$16.50about $1.65 a day
Get UbigiFree eSIM trials worth trying before you fly
For a free eSIM trial that works abroad, get Nomad's: 1 GB for 3 days, with no credit card. The trials from T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T are made for trying a US network at home. For the trip itself, buy a plan: Ubigi's 10 GB for Japan costs about $16.50.
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No eSIM yet? The one to buy for your trip.
$31.00about $3.10 a day
Get Airalo EurolinkPrices checked Nov 9, 2026. Going somewhere else? The pick for every country is in all destinations.
The best free eSIM trials, side by side
Only the first one is made for a trip. The rest are carriers hoping you'll switch your US service to them.
| Trial | You get | Data abroad? |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad | 1 GB for 3 days | Yes, in 76 destinations |
| T-Mobile | Unlimited data for 30 days | Not stated by T-Mobile |
| Verizon | Up to 100 GB for 30 days | Not stated by Verizon |
| AT&T | 100 GB for 30 days, 25 GB of it hotspot | Not stated by AT&T |
| Visible | Unlimited data for 15 days | Not stated by Visible |
| US Mobile | 30 GB for 30 days, number transfer required | Not stated by US Mobile |
| Google Fi | 7 days, then a paid plan unless you cancel | No |
Don't plan a trip around a "Not stated". Google says outright that its trial has no international data, and the other carriers don't promise any, so treat all of them as staying home.
How to get Nomad's free 1 GB
You can only claim it in the Nomad app, it's for new users, and you don't enter a card.
1Within 15 days of leaving
Find your country, then claim it
The trial covers 76 destinations out of Nomad's 200-plus, so look for yours in the app first. Then time it: if you haven't arrived 15 days after redeeming, the 3 days start anyway.
2At home, on Wi-Fi
Install it before you leave
Install the eSIM from the app while you still have a steady connection. The 3 days haven't started, though your 15-day window has.
3When you land
Turn on Data Roaming for this line
The trial starts on its own at your destination. Turn on Data Roaming for the Nomad line, and leave it off on your US line so that line can't run up a day pass.
Think of 1 GB as your maps and messages for the ride from the airport, not as data for the whole trip. When it runs out or the 3 days end, you can buy an add-on in the app and keep the same eSIM.
The trial costs you Nomad's first-time discounts. Once you've redeemed it, you can't use a referral code or any other new-customer deal. If you already know you'll buy a Nomad plan, compare that discount with the free 1 GB first.
Want more than the free 1 GB? Nomad's paid plans start at $4.00 for Japan.
See Nomad's plansFree eSIM trials with unlimited data
Two trials offer it, and both are for use in the US.
Visible: 15 days, no card
Visible's trial includes unlimited data, calls and texts on Verizon's network, plus hotspot at up to 5 Mbps. It says outright that you won't need a credit card.
T-Mobile: 30 days
Listed as unlimited data on an unlocked phone that isn't already with T-Mobile. You can't take it if you've had a T-Mobile trial in the past 12 months.
Abroad, nobody gives unlimited data away. The nearest thing is a perk you get after paying: any Holafly eSIM you keep installed gets 1 GB of backup data every 30 days once its plan ends. Its unlimited plan for Japan costs about $11.90 for 3 days, and my Holafly review has the rest of its plans.
Best free eSIM service for iPhone
Every trial in the table takes a compatible iPhone, so pick by what you're trying to find out.
For a trip, it's Nomad again. For a US network at home, try AT&T: you start it in the myAT&T app with no credit card, and you get 100 GB, with 25 GB of it for hotspot. It began as an iPhone-only trial and now takes Android too.
Then check the phone. A free eSIM trial on iPhone needs an XS, XR or later, unlocked. On an iPhone 12 or older, a second eSIM can't run next to a US line that's already on eSIM, so check your model first. Then the iPhone setup guide walks you through each screen.
A free US trial can prove your phone is ready
Here's the one good reason for a traveler to start a carrier trial: it's a free rehearsal before you leave.
It shows your phone accepts an eSIM
Verizon's trial asks for an unlocked, eSIM-compatible phone, and so does T-Mobile's. If yours installs and connects at home, you've ruled out an incompatible phone and a locked one, both hard to fix from an airport.
You learn the screens with no clock running
A trial eSIM takes you through the same steps as a travel plan, and you can do it on your couch. Verizon and T-Mobile end on their own, so there's nothing to cancel.
Skip the two with strings attached
For a rehearsal, leave Google Fi alone, because it rolls into a paid plan if you forget to cancel, and US Mobile, which wants your number transferred.
When the free data runs out
The smallest paid plans cost a few dollars, and unlike a trial they don't depend on being a new customer.
| Plan for Japan | Data and days | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ubigi | 1 GB, 3 days | $3.50 |
| Saily | 1 GB, 7 days | $3.99 |
| Airalo | 1 GB, 3 days | $4.00 |
| Nomad | 1 GB, 7 days | $4.00 |
Every one of those beats a single $12 day on your carrier. For a longer trip, go straight to the plan you need: my pick for each destination saves you topping up twice, and the data calculator tells you how much to buy.
Free eSIM trial questions
Which carriers have free eSIM trials?
In the US: T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T for 30 days, Visible for 15, US Mobile for 30 if you transfer your number, and Google Fi for 7. They're all made for trying a US network, not for travel.
Which eSIM app gives free trials?
Nomad, for travel: new users get 1 GB for 3 days in its app, with no credit card. Holafly says it has no free trial, and Airalo, Saily and Ubigi have no open one.
Is there a 30-day free trial for eSIMs?
Yes, from T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T, on your current phone and alongside your current service. Those are US network trials. The longest free travel trial here is Nomad's 3 days.
How to get an eSIM for free?
Start a carrier trial in its app, or redeem Nomad's trial in the Nomad app if you're traveling. Your phone has to take an eSIM either way, and it should be unlocked: check yours here.
Is there a free eSIM with unlimited data?
For use in the US, yes: Visible gives 15 days of unlimited data with no card, and T-Mobile's 30-day trial is listed as unlimited. There's no free unlimited eSIM for a trip abroad. Paid unlimited plans for Japan start at about $11.90 for 3 days.
Ubigi for Japan10 GB, 30 days, $16.50
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