Compare travel eSIM deals: cheapest roaming SIMs

easySIM are the best for European roaming in our eyes

If your mobile provider doesn’t include EU roaming on your plan anymore, you might be better off buying a roaming eSIM than paying their roaming charges. For this, we think easySIM are the best option out there.

easySIM offer a decent range of data plans and tend to beat the other eSIM providers on price on small and large plans (they are beatable on mid-range plans). And you’ll get full 4G and 5G connection while there.

Other eSIM providers may only connect you to one or two local networks. But easySIM let you access most networks while travelling (depends per location) so you have the best chance of staying connected.

airalo are another good value option, with more flexible plan lengths and similar local network connectivity. And Breeze SIM are a good choice if you want unlimited data and don’t mind paying a bit extra.

Useful link: See all of easySIM’s European eSIMs

airalo are the best choice for going to North America

If you’re looking to go to the USA, Canada or any other North American country then airalo are the best choice for a travel eSIM. They offer similar value to their European plans in the USA and low prices to others.

While abroad you’ll be able to connect to most American mobile networks. And you’ll usually get 4G and 5G signal while there. But Yesim also offer very competitive prices and similar connectivity in the USA.

Plan prices in Canada, Mexico and other North American countries are a bit higher. airalo generally offer the best value plans in these countries, with Yesim in a close second.

There are a couple of other good options for North American roaming. eTravel SIM offer lots of different plans and let you add minutes and texts onto your plan. And Nomad are another great value option.

Useful link: See airalo’s travel eSIM plans

Nomad offer the best value deals for roaming in Asia

You may expect roaming in China, India and other Asian countries to be extortionately expensive, but that’s generally not the case on these providers. Nomad offer the best value deals for Asian roaming.

Nomad have unique deals in China where you pay for an allowance of full speed data for each day you’re there. If you use all your full speed data you get unlimited data after that, just at much slower speeds.

But they only offer this kind of deal in China. In other Asian nations you get a large amount of data plans to choose from with different data lengths to suit your needs. And you’ll get 4G and 5G where available.

SIM Local are another excellent option, with some of the lowest price deals for roaming in China and India around. But they don’t have any unlimited deals like Nomad do, so we’ve put them in second place.

Useful link: See all of Nomad’s Asian destinations

Nomad tend to be the best for Australia and New Zealand

If you’re looking to go to Australia, we think Nomad will be your best option. Like in China, they offer daily plans with an amount of full speed data, after which you’ll get unlimited data at slow speeds.

Or you can just choose a regular plan if you don’t want to be slowed down. These are the kinds of deals you get to New Zealand too. While in either country you’ll get 4G and 5G data signal where available.

While Nomad are typically the lowest cost choice, SIM Local are another brilliant option for Australian and New Zealand roaming. And you’ll get 5G and 4G there, just like on Nomad.

Finally, Breeze SIM are a good option if you’re looking for full speed unlimited data to stream by the pool. It’s made even better by the fact you’ll get 5G. They’re not the cheapest, but are still a great choice.

Useful link: See all of Nomad’s travel eSIM plans

GigSky are our favourite choice for South American roaming

If you need an eSIM to get abroad to Brazil, Colombia or any other South American country, GigSky are the best choice in our eyes. They offer some of the lowest cost plans for these countries around.

They offer some of the lowest costs and have genuinely good value on larger data plans. And they offer 5G connection in Brazil and other South American countries, giving you the fastest speeds possible.

You should still be able to get by with good 4G signal. But if you want to make calls, eTravel SIM include unlimited mins on all their Brazil plans. However, their Colombian SIMs are very expensive.

Nomad are also a very good option, as they offer even better value on their larger data plans than airalo and they’ll give you 5G signal where available. But their smaller plans are a bit more expensive.

Useful link: See all South American eSIMs on GigSky

airalo are generally the best choice for roaming in Africa

You might expect to pay a lot for a SIM in Africa, but that doesn't have to be the case. airalo in particular offer some genuinely good value eSIMs for roaming in South Africa, Egypt and other African nations.

They’re generally the cheapest option on small and large data plans. They don’t offer 5G in any African countries, but you will get the best 4G available while there. In all, they’re a cheap and simple option.

If you want to use more data while there, you might prefer to join Holafly. With them you can get an unlimited data plan for a set number of days. They’re more expensive, but may be better for heavy data users.

You also won’t get 5G while roaming in Africa with Holafly, so you can’t get the absolute most out of your unlimited data. But either way, they’re a good option. The other providers can tend to be very expensive.

Useful link: See Holafly’s full range of travel eSIMs

airalo are good value and convenient for global travel

airalo are a company based in Singapore that sell flexible and good value eSIMs for international travel. They were founded in 2019 with the goal of making it easy to stay connected while travelling.

