Best travel eSIM for each kind of trip
The 5 best eSIMs for international travel, ranked
All five sit beside your US line, so your number keeps working.
Airalo
Best eSIM for international travel overall
Europe, 41 countries
Airalo
Eurolink, 10 GB, 30 days
$31.00about $3.10 a day
Get Airalo for EuropeWhat you actually get
- Unlimited plans
- 3 GB a day at full speed in Japan, 5 GB in Europe
- Connection appears from
- Singapore in Japan, several users report
- If your trip changes
- Airmoney credit, not cash
Airalo sells plans for most countries in one app, so the second trip takes a minute to buy. Its Eurolink plan covers 41 countries, including the UK, Switzerland, Turkey and the Western Balkans, on one eSIM. It's also my pick for China.
More in Best eSIM for Europe and Saily vs Airalo.
Saily
Best eSIM app, with security extras
Japan
Saily
10 GB, 30 days
$17.99about $1.80 a day
Get Saily for JapanWhat you actually get
- Unlimited plans
- 5 GB a day at full speed
- Connection appears from
- Hong Kong in Japan, which blocked ChatGPT one user, Aug 2025
- If your trip changes
- Full refund within 30 days if not activated
Saily is made by Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN. Its app adds a free ad blocker, web protection against phishing and trackers, and a virtual location option through a NordVPN server. It is not a full VPN, but for a first eSIM it is the easiest app here.
More in the Saily review.
Holafly
Best unlimited data eSIM
Japan
Holafly
Unlimited, 10 days
$36.50about $3.65 a day
Get Holafly for JapanWhat you actually get
- Full speed
- No daily cap in Japan, 5G where available
- Hotspot
- 1 GB a day
- If your trip changes
- 100% back to how you paid, within 6 months, if never activated
Take Holafly if you stream or video call every day. In Japan it runs on KDDI and SoftBank. Its Europe plan covers 33 countries, including the UK, Switzerland, Iceland and Norway, but not Turkey. The catch is the hotspot: only 1 GB a day for a laptop.
More in Unlimited data eSIM for Japan.
Ubigi
Best eSIM for one country
Japan, on Docomo and KDDI
Ubigi
10 GB, 30 days
$16.50about $1.65 a day
Get Ubigi for JapanWhat you actually get
- Networks in Japan
- Docomo and KDDI (au), SoftBank also listed
- Connection appears from
- Japan reported by users
- If your trip changes
- Not stated by Ubigi
Ubigi is my pick in 12 of the 16 destinations on this site, from Japan and Italy to India and Costa Rica, because its 10 GB plans are cheap and run on strong local networks. In Japan, hotspot is allowed with no separate cap stated.
More in Best eSIM for Japan and the pick by destination.
Nomad
Cheapest eSIM per GB
Japan
Nomad
50 GB, 30 days
$35.00about $0.70 a GB
Get Nomad for JapanWhat you actually get
- Networks in Japan
- KDDI and SoftBank; over 10 GB, KDDI only
- Hotspot
- Allowed, and 5G is supported
- If your trip changes
- Not stated by Nomad
Nomad gives the most data per dollar: 50 GB for 30 days in Japan costs $35.00, and hotspot is allowed, which makes it the plan for working from a laptop. It's also my pick for Thailand ($10.00) and Mexico ($15.50).
More in the Japan comparison.
Prices checked Oct 15, 2026, from each provider's plan page. The price on the provider's site when you buy is the one that counts.
Best eSIM by destination
Airalo is the safe default for several countries. For one country, the pick is usually cheaper: Ubigi wins 12 of these 16 destinations.
