Best eSIM for the USA in 2026: 8 providers compared

Finding the best eSIM for the USA matters more than for most trips, because roaming there is expensive on UK and EU plans. The US sits outside the EU roaming zone, and daily roaming passes add up fast on a two-week road trip. A travel eSIM replaces that with a prepaid data plan you install before you fly.

We compared eight USA eSIMs on their published terms: price for 5 GB and 10 GB, validity, the US network named, the daily cap on "unlimited" plans, hotspot rules, phone numbers and refunds. Aynet is one of the eight and it is our product. We label it wherever it appears and only give it a category its published facts support.

Short answer: for a one or two week visit, a 5 GB or 10 GB plan on a named network (Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile) covers most travellers; buy unlimited only if you stream, hotspot or work from your phone every day.

How we compared: on 29 September 2026 we read each provider's own USA plan page and recorded the price for 5 GB and 10 GB over 30 days, the 7-day unlimited price, the full-speed cap on unlimited, the named network, the hotspot rule, phone numbers and the refund headline. Prices are in the currency each site showed us (EUR, GBP or USD); we did not convert them. Nomad's page shows US dollars, so its euro prices come from the price data inside the page. Aynet's prices come from our live catalogue on the same day.

Best eSIMs for the USA: a brief overview

• Aynet: best for fixed data on Verizon and AT&T. Our product: 5 GB for 30 days is EUR 7.99, 10 GB is EUR 12.99.
• Airalo: best if you need minutes and texts. Its "Change+" plans add a US number with calls and SMS.
• Holafly: best for unlimited without counting gigabytes, with a 1 GB a day hotspot limit.
• Ubigi: best for uneven daily use. Unlimited includes a full-speed total for the plan (60 GB over 30 days), not a daily cap, then 2 Mbps.
• Saily: best for sharing data with a laptop; the page lists no hotspot restrictions.
• Nomad: best for one big data allowance over a long stay, with 100 GB for 365 days.
• Yesim: best price on 30 days of unlimited in our table (USD 54.00).
• aloSIM: best free phone number, through the Hushed app.

Provider	5 GB / 10 GB, 30 days	Unlimited 7 days	Network
Aynet (ours)	EUR 7.99 / 12.99	Fixed data plans	Verizon, AT&T
Airalo	EUR 12.50 / 20.50	EUR 23.00 (5 GB a day, then 1 Mbps)	T-Mobile, Verizon
Holafly	Not sold	EUR 25.50 (no daily figure)	AT&T, T-Mobile
Ubigi	Subscription only / EUR 14	EUR 25 (25 GB in total, then 2 Mbps)	T-Mobile
Saily	GBP 10.99 / 17.49	15 days GBP 35.49 (5 GB a day, then 1 Mbps)	Not named
Nomad	EUR 8.77 / 13.16	EUR 20.18 (2 GB a day, then 1 Mbps)	AT&T, Verizon; unlimited on T-Mobile
Yesim	USD 10.80 / 16.80	USD 24.36 (no daily figure)	Verizon, AT&T
aloSIM	USD 14.00 / 23.00	USD 27.00 (3 GB a day, then 1 Mbps)	T-Mobile

Sources, checked 29 September 2026: Aynet's live catalogue, Airalo, Holafly, Ubigi, Saily, Nomad, Yesim, aloSIM. aloSIM's page also has older text saying 2 GB a day.

Prices change often and can depend on the country you view them from. Treat this as a snapshot from 29 September 2026 and check the provider's page before you buy.

Which US network does a travel eSIM use?

The US has three national networks: Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. Coverage differs most outside the cities, so check the provider's coverage notes for national parks, rural areas and Alaska. A plan that names two networks gives you a fallback when one is weak. In our table, Aynet, Nomad and Yesim name Verizon and AT&T, Airalo names T-Mobile and Verizon, and Holafly names AT&T and T-Mobile.

Coverage notes worth reading before a road trip: Ubigi says its USA plans cover Hawaii but not Alaska, and Airalo says it covers Hawaii and Puerto Rico with limited availability in Alaska.

1. Aynet, best for fixed data on Verizon and AT&T

Aynet is a travel eSIM shop where you describe your trip in a sentence and get one recommended plan, with the network, data, days and price shown before you pay. It is our product. Every USA plan lists Verizon and AT&T with 5G.

