Last Updated: December 31, 2024

Best eSim for Colombia (Stay Connected Anywhere)

Want to get an eSim for an upcoming trip to Colombia? You’ve come to the right place because this detailed guide will tell you everything you need to know about the best Colombia eSim providers.

At A Glance: Best eSim for Colombia

Cheapest Esims Nomad
Best Unlimited Data Holafly
BEST Overall PLANs Maya Mobile
BEST SHORT-TERM DATA PACKS Airalo
BEST VARIETY OF REGIONAL PLANS Flexiroam

I’ve listed the available data plans from all the most popular eSim providers, and they include anywhere from 500 MB to unlimited eSim data. Whether you’re staying in the country for a few days or a few months, you’ll see at least a couple of embedded sim plans that are just right for you!

ESIM Product Comparison

COMPANY

DATA

VALIDITY

PRICE/GB

PRICE

Cheapest Esims

Nomad

Nomad is an international eSim provider with mobile data eSim plans for many countries in the world. While they offer eSims for Colombia, the data packs from Nomad aren’t necessarily great value for money because they’re among the priciest options out of the bunch:

Airalo, Maya Mobile, and Flexiroam all offer more affordable data plans than Nomad, so they’re not even among the top three providers for Colombia. Also, all the eSims are operated by Truphone, which is an international network provider.

Truphone partners with local network operators, but there’s no information on which local providers they partner with in Colombia.

Pros

Short-term data packs
Trusted provider

Cons

Expensive

See Prices on Nomad

Best Unlimited Data

Holafly

Holafly is an eSim provider best known for unlimited data plans, which they offer for most worldwide countries. And you can get any length between one and ninety days with these guys. So, no matter how long you are in the country, they have the right unlimited data package for you.

Here are some prices to show you what it costs, with longer packages being cheaper per day, of course:

Just be aware thatHolafly restricts data sharing to 500 MB per day. So if you plan on working or sharing with fellow travelers, then there is a limit.

Also, they use one of the less popular mobile providers in the country – Movistar. Which is not to say you will have bad connections, but they are not top-rated.

Pros

Generous data allowance
Trusted eSim provider

Cons

Expensive plan
Data sharing is not allowed

See Prices on Holafly

BEST Overall PLANs

Maya Mobile

Maya Mobile is one of the best providers for a Colombia eSim. The provider offers 5 different eSim plans for Colombia. The Maya Mobile plans are:

NOTE: Currently 20% OFF

A Maya Mobile eSim provides you access to Claro and Tigo mobile networks, so you should have a stable Internet connection everywhere in the country. The eSim plans from this provider are some of the cheapest you can buy, so they’re worth considering if you want a data pack with a smaller allowance. Especially because all their eSIs are valid for 30 days, which is longer than most other providers offer.

Additionally, Maya Mobile is the only provider that offers an unlimited data plan for Colombia. There aren’t any restrictions on data sharing, so you can split the cost of the eSim with your fellow travelers and set up a hotspot so that everyone in your party has Internet access.

Pros

Great value for money
Access to two network operators
Unlimited data plans

Cons

Only long-term data plans

See Prices on Maya Mobile

BEST SHORT-TERM DATA PACKS

Airalo

Airalo is a popular eSim provider known for affordable data plans. They’re not the cheapest option out of the bunch for Colombia, but their Hartonet plans are worth considering if you’re looking for short-term plans or just data packs with a smaller allowance:

All of Airalo’s Colombia eSims connect to the Movistar Colombia network. This provider offers the fastest Internet in Colombia and it has excellent 4G LTE coverage throughout the country.

Airalo eSims are easy to top up, should you need to purchase more data. You can top-up the eSim on their website or through the Airalo app, so I recommend going with a smaller data pack first.

Airalo also offers a more expensive regional eSim plan for South America, and it’s an option worth considering if you plan to travel outside Colombia.

Pros

Good value for money
Access to Movistar network

Cons

No plans larger than 5 GB

See Prices on Airalo

BEST VARIETY OF REGIONAL PLANS

Flexiroam

Flexiroam is one of the best eSim providers for countries in Latin America. They don’t have any single-country plans for Colombia, but they do have more than a dozen plans that offer coverage in 12 countries in South America, Colombia included:

The eSims from this provider connect to the network with the strongest signal, so you should have excellent coverage and a stable connection throughout Colombia. If you were hoping to get a regional data plan for South America, this is by far the best provider.

It’s worth noting that Colombia is also included in the regional Americas plan, as well as Flexiroam’s Global plan. Both of those are significantly more expensive than Latin American plans, and they’re not worth considering if you’re staying only on the southern continent.

