9 Best eSIM Apps of 2026

Airalo ranks first because it covers the most ways to buy travel data from one account. Its US App Store listing says local eSIMs start at $4 USD, regional eSIMs cover multi-country trips, a Global eSIM covers 160+ countries with data, calls and texts, and unlimited packages are sold in 120+ destinations. That range matters for price per gigabyte: a light user can buy a small fixed package, while a heavy user can switch to unlimited on the same trip. The app tracks usage in real time, holds several eSIMs at once and tops up a running plan. Airalo says over 30 million travelers use it and that unlimited packages have no hotspot limit. The trade-offs are that unlimited packages carry a published fair usage policy and data cap, and most plans are data only. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test networks abroad.

Saily ranks second for travelers who want more than raw data. Its App Store listing describes prepaid local and multi-destination plans in 200+ destinations, top-ups in a few taps and usage tracking in one app. Two features set it apart from the other apps here: an ad blocker and Web protection built in by the team behind NordVPN, and shared plans that let one buyer split data with up to 4 travel buddies. Saily also sells an optional US second number from US$0.99 per month, cruise plans for select cruise lines, and a Saily Ultra subscription for frequent travelers. Saily's Japan page lists fixed plans from 1 GB for 7 days up to 20 GB for 30 days plus an unlimited option, which makes price per gigabyte easy to compare. The page showed prices in euros from our location, so the USD check is pending. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test networks abroad.

Nomad ranks third because it lowers the risk of trying an eSIM for the first time. Its App Store listing says every new user gets one free trial eSIM that works in 80+ destinations, so you can check that your phone installs and connects before you pay. Paid plans cover 200+ destinations and 10 regions and run from 1 GB to unlimited. Nomad's Japan page lists fixed plans from 1 GB for 7 days up to 50 GB for 30 days, plus unlimited plans by the number of days, which makes it straightforward to work out price per gigabyte. Unlimited plans of 10 days or more earn 200 Nomad Points, worth USD 2, when they expire. The app supports 13 languages and several payment currencies. From our location the site showed prices in euros, so the USD check is pending. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test networks abroad.

Holafly ranks fourth because it is the simplest way to stop counting gigabytes. Its App Store listing says Holafly sells unlimited data plans in 200+ destinations, including Europe, Mexico, China, Turkey, Japan and the USA, with limited data plans and top-ups elsewhere. Holafly's Japan page lists unlimited plans in USD at $11.90 for 3 days, $27.50 for 7 days and $73.90 for 30 days. The eSIM arrives by email within seconds, installs with one button on iOS 17.4 and later, and data starts only once you reach the destination. The limits matter for price per gigabyte: light users pay more than they would on a small fixed plan, and the Japan page caps hotspot sharing at 1 GB of shareable data per day. Payment works with Apple Pay, credit card or PayPal. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test networks abroad.

Maya Mobile ranks fifth because it reduces the eSIM decision to one question: how many days. Maya's site lists one global eSIM with unlimited data in 165+ countries at the same price everywhere, with plans of $9.99 for 3 days, $19.99 for 7 days, $27.99 for 14 days and $49.99 for 30 days, or $1.67 a day on the longest plan. You install the eSIM once and reuse it for later trips, and Auto Top-Up can renew a plan when it ends. That suits multi-country itineraries where buying per-country plans would be slow. The trade-offs are coverage of 165+ countries rather than 200+, no small fixed-GB plans for light users, and a smaller rating base on the App Store than Airalo or Holafly. Maya says 3.5M travelers have used it. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test networks abroad.

Ubigi ranks sixth as the pick for travelers who want one eSIM they never reinstall. Its App Store listing says you install the free Ubigi eSIM once and use it in 200+ destinations, buying a new data plan for each trip. 5G is included at no extra cost where available, tethering is allowed for multiple devices, unlimited data plans are on offer, and top-ups work even when you have no Wi-Fi or data left. Ubigi is run by Transatel, and the same account also covers in-car Wi-Fi for select car brands. The Japan page lists fixed plans starting at 1 GB for 3 days, which suits short stopovers, but it showed prices in euros from our location, so the USD check is pending. Plans are data only. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test networks abroad.

aloSIM ranks seventh and is the cheapest entry point we could verify in USD. Its homepage advertises travel internet for $3.50 a week and lists the United States, United Kingdom and France from $3.50 and Mexico from $5.00. The App Store listing describes prepaid plans in 200+ destinations, unlimited data plans, top-ups at any time, usage tracking in the app and 24/7 support. A refer-and-earn program gives a friend $3 off and adds $3 in credit to your account. For a short trip where you only need maps, messages and some browsing, that low weekly price is hard to beat. The trade-offs are fewer extras than Saily or Airalo, such as shared plans or a global plan with calls, and a smaller rating base of about 1.4K ratings on the App Store. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test networks abroad.

GigSky ranks eighth and is the specialist pick for cruises. Its App Store listing says plans start at $4.99 in 190+ countries, with fixed-term plans from 1 GB to 50 GB and unlimited plans for 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 or 30 days. Cruise + Land plans keep you connected on the ship and in port, which most general eSIM apps do not cover. New users get a free 100MB plan without a credit card, and every purchase earns 5% back as credit. GigSky is an official Visa partner, and gigsky.com says eligible Visa cards get up to 30% off plans. It also offers GigSky One, a subscription for travel of 30+ days. The limits are a smaller country count than the 200+ of most rivals and a free plan that only works as a test. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test networks abroad.

Yesim ranks ninth and is the pick for travelers who need to make and take calls as well as use data. Its App Store listing describes fixed and unlimited data plans valid for up to 30 days in over 200 countries and regions, plus virtual phone numbers with international calls delivered inside the app. You choose a minutes package and top up as needed, though number availability depends on the country and emergency calls are not supported. The site also lists Pay & Fly, a pay-as-you-go option that keeps unused balance for the next trip, along with a Global Unlimited Day Pass and a cruise eSIM. Support runs 24/7 by live chat. Yesim's site showed prices in euros from our location, so the USD check is pending, and its scores reflect a busier app than the simpler options above. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test networks abroad.