When it comes to traveling savvy, eSIMS are my new favorite recommendation.
After years of stressing over finding a local sim *every* time I entered a new county (frustrating when you’re doing a lot of countries in one time period!), I no longer have to worry because of the convenience of eSIMS.
Now that there are SO many eSIMS on offer, it can be a little overwhelming. However, because there is so much competition, the quality and price have gotten better overall.
When in the USA, data can be quite restrictive, but these eSIMS will help make your travels throughout the USA a lot easier.
My current network in the UK (O2) does provide me with some data in the USA (as part of my monthly plan), but I cannot hotspot that data to my laptop, which is imperative to me running an online business.
So let’s have a look at what eSIMS are on offer for the USA!
In this guide I’m going to take you through:
Let’s get started …
We’ve all heard of a traditional SIM card, which has been around for decades and have helped immensely when traveling somewhere new.
However these had their own limitations, such as higher costs and less flexibility.
This is where the new digital eSIM comes in, which are essentially an upgrade in various ways.
They act the same way as a usual SIM card, however everything is stored electronically inside your phone (no external chip needs to be removed or added).
Essentially this means that you can immediately swap to a different mobile phone provider as soon as you arrive in a new country and get a signal, instead of having to manually find a new SIM and install it.
There are also many other benefits to using an eSIM in the USA, such as having low costs and being more versatile (we’ll explore these benefits later in this guide).
So to summarize, pretty much all phones can work with an eSIM.
There’s a good chance they can also work with multiple eSIMs at the same time too (which brings even more benefits), however you’ll want to do some independent research on the type of phone you have before.
If your current phone isn’t on this list, then most likely it will not be compatible with an eSIM.
You’ll find plenty of existing operators that allow you to use their own international plan in the USA.
Also known as Roaming, they allow you to connect to the internet without you having to physically change your SIM card.
The major downside to this is that they typically incur high charges for browsing, where you can easily spend over $15-25 a day if you’re not careful! (can be even more if you will watch videos or do any other activities that require heavy bandwidth usage).
If you’ll be working whilst traveling, then this won’t be ideal in either the short or long term, unless you don’t mind spending so much.
The other issue is that you may not have a good, consistent internet connection, and may find it drops down to 3G at times.
There’s also a cap too on your internet speed, especially if you’re using it frequently (where it can end up taking a while just to do a simple Google search).
Whenever I use O2 abroad, I am capped at around 25 GB and they will throttle my speed if I’m using it a lot.
They will also charge me more if I hotspot my connection to another device.
Maya is one of our personal favorites when it comes to eSIMs, and especially so here in the USA given the variety of benefits they offer.
A US based company, they now operate in 190 countries worldwide and provide some of the most high value eSIMS around.
Their prepaid eSIMs are really useful, where you can select plans between 5-30 days. They’re generous with the data you’ll receive too, and for example on the 30 day prepaid plan (which costs $40) you can receive as much as 40GB!
Those who are heavy internet users can also select from their different unlimited data plans, which are perfect for hotspotting to your laptop or live streaming your favorite shows on the go.
You’ll also always have a really good connection too when in the USA with Maya, using some of the best 5G and 4G LTE roaming networks.
Maya even goes as far as providing a full money-back guarantee in case your SIM fails when out on the road in the USA. We think this makes it a no-brainer since you’ll either have a great eSIM service, or be fully covered in the event that something goes wrong.
Overall Maya is a great option for those who need fast connections as well as flexible data plans. The only downside is that their plans are a maximum of 30 days, and if traveling for longer than the costs can rack-up if buying multiple plans with them.
Another popular eSIM choice for those heading to the USA is Airalo, who provide plans for over 200 countries across the planet.
One of the best benefits of going with them is the fact that they provide not only eSIMS for the USA, but also regional and global plans too which is perfect if you are planning a longer trip to multiple countries.
If you are staying just in the USA, you’ll find options as cheap as $4.50 which includes 1GB for 7 days, all the way to their longest plan of 30 days, where you’ll get 20GB for $21.00.
Their regional plans also last for 30 days, where you’ll be covered in the USA as well as Canada and Mexico. For $46.00 you’ll be gifted 10GB to use throughout all three countries as you wish during your trip.
If you plan on going on a much longer trip, then you can select from their global plans. Their longest plan covers you for a total of 365 days, where you’ll have 20GB to use in over 120 countries as well as the USA for $69.00.
Overall Airalo offers one of the greatest ranges of eSIMs for the USA, which is great if you plan on traveling for longer here (or to numerous other countries on the same trip).
The main disadvantage of using Airalo is that most of their eSIMS only support data, however not local phone calls or messages (although you can easily get around this by using WhatsApp).
Next we have SimOptions, who are another highly-trusted company that offers plans and coverage in over 200 nations worldwide.
One of the biggest benefits of using SimOptions is that they are very flexible, and support the use of multiple eSIMS on the same device.
This means you can have one for data and also another for local calls if this is something that you’ll need during your trip.
Their cheapest eSIM starts at just $4.90, which includes 1GB data for a total duration of 30 days. Their longest (and most expensive plan) costs $34.90, which includes 20GB and also lasts for 30 days. All of these eSIM options support the use of hotspotting too which is useful.
Overall SimOptions is a great option for those who want a cheap option or are on a shorter trip, although you won’t receive as much data as other companies (so you’ll need to watch your daily use).
Nomad is another eSIM giant who operates in over 135 countries around the planet, and also offers a neat range of plans for those heading to the USA.
One of the major advantages of using Nomad is that you’ll have access to their really useful app, which shows you your usage (and how much data you have left), and also makes it quick and easy to extend your plan.
Their cheapest plan begins at just $6, which includes 1GB for 7 days. Their longest plan runs for 30 days, where you’ll have 20GB included for just $25.
Nomad also allows you to tether and hotspot your connection, making it a great option for those who plan to work on their trip (or share data with friends and family).
Overall Nomad is a solid option for those who will visit the USA for a shorter trip. If you do plan on heading longer, then you may want to look at other options given the costs are higher here (with not as much data included).
Holafly is another highly rated eSIM provider, who have plenty of great reviews from customers who have used their various plans.
They provide a range of eSIM lengths for the USA, which start from 5 days up to 90 days. By far the biggest advantage of using Holafly is the fact that all of their plans include unlimited data, which means you can really relax and not worry about how you use your data daily.
The costs of Holafly’s eSIM cards are some of the more expensive options on the market, however are still of high value considering their unlimited internet usage. The 5 day plan costs $19.00, whilst those traveling for a month can purchase their 30 day eSIM for $64.00. Lastly we have their 90 day plan which costs $99.00.
The other advantage of using HolaFly is that you will have direct access to their useful and quick-to-respond customer support team, and also that they offer a North American regional plan if you also want to visit Canada or Mexico on the same trip.
Overall Holafly is perfect for heavy data users, although you’ll be limited just to your own device. One of the biggest disadvantages (unfortunately) is the fact that you cannot share or transfer data - which to be honest makes sense since you are getting unlimited data after all!
And that’s all for our guide on the best eSIMS to use when traveling to and around the USA.
eSIMS are a really useful tool to use when traveling abroad, and we think are a must-have when heading to the USA (or any other country for that matter).
Not only will you have high-speed connections at an affordable price, you’ll also find various plans to have distinct advantages (such as regional bundles or high data plans for hotspotting to your other devices).
In this guide we’ve covered why using an eSIM is much better than a traditional SIM card, as well as 5 of the best eSIM companies you can use when in the USA.
Which eSIM do you think you’re getting for your next trip?
Do you have a particular brand that we haven’t included?
Comment below and let us know your thoughts!
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