Pros

Cheapest data plans
Best value for money
Coverage in 12 South American countries

Cons

No individual plans for Colombia

See Prices on Flexiroam

GigSky

GigSky is an international eSim provider with regional plans for South America. They don’t offer an individual plan for just Colombia, and their regional plan offers coverage in 9 different South American countries. GigSky’s eSim plans for this region are:

1 GB / 7 Days for $8.99
5 GB / 30 Days for $39.99
10 GB / 30 Days for $74.99
50 GB / 90 Days for $349.99

This is only the second provider to offer a 50 GB plan for Colombia, so it’s worth considering if you need a large data allowance for your trip to the region. However, I must point out that Flexiroam offers the same mobile data allowance at a much better price, plus they include coverage in more countries. GigSky’s mobile data plans for Colombia are among the priciest, and I wouldn’t recommend them instead of Flexiroam, Maya Mobile, or even Airalo.

Pros

Large data packs
Regional coverage (9 countries)

Cons

Expensive

See Prices on GigSky

Benefits of Getting an eSim in Colombia

The main benefit of having an eSim in Colombia is that you can access the Internet whenever and wherever you want, without paying for any data roaming charges. There’s also the fact that you can purchase an eSim before your trip and then just activate it once you arrive in the country, eliminating the need to walk around a foreign city and look for a place where you can purchase a traditional sim card.

There are also pros to purchasing an eSim as opposed to a physical sim card. It’s more convenient, you can’t really lose it, and you don’t have to worry about packing tools or where you’re going to keep your original sim card while you’re using a local eSim. Colombia has pretty good eSim coverage, and it’s certainly one of the most convenient ways to have Internet access while traveling the country.

Local Mobile Operators Offering eSims in Colombia

Claro is one of the best local providers in Colombia. They offer eSims to all their existing customers, but you will need to purchase a physical sim card first and then go to a Claro store and ask to have all your data transferred to an eSim. Consider doing this if your phone supports physical sim cards because Claro prepaid plans are incredibly cheap. You can get 3 GB of mobile data for less than $1.5, and 10 GB for around $3.

Movistar is a popular provider in Colombia with a wide variety of prepaid packages. This provider offers eSims, but just like with Claro, you need to purchase a physical sim card first and ask them to transfer your data to a virtual sim card. It’s worth it because Movistar’s prepaid plans are ridiculously cheap – you can get unlimited data for 15 days for as little as $6.1.

Devices Compatible with eSim in Colombia

All the devices that support eSim technology are compatible with eSims in Colombia. This includes all Apple phones from the iPhone XS and later, third-generation Google Pixel devices and newer, and Samsung Galaxy S devices from the S20 onwards. Some smartwatches, tablets, laptops, and other Android phones are compatible with eSims, and it’s usually best to double-check if you’re not sure if your device supports embedded sim card technology.

You can dial *#06# to check if your phone supports eSims. After you dial the number, you will see a list of unique serial numbers for your cell phone. An EID number indicates that your device supports eSims.

Data Needed When Traveling to Colombia

How much data you need for a trip to Colombia depends on your data usage habits and the length of your trip. A data allowance of up to 3 GB can be enough for trips up to two weeks, and approximately 5 GB for a trip of up to a month. But that’s only if you monitor your data usage, and use mobile data only when you want to check maps directions and some social media.

Avoid streaming videos and the smaller data packs will get you through your trip. On the other hand, if you want to use mobile data more liberally, you want to work, or you want to set up a hotspot and share the Internet connection with your friends, look into data packs that include 5-20 GB. Unlimited data packs are also a great option, especially for travelers on business trips or those who are traveling in larger groups.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does eSim work in Colombia?

Yes, eSim works in Colombia. It’s possible to purchase an eSim for Colombia from both local and international eSim providers.

How much does an eSIM cost in Colombia?

An eSim for Colombia can cost anywhere from $1 to several hundred dollars. It’s cheaper to purchase an eSim from a local provider, but it’s not quite as easy or convenient as purchasing the pricier option from an international provider.

How do I activate my eSim in Colombia?

To activate an eSim in Colombia, it should be enough to turn on mobile data and connect to the Internet. That’s if you’ve already added the eSim to your cellular plan, either by scanning a QR code or manually through the smartphone settings (Network Settings – Add Cellular Plan / Add an eSim).

Does Claro Colombia have eSim?

Claro Colombia has eSims, but they can only be purchased in local stores. You must be an existing customer before you can ask to have your data transferred to a virtual sim card.

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