Their app has over a million downloads on Google Play alone (which is probably helped by their refer-a-friend scheme). The reviews are generally very positive, with a 4.6 on Google Play and a 4.7 on the App Store.

You can get a 7, 15, or 30 day plan to use in 200+ countries, which is very flexible. Most are data-only, except their annual Global SIMs which give you an Austrian number and 200 mins and texts to 124 countries.

eSIMs can be installed with the app, with a QR code or manually. And you can buy your eSIM before travelling and it will only activate once you’ve arrived. In all, airalo are a convenient option for roaming.

Useful links: See all the destinations you can travel in on airalo

Breeze can be a good choice for unlimited data abroad

Breeze are a roaming eSIM provider owned by eSIM Go, a company that deal with eSIM connectivity in various markets. They’re a UK based provider, so are a great option if you want to pay in pounds sterling (GBP).

They also don’t have an app. Instead you’ll buy your eSIM from their website. To install you can either scan a QR code or manually download which involves going through a couple of hoops.

You can get a plan with a fixed data amount for 7, 15 or 30 days. And if you’re going to use your phone for heavy data activities, you can take an unlimited data plan in various increments between 1-30 days.

While abroad, you’ll get 4G most destinations and even 5G in lots of them, plus you can tether to other devices. There’s no way to get calls or texts, but Breeze are an especially good choice for heavy data users.

Useful links: See all of Breeze travel eSIM destinations

Nomad offer great value plans in lots of countries

Nomad are a travel eSIM provider set up and run by LotusFlare, a multinational company established to provide internet in areas without it. They have offices in many countries, with their headquarters in the USA.

They offer great value on 7 day or 30 day plans you can pay for with pound sterling (GBP). And in some countries like India you can get longer 45 day plans, or even 60 or 90 day plans in China if you need.

Those longer plans are handy for long business trips or for visiting family abroad. But it’d be better if they extended that flexibility to more countries. And while you’re there you can’t connect to calls or texts.

Still, they cover a huge list of 170 countries, you get 4G/5G abroad and you can tether your signal there. Their app makes installing and managing your plan easy, with great reviews on Google Play and the App Store.

And finally, you can buy your SIM before going abroad and then activate your plan when you need. In all, Nomad are a really convenient option with some genuinely great value on their plans.

Useful links: Find an eSIM for your destination at Nomad

aloSIM are a great value option with very few downsides

aloSIM are a Canadian eSIM provider that offer travel plans in 175+ worldwide destinations. You can’t pay in pounds with them. But their app has had 100,000+ downloads on Google Play.

They offer great value 7 day or 30 day plans, but don’t offer any shorter plan lengths. You can install your SIM automatically on iPhones, whereas on Androids you can either use the QR code or do it manually.

With aloSIM you can install your SIM before going abroad and activate it when you arrive in your destination. And you can manage multiple plans on one account, which is handy if you’re travelling with the family.

Also you get 4G most destinations and 5G in some and tethering is allowed. And you’ll get a local phone number with some mins and texts included. But these can only be used over data or WiFi signal, not 3G/2G.

Useful links: How aloSIMs travel calls and texts work via Hushed

Jetpac are a brilliant choice for frequent flyers

Jetpac were set up and are owned by the Singaporean company, tech Circles. They’re pretty new to the market, with only 1000+ downloads, with a 3.2 on Google Play and 3.0 on the App Store.

But that needn’t stop you from joining, as Jetpac offer some of the best value travel eSIMs around in 100+ worldwide destinations. You can take a 7 day or 30 day plan, or even very cheap 4 day plans for shorter trips.

You can install your eSIM using the QR code they send you or by doing it manually. And you can do this before you leave and your plan will only activate once you connect to the network in your destination.

And they have a unique benefit called Smartdelay that lets you access the airport VIP lounge for free if your flight is delayed by a long enough time. This is a pleasant extra for frequent travellers and costs nothing extra.

Useful links: See Jetpac’s full range of travel eSIMs

eTravel SIM offer brilliant value on travel plans

eTravel SIM are an eSIM provider owned and run by a Singaporean company called PSHPL. Review websites show that customers are generally satisfied with them, but we can’t say how big their customer base is exactly.

In any case, they offer good value on 7 day, 15 day or 30 day plans to use in these 98+ countries. And in a few of these you can get a plan with inclusive minutes, texts and a UK phone number for a premium cost.

While there, you can also tether your data signal to other devices, unless you’re on an unlimited plan. Annoyingly you can’t tether at all on these. And the only way to install your eSIM is by scanning the QR code they send, which can be a pain if you’re on your own without another device.

There are a couple of other small downsides too. You can’t connect to 5G while abroad and you can’t pay in British pounds. But either way, eTravel SIM are a good value and convenient option for going abroad.

