By Hanna · Updated October 8, 2026

Best eSIM for travel in 2026

Saily is my top pick overall thanks to built-in ad and tracker blocking on every plan at competitive pricing. Airalo offers the widest country coverage, Holafly is best for unlimited data in a single region, and Ubigi is a solid pick if you need a plan that also supports calls and texts, not just data.

I’ve used all four of these providers on actual trips, not just compared their pricing pages. Here’s how I’d choose between them.

Saily — best overall pick

Saily, built by the team behind NordVPN, is the one I recommend first now. It pairs competitively priced regional and global data plans with built-in ad and tracker blocking on every plan by default — no other major provider bundles that in. Plans start around $4-5 for short trips, and it covers 200+ destinations.

🧮 Not sure how many GB to buy? Try my free eSIM data calculator: enter your trip length and apps, get your exact number.

Airalo — best all-around pick

Airalo covers the most countries and has the most flexible tier options, so it’s my default recommendation unless you have a specific reason to pick something else. Pricing scales with data amount, so a short weekend trip costs very little.

Holafly — best for unlimited data

If you’re staying in one place for a while and know you’ll stream or hotspot a lot, Holafly’s unlimited plans remove the mental math of tracking usage. It’s priced higher than data-tiered competitors, so it’s not the right pick for short trips.

Ubigi — best if you need a local number

Most eSIMs skip calling and texting entirely. Ubigi is one of the few that offers optional voice/SMS in some countries, which matters if you need a local number for a hotel booking or a delivery.

Nomad — a solid, cheaper alternative to Airalo

Nomad’s coverage and pricing are close to Airalo’s, and its app is simple to use. Worth comparing prices for your specific destination, since the cheaper option shifts between the two depending on the country.

Yesim — best pay-as-you-go pick

Yesim is the one I use when I can’t predict my data. Its Pay & Fly eSIM works on credit: you pay per MB used, from about $1.10/GB, in 170+ countries. One eSIM covers a whole multi-country route. It also offers an optional SMS-only virtual number. Support can be slow, and unlimited plans have vague fair-use limits. Full details in my Yesim review.

eSIMo — best for calls and a second number

eSIMo is the pick when you need to call, not just use data. Its app adds calls from about $0.01/minute and a rented second number from $1.90/month on top of data plans from $3.90. Single-country plans are fairly priced; regional and global plans cost more than rivals. Use code SILVER15 for 15% off. Full details in my eSIMo review.

How I actually pick between them for a trip

For most trips, I start with Saily, since the built-in tracker blocking is a genuinely useful default and the pricing is competitive. If Saily doesn’t cover a specific destination well, I switch to Airalo. If I know I’ll be hotspotting a laptop heavily in one country for more than a week, I go with Holafly. If I need a local number for anything official, Ubigi is the one I check first. And if my route is messy or my usage is hard to guess, I load Yesim Pay & Fly credit instead of buying a bundle.

• Saily: Use code Sahrzad15 at checkout. Built-in ad and tracker blocking on every plan, no other major provider includes this by default.
• Airalo: Best overall value; covers 200+ countries and regions. Use code ANN6497 for $3 off.
• Holafly: Best for heavy data users staying in one country or region.
• Ubigi: One of few providers offering optional voice/SMS add-ons.
• Nomad: Simple app, competitive pricing on regional bundles.
• Yesim: True pay-as-you-go data; optional SMS-only virtual number.
• eSIMo: Use code SILVER15 for 15% off. In-app calls and a rented second number.

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