Bahrain eSIM plans compared: 5 providers, 3 trip lengths
Choose how long you'll stay. Nomad comes first; below it, four other eSIMs and the trip each one suits.
NomadBest overall
My pickPlan10 GB, 30 dayson stc
Price$19.00
Per day$1.90
The one for most trips, from a Grand Prix weekend at Sakhir to a month on a work contract. If you stream or work from a laptop, its 20 GB costs $29.00 for the same 30 days.
What you actually get with Nomad network, hotspot, refunds
- Full speed per day
- All 10 GB at full speed, no daily cap
- Hotspot
- Allowed
- If your trip changes
- Not stated by Nomad
- Network
- stc Bahrain
- 5G
- Yes, listed on stc
From Nomad's Bahrain plans as listed on esimdb, Nov 3, 2026.
UbigiThree networks
Plan10 GB, 30 dayson Batelco, stc, Zain
Price$21.00
Per day$2.10
The only one of the five on all three Bahraini networks, so your phone takes whichever is strongest where you stand. Its 10 GB for 30 days costs $2.00 more than Nomad's, the price of having all three networks.
What you actually get with Ubigi network, hotspot, refunds
- Full speed per day
- All 10 GB at full speed, no daily cap
- Hotspot
- Not stated by Ubigi
- When the days start
- When you switch to the Ubigi line in Bahrain, not when you buy
- If your trip changes
- Not stated by Ubigi
- Network
- Batelco, stc and Zain
- 5G
- Listed on all three
From Ubigi's Bahrain plans as listed on esimdb, Nov 3, 2026.
AiraloUnlimited, capped
Plan10 GB, 15 dayson Batelco, stc
Price$27.00
Per day$2.70
The only unlimited plan here with a daily cap you can read up front. 7 days cost $38.00, with 3 GB a day at full speed. Its fixed 10 GB, at $27.00 for 15 days, costs more than Nomad's for half the time.
What you actually get with Airalo network, hotspot, refunds
- Full speed per day
- All 10 GB at full speed. On the unlimited plans, 3 GB a day, then 1 Mbps
- Hotspot
- Not stated by Airalo
- If your trip changes
- Airmoney, Airalo's in-app credit, not cash. A faulty eSIM is refunded in Airmoney or to your card in 7 to 10 business days.
- Network
- Batelco and stc (Saar Mobile plans)
- 5G
- Listed on the Saar Mobile plans
From Airalo's Bahrain plans as listed on esimdb, Nov 3, 2026. Prices are for the Saar Mobile plans. Airalo's plain "Bahrain" plans cost the same on stc 4G only, so pick Saar Mobile in the app.
SailyEasiest app
Plan10 GB, 30 daysnetwork not published
Price$28.99
Per day$2.90
For a first eSIM, its app does the setup for you. That comfort costs $9.99 over Nomad, $28.99 for 10 GB, and Saily names no Bahraini network for it.
What you actually get with Saily network, hotspot, refunds
- Full speed per day
- All 10 GB at full speed, no daily cap
- Hotspot
- Not stated by Saily
- If your trip changes
- Full refund within 30 days if the plan is not activated.
- Network
- Not stated by Saily
- 5G
- Not stated by Saily
From Saily's Bahrain plans as listed on esimdb, Nov 3, 2026.
HolaflyNo daily cap
PlanUnlimited, 10 dayson stc
Price$46.90
Per day$4.69
Unlimited data with no published daily limit, for heavy video use. It runs on stc like Nomad, at several times the price, and a laptop on its hotspot gets 1 GB a day at most.
What you actually get with Holafly network, hotspot, refunds
- Full speed per day
- No published daily cap
- Hotspot
- 1 GB a day
- If your trip changes
- Refund to your card within 6 months, in full if never activated, in 5 to 10 business days.
- Network
- stc Bahrain
- 5G
- Listed where available
From Holafly's Bahrain page and refund policy, Nov 3, 2026.
Prices checked Nov 3, 2026, in US dollars. The provider's checkout shows today's price before you pay.
How much data do you need in Bahrain?
Bahrain is small and most places are a short ride apart, so maps and ride apps use very little. Video calls home and streaming in the hotel are what drain a plan. For your own numbers, try the data calculator.
