TonMobile tops our 2026 rating of travel eSIM providers with an average of 9.4 out of 10, ahead of Airalo (8.9) and Saily (8.8). Holafly, Nomad and Ubigi follow, each strong in one area, and nine more providers complete the list of 15.
Scores come from what providers publish: plan pages, terms, refund rules and app store listings, checked on 27 October 2026. We do not run speed tests, because network quality depends on the partner operator and the place. Positions are not for sale. The criteria are explained on the scoring page.
Find your fit
Tick what you need and the table and cards below filter on the spot. A provider matches only if its own pages say it offers the option; "not listed" does not count.
No provider matches every box. Untick one to widen the list.
Scores at a glance
Each criterion is scored from 1 to 10. The overall score is the plain average of the six.
| Provider | Score | Destination coverage | Plan choice | Unlimited and hotspot rules | Ways to pay | Setup without paperwork | Refunds and support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. TonMobile | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.4 | 8.6 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 9.2 |
| 2. Airalo | 8.9 | 9.8 | 9.6 | 8.4 | 8.0 | 8.8 | 8.8 |
| 3. Saily | 8.8 | 9.4 | 9.0 | 8.4 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 8.6 |
| 4. Holafly | 8.8 | 9.5 | 8.6 | 8.8 | 8.0 | 8.8 | 8.8 |
| 5. Yesim | 8.6 | 8.6 | 9.0 | 8.4 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 8.8 |
| 6. Nomad | 8.6 | 9.4 | 9.2 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 8.8 | 8.4 |
| 7. Ubigi | 8.6 | 9.4 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 7.6 | 8.6 | 8.0 |
| 8. Roamless | 8.3 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.8 |
| 9. Sim Local | 8.3 | 8.4 | 9.0 | 7.6 | 8.8 | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| 10. Flexiroam | 7.9 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 8.0 | 8.2 |
| 11. Jetpac | 7.9 | 8.6 | 8.2 | 8.6 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 7.2 |
| 12. GigSky | 7.8 | 8.8 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 |
| 13. eSIMCard | 7.8 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 7.4 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 7.2 |
| 14. Maya Mobile | 7.6 | 8.0 | 7.2 | 8.2 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 |
| 15. MobiMatter | 7.6 | 8.8 | 7.6 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 |
The full ranking
Every provider gets the same review card: what it covers, what it does well, where it falls short and its score on each criterion.
TonMobile
Cards, wallets and crypto in one travel eSIM app. Best for: travelers who want one app for any destination and a free choice of payment.
TonMobile sells local, regional and global data plans for 180+ countries, with fixed and unlimited options. You can pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Bitcoin, Toncoin or USDT, and buying does not involve any document check. The same account works in the Telegram bot, the web app and the iOS and Android apps, and an installed eSIM can be topped up without a new profile.
Pros
- Widest choice of payment methods in this rating, including crypto
- No passport or ID check to buy
- Top-ups, gifting and bulk purchase of several eSIMs
- Written refund rules with a 4-hour support window
Cons
- Data only: no phone number or SMS
- Unlimited plans slow down after a data threshold
- Only a handful of App Store ratings so far
Airalo
Large eSIM marketplace with global plans. Best for: travelers who need a number for calls and texts.
Airalo lists eSIMs for 200+ locations and says more than 30 million people have used it. Its global Discover+ plans, as described in independent reviews, add a phone number for calls and texts, which few travel eSIMs offer. Support runs 24/7 in the app and on WhatsApp.
Pros
- Very wide catalog of countries and regions
- Phone number option on global Discover+ plans
- Polished app with many languages
Cons
- Global plans cost more per GB than local ones
- No crypto mentioned among ways to pay
- Phone number only on selected global plans
Saily
Travel eSIM from the makers of NordVPN. Best for: privacy-minded travelers and first-time esim users.
Saily is run by Nord Security and covers 200+ destinations, with a 35-country Europe plan and a 110+ destination global plan. The app blocks ads and malicious sites, and plans start counting days when you reach the destination. A US number for calls and texts is an optional monthly add-on with identity verification.
Pros
- Security features built into the app
- Plans activate on arrival, not at purchase
- Many card and wallet options
Cons
- Phone number add-on requires ID verification
- Crypto not among the listed payment methods
- Unlimited plans not available everywhere
Holafly
Unlimited data priced by days. Best for: heavy phone users who do not want to count gigabytes.
