Buy an international eSIM: the best eSIMs for travel in 2026

To buy an international eSIM, pick a provider that covers every country on your route, choose a local, regional or global plan sized to your trip, pay in the app and install it at home before you leave. Our top pick for most travelers is TonMobile, followed by Airalo and Saily; Holafly, Nomad and Ubigi fit narrower needs such as day-based unlimited data, large fixed packages or laptop tethering.

A travel eSIM is a data plan you download to the chip already built into your phone. There is no plastic card to find at the airport and no queue at a kiosk. Your regular SIM stays where it is, so your number keeps receiving calls and bank codes while the travel line handles mobile data.

The hard part is not the technology. It is choosing between dozens of stores that look alike. The real differences hide in plan rules: what "unlimited" means, whether hotspot is capped, how you can pay, when the validity clock starts and what happens if the eSIM will not connect.

Travel eSIM providers at a glance

The table sums up what the six leading providers publish. All 15 providers, with scores, filters and a side-by-side comparison, are in the provider ranking; the rules behind the scores are on our scoring page.

"Not listed" means the provider's official site does not mention the option. Coverage counts include territories and each provider counts them its own way, so always check your exact destinations in the app.

How we compared the providers

We do not run speed tests and we do not claim to have used every plan on a trip. Network speed depends on the partner operator, the city, the building and the hour, so a single test says little about your next journey. What can be compared fairly is what each provider commits to in writing.

Each criterion gets a score from 1 to 10 and the overall score is the plain average. The full weighting and sources are on the scoring page.

The six best eSIMs for international travel

Each provider below is described from its own pages and terms. Where a figure comes from independent reviews rather than the provider, we say so. These are the six we cover in depth; the rest of the 15 are on the ranking page.

1. TonMobile: best overall travel eSIM

TonMobile sells travel eSIMs for 180+ countries, with local plans for one country plus regional and global packages for longer routes. It offers both fixed data packages and unlimited plans, on 4G and 5G where the local partner network supports it.

What sets it apart is the checkout. You can pay with Visa or Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay or crypto, including Bitcoin, Toncoin and USDT. That helps travelers whose cards are declined by foreign stores, and people who simply keep part of their budget in crypto. Buying does not involve a passport scan or identity check; the company's own page puts it plainly as "no documents required".

The service started as a Telegram bot and now runs in four places that share one account: the bot @tonmobile, the web app, and apps for iPhone and Android. The apps show remaining data and validity, let you top up an installed eSIM without a new profile, buy several eSIMs in one order and send one to a friend as a gift.

TonMobile also publishes its refund rules in detail. A refund can be approved before the package expires if your phone does not support eSIM, if the network is unavailable inside the declared coverage, or if support cannot get the eSIM delivered or connected within 4 hours. Support works from 06:00 to 23:00 (UTC+2). Read the full conditions in the terms.

Best for: travelers who want one app for any destination and a free choice of how to pay. Keep your home SIM active for bank SMS, since the TonMobile line has no number.

2. Airalo: best for calls and texts on one eSIM

Airalo is one of the largest eSIM marketplaces. It lists eSIMs for 200+ locations with local, regional and global coverage, says more than 30 million people have used it, and runs 24/7 support through in-app chat and WhatsApp. The app is available in 53 languages.

The reason to choose Airalo over the others is its global Discover+ range. Independent reviews such as TechRadar's describe these plans as including a phone number for calls and texts in 130+ countries, something few travel eSIMs offer. The trade-off is price per GB: global plans cost more than local ones for the same data.

3. Saily: best for built-in security

Saily belongs to Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN. It covers 200+ destinations, with a Europe plan for 35 countries and a global plan for 110+ destinations, and data from 1 GB up to unlimited. The app blocks ads and malicious sites, which adds a layer of safety on unfamiliar networks.

A practical detail: Saily plans start when you reach the destination, or 180 days after purchase, so buying early does not burn validity days. Payment covers the main cards plus Apple Pay and Google Pay. A US number for calls and texts is available as a monthly add-on at US$1.99, with identity verification in the app.

4. Holafly: best for day-based unlimited data

Holafly prices its single-trip eSIMs by the number of days rather than by gigabytes, with unlimited data, across 200+ destinations. For long stays it sells monthly plans (Light with 25 GB, Unlimited and Ultra) from US$49.90 per month in 160 destinations.

The catch is sharing. Independent reviews report that standard travel plans cap hotspot at roughly 500 MB to 1 GB per day depending on the destination. If you plan to work from a laptop on mobile data, check that limit before buying.

