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Sierra Leone · SL

Sierra Leone eSIM plans

from $16.60 per GB

Stay connected in Sierra Leone for maps, taxis and messages. Compare mobile networks, check route-specific coverage notes and get ready for city days, coastal boats and inland travel.

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20 GB · 30 days for $332.00. Catalog checked 2026-09-10; confirm the total before paying.

  • No plastic SIM
  • Price before payment
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What is an eSIM?

A digital SIM you add to your phone over the internet. No plastic card and no visit to a shop.

Use Letisim for maps, taxis and messages while keeping your usual number.

Check my phone

Calls and texts on your home SIM follow your operator’s rates.

Your SIMCalls and texts
LetisimInternet for your trip

eSIM plans for Sierra Leone

Compare data, duration and when validity begins. A top-up label means more data can be added to that package.

Prices checked 2026-09-10. The live catalog is authoritative at checkout.

Open all current plans

All published plans for Sierra Leone

Published plans checked 2026-09-10. Availability and price are confirmed in the catalog at checkout.
DataValidityPricePer GB
1 GBOrange4GReloadable7 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT FIRST CONNECTIONACTIVATE WITHIN 180 DAYS$21.32$21.32Choose plan
1 GBReloadable30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT PURCHASE$30.84$30.84Choose plan
3 GBOrange4GReloadable15 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT FIRST CONNECTIONACTIVATE WITHIN 180 DAYS$60.40$20.14Choose plan
3 GBReloadable30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT PURCHASE$60.80$20.27Choose plan
5 GBReloadable30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT PURCHASE$94.88$18.98Choose plan
10 GBReloadable30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT PURCHASE$177.96$17.80Choose plan
20 GBReloadable30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT PURCHASE$332.00$16.60Choose plan
50 GBReloadable30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT PURCHASE$905.62$18.12Choose plan
100 GBReloadable30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT PURCHASE$1,728.94$17.29Choose plan

How far will your data go?

Choose an allowance to see what it could cover. Quality, compression and background activity change actual usage.

Compare available plans

With 3 GB, approximately…

Send photos

≈ 600 photos

Example: 5 MB per photo

Upload your own videos

≈ 47 clips

Example: a 1-minute Full HD clip ≈ 63 MB

Watch video

≈ 1 hr

HD example: 3 GB per hour

At standard quality: ≈ 4 hr 17 min

Make video calls

≈ 2 hr 46 min

1:1 at 720p: ≈ 1.08 GB per hour

Each result uses the whole allowance for that one activity. The results do not add up: maps, messages and other apps share the same data.

Taking photos or recording video on your phone does not itself use mobile data. Sending, watching or backing them up over the mobile network does.

Compare 1, 3, 5, 10 and 20 GB
Alternative uses of the same allowance
DataPhotos · 5 MB1-minute clips · 63 MBHD video · 3 GB/hrStandard video · 0.7 GB/hrVideo calls · 720p
1 GB≈ 200 photos≈ 15 clips≈ 20 min≈ 1 hr 25 min≈ 55 min
3 GB≈ 600 photos≈ 47 clips≈ 1 hr≈ 4 hr 17 min≈ 2 hr 46 min
5 GB≈ 1,000 photos≈ 79 clips≈ 1 hr 40 min≈ 7 hr 8 min≈ 4 hr 37 min
10 GB≈ 2,000 photos≈ 158 clips≈ 3 hr 20 min≈ 14 hr 17 min≈ 9 hr 15 min
20 GB≈ 4,000 photos≈ 317 clips≈ 6 hr 40 min≈ 28 hr 34 min≈ 18 hr 31 min
Where these estimates come from

Planning examples, not guaranteed totals. We use 1 GB = 1,000 MB, round down complete files and minutes, and exclude overhead, retries and background traffic.

  1. 5 MB is Verizon’s high-resolution photo example. Your files can be smaller after compression or much larger as originals or RAW. Check the actual file size on your phone. Verizon ↗
  2. 63 MB models a 1-minute H.264 Full HD export at 24–30 fps using YouTube’s recommended video and stereo audio bitrates. It is not a universal camera-file size or the cost of watching a clip. YouTube ↗
  3. Viewing examples use Netflix’s published rates: up to 0.7 GB/hr at Medium and up to 3 GB/hr in HD. Other apps and quality settings can differ; these are not YouTube playback rates. Netflix ↗
  4. The call example uses Zoom’s 1:1 720p bandwidth: 1.2 Mbps up and 1.2 Mbps down, together about 1.08 GB/hr. Group calls and higher resolutions can use more. Zoom ↗

Sources checked 2026-09-08

Make your data last

Maps and messages

Start with your usual usage. Download maps, your accommodation address and bookings before departure.

