The best travel eSIM depends on how much data you use and where you are. For a month in one country, a fixed-data plan from Saily or Nomad is usually cheapest: 10 GB for 30 days in Thailand cost $10–$11 when we checked. Heavy users pay $33–$74 for a 30-day “unlimited” plan, but most unlimited plans we checked publish a daily fair-use limit or a hotspot cap. On Airalo vs Holafly, Airalo was cheaper on comparable unlimited plans; Holafly caps hotspot sharing at 1 GB a day.
This is a wiki: members can edit this first post to add options, prices and experiences. Please keep it factual and say when you last used a service.
Last checked: October 2026
In short:
- Benchmark prices checked on 6 October 2026: Thailand 10 GB/30 days cost $10 (Nomad) or $10.99 (Saily). Thailand 30-day unlimited cost $33 (Nomad), $49 (Airalo), $49.99 (Maya Mobile) and $73.90 (Holafly).
- “Unlimited” is never truly unlimited. Airalo slows you down after 3 GB a day, Nomad drops to 512 kbps after the daily allowance, and Holafly limits hotspot sharing to 1 GB a day.
- Travel eSIMs are data-only. Keep your home number alive for bank codes on a second line. Don’t count on a VoIP number: some banks, such as Wells Fargo, don’t send texts to VoIP phones.
Comparison table
USD, from each provider’s official site on 6 October 2026. Prices change often.
| Service | What it’s for | Price from (checked 6 Oct 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airalo | Country, regional and global eSIMs | Thailand unlimited 30 days $49. Europe unlimited 30 days (41 countries) $71 | Unlimited fair use is 3 GB a day at 20 Mbps, then slower speeds. Tethering counts toward the 3 GB |
| Holafly | Unlimited-data plans, simple to buy | Thailand 30 days $73.90. Europe 30 days (33 countries) $73.90 | Data-only. Hotspot sharing limited to 1 GB a day. Includes 1 GB/month backup data in 150+ countries |
| Saily | Cheap fixed-data plans | Thailand 10 GB/30 days $10.99. Europe 10 GB/30 days (35 countries) $35.99. Global 10 GB/180 days (121 countries) $56.99 | Unlimited Thailand plan (15 days, $38.99) gives 5 GB a day at full speed, then about 1 Mbps. Optional phone-number add-on |
| Nomad | Fixed and unlimited plans, often cheapest per GB | Thailand 10 GB/30 days $10. Thailand unlimited 30 days $33. Europe 10 GB/30 days (35 countries) $23. Global 10 GB/30 days (123 countries) $62 | 512 kbps after daily allowance. Hotspot supported |
| Ubigi | One-off, monthly and annual plans, multi-country | “Best World” (178 destinations) 10 GB/30 days $39. “World” (201 destinations) 10 GB/30 days $59 | Data-only. Tethering allowed on all plans. Monthly plans have a 3-month minimum |
| Yesim | Day passes and pay-as-you-go | Thailand from $1.68 a day. “Pay & Fly” from $1.10 per GB in 170+ countries | Virtual numbers sold separately. Hotspot allowed |
| Maya Mobile | Unlimited multi-country plans | Thailand unlimited 30 days $49.99 (the plan also covers 165+ other countries) | Hotspot included. Advertises no throttling. Auto-renews while “Travel Mode” is on |
How to choose
Work out your real usage first. If you mostly work on café or coworking Wi-Fi, a 10 GB fixed plan ($10–$36 in our benchmarks) usually beats a $49–$74 unlimited plan.
Read the fair-use terms. Daily high-speed allowances reset every 24 hours, then speeds drop (to 512 kbps on Nomad, about 1 Mbps on Saily). If you tether a laptop for video calls, check hotspot rules: Holafly shares only 1 GB a day, while Saily says hotspot use is unrestricted.
Check your phone. Apple says Dual SIM with eSIM works on the iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later, with exceptions for models sold in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao. To use two carriers, Apple says your carrier must unlock the iPhone. Get your phone unlocked before you leave.
