Comparison table
| Provider | Price ~5 GB | Coverage | Validity | Tethering | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Airalo Discover Global | ~$13 | 200+ countries | 6-12 months | Hotspot OK | ★★★★★ | See → |
| S Saily by NordVPN | ~$13 | 200+ countries | Up to 1 year | Hotspot OK | ★★★★★ | See → |
| H Holafly Unlimited | Unlimited from $3.90/day | 170+ countries | 6 months | Hotspot capped | ★★★★☆ | See → |
| N Nomad Regional / unlimited | ~$13 | 200+ countries | 6 months | Hotspot OK | ★★★★☆ | See → |
| U Ubigi Worldwide | ~$21 | 200+ countries | 12 months | Hotspot OK | ★★★★☆ | See → |
| Y Yesim Global | ~$17 | 130+ countries | 12 months | Hotspot OK | ★★★☆☆ | See → |
| M Maya Mobile Global | ~$13 | 130+ countries | 6 months | Hotspot OK | ★★★☆☆ | See → |
| A aloSIM Global | ~$16 | 200+ countries | 12 months | Hotspot OK | ★★★☆☆ | See → |
Prices observed in June 2026 for a ~5 GB plan valid 30 days in Thailand. Prices vary by destination, duration and current promotions. Holafly is billed per day on unlimited, not per GB. Use the links for up-to-date pricing.
Our methodology
We scored these 8 travel eSIMs across 14 criteria in 4 categories, after 4 months of testing on 6 real destinations (Thailand, Japan, Mexico, USA, Morocco, Italy).
1. Data-to-price ratio
35% of the scorePrice per GB by destination, cost of regional and global plans, daily cost of an unlimited plan, transparency of the fair-use throttling threshold (FUP).
2. Country coverage
20%Number of countries covered, real network quality (rural vs urban areas), local operator partners, availability of 5G.
3. Speed & quality
20%On-site speedtests (download/upload), connection stability, network drop rate measured 3 times a day for 14 days.
4. UX & flexibility
25%Mobile app, ease of QR-code activation, top-up, validity before use, tethering (hotspot), customer support.
Our commitments
- We buy and activate each eSIM before scoring it.
- Editorially independent comparison: no advertiser influences the ranking.
- Tested on 2 devices (iPhone 15 + Samsung S24) in urban and rural zones.
- Throughput measured 3 times a day for 14 days on each destination.
- Quarterly price updates, immediate when a provider makes a major change.
Who is it for?
Depending on your data usage and destination, different eSIMs come out on top.
Moderate use < 10 GB
Regular traveler
Airalo Discover Global
The best choice for 90% of travelers: coverage in 200+ countries, unbeatable per-GB pricing, a marketplace of local operators and easy in-app top-ups.
Details →Cheapest per GB
Tight budget
Saily
From $1.99 per GB over 7 days. Built by Nord Security (NordVPN), with a modern interface and integrated security features. Often the cheapest on long-tail destinations.
Details →Streaming / remote work
Heavy user
Holafly unlimited
Unlimited plans by day, week or month, with 5G included everywhere. Ideal if you go past 20 GB or never want to think about your usage.
Details →🥇 #1 — Best overall
Airalo
Rating: ★★★★★ · From $4.50
In brief
- • Coverage in 200+ countries, the widest in the panel
- • Per-GB pricing among the lowest on the market
- • Regional plans (Asia, Europe) and global Discover Global
- • Open marketplace: choice of local operators based on coverage
Our top score. Airalo remains the versatile reference: a huge catalogue, very competitive per-GB pricing and a simple app to buy, activate and top up in minutes. Across our 6 tested destinations, the network was stable in cities and decent in rural areas (except northern Morocco). 5G is not guaranteed on every plan, which is the only real downside against Holafly.
✅ Pros
- • Maximum coverage (200+ countries)
- • Very competitive per-GB pricing
- • Handy regional and global plans
- • Clear app, instant top-up
- • 24/7 chat support
⚠️ Cons
- • 5G not guaranteed on every plan
- • No unlimited plan
- • Network caps vary by local operator
Ideal for occasional or regular travelers using under 10 GB, multi-destination trips, world tours, anyone who wants a single app for all their travels.
💰 #2 — Best value
Saily
Rating: ★★★★★ · From $1.99
In brief
- • Often the cheapest per GB (from $1.99 for 1 GB / 7 days)
- • Built by Nord Security, the team behind NordVPN
- • Integrated security features (ad blocking, web protection)
- • Coverage in 200+ destinations, durations from 7 days to 1 year
The find of the last 18 months. Launched in 2024 by Nord Security, Saily has become in 2026 the cheapest per-GB option on many long-tail destinations, with one of the slickest interfaces around. The Ultra plan (from $59.99/month) adds unlimited global data and a NordVPN subscription. As a recent brand, its network is still a notch behind Airalo in a few Asian countries.
