoa?

Where to Get a SIM Card in Samoa?

Samoa SIM cards can be purchased from any Vodafone and Digicel office in Samoa. Both companies have outlets on Upolu and Savai’i, as well as Faleolo International Airport. Offices are usually open from 8 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays and 8 am to 12 pm on Saturdays. The Faleolo Airport offices are only open for arrival flights. The outlets that most visitors will use are:

• Digicel – SNPF Plaza, Convent Street, Apia, Upolu
• Digicel Faleolo – Faleolo Airport (third office from the arrivals exit), Faleolo, Upolu
• Digicel Savai’i – Frankie Supermarket, Salelologa (western end of town in the commercial centre), Savai’i
• Vodafone Matafele (main store) – Beach Road (opposite ANZ), Apia, Upolu
• Vodafone Eveni – Convent Street (next to Eveni Store), Apia, Upolu
• Vodafone Fugalei – Saleufi Street (inside Fugalei Market), Apia, Upolu
• Vodafone Vaitele – Vaitele Street (opposite Farmer Joe’s), Apia, Upolu
• Vodafone Faleolo – Faleolo Airport (second office from the arrivals exit), Faleolo, Upolu
• Vodafone Office – 1 Logan Road, Maluafou, Apia, Upolu
• Vodafone Savai’i – Inside the Salelologa Market (western end of town in the commercial centre), Savai’i.

For a full list of Vodafone and Digicel offices across the islands, see Information, Shops & Services in Samoa.

Samoa SIM cards can also be purchased from just about any convenience store or supermarket in Samoa. The store usually has a sign at the front with the logo of the phone network that they are affiliated with. Learn more about convenience stores and supermarkets in A Guide to Supermarkets & Food Shopping in Samoa.

© SamoaPocketGuide.com

Vodafone Samoa SIM Cards

Vodafone offers a wide range of prepaid phone plans and bundles in Samoa.

Vodafone Tourist SIM Card

The first go-to for many travellers arriving in Samoa is Vodafone’s pre-loaded Tourist SIM.

For ST$49, Tourist SIMs come preloaded with the following:

• 20 GB data
• Unlimited local Vodafone calls and texts
• 50 minutes of local non-Vodafone calls
• 100 minutes of calls to Australia and New Zealand

The bundle is valid for 15 days.

What are the Standard Rates with Vodafone Samoa?

What are the standard rates with Vodafone Samoa once you have run out of data, texts or minutes? The standard rates are:

• 49c per minute
• 20c per text
• 0 data – once your data bundle has run out, your access to the internet will stop.

Alternative Phone Plans with Vodafone Samoa

If you’re visiting Samoa for longer than 15 days, or the Tourist SIM plan just isn’t the most cost-effective option for you, a normal Vodafone Samoa SIM card can be purchased for approximately ST$10.

Dial *888# or use the MyVodafone app to check your balance and purchase bundles, such as the following:

• ST$3 Malo+ 3 – 2 GB, unlimited Vodafone calls/texts, 10 non-Vodafone minutes – 24 hours
• ST$10 Malo+ 10 – 4 GB, unlimited Vodafone calls/texts, 15 non-Vodafone minutes – 4 days
• ST$13-$29 Malo+ 13-29 – 4-29 GB, unlimited Vodafone calls/texts, 30-60 non-Vodafone minutes, 20-60 international minutes – 7 days
• ST$79 Malo+ 79 – 79 GB, unlimited Vodafone calls/texts, 79 non-Vodafone minutes, 79 international minutes – 28 days
• ST$3 Fiafia Tele 3 – 1 GB, 30 Vodafone minutes/texts – 1 day
• ST$7 Fiafia Tele 7 – 3 GB, 70 Vodafone minutes/texts – 2 days
• ST$7 Fiafia Tele 10 – 4 GB, 100 Vodafone minutes/texts – 4 days
• ST$13-$21 Fiafia Tele 13-21 – 7-17 GB, 130-210 Vodafone minutes/texts – 7 days
• ST$29 Fiafia Tele 29 – 29 GB, 290 Vodafone minutes/texts – 28 days
• ST$1-$3 Unlimited 1-3 – unlimited data – 1-3 hours
• Super Data $5-$6 – 2-3 GB – 3 days
• Super Data $10 – 5 GB – 4 days
• Super Data $13-$21 – 7-17 GB – 7 days
• Super Data $60-$99 – 60-99 GB – 28 days.

© SamoaPocketGuide.com

Digicel Samoa SIM Cards

Digicel also offers a wide range of prepaid phone plans and bundles in Samoa.

