Is There Wifi in Cuba in 2024? The Ultimate Guide for Internet in Cuba

If you're a digital nomad planning on traveling to Cuba, need to work a bit while visiting, or simply want to know if there is decent internet in Cuba, then you've come to the right place! 

All the research in the world couldn't have prepared us for the wifi situation in Cuba. Things are constantly changing, and unfortunately there are a lot of outdated posts that Google loves to rank.

Don't worry though - having just visited Cuba in June 2024, we're here to share all of the details for internet in Cuba, and to explain if there really is wifi in Cuba in 2024.

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Is There Wi-Fi in Cuba Now?

There is Wifi in Cuba in 2024! However, it's not going to be the Wifi you're probably used to.

🥵 Is it Hard to Get Wi-Fi in Cuba?

We're not going to lie to you - it's definitely hard to get Wifi in Cuba. However, it's not impossible!

We're going to share all of the different ways you can get internet in Cuba, so that you can stay connected as much as possible.

🤔 How Good is WiFi in Cuba?

You've done everything you could, and found wifi in Cuba. But is the internet in Cuba good and reliable? Well, that's a totally different story.

Working as travel bloggers and photographers, we truly never have suffered so much with wifi problems as much as we have in Cuba.

Oftentimes the internet in Cuba cuts in and out, is painfully slow, or won't even cut it for certain programs. Forget streaming, forget music, and forget videos. Uploading and downloading large files is hardly a success, and if you're a photographer, you can kiss Lightroom goodbye during your stay in Cuba.

Not only is the speed of the internet in Cuba an issue, but there are many things that are blocked, including various apps, webpages, and even app stores on certain phones.

Don't have time to read the whole article and want to save it for later? Just pin it!

Why is Internet Restricted in Cuba?

The internet is restricted in Cuba due to the "bloqueo", which translates to "the blockade".

in 1962 the The United States placed an embargo on Cuba, and has threatened to stop financial aid to other countries if they trade any non-food items with Cuba. 

This has created a lack of resources for Cuba, which has made it hard for them to grow as a country.

As a communist nation, the government has complete control over what we think of as "everyday luxuries" and the internet in Cuba is included in this.

There is one company that provides internet in Cuba, and is has very limited accessibility. 

Due to tensions with the US, American apps, websites, and even Apple's software has been banned in Cuba!

🤠 Can Tourists Use Internet in Cuba?

Tourists can use internet in Cuba! However, it won't be the type of internet you're most likely accustomed to. Locals and tourists also have much different rated when it comes to using the internet, which we'll get into in just a bit.

🍎 Is Apple Banned in Cuba?

Apple phones can be used and connected to the internet in Cuba. However, the Apple App store is blocked, and therefore unable to be used.

Because of this, you won't be able to download new apps, even if you are on Wifi in Cuba.

There are also some apps I found didn't work on my iPhone that did work on Fede's Android, so this is also another thing to keep in mind.

📲 What Apps are Unavailable in Cuba?

There were a lot of apps that were unavailable in Cuba! A few of our banking apps were blocked, and any government run programs such as health care apps or websites are also blocked.

Most social media apps were available, but Spotify and Venmo were two big apps we noticed that were unavailable in Cuba.

💵 Can Cuba use Zelle?

While Venmo is not an option, Zelle actually is! As the cash situation in Cuba is tricky and American credit cards are banned, we had a couple of experiences with ourselves and other Americans running out of cash, and needing a bit of an emergency way to get cash.

Our first strategy is to Venmo someone on the spot who has enough cash to give you. But what happens when Venmo doesn't work in Cuba? Well, Zelle is there to save the day.

It worked for us on Fede's phone through his Bank of America App, but we did see some people trying in the airport with iPhones not being able to complete the task. This could have been due to the poor Wifi in Cuba, or it could have been something with Apple. We're not entirely sure.

📞 Can WhatsApp be used in Cuba?

Whatsapp can be used in Cuba! In fact, it's one of the only apps that works pretty well. With even the slightest amount of Wifi you can send and receive messages. Sending pictures and videos isn't impossible, but it definitely doesn't always work with the internet in Cuba.

👤 Can you use Facebook in Cuba?

Facebook can be used in Cuba. However, I was unable to do any posts on Facebook in Cuba that included photos or videos.

📸 Can You Use Instagram in Cuba?

You can use Instagram in Cuba, but just some of the features will not work. We were able to upload stories, but weren't able to use captions or certain music for example.

We could successfully upload photos and reels, and stories would post as long as we did one at a time instead of a full set at once. 

Since the internet in Cuba isn't strong, it's not even worth trying to watch reels or spend much time scrolling. If you use Instagram for your business or are a content crreator, we recommend scheduling posts in advance when you have Wifi, as that helped us stay on track with the lack of Wifi in Cuba throughout our trip.

🎵 Can You Use Tiktok in Cuba?

We're personally not Tiktok users, but we did hear that Tiktok has been banned in Cuba.