What you get

• Two named networks on every USA plan
• Days start on your first connection in the US on almost every plan; the one that starts on install says so
• Long-validity options: 20 GB for 90 days, 50 GB for 180 days
• Top up the same eSIM from My eSIMs; full refund if never installed

Best for

• Holidays and business trips with a predictable data need
• Visitors who want a network fallback outside the cities

Pricing (live catalogue, 29 September 2026, VAT included): 3 GB for 15 days EUR 5.99, 5 GB for 30 days EUR 7.99, 10 GB EUR 12.99, 20 GB EUR 23.99, 20 GB for 90 days EUR 29.99.

Pros

• Two networks named before you pay
• Plans from EUR 4.99

Cons

• Data-only plans: calls and texts stay on your home SIM
• Made for visitors, so US residents cannot use the USA plan

2. Airalo, best if you need minutes and texts

Airalo sells data-only USA plans and, separately, "Change+" plans with a US number, minutes and texts. That matters if you need to receive calls from a US restaurant, a rental desk or a hotel.

What you get

• Data plans from 3 to 30 days on T-Mobile and Verizon, 5G
• Unlimited: 5 GB a day at full speed, then 1 Mbps
• Voice plans, for example 5 GB with 50 minutes and 50 texts for 7 days at EUR 15.50
• Activation on first use, up to 365 days after purchase

Pricing (airalo.com, 29 September 2026): 5 GB for 30 days EUR 12.50, 10 GB EUR 20.50, unlimited 7 days EUR 23.00, 30 days EUR 61.50.

Pros

• A real US number option
• 5 GB a day at full speed on unlimited, level with Saily for the highest daily cap in our table

Cons

• Airalo says it cannot sell eSIMs with US numbers to US residents
• Outgoing international calls are not allowed on the voice plans

3. Holafly, best for unlimited without counting gigabytes

Holafly sells only unlimited USA plans, on AT&T or T-Mobile with 5G where available. It publishes no daily gigabyte cap; its German page says speed may be reduced for up to one day under fair use (our translation).

Pricing (holafly.com German store, 29 September 2026): 7 days EUR 25.50, 15 days EUR 46.90, 30 days EUR 68.90.

Pros

• No data to count on the phone itself
• Refund requests accepted for up to six months if not activated

Cons

• Hotspot limited to 1 GB a day
• No fixed plans, so light users pay for more than they need

4. Ubigi, best for uneven daily use

Ubigi's USA unlimited plans work differently from the rest: the full-speed allowance is a total for the plan, not a daily cap. You get 25 GB at full speed over 7 days, or 60 GB over 30 days, then 2 Mbps. It runs on T-Mobile.

Pricing (ubigi.com, EUR, 29 September 2026): 10 GB for 7 days EUR 12, 10 GB for 30 days EUR 14, unlimited 7 days EUR 25, 30 days EUR 65. The EUR 6 plan for 5 GB is a monthly subscription that cannot be cancelled for three months, so it is not a one-off tourist price.

Pros

• Use more on busy days and less on quiet ones
• Data sharing allowed

Cons

• No Alaska coverage
• 5G is not stated on the USA plan pages

5. Saily, best for sharing data with a laptop

Saily is the eSIM app from the company behind NordVPN. Its USA page says "no hotspot restrictions or limitations", the clearest hotspot promise we found.

Pricing (saily.com, GBP as shown, 29 September 2026): 5 GB for 30 days GBP 10.99, 10 GB GBP 17.49, 20 GB GBP 28.49, unlimited 15 days GBP 35.49. Unlimited is 5 GB a day at full speed, then up to 1 Mbps. Saily blocked our standard checks, so we read the live page through a rendering service.

Pros

• No hotspot limits
• Optional US number as a paid add-on, with an ID check

Cons

• The US network is not named on the plan page
• No 7-day unlimited plan, and no 30-day price shown

6. Nomad, best for one big data allowance over a long stay

Nomad sells large one-off USA allowances that last months: 75 GB for 180 days and 100 GB for 365 days. (Ubigi also has 12-month plans, but as a monthly allowance.) Fixed plans run on AT&T and Verizon; unlimited runs on T-Mobile.

Pricing (nomadesim.com, EUR from the page data, 29 September 2026): 5 GB for 30 days EUR 8.77, 10 GB EUR 13.16, 100 GB for 365 days EUR 105.28, unlimited 7 days EUR 20.18.