Local SIM or eSIM? A local prepaid SIM is often cheaper on long stays and gives you a local number for delivery apps, ride-hailing and local banks. An eSIM works the moment you land, and multi-country plans save buying a SIM at every border. A common pattern: eSIM for week one, local SIM if you stay.
Data-only means no local number. Unless you buy an add-on, you get WhatsApp and FaceTime but no normal calls or SMS on the eSIM.
Keeping your home number for 2FA and bank codes
This is the part that causes the most trouble. Bank one-time passcodes usually go by SMS to your home mobile number.
- Dual SIM is the simplest fix. Keep your home SIM (physical or eSIM) on a cheap plan as line 1 and use the travel eSIM for data. Apple says an iPhone uses one cellular data network at a time, but both lines can make and receive calls. Turn off roaming data on the home line so you don’t get roaming charges.
- Porting to Google Voice has limits. Google Voice charges a $20 fee to port in a mobile number, and US users must port from an active US mobile number. Your carrier cancels the old plan once the port completes. Google Voice cannot send texts to five- or six-digit short codes. Twilio says short codes on its platform can deliver to Google Voice numbers, but whether a bank’s codes reach you depends on the bank.
- Many banks refuse VoIP numbers. Wells Fargo, for example, says it does “not currently support text messages to landline or VoIP phones” and sends texts only to US mobile numbers. Test every account before you port, and switch to an authenticator app wherever the bank allows it.
If a bank locks you out abroad, see Why banks close digital nomads’ accounts, and which are safer bets.
Member experiences
Reply below with which one you use and why. Include the country, plan, price, date, and real video-call speeds.
Related guides: Digital nomad packing list (2026): what experienced nomads actually carry · How to become a digital nomad in 2026: a realistic 7-step plan · Why banks close digital nomads’ accounts, and which are safer bets · Keeping your home phone number abroad (2026): 2FA, porting and cheap plans
Quick answers
Q: What is the best eSIM for travel in 2026?
It depends on usage. For a month in Thailand, Nomad ($10) and Saily ($10.99) sold 10 GB for 30 days when we checked on 6 October 2026. If you need unlimited data, Nomad ($33), Airalo ($49) and Maya Mobile ($49.99) were cheaper than Holafly ($73.90) for 30 days.
Q: Airalo vs Holafly: which is better?
For Thailand, Airalo’s 30-day unlimited plan cost $49 against Holafly’s $73.90. In Europe it was $71 against $73.90. Airalo slows you down after 3 GB a day, and tethering counts toward that. Holafly limits hotspot sharing to 1 GB a day but includes 1 GB of monthly backup data in 150+ countries.
Q: Can I get bank 2FA texts while using a travel eSIM?
Yes, if you keep your home SIM active as a second line. Phones with Dual SIM receive SMS on both lines while using the eSIM for data. Porting to a VoIP number such as Google Voice is riskier, because some banks, including Wells Fargo, don’t send texts to VoIP phones.
Sources
- Airalo: Thailand eSIM
- Airalo: Europe eSIM
- Airalo: Unlimited packages and fair use
- Holafly: eSIM Thailand
- Holafly: eSIM Europe
- Saily: Thailand eSIM
- Saily: Europe eSIM
- Saily: Global eSIM
- Nomad: Thailand eSIM
- Nomad: Europe eSIM
- Nomad: Global eSIM
- Ubigi: Cellular data plans
- Yesim: Home and plans
- Maya Mobile: Thailand eSIM
- Apple Support: Use Dual SIM with an eSIM
- Google Voice Help: Port your mobile number to Google Voice
- Google Voice Help: Send text messages
- Twilio: Can Twilio numbers and short codes send SMS to Google Voice users
- Wells Fargo: Text messages FAQs
This is general information from the Nomad Forums team, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change; check the official source or a qualified adviser before acting.
Over to you: Which eSIM are you on right now, and what speeds do you actually get on video calls? Has anyone ported a home number to a VoIP service and kept their bank OTPs working?