Social posts and photos

Allow extra data if Wi-Fi will be limited. Check whether your phone backs up photos and videos over mobile data.

Video and work

Check recent data use on your phone and the package’s hotspot rules. Budget separately for video calls and large downloads.

03 / Installation

How to install an eSIM in Sierra Leone

Your first eSIM? Here is what to open and what to tap.

Check the exact model, regional variant and system version. If Add eSIM or EID is missing, contact support before buying. A brand name alone does not confirm compatibility.

Manufacturer’s instructions · iPhone ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · Google Pixel / Android ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · Samsung ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · Huawei ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · Honor ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · Xiaomi / Redmi ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · Motorola ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · OPPO ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · OnePlus ↗

On iOS 26, a Turn On Travel eSIM notification may appear after arrival. Choose the travel line for data and check whether you also want to keep your home line active. If no notification appears, use the manual steps below.

Check when your package starts: at payment, installation or first connection. If it starts on installation, install nearer your trip. Installing later does not postpone a package that started at payment.

These screens show settings on the models named below. Your operator and eSIM labels will differ. Screens retain the source language; each caption translates and identifies the control to use. Tap any image for a closer look.

iPhone 17 · iOS 26 · Screen source ↗

Before your trip · install the eSIM

Use a stable Wi-Fi connection or hotspot. Your exact phone model must support eSIM and be unlocked for other operators.

  1. 01

    Open your eSIM installation

    Connect the phone you will use for your eSIM to Wi-Fi. Choose one of the two options below. If this eSIM is already installed, skip to choosing the line for mobile data.

    The app or email on this phone

    In the Letisim app, open My eSIMs, choose your purchased eSIM and tap Install. On the preparation screen, tap Copy name and install.

    Or open your eSIM email on this same phone and tap Install eSIM. If the link opens your order page first, use the installation button shown there.

    A QR code on another screen

    Open your eSIM’s QR code from the email or order on a computer, tablet or another phone. Point the camera of the phone you are installing the eSIM on at the code, then tap the installation prompt.

    Both options lead to the phone’s system setup. Continue with step 2.

    The button or camera did not open setup?

    You can add the eSIM by scanning its QR code in Settings. Follow the path below, choose the QR scanner and use the code for your own purchase. If the QR is on this same phone, see the options without a second screen below the guide.

    iPhone: Settings → Mobile Service / Cellular → Add eSIM → Use QR Code → Scan QR Code → Continue

    Google Pixel / Android: Settings → Network and Internet → SIMs → Add SIM → Set up an eSIM → scan your QR → Set up

    Samsung: Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM → Scan QR code → Add → Next

    Huawei: Settings → Mobile network → SIM management → SIM 2 → Add eSIM → Add eSIM → Scan code → Add this eSIM

    Honor: Settings → Mobile network → SIM management → Add eSIM → Add eSIM or transfer from your device → Set up an eSIM → Set up

    Xiaomi / Redmi: Settings → Mobile networks → Use eSIM → Manage eSIM → Add eSIM → Add eSIM → scan your QR → confirm download

    Motorola: Settings → Network & Internet → SIMs & mobile network → Download new SIM → Set up an eSIM → scan your QR → Set up

    OPPO: Settings → Mobile network → SIM & eSIM settings → Add eSIM → Set up an eSIM → scan your QR → Set up

    OnePlus: Settings → Mobile network → eSIM → Add eSIM → Add eSIM → Next → scan your QR → Set up

    Tap Add eSIM to add your travel eSIM.Enlarge screen ↗
    Tap Add eSIM to add your travel eSIM. Screen source ↗
  2. 02

    Confirm installation on your phone

    The install button or your QR code opens the phone’s system setup. Confirm that you want to add the eSIM, then stay connected to Wi-Fi until the profile finishes downloading. If the phone first asks how to add an eSIM, use your QR code. You do not need to transfer your home SIM from another phone.