A day of Uber rides between Manama, Seef and Muharraq
about 0.1 GBAn hour-long video call home from the hotel
about 1 GBTwo hours of HD video in your hotel room in the evening
about 6 GBUnlimited data eSIM for Bahrain
Nomad, Ubigi and Saily sell no unlimited plan in Bahrain. Airalo and Holafly do, and the difference is what happens after a heavy day.
| Plan | Full speed a day | Price | Hotspot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airalo | 3 GBthen 1 Mbps | $46.0010 days | Not stated |
| Holafly | No cap | $46.9010 days | 1 GB a day |
Over 10 days, Airalo costs $46.00 and Holafly $46.90, almost the same. Airalo slows to 1 Mbps after 3 GB a day, and Holafly publishes no limit. For most trips, a fixed plan is the better buy, as below.
A month of remote work from Manama fits in Nomad's 20 GB, $29.00 for 30 days, with hotspot allowed for the laptop. If you need more, Ubigi's 25 GB costs $36.00.
stc, Batelco or Zain: which network your Bahrain eSIM uses
Bahrain has three mobile networks, Batelco, stc and Zain, and each eSIM here rides on one or more of them.
| eSIM | Network in Bahrain | 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad | stc | Listed |
| Ubigi | Batelco, stc, Zain | Listed |
| Airalo | Batelco, stc | Listed |
| Holafly | stc | Where available |
| Saily | Not stated by Saily | Not stated by Saily |
Holafly's Bahrain page calls coverage extensive throughout most of the country, and warns that it can be limited in remote desert areas, on parts of the Hawar Islands and on boats. In Manama, Seef and Juffair, any of these networks will do, and the cheapest plan wins.
Set up your Bahrain eSIM before you fly
From the US, you'll connect through a Gulf or European hub on the way to Bahrain International, on Muharraq Island. Do the first two steps at home.
1A week before
Check that your phone is unlocked
Your carrier has to release the phone before it will take a Bahraini line, and that call is easier from the US than from a hotel in Manama. If you're still paying the phone off, ask about it first. Not sure your model has eSIM at all? See the list.
2Before you leave home
Add the Nomad eSIM on Wi-Fi
Install it from the Nomad app or its QR code while you're on your home Wi-Fi, name the line "Bahrain", and leave it switched off until you land in Bahrain. During a layover in Doha or Dubai, it has nothing to connect to yet.
3On the ground at BAH
Switch data to the Bahrain line
In Settings > Cellular, set Cellular Data to the Bahrain line and turn on its Data Roaming. When stc appears at the top of the screen, you can call an Uber from the arrivals hall. Leave your US line on for texts.
Turn off roaming on your US line before the first flight, not the last. Your phone can join a network during the layover in Doha or Dubai, and that alone can start a $12 day pass.
Each screen in order: set up an eSIM on iPhone or on Android.
Before you go to Bahrain
Add a Saudi plan before you cross the causeway
The five plans on this page cover Bahrain only. If you're driving over the King Fahd Causeway to Khobar or Dammam, buy a Saudi Arabia plan at home, install it as a second line, and switch to it once you're past the border post.
Have Uber ready for the airport
Uber runs in Manama around the clock, airport trips included, according to its city page. Sign in to the app before you fly, so your US card and phone number are already confirmed when you land and switch to the Bahrain line.
Bahrain eSIM for calls and data
These are data-only plans, without a Bahraini phone number. You call and message over WhatsApp, FaceTime or iMessage, and texts to your US number, like bank codes, still arrive while that line stays on with roaming off.
Bahrain eSIM questions
How much does an eSIM cost in Bahrain?
A 10 GB plan valid a month costs about $19.00 with Nomad and about $21.00 with Ubigi. A short stopover needs far less: Nomad's 1 GB for 7 days is about $4.50. Unlimited starts at about $19.00 for 3 days with Airalo.
Which network is best in Bahrain, Batelco, stc or Zain?
All three run 4G and 5G across a small, mostly urban country, so for a visitor the price decides more than the network. Nomad, the cheapest 10 GB plan, is on stc. If you'd rather not choose, Ubigi connects to stc, Zain and Batelco.
Is there 5G in Bahrain?
Yes. Nomad, Ubigi and Airalo's Saar Mobile plans all list 5G in Bahrain, on stc, Batelco or Zain depending on the provider. Your phone needs to support 5G too; if it doesn't, the same plan runs on 4G.
Does a Bahrain eSIM work in Saudi Arabia?
No. The five plans on this page cover Bahrain only, so they stop working once you cross the King Fahd Causeway. For a day trip to the Eastern Province, add a separate Saudi Arabia plan before you leave and switch lines at the border.