Pros

• Hotspot supported
• Plans start on connection, or automatically after 60 days

Cons

• Unlimited stops at 15 days
• Its page gives two throttle speeds (1 Mbps in the plan data, 512 kbps in the text)

7. Yesim, best price on 30 days of unlimited

Yesim lists unlimited USA data at USD 54.00 for 30 days, the lowest 30-day unlimited price in our table even before converting dollars to euros. Plan data names Verizon and AT&T with 5G.

Pricing (yesim.app, USD as shown, 29 September 2026): 5 GB for 30 days USD 10.80, 10 GB USD 16.80, unlimited 7 days USD 24.36, 30 days USD 54.00. The page data suggests prices vary by the visitor's location.

Pros

• Two networks in the plan data
• Refund within 30 days if unused

Cons

• No fair use figure published for the US
• Hotspot "depends on operator"

8. aloSIM, best free phone number

aloSIM includes a free virtual number through the Hushed app with its USA plans, on T-Mobile with LTE or 5G. Hotspot is allowed.

Pricing (alosim.com, USD as shown, 29 September 2026): 5 GB for 30 days USD 14.00, 10 GB USD 23.00, unlimited 7 days USD 27.00, 30 days USD 69.00. Its fair use panel says unlimited gives 3 GB a day at full speed, then 1 Mbps until the next day; older text on the same page says 2 GB.

Pros

• A number without buying a voice plan
• No ID required

Cons

• The same page names T-Mobile in one place and Verizon in another
• The page gives two daily full-speed figures for unlimited (3 GB and 2 GB)

How to choose the best eSIM for the USA

Fixed data or unlimited?

Our own estimate for a week of maps, messaging, rideshare apps and photos is 3 to 5 GB. A fixed plan usually costs less than unlimited: among the providers that showed us euro prices, 10 GB for 30 days runs from EUR 12.99 to EUR 20.50, while 7 days of unlimited costs EUR 20.18 to EUR 25.50. Pick unlimited if you stream daily, tether a laptop or cannot guess.

Do you need a US phone number?

Most travel eSIMs are data only. You can keep your home SIM on for calls and use WhatsApp or FaceTime over data. If you need a US number, Airalo's Change+ plans and aloSIM's free Hushed number are the options here.

Where exactly are you going?

A city trip works on any of these networks. National parks, the rural West and Alaska are where the network name matters. Check the provider's coverage notes and prefer a plan that names two networks.

Is your phone ready?

Your phone must support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked. A phone on a contract may be locked. Check, then install the eSIM at home before you fly; if it does not connect when you land, our support page lists the usual fixes.

To skip the comparison, describe your trip to our advisor and get one plan, or see our eSIM plans for the USA.

FAQ

What is the best eSIM for the USA?

The best eSIM for the USA for most visitors is a fixed 5 GB or 10 GB plan on a named network such as Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile, which cost EUR 7.99 to EUR 20.50 among the euro prices in our 29 September 2026 comparison. Heavy users should compare unlimited plans on their full-speed cap. If you need a US number, look at Airalo or aloSIM.

Which network is best for a USA eSIM?

Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile are the three national networks, and travel eSIMs use one or two of them. Coverage differs most in rural areas and national parks, so a plan that names two networks, like Verizon and AT&T, gives you a fallback.

Can US residents use a travel eSIM for the USA?

It depends on the provider. Aynet's USA plan is for visitors and cannot be used by US residents. Airalo says it cannot sell eSIMs with a US number to US residents and points them to its data-only plans.

Does a USA eSIM include a phone number?

Most do not; they are data only. Airalo's Change+ plans include a number with minutes and texts, aloSIM includes a free virtual number, and Saily sells one as a paid add-on.

How much data do I need for two weeks in the USA?

Our estimate is 5 to 10 GB for two weeks of maps, messaging, rideshare apps and social media. Add more if you stream, make daily video calls or share the connection.

Is unlimited data in the USA really unlimited?

Not at full speed. Airalo gives 5 GB a day, Nomad 2 GB a day, and Ubigi 25 GB per 7 days before slowing to 1 or 2 Mbps; Holafly publishes no figure but caps hotspot at 1 GB a day.

Does the eSIM work in Hawaii and Alaska?

Check the provider's coverage note, because most pages do not mention either state. Ubigi says its USA plans cover Hawaii but not Alaska, and Airalo lists Hawaii with limited availability in Alaska.

When should I install my USA eSIM?

Install it at home, before you fly. On most plans in this list the days start on your first connection in the US, not when you install.