🎶 Is Spotify Blocked in Cuba?

Spotify is blocked in Cuba, and any music app you may be interested in will most likely not even work from the lack of internet.

🤳🏻 Is Snapchat banned in Cuba?

Being that a lot of social media related things are banned, it should come to no surprise that Snapchat is also banned in Cuba.

📧 Can I use Gmail in Cuba?

Thank God Gmail is NOT banned in Cuba. The one thing we were able to consistently check was our email throughout the trip.

How to Use the Internet in Cuba

Now that you know a bit about what is banned and why, it's time to actually get you connected!

Here is all the info you need to know in order to get internet in Cuba.

📶 The Different Options for Getting Internet in Cuba

Here are the five different options for getting connected:

• Get Wifi at a restaurant or your accommodation
• Get a local SIM card
• Get a prepaid ETECSA card
• Use data roaming with your service provider (highly NOT recommended!)
• Get an eSIM (the most expensive, but the easiest option)

🤑 How to Get Free Internet in Cuba

The easiest way to get free internet in Cuba is to either get it at a restaurant or at your accommodation. 

There are very few restaurants that actually offer Wifi. However, you'll notice certain areas (such as the old town of Havana) will have some restaurants offering Wifi, which many times is the server sharing their data as a hot spot for the customer.

Do Resorts in Cuba Have Free WiFi?

One may assume that resorts would be the go-to for having free internet in Cuba. The reality though, is that many of the bigger hotels DO NOT have wifi, and places that mostly offer Wifi are the "casas particulares" (local homes) that you can find on Airbnb.

📶 How to Get Cellular Data in Cuba

If you'd like your own cellular data, you'll need to get a local SIM card. While most countries have multiple network providers, Cuba actually only has one, which is Etecsa.

There are two options for using Etecsa:

• Get a prepaid ETECSA card
• Get a permanent SIM card with Etecsa

1️⃣ Nauta Cards

These are the easiest and cheapest cards to get, and are the most ideal - if you can find them that is.

What is a Nauta card?

NUATA cards are essentially prepaid Etecsa cards, and they include prepaid internet by the hour. 

It's really ideal because it's just about $1/hour, and can be saved for when you can't buy Wifi anywhere. The problem is that (at least for us) they weren't easy to come by, and seemed to be sold out or unavailable all the time. We'd recommend trying this option first though, and if you don't have luck, try an ETECSA SIM card.

2️⃣ Etecsa SIM Cards

This is the option we resorted to. We figured if we got a local SIM this would be our best bet at having decent internet  in Cuba.

The reality? It didn't work any better than the Wifi we were finding, and on drives between cities or on the road anywhere we almost never got any signal.

The SIM card is about $1 for locals per month, and $35 for foreigners. We had to go to an Etecsa store, and it took about half the day setting up the SIM card.

Can Locals Get ETECSA Cards for Foreigners?

We were honestly hoping our Airbnb host would just be able to use their ID to get us a cheap internet card. However, Cubans are limited to 3 cards, and usually have one for themselves, their home, and family if they are visiting. So the odds of finding a local to give you one of their SIM cards is slim to none.

Data Roaming in Cuba

Now that you know how to get connected in Cuba, let's go over the other 2 options, which are Data Roaming and getting an eSIM.

🇺🇸 Do US Cell Phones Work in Cuba?

US cell phones DO work in Cuba. However, US SIM cards are what don't work. This means you'll be able to use Wifi on your phone, but you will not be able to use your local provider at all.

We use T-Mobile, which has unlimited international data all over the world! But Cuba is one of the only exceptions, and no matter what provider you have, your data will be blocked.

☎️ Does Data Roaming Work in Cuba?

There is no data roaming for US phone providers. However, if you are coming from another country, your phone might actually work! We'd highly recommend not allowing your phone to connect though, because if it happens to work, rates will be astronomical.

📳 Getting an eSIM in Cuba

The final option for getting internet in Cuba is by investing in an eSIM. Honestly, it's super expensive for what you get, but it's definitely the most convenient option to avoid the hassle of either finding a Nauta card, or spending hours setting up a SIM card.

If you need just a bit of Wifi to check your emails or do low-data-required activities, then this actually might be your best bet.

While Fede got a local SIM, I decided to go with Airalo, and it was $10 for 1 GB. It ran out pretty quickly as I do a lot on social media for work. But if I had simply turned it on here and there for notifications and only urgent business activities, then this would have been a more ideal option.

Conclusion: The Best Way to Get Internet in Cuba

As you can see, there are may options for getting internet in Cuba in 2024. While it's still not super ideal, especially for digital nomads, the options are evolving, and with time things should continue to get better.

Here is a roundup of our tips for getting internet in Cuba in 2024:

Tips for Getting Internet in Cuba in 2024

We hope this guide has helped you with any questions you may have for getting internet in Cuba in 2024 (or in 2025!).

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