Last Updated: January 21, 2025
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Best eSIM for USA in 2025 (We Found Them All)

Looking for the best eSIM for the USA? Or maybe you have a trip to New York, Boston, LA, Las Vegas, Florida or Texas planned?


At A Glance: Our Top eSIMs For USA


USA eSIMs for tourists are a great option for anyone looking to hit the ground running with data on your phone.

I use them all the time when I travel to make sure I don’t have to use roaming on my home plan and save lots of money in the process.

Below we will run through everything from why you should buy an eSIM online from the best providers. Which eSIM data plans are the cheapest and more.

Top Product Overview

  • Competitive pricing
  • Hotspot/tethering allowed
SEE ON MAYA →
Best eSim unlimited data
  • Unlimited data plans
  • Excellent coverage in USA
SEE ON HOLAFLY →
best travel esim usa
  • A good range of eSIM plans
  • Simple to buy, activate, and use
SEE ON AIRALO →
Very Affordable Plans
  • Affordable and reliable
  • Good connection speed
SEE ON NOMAD →
  • Easy to set up
  • Good coverage
SEE ON GIGSKY →
  • Very affordable
  • Reliable coverage
SEE ON T MOBILE →

Best eSIM For USA


Maya Mobile

Maya is one of the most competitive eSIM service providers in the USA. They compete on price per GB and their unlimited data eSim is reasonably priced too.

Where they excel is their unlimited eSim as it comes with data sharing/hotspots allowed, which Holafly does not have.

On the price per GB prepaid eSIM plans, they are also competitive with Airalo.

Here are their eSIM packages for USA travel:

Maya uses both AT&T and T-Mobile, so you know you are getting a great mobile network and connection speed when traveling in the USA. And, they have recently upgraded this plan to include 5G when available, which is great for those of you who want speed!

Just be aware of how their unlimited plans work:

  • 3 or 5 GB per day full speed
  • the rest is limited to 100 MB/s

So for most people, this is fine, but if not, then check out Holafly (which, keep in mind, only allow 500 MB data sharing)

 

Pros

  • Competitive pricing
  • Hotspot/tethering allowed
  • Great networks (T-Mobile/AT&T)

Cons

  • No 5G
  • Not the cheapest unlimited data
SEE ON MAYA

Best eSim unlimited data

Holafly eSims

Holafly has some of the best eSIM cards for US travel. They offer unlimited data, great coverage and 5G data. So you don’t have to worry about how much mobile data you use.

There are quite a few different length eSim plans available from Holafly, all with unlimited data. Some example plans include

Note: Use EXPERTWORLDTRAVEL for 5% off your first order

Holafly has teamed up with

  • AT&T
  • Verizon
  • PTI Pacifica Inc.

so you get great connections no matter where you go. They simply switch cellphone companies depending on the signal and best connection.

Just be aware that although the plans are “unlimited” you are only able to share 500MB per day via hotspots/sharing, so if you plan on using it for work or gaming on a computer then it will be challenging.

Pros

  • Unlimited data plans
  • Excellent coverage in USA
  • Short and long-term plans available
  • Quite affordable

Cons

  • Limited data for sharing
SEE ON HOLAFLY

best travel esim usa

Airalo

Airalo is world-renowned as one of the best international eSIMs and offers excellent service in the USA too.

Airalo’s prepaid USA eSIM cards offer a minimum of 1 GB for 7 days which costs $4.50 and a maximum of 20 GB for 30 days which costs $42. These prices are great for shorter trips to the USA.

Here are some of the plans available:

It is a shame they do not offer any unlimited data plans or longer-term options. But they allow people careful with their data to choose an affordable plan that works for them.

Pros

  • A good range of eSIM plans
  • Simple to buy, activate, and use
  • Great coverage and data speeds
  • Solid pricing per GB

Cons

  • No unlimited data plans
  • Short contracts up to 30 days only
SEE ON AIRALO

Very Affordable Plans

Nomad

Nomad is another great option for an eSIM for USA travel. They have a range of prepaid eSIM options to match most people’s needs.