Digicel Visitor SIM Card

The first go-to for many travellers arriving in Samoa is Digicel’s pre-loaded Visitor SIM. You have a choice of four data bundles on the Visitor SIM:

• ST$15 – 10 GB – 7 days
• ST$20 – 15 GB – 7 days
• ST$30 – 20 GB – 14 days
• ST$100 – 100 GB – 28 days.

What are the Standard Rates with Digicel Samoa?

What are the standard rates with Digicel Samoa once you have run out of data, texts or minutes? The standard rates are:

• 59c per 6 seconds (local)
• 79c-$21 per 6 seconds (international)
• 20c per text
• 0.05c per MB data.

Eek! Don’t run out of minutes!

Alternative Phone Plans with Digicel Samoa

If you’re visiting Samoa for longer, or the Visitor SIM plan just isn’t the most cost-effective option for you, any Digicel Samoa SIM card can be purchased for approximately ST$5.

Dial *123#, use the MyDigicel app or visit online-top-up.digicelgroup.com to purchase bundles, such as the following:

• ST$3-$5 Prime Cheehoo – 1-2 GB – 30-50 Digicel minutes/texts – 1 day
• ST$7 Prime Cheehoo – 3 GB – 70 Digicel minutes/texts – 3 days
• ST$11 Prime Cheehoo – 4 GB – 110 Digicel minutes/texts – 5 days
• ST$13-$21 Prime Cheehoo – 8-15 GB – unlimited Digicel minutes/texts, 15-30 international minutes – 7 days
• ST$60 Prime Cheehoo – 60 GB – unlimited Digicel minutes/texts, 60 international minutes – 28 days
• ST$5 Big On Data – 5 GB – 1 day
• ST$10-$15 Big On Data – 10-15 GB – 3 days
• ST$20 Big On Data – 20 GB – 7 days
• ST$50 Big On Data – 50 GB – 14 days
• ST$3 Supa Seki – 1 GB – 1 day
• ST$5 Supa Seki – 2 GB – 2 days
• ST$7 Supa Seki – 3 GB – 3 days
• ST$11 Supa Seki – 5 GB – 5 days
• ST$21 Supa Seki – 15 GB – 7 days
• ST$60 Supa Seki – 60 GB – 28 days
• ST$1-$3 Unlimited Data – unlimited data – 1-3 hours
• ST$5 12am-6am Unlimited Data – unlimited data – 1 day between 12 am and 6 am
• ST$1 1 Hour Unlimited Voice & Text – unlimited minutes/texts – 1 hour
• ST$3 24 Hour Unlimited Voice & Text – unlimited minutes/texts – 1 day
• ST$1-$2 1 Hour SMS Plan – 100-1,000 texts – 1 day.

© Samoa Tourism Authority

How to Check Your Usage and Top-Up Your SIM Card in Samoa

How can you check how much data, texts and minutes you are using while in Samoa? The best and easiest way is to download either the MyVodafone or My Digicel app, which displays your usage and remaining balance very clearly. An alternative way to check your balance is to dial *888# for Vodafone or *130# and *120# for Digicel to bring up a USSD menu.

Where to Top Up Your Phone in Samoa

You can top up your phone balance at one of the Vodafone or Digicel outlets (see the “Where to Get a SIM Card in Samoa?” section above for locations) or resellers in Samoa. Digicel also allows you to top up online at online-top-up.digicelgroup.com.

Luckily, there are a ton of resellers across Upolu and Savai’i, most of which are convenience stores with either a Vodafone or Digicel sign clearly displayed out the front.

© SamoaPocketGuide.com

Phone Coverage in Samoa

Cellphone reception for making calls and texts is available in the most populated areas across Samoa. Note that you will lose coverage in some areas inland on both Upolu and Savai’i. As for the coastal coverage, this is where Digicel and Vodafone differ.

Digicel is considered the market leader of phone networks in Samoa, boasting 4G/LTE coverage around most coastal areas on both Upolu and Savai’i. The Digicel network is a little patchy on the southwest coast and northeast coast of Upolu, as well as along the west coast of Savai’i.

Vodafone has much better 4G/LTE coverage across the whole of Upolu, so might be worth considering if you’re just visiting this island. However, network coverage with Vodafone is significantly lacking on Savai’i in terms of 2G/3G and 4G/LTE with patchy areas right around the coast.

© SamoaPocketGuide.com

5 Tips for Using Your Phone in Samoa

Finally, here are some quick tips to make the most of your Samoa SIM card and, most importantly, save on precious data that is otherwise quite expensive.

1. If you’re going to go data-heavy and/or travel to Savai’i, choose Digicel
2. If you’re going to use a mix of data and calls and/or are staying on Upolu only, choose Vodafone
3. Download the apps so it’s easier to monitor your usage and balance
4. Switch off all auto-updates and restrict background data downloads to also save on data
5. Switch off data if you’re not using it.