Staying Connected: The Complete Guide to Aruba WIFI & Cell Phone Service

This blog is the ultimate guide to getting cell phone service in Aruba. It turns out you can make phone calls from Aruba to the US and receive calls from the US in Aruba, without breaking the bank.

Cellphone service in Aruba

There are two phone providers in Aruba, Digicel and Setar. Both cell phone companies extend their cell phone service in Aruba to all international visitors. You can receive and make calls in Aruba using their networks. It’s also possible to use your data. Remember to contact your phone provider before you fly to Aruba. Let them know you want to have cellphone service in Aruba and ask them if their service works on the island. If so, ask for an international plan from your provider, usually a $12 a day plan with unlimited incoming and outgoing calls, just like home. If you don’t use your international plan, your phone provider might charge you around $2-$3 per minute for incoming and outgoing calls. A 20-minute conversation can cost you around $60. Due to hidden charges and push notifications data use won’t be cheap either. You will be able to get cell phone service in Aruba with:

·   Verizon

·   Sprint

·   AT&T

·   T-Mobile

·   KPN

·   Digitel

·   Vodafone

·   and many more.

WIFI in Aruba

If you want to use your data in Aruba, the most cost-effective thing to do is to connect to WIFI in Aruba. Guests can find free WIFI hotspots in Aruba in public spaces of most hotels, at the Aruba Airport, in shopping malls, bars & restaurants, and in specific stores like Starbucks.
In addition, local network provider Setar offers a prepaid wireless service called “WIFI Aruba”. This WIFI service offers internet access on the go, even on the beach, via hotspots located across Aruba. This WIFI service is provided at a fee. 

Cell Phone Service in Aruba using your own SIM Card

Back to the original question: how can you use your cell phone service in Aruba and connect your cell phone to Aruba’s phone networks? Here is a cell phone instruction guide. If you plan to keep your own sim card while in Aruba – turn off your mobile data. Put your phone in airplane mode. This way you ensure that you won’t incur any charges for data roaming. Turn on your WiFi. Aruba is dotted with WiFi hotspots, so you’ll still be able to connect to the internet. If you want to make a call, you can do so via WhatsApp or Facetime. Using WiFi, of course.

What about eSIM?

If you have an eSIM-compatible phone, you can easily buy data plans online before or during your trip to Aruba. No physical SIM card and no waiting in line. Just choose a plan from providers like Airalo, Holafly, or Nomad, download the eSIM, and you're connected as soon as you land. It's a fast and flexible way to stay online for maps, messaging, or anything else you need while exploring the island. Make sure your phone is unlocked and supports eSIM before purchasing. These plans tend to be a bit more expensive than purchasing a prepaid SIM in Aruba, but it saves you the hassle.

How to get Cheap Cell Phone Service in Aruba

Using your sim card while in Aruba can cost you hundreds of dollars. However, buying a new sim card (local phone number) will save you money. You can buy a sim card with a data plan at Digicel or Setar. How much will a sim card cost you? About 21 dollars! Remember to let the cell phone service provider in Aruba fix your APN (Access Point Name) settings to ensure you have good data connection to their local network.

How to call the US from Aruba

The most budget-friendly way to call the US from Aruba is by buying a sim card from one of Aruba’s two cell phone service providers, Digicel or Setar. Once you have the local sim card installed, calling the US from Aruba is easy and cheap.

How to call the US from Aruba:

- dial 001 (or ‘+1’)
- area code (212 for New York, 305 for Miami, 808 for Hawaii etc)
- phone number

How to call Aruba from the US: 

- dial 00 (or ‘+’)
- 297 (Aruba country code)
- phone number

Making a call to the US from Aruba will cost you around $0.37 per minute with a local sim card, instead of $2-$3 for one minute on your own sim card. Our conclusion? Buying a local sim card is way cheaper than keeping your own sim card.

Instruction sheet for cell phone service in Aruba

For your convenience you can download the instruction sheet on how to get cell phone service in Aruba. This sheet on how to use cell phone service in Aruba will teach you to:

·   Minimize data charges when traveling to Aruba (iPhone/Android)

·   Connect to Digicel or Setar network (Blackberry, iPhone, and Android)

·   How to track your data usage

The information in this guide gives you:

·   Assurance that your phone works in Aruba

·   Peace of mind that you won’t get a high phone bill

·   Confidence that you can communicate with family back home

Pre-paid rates of cell phone service in Aruba

Cost of making phone calls with a local pre-paid sim card vary per destination you want to reach and also depend on the plan you use. An overview of cell phone costs in Aruba, phone calls from Aruba to the US, to other islands within the Caribbean and all other international destinations can be found here. Prices are in Aruban florins. Exchange rate: 1 US dollar is 1.75 Aruba florin.

Rates of cell phone service in Aruba with pre-paid sim card offered by:

Digicel Prepaid SIM
SETAR Prepaid SIM

Staying connected in Aruba – digital nomads and Aruba travel tips

Planning on extending your stay in Aruba or even work remote from Aruba? Then staying connected with your work place abroad and remaining productive is important. Find more information in this Aruba digital nomad blog. More travel tips and practical pointers for your stay in Aruba can be found at the Aruba Travel Tips page.

The majority of this blog post is reposted from Vacations by Aruba 

Check out the Tips for Visitors page for more travel tips.