Nomad provides great coverage and connection speeds, and easy setup & activation. They also make things simple by providing  30-day prepaid eSIM plans in most cases, with only the smallest one being 3 days, and the largest with 60 days.

You have data plans such as:

There are also lots of plans in between if you need something different. And, these plans are good value per GB at around $2.4/GB in most cases. They are all with T-Mobile, but, they also have AT&T plans which are all more expensive, for the same size plan.

Unfortunately for heavy users, no unlimited data options are available.

Pros

  • Affordable and reliable
  • Good connection speed
  • Simple buying & activation process
  • A lot of different 30-day data options
  • AT&T or T-Mobile choice

Cons

  • No unlimited data options
SEE ON NOMAD

Gigsky

Gigsky is another eSIM provider operating in the US and they are very reliable but a little bit overpriced in my eyes.

Their data plans range from 1 GB for 7 days for $10 all the way to 10 GB for 30 days for $74.99. Compared to the likes of Nomad, Airalo, or Holafly, they are very expensive.

RELATED POST: GIGSKY REVIEW

Pros

  • Easy to set up
  • Good coverage
  • A good range of plans

Cons

  • A bit expensive
  • No unlimited data plans
  • Max 30-day plans available
SEE ON GIGSKY

T Mobile

T Mobile is one of the local carriers in the USA that provide eSIMs. This means their eSIMs will have better coverage and speeds compared to others since they are using their one network and will be prioritized.

T Mobile also offers just three eSIM plans. The unlimited plans are affordable, the smaller ones are pricey, but they are all easy to buy, and activate.

The minimum plan you can buy is 10 GB for 30 days for $40 with voice and SMS too or you can get unlimited data for 30 days for $60 with voice and SMS.

These are great plans if you are in the US for a while or want unlimited data.

Pros

  • Very affordable
  • Reliable coverage
  • Great connection speed
  • Easy to buy & activate through the app
  • A few great 30-day plans
  • Unlimited data available

Cons

  • Only 30-day plans available
SEE ON T MOBILE

Benefits of Getting An eSIM for the USA

The main benefit of getting an eSIM for the USA is convenience. You can buy your eSIM for the US before you leave, activate it when you land, and be online instantly.

There is no waiting in line to buy a local sim card, no switching out your physical sim card with a new one, no learning a new top-up method, no scouring data packages, and no losing your home sim card either.

Also, if you buy just a data plan for your eSIM you can continue to use your normal physical sim card for texts and calls, giving you a dual sim device.

Topping up with an eSIM is already incredibly quick and easy, just do it via an app and you can add it in seconds.

Devices Compatible with a USA eSIM

An eSim is an embedded SIM card inside of your phone, meaning it has to be built-in. This means that not all phones and tablets come with an eSim, as eSim technology-enabled devices are rather new.

Below you will find a list of all devices that work with an eSim.

iPhone & iPad

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (4th Generation): with M2 chip, Liquid Retina Display, 128GB, Wi-Fi 6E, 12MP front/12MP and 10MP Back Cameras, Face ID, All-Day Battery Life – Space Gray

iPhone: 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, 13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, 13 Mini, 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, XS, XS Max, XR, SE (2020), SE (2022).

iPad Air: (3rd generation), (4th generation)

iPad Pro 11‑inch: 1st, 2nd, & 3rd generation)

iPad Pro 12.9‑inch: 3rd, 4th, & 5th generation)

iPad: 7th, 8th, & 9th generation

iPad Mini: 5th & 6th generation

Android Phones

SAMSUNG Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G Factory Unlocked Android Cell Phone US Version Smartphone Flex Mode Intuitive Camera Compact 128GB Storage US Warranty, Green'

Samsung Galaxy: S22 Ultra 5G, S22+ 5G, S22 5G, S21 Ultra 5G, S21 5G, S21+ 5G, S20, S20+, Z Flip, Z Flip3 5G, Z Fold3, Z Fold2, Fold, Note 20 Ultra, Note 20+, Note 20