Useful links: Read more information on eTravel SIM’s FAQ page

easySIM are more of a premium option for travel eSIMs

You’ve likely heard of the airline easyJet, well easySIM are part of the same brand. They’re a British based eSIM provider, which makes them more recognisable and accessible to British customers going abroad.

They have 7 day or 30 day plans, but don’t offer any shorter options if you’re only going abroad for a few days. And there’s no way to get calls or texts with them, you’ll have to rely on data for everything.

But they do let you connect to 5G in most of the countries where it’s available. And they have a long list of 145 countries you can travel in. And since they’re British based, you’ll pay for your plan in pounds.

You can tether to other devices, but their biggest plan is 20GB so you can’t really make the most of this. But it’s easy to install your eSIM with the QR code they send and your plan only activates once you arrive.

It’s also easy to call them up to get help and British customers might prefer the familiarity of their brand. In all, they’re a very good choice if you’re wanting a SIM to go abroad with.

Useful link: See easySIM’s full range of eSIM travel plans

Holafly let you pay for the exact amount of days you travel

Holafly are a multinational eSIM provider set up with the goal of providing signal to travellers around the world. They seem to have lots of customers, with their app having 500,000+ downloads on Google Play.

Their app gets generally good reviews, sitting at 4.5 stars on Google Play and 4.1 on the App Store. And different review websites show that customers are generally satisfied with their experience on Holafly.

Holafly let you choose your plan length to the exact number of days you’ll be abroad in certain popular countries. You’ll get unlimited data for this amount of time, with no fair usage policies getting in the way.

One downside to this is that, while you can tether to other devices, you can only use up to 500MB for this. There is also no way to get inclusive calls or texts on Holafly.

But otherwise, they offer SIMs to a long list of 85+ countries, let you pay in pound sterling, provide 5G in the areas it’s available and seem to have very good customer service. They’re a great choice overall.

Useful link: Read customer reviews on Holafly’s website

Yesim can be a good value option for travelling abroad

Yesim are a Swiss eSIM provider with plans for 145 worldwide countries. They have a decent customer base, with 100,000+ downloads on Google Play. And their app gets 4.1 stars on Google Play and 4.4 on the App Store.

They offer 7 day, 15 day or 30 day eSIM plans. These tend to be pretty good value, but the minimum data amount is 3GB. So you might end up spending more than you need if you don’t use a lot of data.

But you can tether to other devices without limits while abroad and you’ll be able to connect to 5G where available. While calls aren’t included you can pay per month for a USA, Dutch, Israeli or Canadian number.

You can install your eSIM using the QR code they send, but there’s no automatic installation. That’s not very practical as your plan activates right after purchasing. It’s easier to install the day of travel.

Other than that, you get the added convenience of being able to pay in pound sterling and Yesim seem to have pretty good online customer service. In all, we’d say they’re a good choice.

Useful links: See Yesim’s full range of eSIM plans

GlobaleSIM are generally a good value choice for travel

globaleSIM are a travel eSIM provider owned and operated by an Israeli company called Sound Track Israel Ltd. They offer eSIM plans for 7, 14, 21 or 30 days to 180+ countries depending on what you need.

While there you’ll get 4G and 3G for calls and data where available, but they don’t offer 5G. They’re unique in that they’ll give you a US number and let you take mins and texts as an extra on your plan.

These minutes can be quite expensive and customers have reported issues connecting to calls while abroad. They might not be the most reliable option for calls, but they offer good value on their data plans.

They have a very small customer base, with only 5000+ downloads on their app on Google Play. And review websites show that customers have trouble connecting to signal and that their customer service didn’t help.

This lack of reliability is a shame as they’d otherwise be one of the better choices out there. If you do still want to join it’s easy to install your SIM using the QR code and you can activate it whenever you want.

Useful links: See GlobaleSIM’s full range of eSIM plans

gigsky offer some decent unlimited data plans for travel

GigSky are a Silicon Valley based eSIM provider who have been selling international eSIMs since 2010. They offer 7 day, 15 day and 30 day eSIMs with a decent range of data amounts to suit your needs.

While abroad you’ll be connected to 4G and 3G signal where it’s available, and even 5G where possible. And they even have unlimited data plans in lots of countries, letting you use this 5G to the fullest.

Their unlimited plans are quite high in price and all last 15 days. Still, you can even tether this data signal to other devices. But there’s no way to call or text on any of their plans, they’re entirely data only.

To install your plan just download their app, buy your plan there and it will activate when you arrive in your destination. Their 4.0 star Google Play and 4.6 App Store reviews suggest this is a smooth process.