    Continue / Add / Install / Set up → wait for the eSIM to download

    For the QR option: Choose Use QR Code to install using your QR code.Enlarge screen ↗
    For the QR option: Choose Use QR Code to install using your QR code. Screen source ↗
    After scanning, tap Continue to confirm installation of your eSIM.Enlarge screen ↗
    After scanning, tap Continue to confirm installation of your eSIM. Screen source ↗
  3. 03

    Give the new line a clear name

    For example, “Letisim Sierra Leone”, so you can distinguish it from your home SIM. This is a label on your phone; it does not change the number or plan.

    iPhone: Settings → Cellular / Mobile Service → new eSIM → Cellular Plan Label → Custom

    Google Pixel / Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → new eSIM → Edit name

    Samsung: Settings → Connections → SIM manager → new eSIM → Name

    Huawei: SIM management → SIM 2 → your eSIM → Card name. You can keep the existing label if no rename option is shown.

    Honor: SIM management → SIM 2 → eSIM name. Rename it if your MagicOS version offers this option.

    Xiaomi / Redmi: Manage eSIM → your plan → Change nickname, if available.

    Motorola: Open the new eSIM in SIM settings and use the edit-name option if available.

    OPPO: Open the installed profile in eSIM settings and change its label if your ColorOS version allows it.

    OnePlus: Open the installed eSIM and edit its name if the option is available.

    Line name: Letisim Sierra Leone
    Open the new eSIM to edit its name. The example label may differ from yours.Enlarge screen ↗
    Open the new eSIM to edit its name. The example label may differ from yours. Screen source ↗

Installation adds the eSIM to your phone. Choose it for mobile data at your destination. Package validity still follows its own start rule.

At your destination · turn on data

  1. 04

    Choose the eSIM for mobile data

    Turn on the new line and select it for mobile data. You can keep your home SIM for calls and texts at its usual rates. Turn off automatic mobile-data switching between SIMs.

    iPhone: Settings → Cellular / Mobile Service → Cellular Data → Letisim. Turn off “Allow Cellular Data Switching”.

    Google Pixel / Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Mobile data → Letisim

    Samsung: Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Mobile data → Letisim

    Huawei: In SIM management, enable the travel eSIM and select it as the default mobile-data SIM. Adding it may disable a physical SIM in slot 2.

    Honor: In SIM management, enable the eSIM and choose it for mobile data. Check which physical SIM remains active.

    Xiaomi / Redmi: Enable the travel plan in Manage eSIM, then select it for mobile data. Some models use eSIM instead of physical SIM 2.

    Motorola: Network & internet → SIM settings: enable the travel eSIM and select it for mobile data.

    OPPO: Enable the profile in Mobile network → eSIM, then select it for mobile data. The eSIM may occupy the SIM 2 position.

    OnePlus: In Mobile network, enable the travel eSIM and choose it for mobile data. Turn off automatic switching to the other SIM.

    Choose your travel eSIM for Mobile data. Keep your home SIM for calls.Enlarge screen ↗
    Choose your travel eSIM for Mobile data. Keep your home SIM for calls. Screen source ↗
  2. 05

    Check roaming in your package guide

    If your eSIM instructions require data roaming, enable it for the Letisim line. Keep data roaming off on your home SIM. If an APN is specified, use the exact value in your own package’s guide.

    iPhone: Settings → Cellular / Mobile Service → Letisim → Data Roaming (sometimes under Cellular Data Options)

    Google Pixel / Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Letisim → Roaming

    Samsung: First select Letisim for mobile data, then Settings → Connections → Mobile networks → Data roaming

    Huawei: Open Mobile network → Mobile data and check data roaming for the travel SIM. Follow the settings in your package guide.

    Honor: In the mobile-network settings, open the travel SIM’s data settings and enable roaming only if your package requires it.

    Xiaomi / Redmi: In Mobile networks, open the travel SIM’s data-roaming settings. Use the roaming and APN values from your package guide.

    Motorola: Open the travel eSIM’s network settings and check Roaming against your package instructions.

    OPPO: Open the travel SIM’s mobile-network settings and enable data roaming if required by your package.

    OnePlus: Open the travel SIM’s settings and check Data roaming against the instructions for your own package.

    Open Data roaming or Roaming for the travel line. Enable it only if your package instructions require it.Enlarge screen ↗
    Open Data roaming or Roaming for the travel line. Enable it only if your package instructions require it. Screen source ↗
  3. 06

    Check your connection

    Turn off Wi-Fi and open a map or website. If it loads, mobile data is working. If it does not, turn airplane mode on for about 30 seconds, turn it off and wait for a connection. Recheck the selected line and package settings.