Google Pixel: 3, 3 XL, 3a, 3a XL, 4, 4a, 4 XL, 5, 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro

HAMMER: Explorer PRO, Blade 3, Blade 5G, myPhone NOW eSIM

Motorola: Razr 2019, Razr 5G

Huawei: P40, P40 Pro, Mate 40 Pro

OPPO: Find X3 Pro, Find X5 Pro, Find X5

Sony Xperia: 10 III Lite, 10 IV, 1 IV

Other Devices That Support eSim

ACER: Swift 3, Swift 7

ASUS: Mini Transformer T103HAF, NovaGo TP370QL, Vivobook Flip 14 TP401NA

Dell Latitude: 9510, 7410, 7310, 9410, 7210 2-in-1

HP: Elitebook G5, Probook G5, Zbook G5, Spectre Folio 13

Lenovo: Yoga C630, Miix 630, Yoga 520, Yoga 720 convertible laptops

Surface: Go 3, Pro X, Duo 2, Duo

Others: Nuu Mobile X5, Gemini PDA 4G+Wi-Fi, Xiaomi 12T Pro, Windows 10*/ Windows 11

Local Mobile Operators Offering eSims in the US

AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon are the only three local providers that offer eSIMs for USA.

An eSim provider that has a local network already in place in the USA is likely to provide better coverage. They should also provide better pricing but this is never a guarantee.

Data Needed When Traveling to the USA

How much data you need while traveling in the USA depends on your data usage habits. If your business requires you to be on Instagram all the time, or you want to watch movies on Netflix while traveling from one place to the next, you are going to use a lot of data.

On average, people use about 5 GB of data per week. Heavier users can hit around 15 GB per week, whereas light users only use about 2 GB per week.

Always try and buy a plan to match your data usage, as getting it right is way more affordable than having to buy another plan when you run out.

Tips for Using eSIM in the USA

Make Sure Your Device Is Compatible And Unlocked

Before you do anything, make sure your phone or tablet works with eSIMs and it is unlocked from your provider. Locked devices will not work with eSIMs.

They are easy to unlock, just call your provider and it will be unlocked in seconds.

Use Facetime & iMessage

If you are using an iPhone, use iMessage and Facetime to call and text for free over data only.

Most people in the USA communicate over iMessage and Facetime, whereas the rest of the world uses WhatsApp. This means you only need data to communicate with everyone.

Use Offline Maps

If you are worried about data consumption, download the area you intend to use on Google Maps while on WiFi. You can then use it offline on airplane mode to navigate your way around the country without using any data.

Here is how to download Google Maps for offline use.

Try To Use WiFi

If you are trying to use less data, then avoid using apps like Instagram, Facebook, and Netflix until you are on WiFi. Any app downloading photos and video chews up data like crazy.

Luckily, most establishments such as cafes and restaurants in the USA offer free WiFi, so staying connected without data isn’t too difficult.

Live In Airplane Mode

Airplane mode stops your phone from connecting to data. A lot of apps actually use data in the background to check for new things, using your data plans without you even knowing, sneaky!

In airplane mode, nothing connects and you can still use GPS for navigation plus take pictures too.

Control Which Apps Use Data

If you go into settings, you can control which apps are allowed to use mobile data roaming and WiFi. Go and turn off mobile data for all the apps you don’t want chewing up your data plans. You can still use them on WiFi, and turn mobile data back on for them if you want to.

What is an eSIM?

In case you are not familiar with eSIMs…

An eSIM is like a digital version of the traditional SIM card you put in phones. Instead of inserting or swapping SIM cards when you want to change your phone service, you can just activate or change services electronically. This makes it simple for travelers like you to choose a competitive data package for your trip without paying hefty roaming fees at home.  It’s also easier because you can switch to local networks without needing a new card and still keep your home phone number if you want.

Frequently Asked Questions