5. Nomad: best for large fixed packages

Nomad covers 200+ destinations with local and regional plans plus long-term Global-EX plans for frequent flyers. New users can claim a free 1 GB eSIM, which is a cheap way to check that your phone and the setup work before a trip. Its FAQ confirms that hotspot and tethering are supported.

Unlimited is not Nomad's strength. Independent reviews say its unlimited plans slow down after about 2 GB a day, so it suits travelers who know roughly how much data they need and prefer a fixed package.

6. Ubigi: best for laptops and tethering

Ubigi is a brand of Transatel, part of the NTT group. It sells one-off, monthly and annual plans at local, regional and world level, in 200+ destinations, up to 5G where the network allows. Tethering is allowed on every plan, and setup guides cover phones, iPads and Windows laptops with eSIM.

Monthly plans can be cancelled after 3 months, and annual plans are one upfront payment for 12 months with the allowance renewed each month. That makes Ubigi more interesting for people who travel often than for a single holiday.

What a travel eSIM is and how it works

An eSIM is a SIM profile stored on a chip soldered into the phone. A travel eSIM is a prepaid data plan from a provider that resells access to partner networks abroad. TonMobile's terms describe exactly this model: it is a reseller of eSIM services from third-party operators, not a mobile operator itself.

You buy the plan online, the provider sends a profile, and your phone downloads it by QR code or straight from the app. Phones can store several profiles and switch between them, so you can keep the profile for Spain and add another for Japan without removing anything.

Local, regional and global plans

The scope of a plan is the first decision, and it depends on your route, not on the provider.

For a route through five European capitals, one regional eSIM means one install and one balance instead of five. Our guide to eSIMs for several countries walks through the trade-offs route by route.

Fixed data or unlimited

A fixed plan gives you a set amount of data for a set number of days. When it runs out you top up or stop. An unlimited plan removes the counter but slows the connection once you pass a usage threshold set by the plan, either per day or for the whole package.

How to buy an eSIM for travel, step by step

Buying takes a few minutes. Doing it in the right order avoids the two classic mistakes: a plan that does not cover a country on your route, and a phone that cannot use it.

1. Check that your phone supports eSIM

   iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and every later iPhone support eSIM. On Android, look for an option to add an eSIM in network settings; on many phones dialing *#06# shows an EID number when an eSIM chip is present.

2. Check that it is unlocked

   A phone locked to your carrier cannot use another provider's eSIM. On iPhone, SettingsGeneralAbout should show "No SIM Restrictions" next to Carrier Lock.

3. List every country on the route

   Include transit stops, day trips and cruise ports. This decides between a local, regional or global plan.

4. Estimate your data

   Use the data guide further down this page, then add a margin. Top-ups help if you guess low.

5. Compare plan rules, not just price

   Look at the unlimited threshold, hotspot rules, when validity starts and the refund conditions.

6. Pay and install at home

   Pay in the app with the method you prefer, then install the eSIM on Wi-Fi a day or two before you fly and leave the line off until you land.

TonMobile's own store listing gives the same advice: order before the flight, install in advance and go online at the destination. For the reasoning behind each step, read when to buy and install a travel eSIM.

Does your phone work with a travel eSIM?

Most phones sold in the last few years can use a travel eSIM, but two conditions must both be true: the phone has an eSIM chip, and it is not locked to your carrier. Check both before you pay, because a refund for an incompatible phone depends on the provider's rules.

If the phone fails either check, a travel eSIM will not help on this trip. Ask your carrier to unlock the phone well before departure, or plan for roaming instead.

How to pay for a travel eSIM

Payment sounds like a detail until a card is declined the night before a flight. Foreign online stores are a common trigger for bank fraud checks, so the number of ways a provider accepts money matters more than it first appears.

Crypto payments come with their own refund logic. TonMobile returns the same number of tokens rather than the dollar value, and refunds Bitcoin payments in USDT on TRON, TON or Ethereum because Bitcoin network fees are high. You can also ask for the refund to land on the in-app balance in US dollars, at the price you paid.

Cashback and bonus balances are another detail worth reading. At TonMobile, bonus balance can only be spent on plans, cannot be withdrawn and expires one year after it is credited.

Which plan fits which traveler

The right eSIM depends less on the brand than on how you travel. These profiles cover the most common trip shapes.

Families and groups have one more option: TonMobile's app lets you buy several eSIMs in one order and send one to another person as a gift, so a single buyer can sort out data for everyone before the trip.