    Wi-Fi off → website loads → you are connected

    Turn Wi-Fi off using this switch, then open a website or map to check mobile data.Enlarge screen ↗
    Turn Wi-Fi off using this switch, then open a website or map to check mobile data. Screen source ↗
No second screen for your QR code?

If the scanner has a gallery button, save the QR from your order and choose that image. If your order includes manual installation details, choose Enter details manually and copy the fields exactly. The available methods depend on your phone and eSIM. If neither is available, contact support; do not scan a sample code from this guide or delete an installed eSIM.

Menu names can differ by phone model and system version.

04 / Operators

Mobile operators in Sierra Leone

Compare network coverage separately from speed. A national result does not predict reception inside your hotel or along a mountain road.

NatCA materials and operator sites support Africell, Orange and QCell as the clearly current consumer mobile networks to consider for travellers. NatCA also mentions Sierratel in 2026 as an MVNO relaunch planned for June 2026, so it is not treated here as a clearly live nationwide consumer network.

Orange Sierra Leone

Orange publishes 4G information and says its network has quality coverage in major towns and cities. Travellers can use the operator’s coverage and service pages to judge where 4G is promoted, then compare that with the routes they actually plan to use. [1] [2] [4] [5] [6] [3]

Check coverage ↗

Africell Sierra Leone

Africell’s official pages show active consumer service, stores and a 5G rollout starting in Freetown. The public material gathered here does not provide a dedicated coverage map page, so the safest traveller check is the operator site, local shops and on-the-ground signal testing. [1] [2] [3] [7] [8] [9]

Official website ↗

QCell Sierra Leone

QCell’s public 4G page says its LTE service is available in covered areas and notes an initial launch in Freetown and parts of the western area. That is useful as a service indicator, but it is not a full national coverage map. [1] [2] [3] [10] [11] [12]

Check coverage ↗

The network in your chosen package is what matters. This country comparison does not mean every plan includes every operator. 5G depends on the package, phone and local coverage.

05 / Coverage

Coverage across Sierra Leone

Check the addresses and roads you will actually use. Save maps and booking details before leaving Wi-Fi.

🇸🇱 Sierra Leone
  1. Freetown and the Western Area Peninsula
  2. Banana Islands and the coastal boat routes
  3. Bo and the inland route toward Gola
  4. Loma Mountains and Mount Bintumani

Freetown and the Western Area Peninsula

This is the easiest place to start with any eSIM because it concentrates the capital, airport access and the busiest day-to-day use cases. Download offline maps before boat trips or beach-hopping on the peninsula, because route changes and coastal dead spots are easier to handle when the map is already saved. [13] [14] [17] [18]

Banana Islands and the coastal boat routes

For island trips, plan for your connection to be most useful before departure and after return, not continuously at sea. Save tickets, transfers and lodging details offline, and treat the phone as a tool for messaging, maps and check-ins rather than a guaranteed live link everywhere on the water. [13] [14] [17] [18]

Bo and the inland route toward Gola

Bo is a practical stop on the way to the southern and eastern travel corridors, including the long road toward Gola Forest. Mobile service can be more variable once you leave the main towns, so keep directions, contact numbers and accommodation notes saved before setting out. [15] [16] [17] [18]

Loma Mountains and Mount Bintumani

This is the kind of trip where an eSIM is most valuable for pre-trip planning, but not something to rely on for constant high-quality coverage once you are deep in the mountains. Download offline navigation, share your route in advance and make sure your return plan does not depend on a live data connection. [15] [17] [18]

Sierra Leone · eSIM

What to know before you buy

Sierra Leone’s mobile market for travellers is best understood by route, not by a single national promise. NatCA identifies the sector regulator, and current operator materials support Africell, Orange and QCell as the consumer networks worth comparing for data use, support points and service pages. That matters because a package that feels fine in central Freetown may not suit a beach transfer, an island hop or a long inland drive.

For most visitors, the best approach is to match your plan to where you will actually spend time. Central Freetown is the easiest place to use mobile data, while the peninsula beaches, Banana Islands, Gola and the Loma Mountains call for offline maps, saved hotel details and a backup way to contact your driver or host. Operator coverage pages help you compare what is advertised, but they do not replace a quick check on your own route.

