Antigua is a three-counter market, and the counter most guides skip is the one to visit first. inet Mobile, the telecoms brand of the state utility APUA, sells a 7 day All In plan with 10 GB for EC$44, and in September 2026 it was also offering visitor plans from US$16 that include a complimentary SIM or eSIM. Digicel's Prime Ultra range starts at EC$11 for 3.5 GB over one day and reaches EC$48 for 8.5 GB over a week. Flow's day and week plans sit in the same band. At the fixed rate of 2.70 East Caribbean dollars to one US dollar, a week of local data costs between about 16 and 18 US dollars, roughly half what the cheapest travel eSIM charges for a similar allowance.
The catch is less about price than about paperwork and hours. Each operator wants photo ID, the stores keep weekday office hours with short Saturdays, and the only counter at V.C. Bird is a booth whose opening times are not published. The Antigua and Barbuda eSIM guide sets out what the travel eSIMs cost if you would rather avoid the errand.
What This Guide Covers
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Three Operators, and Why the Old Guides Say Two
Most prepaid references still describe Antigua and Barbuda as a Flow and Digicel duopoly, with the state utility's mobile arm written off as a 2G voice service without data. That was true years ago and is not true now. The Antigua Public Utilities Authority runs its telecoms business under the inet brand, split into inet Mobile, inet Home and inet Business, and it markets the mobile side as a 4G LTE Advanced network with island-wide voice and data. It is locally owned, and it leans on that in its branding, which uses the national colours.
| Operator | Owner | Prepaid range | eSIM for prepaid | Used by travel eSIMs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| inet Mobile | APUA, the state utility | All In, Data Only, visitor plans | Yes, confirmed in its FAQ | None |
| Digicel | Digicel Group | Prime Ultra bundles | Not confirmed for visitors | Airalo, Holafly |
| Flow | Liberty Latin America | Day, week and month plans | Not confirmed for visitors | Nomad |
The right-hand column is the interesting one. Because no international eSIM brand connects to inet, buying its plan is the only way to use that network at all. That matters little in St John's, where all three are strong, and more on the edges of the island, where having a different network from the one your travel eSIM uses gives you a second chance at a signal.
A local eSIM without a plastic card
inet's FAQ says plainly that it offers eSIM service and asks customers to check that the handset supports eSIM before coming in store. Its visitor plan page adds that sign-up can be done by email to its retail team. For a traveller with an eSIM-only iPhone, that makes inet the one operator in the country where a local line does not depend on a SIM tray.
inet's Price Sheet: All In, Data Only and the Visitor Plans
inet publishes its prepaid prices to the cent, with Antigua and Barbuda Sales Tax already included. The All In range bundles data, local minutes, unlimited local texts and free weekend calls to other inet mobiles and landlines.
| inet plan | Price (XCD) | About (USD) | Validity | Data | Local minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All In 2 | EC$8.60 | $3.19 | 1 day | 2 GB | 50 |
| All In 5 | EC$22.00 | $8.15 | 3 days | 5 GB | 200 |
| All In 10 | EC$44.00 | $16.30 | 7 days | 10 GB | 500 |
| All In 22 | EC$100.00 | $37.04 | 30 days | 22 GB | 1,200 |
| All In 26 | EC$117.00 | $43.33 | 30 days | 26 GB | 1,500 |
| Big Data 20 GB | EC$151.59 | $56.14 | 30 days | 20 GB | None |
| Big Data 30 GB | EC$192.28 | $71.21 | 30 days | 30 GB | None |
Look at the last three rows together and the All In plans are plainly the ones to buy. All In 22 gives more data than Big Data 20 GB for about two thirds of the price, and adds minutes. The data-only bundles only make sense in a MiFi or a tablet that will never make a call.