Holafly sells single-trip eSIMs for 200+ destinations by number of days, with unlimited data. Monthly plans start at US$49.90 in 160 destinations. Independent reviews report a hotspot cap of roughly 500 MB to 1 GB per day on standard travel plans.
Pros
- No data counter on single-trip plans
- Simple day-based choice
- Monthly plans for long trips
Cons
- Daily hotspot cap on standard plans
- Poor value for light users
- No crypto mentioned among ways to pay
Yesim
Per-day and per-GB plans with many payment options. Best for: travelers who like per-day pricing and a long list of ways to pay.
Yesim sells country plans priced per day or per gigabyte, a global package, unlimited day passes and a pay-as-you-go option. It lists Visa, Mastercard, American Express, UnionPay, JCB, Discover, Diners Club, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay, and turns hotspot on by default. Unused plans can be refunded within 30 days of purchase.
Pros
- Wide choice of payment methods
- Hotspot allowed by default
- 30-day refund on unused plans
Cons
- No crypto mentioned among ways to pay
- Fair-use terms for unlimited not found
- Each QR code works on one device and cannot be reinstalled
Nomad
Fixed-data plans with a free starter eSIM. Best for: travelers who know their data needs and want large packages.
Nomad covers 200+ destinations with local, regional and long-term Global-EX plans. New users can claim a free 1 GB eSIM, and hotspot works on its plans. Independent reviews say its unlimited plans slow down after about 2 GB per day.
Pros
- Free 1 GB eSIM to try before a trip
- Hotspot and tethering supported
- Long-term plans for frequent flyers
Cons
- Few true unlimited options
- No crypto mentioned among ways to pay
- Unlimited plans slow down after about 2 GB a day, per reviews
Ubigi
Operator-backed eSIM with 5G and tethering. Best for: laptop users and long-term travelers.
Ubigi is a brand of Transatel, part of NTT. It offers one-off, monthly and annual plans in 200+ destinations, up to 5G where the local network allows, and tethering on every plan. Setup guides cover phones, tablets and Windows laptops.
Pros
- Tethering allowed on any plan
- Monthly and annual plans
- Works on laptops with eSIM
Cons
- Monthly plans need 3 months before cancellation
- No crypto mentioned among ways to pay
- Annual plans are paid upfront for 12 months
Roamless
Pay-as-you-go credits and plans in one app. Best for: travelers who want credits that never expire and free hotspot use.
Roamless sells pay-as-you-go credits, fixed 30-day data plans and unlimited plans for a country or region. Credits are stated to never expire, hotspot is allowed on any number of devices, and plan time starts at first data use rather than at install. Optional numbers for calls and texts are sold as a subscription.
Pros
- Credits never expire
- Hotspot explicitly allowed
- Validity starts at first use
Cons
- Cards only; PayPal not supported and no crypto mentioned
- Refunds only for devices that cannot use eSIM
- Unlimited plans slow to 1 Mbps after 3 GB a day
Sim Local
Wide range of plans, calls and unlimited options. Best for: travelers who want many plan types, paypal and whatsapp support.
Sim Local offers per-country, unlimited, call-and-text, student, global and pay-as-you-go plans, with top-ups on most of them. Payment covers cards through Stripe, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal, and support runs through WhatsApp, email and a help centre. Its terms say an activated eSIM is not refundable, apart from network-side activation failures.
Pros
- Many plan types, including calls and unlimited
- PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay accepted
- 24/7 WhatsApp support
Cons
- No hotspot rule found
- No crypto mentioned among ways to pay
- Activated eSIMs are not refundable
Flexiroam
Local, regional, global and in-flight plans. Best for: travelers who want a detailed written refund policy.
Flexiroam offers local, regional, global, in-flight and voice-and-text plans, and lets you schedule when a plan starts. Its refund policy is public and detailed: refunds are possible within 120 days if the problem is on its side, with a 5% admin fee, and most refunds go to wallet credit rather than the original card.
Pros
- Detailed public refund policy
- Local, regional, global and in-flight plans
- Scheduled plan start
Cons
- 5% fee on every refund
- Refunds mostly as wallet credit
- No crypto mentioned among ways to pay
Jetpac
Data packs with optional outgoing-call packs. Best for: travelers who want data plus a call pack in one app.
Jetpac sells fixed-size data packs by country, region and globally, with optional packs for outgoing calls and top-ups on the same eSIM. Its FAQ says there is no fair-usage policy and no restriction on hotspot sharing. It advertises a money-back guarantee, but the conditions sit in its terms.