✅ Pros
- • Often unbeatable per-GB pricing
- • Excellent interface and UX
- • Integrated security features
- • Ultra plan with global data + NordVPN
⚠️ Cons
- • Recent brand (launched 2024)
- • Asian coverage a notch behind Airalo
- • Chat-only support
Ideal for budget-conscious travelers, long-tail destinations, existing NordVPN users, security-minded profiles.
♾️ #3 — Best unlimited data
Holafly
Rating: ★★★★☆ · From $3.90/day
In brief
- • Unlimited data by day, week or month
- • 5G included on every plan (only one in the panel)
- • 24/7 chat customer support
- • US or Germany phone number on some plans
The go-to for heavy users. Holafly bills per day on unlimited (from $3.90/day, up to about $11.90/day depending on the country), with 5G everywhere. It is unbeatable if you stream, work remotely or never want to watch your usage. The trade-offs: pricier for light use, capped tethering, and a fair-use policy that is not published as a hard number.
✅ Pros
- • True unlimited data day/week/month
- • 5G included everywhere
- • Phone number on some plans
- • Effective app and 24/7 chat
⚠️ Cons
- • Expensive for light use
- • Tethering (hotspot) is capped
- • Throttling threshold not publicly disclosed
Ideal for streaming, video calls, nomadic remote work, travelers who never want to think about their data usage.
🌏 #4 — Best for Asia
Nomad
Rating: ★★★★☆ · From $3
In brief
- • Excellent coverage in Asia
- • Both fixed AND unlimited plans available
- • Throttling threshold (FUP) clearly stated
- • Frequent promotions on unlimited plans
A solid generalist that shines in Asia. Nomad offers both per-GB and unlimited plans, and has the merit of clearly stating its fair-use throttling threshold (FUP), which few rivals do. In Japan and Thailand, its discounted unlimited plans are among the best deals on the market. Clean app, email support.
✅ Pros
- • Very good Asia coverage
- • FUP stated transparently
- • Fixed and unlimited plans
- • Regular worthwhile promotions
⚠️ Cons
- • Email-only support
- • Europe coverage narrower than Airalo
- • Off-promo pricing is average
Ideal for trips to Asia, predictable-usage stays in Europe, travelers who want to know their throttling threshold upfront.
🏢 #5 — Best for pros
Ubigi
Rating: ★★★★☆ · From €2.90/GB
In brief
- • Native iPad, MacBook and connected-car integration
- • Partner of several airlines (Air France-KLM)
- • Coverage in 200+ countries, 12-month validity
- • Per-GB billing handy for expense reports
The pick for business travelers and the Apple ecosystem. Ubigi integrates natively with iPad and MacBook, and powers some connected cars and long-haul flights. Pricier per GB than the mainstream leaders, but very handy if you juggle several devices and need clean invoices for expense reports.
✅ Pros
- • Native iPad/MacBook/connected-car integration
- • Long validity (12 months)
- • Clear invoicing for professionals
- • Wide global coverage
⚠️ Cons
- • Higher per-GB pricing
- • App less intuitive than the leaders
- • Email support during business hours
Ideal for business travelers, multi-device Apple users, anyone who needs invoices for expense reports.
FAQ
What is the best travel eSIM in 2026? +
Is my phone eSIM-compatible? +
Can I keep my home number with a travel eSIM? +
How much data should I pick for my trip? +
How much does an eSIM cost for one week of holiday? +
Airalo, Saily or Holafly: which should I choose? +
Is tethering (hotspot) allowed? +
What if network coverage is poor? +
Is the eSIM reusable from one trip to the next? +
Best travel eSIM 2026: our comparison
An eSIM (virtual SIM card) replaces the physical SIM: it activates in five minutes via a QR code, avoids roaming fees and stays far more convenient than a local SIM bought at the airport. We bought and tested eight providers across six real destinations (Thailand, Japan, Mexico, USA, Morocco, Italy) over four months, on an iPhone 15 and a Samsung S24.
Our verdict is clear: Airalo remains the best overall option for the vast majority of travelers, thanks to its coverage in over 200 countries and unbeatable per-GB pricing. Saily stands out as the best value, Holafly as the unlimited-data reference, and Nomad as the Asia specialist with a transparently stated throttling threshold.
This comparison is editorially independent. We buy each eSIM before scoring it, across 14 criteria in four categories. The sections below detail the comparison table, the methodology, each provider’s ideal profile and answers to the most common questions.