On top of that you can pay in pound sterling and, generally speaking, they’re one of the better value options out there for most destinations. In all, GigSky are a fantastic choice for travel eSIMs.

Useful link: See all of GigSky’s eSIM plans

Sim Local offer great value on smaller eSIM travel plans

Sim Local are an Irish eSIM provider that were first set up in Dublin Airport and now operate out of Dublin and London. They offer 7 day and 30 day eSIM plans, and even some 1 day plans in certain countries.

They have plans in a huge list of 215 destinations, so wherever you’re going you can be sure you’ll be able to get a SIM with them. To install your eSIM you can either scan a QR code or use the code they send you.

Your plan will activate when you arrive in your destination. While there you’ll be able to connect to 4G and 5G data signal where available. However, there is no way to get calls or texts on your plan.

But they’re generally one of the best value eSIM providers on the market in lots of destinations. The app does have 4.6 stars on the App Store, but the number of reviews and downloads are quite small.

At the very least they have an online chat and UK based call centres, so if something goes wrong you can get in contact with them fairly easily. In all, they’re a low cost and comprehensive choice for travellers.

Useful link: How to get in contact with Sim Local’s customer service

There are loads of other eSIM providers to choose from

The eSIM providers we’ve covered above are only a handful of the actual amount of eSIM providers out there. We couldn’t list them all on one page, but we’ve compiled a few other providers for you to look at.

These are Revolut, GoMoWorld, Airhub, Travel SIM, Instabridge, Holiday eSIM, FlexiRoam, Better Roaming and Roamless. Each of these provide different perks and methods of installing and activating your SIM.

The ones that let you activate your SIM whenever you choose are GoMoWorld, Instabridge and Roamless. The rest will either activate it after you buy or once you arrive in your destination.

For calls and texts abroad you can join Roamless, Airhub and Travel SIM. On the other providers you’ll have to use WhatsApp or other calling apps, which might not work in every country or situation.

Finally, Revolut, Holiday eSIM and Better Roaming are all UK based. So you might find it easier to get help with these providers and there’s a bit more assurance knowing where your money is going.

Useful link: See which eSIM providers are the best per region

You’ll get more options if you don’t pay in pounds

It makes sense that most of the providers out there selling travel eSIMs to an international customer base aren’t based in the UK. As such, you don’t always get the choice to pay in pounds sterling (GBP).

Most will let you pay in US dollars, but this comes with the need to do conversions to know exactly how much you’re paying. Your bank also might charge you for a foreign currency transaction.

So providers that let you pay in sterling come with more peace of mind. Nomad, easySIM, Breathe SIM, Holafly and Breeze SIM are all providers that allow you to pay for your eSIM plan in pounds.

With others you’ll just have to be prepared to translate the cost to find the best deal for you.

Useful link: Skip to our rankings for the best travel eSIM providers

Most let you buy once you’re already abroad

If you’re already abroad and need roaming now, don’t worry. Plenty of providers let you buy a travel eSIM when you’re already out of the country, to get instantly connected.

Installing a travel eSIM is quite simple, depending on your device. On newer devices it’s typically as easy as using the provider’s app to install, which will usually require you to connect to WiFi.

On other devices you’ll need to scan a QR code on another device to install your SIM or use an activation code. You can read airalo’s guide to installing a travel eSIM here, but each provider has a different method.

It can also be easier to install your eSIM before leaving home, while you have a connection. With most providers, the plan will only become active once you connect to the mobile network in your destination.

Useful link: Skip to the best travel eSIM providers by destination

You’ll normally get 4G data but not all offer 5G

All the providers on this page will connect you to a local mobile network while you’re travelling. But it’s worth knowing that some offer different standards of quality when it comes to your connection.

The majority of travel eSIM providers let you connect to 5G data, but this will depend what’s available in the country you travel to. Others don’t let you connect to 5G at all, leaving you with 4G only.

Again, the speeds and coverage you get on each provider depends on the agreement they have with the local network providers. We cover this in our provider-by-provider breakdown here.

Useful link: Skip to our breakdown of each travel eSIM provider

Most travel eSIMs don’t include calls or a phone number

The vast majority of roaming eSIM providers only let you connect to data on their plans. They don’t offer calls and sometimes don’t give you a phone number at all.

While you can use data to make calls and texts using social media apps instead, there are certain things that still require a phone number, like offering locals a way to call you without costing them for an international call.

There’s also the fact that certain social media apps might be blocked in certain countries. So having a number to make calls and send texts in this case can be crucial for stay connected to friends and family.

Some providers let you buy bundles of minutes on top of your plan, include minutes in your plan at an extra cost or let you top up and pay as you go. But AloSIM actually include mins and texts at no added cost.

Useful link: How aloSIMs inclusive mins and texts work via Hushed