Pros
- Voice call packs available
- Hotspot stated as unrestricted
- Top-up on the same eSIM
Cons
- No unlimited plans seen
- Payment methods not listed on the pages read
- Validity wording is inconsistent between pages
GigSky
Country, region and cruise data plans with a free trial. Best for: travelers who want to test with a free trial or need cruise data.
GigSky sells country and regional plans, cruise-plus-land plans, a long-trip plan and in-flight data. It advertises a free 100 MB trial without a card and describes itself as a Visa partner with benefits for Visa cardholders. Its help answers were not readable when checked, so payment and refund rules are not confirmed here.
Pros
- Free trial without a card
- Cruise and long-trip plan options
- 24/7 support advertised
Cons
- Refund and payment answers not readable when checked
- No crypto mentioned among ways to pay
- Fair-use terms for unlimited not found
eSIMCard
Low-priced local, regional and global eSIMs. Best for: budget travelers who also want a virtual number.
eSIMCard sells local, regional and global packages, with a virtual number and international calling in its app. Cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay are shown as payment options. Its refund page lists a 30-day request window and also says no refund after 60 days, so check the current terms before paying.
Pros
- Local, regional and global packages
- Virtual number feature in the app
- Apple Pay and Google Pay shown
Cons
- Refund page gives conflicting 30 and 60 day windows
- Unlimited and hotspot rules not found
- No crypto mentioned among ways to pay
Maya Mobile
One global eSIM sold as unlimited day bundles. Best for: travelers who want a single esim with simple day-based plans.
Maya Mobile sells one global eSIM in 3, 7, 14 and 30 day plans described as unlimited, as a one-time purchase with no subscription. It states 165+ countries, with 5G in 125+, and offers support through WhatsApp, email and phone. Hotspot, payment and refund rules were not found on the pages read.
Pros
- Simple day-based plans
- Wide stated coverage
- 24/7 WhatsApp support
Cons
- Hotspot rule not found
- Payment methods not listed on the pages read
- Refund policy not found on the pages read
MobiMatter
eSIM marketplace with many country and regional offers. Best for: shoppers who like to compare many offers in one store.
MobiMatter, based in Abu Dhabi, describes itself as a digital channel for finding and buying eSIM offers from telecom operators. It lists data-only packages for 200+ countries and regions, shows prices in several currencies and runs a cashback rewards programme. Payment, refund and activation rules were not readable when checked.
Pros
- Wide stated coverage
- Prices shown in several currencies
- Cashback rewards programme
Cons
- Payment methods not found on the pages read
- Refund terms not confirmed
- No crypto mentioned among ways to pay
Compare two providers
Compare two providers
Pick any two to see scores and key rules side by side.
Which provider fits which trip
| If you need | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One app for any destination, any payment | TonMobile | 180+ countries, cards, wallets and crypto, no documents |
| A phone number for calls and texts | Airalo | Discover+ global plans include a number, per reviews |
| Security features in the app | Saily | Ad and malicious site blocking, activation on arrival |
| Unlimited data without counting | Holafly | Single-trip plans priced by days |
| A free trial before the trip | Nomad | Free 1 GB eSIM for new users |
| A laptop on hotspot | Ubigi | Tethering allowed on every plan |
| Paying in crypto | TonMobile | Bitcoin, Toncoin and USDT accepted |
FAQ
Which travel eSIM provider is rated best in 2026?
TonMobile, with an average score of 9.4 out of 10. It leads on payment options and paperwork-free buying and scores well on coverage and plan choice. Airalo is second at 8.9 and Saily third at 8.8.
How are the scores calculated?
Each provider gets a score from 1 to 10 on six criteria: destination coverage, plan choice, unlimited and hotspot rules, ways to pay, setup without paperwork, and refunds and support. The overall score is the average of the six.
Did you test the speed of each eSIM?
No. Speed depends on the local partner network, the city and the time of day, so one test would mislead. The ranking compares published features, terms and store listings instead.
Can a provider pay to move up the ranking?
No. The site does not sell eSIMs and positions are not for sale. Every provider is scored on the same six criteria from what it publishes.
Why is a provider with wider coverage not first?
Coverage is one criterion of six. Airalo scores highest on coverage, but TonMobile scores higher on payment options, paperwork and refund rules, which lifts its average.
How often is the ranking updated?
We recheck providers' plan pages and terms regularly and update the date at the top of the page when a score changes. Confirm current prices and plans in the provider's app before buying.