| Destination | AiraloPick in 2 | SailyBest app | HolaflyUnlimited | UbigiPick in 12 | NomadPick in 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan10 GB, 30 days | Short trips | Easiest app | Unlimited | My pickUbigi$16.50 | Cheapest 10 GB |
| Europe41 countries, 30 days | My pickAiralo$31.00 | Easiest app | Unlimited | ||
| Italy10 GB, 30 days | My pickUbigi$12.00 | ||||
| China10 GB, 15 days | My pickAiralo$25.50 | ||||
| Thailand10 GB, 30 days | My pickNomad$10.00 | ||||
| Spain10 GB, 30 days | My pickUbigi$12.00 | ||||
| Mexico10 GB, 30 days | My pickNomad$15.50 | ||||
| United Kingdom10 GB, 30 days | My pickUbigi$11.00 | ||||
| Vietnam10 GB, 30 days | My pickUbigi$12.90 | ||||
| France10 GB, 30 days | My pickUbigi$10.00 | ||||
| South Korea10 GB, 30 days | My pickUbigi$14.00 | ||||
| Costa Rica10 GB, 30 days | My pickUbigi$19.00 | ||||
| Philippines10 GB, 30 days | My pickUbigi$16.00 | ||||
| India10 GB, 30 days | My pickUbigi$15.00 | ||||
| Turkey10 GB, 30 days | My pickUbigi$13.00 | ||||
| Greece10 GB, 30 days | My pickUbigi$12.00 |
My pickThe one to buy, 10 GBGreen textWhat the others do best there
Going somewhere else? See the pick for each destination.
See all destinationsHow to choose a travel eSIM in 4 questions
Where are you going?
For one country, take that country's pick. For several in Europe, Airalo Eurolink saves you from buying three eSIMs.
Find your destinationHow long is the trip?
Buy a plan whose days cover the whole trip. In Japan, Airalo's 10 GB costs $17.50 for 15 days and $18.00 for 30, so round up.
Compare the fiveHow much data will you use?
Maps and messages take about 0.2 GB a day, about 0.5 to 1 GB with social media and photos. Two weeks of maps, messages and Instagram is about 10 GB.
Work it out for your tripDo you need a local number?
Usually not. Your US number keeps getting texts and bank codes, and WhatsApp and iMessage run over the eSIM's data.
How the two lines work together
Best unlimited data eSIM for international travel
"Unlimited" usually means full speed up to a daily amount, then slow until the next day. Here is what each plan gives you in Japan.
| Plan | Full speed a day | About 2 weeks | Hotspot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nomad | 2 GB | $41.0014 days | Allowed |
| Airalo | 3 GBthen 1 Mbps | $48.0015 days | Not stated by Airalo |
| Saily | 5 GB | $48.9915 days | Not stated by Saily |
| Holafly | No cap | $50.5015 days | 1 GB a day |
For a laptop, skip unlimited: Holafly shares only 1 GB a day. A big fixed plan works better, like Nomad's 50 GB for $35.00, which allows hotspot. Browsing and email use roughly 100 to 200 MB an hour, and an hour of video calls about 1 GB.
Travel eSIM questions
Which eSIM is the best for international travel?
Airalo, for most travelers. One app sells plans for most countries, and its Eurolink plan covers 41 countries in Europe for $31.00 (10 GB, 30 days). For a single country another eSIM is often cheaper: Ubigi is the pick in 12 of the 16 destinations on this site, Japan included.
What is the downside of eSIM?
Most travel eSIMs are data only, so you get no local phone number. Your phone must be unlocked and eSIM compatible. Some eSIMs connect through another country: several users report that Airalo's Japan eSIM routes traffic through Singapore, so a few Japanese sites see you abroad.
Can I buy an eSIM just for data?
Yes. All five eSIMs on this page are data plans. They sit beside your US line, which keeps your number for calls and texts, while the eSIM handles maps, messaging apps and browsing.
Is eSIM free of cost?
The eSIM feature in your phone costs nothing, but the travel data plan does. Plans start at about $3.50 for 1 GB over 3 days in Japan. The 10 GB most trips need costs about $16.50 in Japan, about $12.00 in Italy and about $31.00 for 41 countries in Europe.
Is Holafly or Airalo better?
Airalo, if you know roughly how much data you need: 10 GB for Japan costs about $17.50 against $36.50 for 10 unlimited days on Holafly. Holafly is better if you stream or video call every day. It also refunds a plan you never activated in full, to how you paid, within 6 months, where Airalo gives Airmoney credit after a change of plans.