The visitor plans track the All In ladder closely but come with the SIM or eSIM thrown in and are quoted in US dollars: Visitor Plan 7 is US$16 or EC$43.75 for 10 GB and 500 local minutes, Visitor Plan 14 is US$31 or EC$85 for 16 GB and 900 minutes, and Visitor Plan 30 is US$37 or EC$100 for 22 GB and 1,200 minutes. They are marketed around the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting that Antigua and Barbuda hosts in 2026, so treat them as a current promotion rather than a permanent product.
Rollover, if you stay longer
inet rolls unused data and minutes forward when a plan auto-renews or when you buy another plan within 48 hours of expiry, up to 200 GB. Let the 48 hours lapse and the balance is lost, and data used during that gap is billed at pay-as-you-go rates. Dial *121# to check balances or change plan, or use the My inet app.
Digicel Prime Ultra and Flow, Side by Side
Digicel's Antigua site lists four Prime Ultra bundles, each with a general data allowance, a much larger entertainment allowance for YouTube, TikTok, Spotify and Apple Music, and unlimited local calls and texts. The general figure is the one to compare, since entertainment data only counts toward the named apps.
| Digicel Prime Ultra | Price (XCD) | About (USD) | Any-use data | Entertainment data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Day | EC$11.00 | $4.07 | 3.5 GB | 5 GB |
| 3 Day | EC$27.50 | $10.19 | 6 GB | 15 GB |
| 7 Day | EC$48.00 | $17.78 | 8.5 GB | 35 GB |
| 30 Day | EC$132.00 | $48.89 | 20 GB | 150 GB, plus 100 regional and international minutes |
Against inet, Digicel costs a little more for a little less general data on the weekly plan, but the entertainment pot is large enough that a streaming-heavy visitor may prefer it. Its one-day bundle is also the most generous day pass in the country, which suits a single day ashore from a yacht.
Flow's prices were harder to pin down. Its Antigua website loads plan data through a script that we could not read directly, and its own page title in September 2026 advertised a one-day 3 GB plan at EC$9.50. A travel guide updated in April 2026 listed Flow at EC$10 for 4 GB over one day, EC$25 for 5 GB over three days, EC$45 for 6 GB over a week, and EC$115 or EC$125 for 12 GB or 15 GB over thirty days. Those two sources do not quite agree, so read Flow's figures as a guide to the price band and confirm at the counter. On any version they sit close to Digicel and inet, and well below a travel eSIM for the same week.
Stores, Hours and What to Bring
All three operators cluster in St John's, which is 15 minutes from the airport, and each keeps business hours rather than shopping-mall hours.
| Store | Where | Listed hours |
|---|---|---|
| Digicel Redcliffe Store | Corner of Redcliffe Street and Market Street, St John's | Mon to Fri 9am to 5pm, Sat 8am to 1pm |
| Digicel Corporate Office | Hills Park, Friar's Hill Road | Mon to Fri 9am to 5pm |
| Digicel Barbuda | Codrington | Mon to Fri 8am to 4pm |
| inet stores | Old Parham Road next to KFC, and High Street at Independence Drive | Store hours not published; phone support Mon to Fri 8am to 8pm, weekends 8am to 4pm |
| APUA Business Centre | Corner of Independence Avenue and High Street | Mon to Fri 8am to 3:30pm |
| inet booth | V.C. Bird International Airport | Not published |
Flow's shop is on Market Street in the same few blocks as Digicel, according to a traveller who bought there this year, which makes it easy to compare offers on foot. The same account describes queues at both, so allow time.
Bring photo ID
inet asks for a valid government-issued photo ID for its visitor plans, and Digicel lists government ID among its requirements. A passport is the safe choice. One traveller reported a European driving licence being accepted, but do not count on it.
Check the phone is unlocked, or eSIM-ready
A handset tied to a carrier at home will reject a local card. If you plan to take inet's eSIM instead, confirm your model supports eSIM before you arrive, as inet asks.
Name the bundle
Ask for All In 10 or the 7 Day Prime Ultra by name. Buying airtime without a plan leaves you on out-of-bundle data rates, which on every network here are priced for emergencies, not browsing.