Travel eSIM vs roaming vs a local SIM card

For most trips a travel eSIM is the cheapest and quickest way to get data abroad. Roaming wins on convenience if your home plan already includes the destination, and a local SIM can pay off on long stays where you need a local number.

How much data you need for a trip

Most people underestimate video and overestimate everything else. Messaging and maps use little; social feeds with photo uploads use more; video calls and streaming use the most by far. Netflix, for example, puts high-definition streaming at up to 3 GB per hour.

• Download offline maps and playlists on hotel Wi-Fi.
• Turn off automatic app updates and photo backups on mobile data.
• Use Low Data Mode for the travel line on iPhone.
• Set streaming apps to a lower quality when you are on mobile data.

Unlimited eSIM plans: what the fine print says

Every unlimited travel eSIM in this comparison has a fair use rule. You keep using data, but past a threshold the speed drops. TonMobile's terms say this outright, and reviews of Nomad describe a slowdown after about 2 GB a day.

Hotspot is a separate question. Reviews of Holafly report a daily hotspot cap on standard plans, while Ubigi allows tethering on every plan and Nomad says its eSIMs support hotspot. If you work from a laptop, those rules matter more than the word "unlimited". Our explainer on unlimited eSIM rules compares them in one table.

How to set up a travel eSIM

Setup has two parts: installing the profile at home, and switching it on when you land. The second part is where most "no internet" problems start.

On iPhone

1. Install from the app or QR code

   Use the provider's app button, or scan the QR code shown on another screen. TonMobile's app can also send the QR code to another device.

2. Label the line

   Name it "Travel" in SettingsCellularCellular Plan Label so you can tell the lines apart.

3. Choose the data line on arrival

   Pick the travel eSIM in SettingsCellularCellular Data. Only one line can use data at a time.

4. Roaming on the right line

   Turn on data roaming for the travel line. Keep it off on the home line, which may still charge roaming fees if it uses data.

On Android (Pixel example)

1. Add the eSIM

   Open SettingsNetwork & internetSIMsAdd SIM and follow the prompts, or use the provider's app. Some steps need Android 11 or later.

2. Set data and call preferences

   Choose the travel eSIM for mobile data and keep the home line for calls and texts. Pixel 7 and later can keep two eSIM profiles active if the carrier allows it.

3. Remove it after the trip

   When the package is used up, erase it in Network & internetMobile network. Do not erase it while it is still valid.

Keeping your number and bank codes

Because most travel eSIMs have no number, your home line stays in charge of calls and SMS. Banks, delivery services and two-factor codes keep reaching you there, while the travel eSIM carries the data.

On iPhone, if data roaming is on for the data line, Visual Voicemail and MMS are disabled on the voice-only line. Calls without a local number go through internet apps. Our guide to keeping your number abroad covers the settings for both iPhone and Android.

Common mistakes and quick fixes

Most connection problems abroad come from settings, not from the network.

If nothing helps, contact support with the eSIM's ICCID, your phone model and a screenshot of the eSIM settings. TonMobile asks for exactly these three things.

Refunds: what happens if the eSIM does not work

eSIM refunds are stricter than refunds for physical goods, because the service starts being used once the profile is active. Each provider sets its own rules, so read them before you pay.

TonMobile's terms are a useful reference because they are specific. Refunds go back by the original method: up to 14 calendar days for bank cards, up to 5 business days for electronic payments and crypto. Crypto is returned in the same number of tokens, or to the in-app balance in US dollars if you prefer. Deleting the profile yourself, or asking more than 180 days after purchase, rules a refund out. More detail in our guide to travel eSIM refunds.

How to choose: a checklist before you pay

• The phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked.
• Every country on the route, including transit stops, is in the plan.
• The data amount fits your travel style, with a margin.
• You know when validity starts: purchase, installation or arrival.
• Hotspot is allowed if you need it, and you know any daily cap.
• Top-ups are possible on the same eSIM.
• The payment method works for you: card, wallet or crypto.
• The refund conditions are written down and you have read them.
• You know whether you need a phone number, or can rely on the home line.

If most boxes point to flexibility in where you go and how you pay, TonMobile is the safe default. If a number for calls is a must, start with Airalo's Discover+ or Saily's add-on. The full scores are in the provider ranking, and unfamiliar terms are explained in the glossary.

Destination guides

Rules for visitors, main networks and local quirks differ from country to country. These short guides cover the practical side of using a travel eSIM in popular destinations.

See all 12 destination guides

Travel notes

Short guides for the questions that come up most often before a trip.

All facts were checked on 27 October 2026. Plans change often, so confirm the details in the provider's app before you pay.