Useful apps and travel tools

Google Maps ↗

Useful for city navigation, place search and saved offline areas before arrival or between weak-signal sections. [17]

MAPS.ME ↗

An offline-first map app that lets travellers download maps and navigate when mobile data is patchy or unavailable. [18]

Before you buy

Use the route you will actually travel

In Sierra Leone, the most useful network choice is often the one that fits your first hours on the ground: airport transfer, hotel check-in, city rides and beach or ferry departures. A package that works well in central Freetown may feel very different once you move to islands, forest reserves or long inland roads. [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

Check whether your phone is ready before arrival

A travel eSIM only helps if the device supports eSIM and is unlocked. If you expect to switch between local data and your home SIM, keep roaming charges separate from the eSIM plan and set up offline maps before the flight or ferry ride. [17] [18]

Coverage claims are not the same as measured experience

Operator pages are useful for seeing where service is marketed and where stores or support points exist, but they do not replace a live test on your own route. For a visitor, that difference matters most outside the capital and on island or forest trips. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

06 / FAQ

Questions about eSIM in Sierra Leone

Which mobile networks should I compare for Sierra Leone?

For travellers, the clearest consumer networks to compare are Orange, Africell and QCell. NatCA materials and the operators’ own sites support those as the current options to look at. Sierratel is mentioned by NatCA as a planned MVNO relaunch, so it is better treated as an uncertain case than as a straightforward nationwide choice. [1] [2] [3] [4] [7] [10]

Will one plan work equally well in Freetown and outside the city?

Not necessarily. Freetown and the nearby peninsula are usually the easiest places for mobile data use, but island transfers, forest reserves and long inland roads are different travel environments. If your trip includes Banana Islands, Gola or the Loma Mountains, keep offline maps and key addresses saved before you leave the city. [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

How can I check coverage before I buy a plan?

Start with the operator’s own public pages, then compare that information with your route. Orange publishes 4G information and service pages, Africell shows stores and 5G rollout details, and QCell’s 4G page describes where LTE service is available. That gives you a practical picture, even though it is not the same as a measured coverage map. [5] [6] [8] [9] [12]

Do I need mobile data for island trips?

It helps most before departure and after you return. On the water, your connection may be limited or intermittent, so the safest approach is to save tickets, lodging details and transport contacts offline. Use the eSIM for messaging and navigation where service is available, not as a guarantee of continuous coverage at sea. [13] [14] [17] [18]

What should I do before landing in Sierra Leone?

Install and test the eSIM before you arrive, confirm that your phone is eSIM-compatible and unlocked, and keep your home SIM charges separate from the travel data plan. It is also smart to download offline maps for Freetown, the peninsula or any inland destination you already know you will visit. [17] [18]

Which apps are most useful for getting around?

Google Maps is useful for city navigation and saved offline areas, while MAPS.ME is designed for offline-first map use. Together they cover the two most common traveller needs: finding places in town and still having a map when the signal drops. [17] [18]

Sources and checks · Country research checked 2026-09-08
  1. Mandate - National Communication Authority · National Communications Authority
  2. Annual Reports - National Communication Authority · National Communications Authority
  3. NatCA Hosts 7th Consumer Parliament in Kenema · National Communications Authority
  4. Orange PR | Orange Sierra Leone · Orange Sierra Leone
  5. 4G | Orange Sierra Leone · Orange Sierra Leone
  6. Widest coverage | Local Voice Offers | Orange Sierra Leone · Orange Sierra Leone
  7. About Us - Africell · Africell Sierra Leone
  8. Find us – Africell · Africell Sierra Leone
  9. 5G – Africell · Africell Sierra Leone
  10. Qcell Sierra Leone · QCell Sierra Leone
  11. Qcell Sierra Leone - About Us · QCell Sierra Leone
  12. Qcell Sierra Leone - 4G LTE Equipment · QCell Sierra Leone
  13. Freetown Peninsula · Visit Sierra Leone
  14. Freetown - Capital of Sierra Leone · Visit Sierra Leone
  15. Loma Mountains & Mount Bintimani-Bintumani · Visit Sierra Leone
  16. Gola Forest Reserve · Visit Sierra Leone
  17. Google Maps offline help · Google
  18. MAPS.ME app · MAPS.ME
  19. Letisim public catalog · Letisim