Carry some cash
Cards are widely taken in the St John's stores, but V.C. Bird has no money exchange counter, and top-up vendors in small shops across the island often prefer EC dollars.
Local Plans Against the Travel eSIMs, in US Dollars
At 2.70 EC dollars to the US dollar the comparison is quick. Local figures are plan prices; inet's visitor plans include the SIM or eSIM, and the others may add a small card charge.
| Option | Data | Validity | Price (USD) | Per GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| inet All In 5 | 5 GB | 3 days | $8.15 | $1.63 |
| inet Visitor Plan 7 | 10 GB | 7 days | $16 | $1.60 |
| Digicel 7 Day Prime Ultra | 8.5 GB | 7 days | $17.78 | $2.09 |
| inet Visitor Plan 30 | 22 GB | 30 days | $37 | $1.68 |
| Nomad | 5 GB | 30 days | $19 | $3.80 |
| Nomad | 10 GB | 30 days | $34 | $3.40 |
| Airalo | 5 GB | 30 days | $30 | $6.00 |
| Holafly | Unlimited | 7 days | $36.50 | Depends on use |
The local plans win on price at every length, and they add a number and local minutes. What the travel eSIM offers in Antigua is narrower than on islands with long airport transfers. The drive from V.C. Bird to St John's is short, so arriving without data costs you little, and inet's airport booth means a local line may be available before you even reach the taxi rank.
So the eSIM earns its place in three cases: a stay of four nights or fewer, where saving ten dollars is not worth an errand; an arrival on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday, when the town stores are closed and the booth may be too; and a traveller who wants no ID step at all. Everyone else should plan to buy local.
Heading on to another island
A Digicel line bought in Antigua can add Caribbean Roam bundles, EC$20 for 3 GB over three days or EC$42 for 7 GB over a week, but only in Digicel markets. The list includes Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Lucia and Barbados, and leaves out Montserrat and St Kitts and Nevis, the two closest neighbours by air. inet's international add-ons are voice minutes, not data. For sailing charters, cruises and multi-island trips, our guide to an eSIM for Caribbean island hopping compares regional plans that do include Antigua.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Antiguan operator gives the most data for a week?
inet. Its All In 10 is EC$44, about 16.30 US dollars, for 10 GB, 500 local minutes and unlimited local texts over seven days, and the visitor version is US$16 with the SIM or eSIM included. Digicel's 7 Day Prime Ultra is EC$48 for 8.5 GB of general data, though it adds 35 GB for entertainment apps and unlimited local calls. Flow's weekly plan was reported in April 2026 at EC$45 for 6 GB.
Can I get a local eSIM in Antigua instead of a plastic SIM?
From inet, yes. Its FAQ confirms eSIM service, and its visitor plans advertise a complimentary SIM or eSIM, with sign-up by email, at the airport booth or in a branch. Bring government photo ID and check your phone supports eSIM first. We could not confirm a prepaid eSIM route for visitors at Digicel or Flow, so for those two, plan on a physical card.
What happens if my inet plan runs out on a Sunday?
inet makes one attempt to auto-renew the last plan if you have enough credit. If it cannot, you have a 48 hour grace period in which to buy a new plan through the My inet app or by dialling *121#, and doing so carries your unused data forward. Data used during the gap is charged at pay-as-you-go rates, so top up online rather than waiting for a store to open on Monday.
Is there a Digicel or Flow store on Barbuda?
Digicel lists a store in Codrington, open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm. We could not confirm a Flow or inet retail point on Barbuda. If you are going over for a day on the ferry, buy your plan in St John's beforehand, since Codrington is small and the store's weekday hours will not suit a weekend visit.
Does a Digicel line from Antigua work in Montserrat or St Kitts?
Not on Digicel's Caribbean Roam bundles. The Antigua price list names the Digicel markets where those bundles work, including Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Lucia and Barbados, and neither Montserrat nor St Kitts and Nevis is on it. Digicel's pricier Americas and International roam plans cover a longer list. For a short hop to Montserrat, a regional travel eSIM or a local plan on arrival is the simpler answer.