Best eSIM for the USA: four brands compared
For most trips to the United States the best eSIM is a fixed data plan, and when we checked on 6 October 2026 RoamMore and Nomad had the lowest prices of the four brands we looked at: ours was lower at 5GB for 30 days, and the two were within a dollar of each other at 10GB. If you want unlimited data, Nomad at 2GB a day and Airalo at 5GB a day cost less for a week than our Endless plan at the same daily amount. If 1GB a day covers you, Endless costs less than any of their unlimited weeks.
RoamMore wrote this page and sells eSIMs for the United States, so read it with that in mind. Every rival price below was read on the brand's own US page on 6 October 2026, in US dollars, and links back to that page. Our prices come from our live catalogue and change when it does. If you spot a mistake, email [email protected] and we will fix it.
How do the USA eSIMs compare on price?
Fixed data plans
Holafly does not sell fixed data plans here.
Unlimited plans
| Brand | Unlimited, 7 days | Unlimited, about two weeks | Full speed a day on unlimited |
|---|---|---|---|
| RoamMore | Endless: US$14.50 at 1GB a day, US$25 at 2GB, US$50.20 at 5GB | 15 days: US$28.70 at 1GB a day, US$51.20 at 2GB | You choose. At 1GB to 3GB a day, then 1 Mbps |
| Airalo | US$25 | 15 days: US$46 | 5GB, then 1 Mbps |
| Holafly | US$27.50 | 15 days: US$50.50 | No daily amount stated |
| Nomad | US$23 | Not sold. Its US unlimited plans run 3, 5 or 7 days | 2GB, then 1 Mbps |
The fixed plans are like for like: the same amount of data for the same 30 days. The unlimited plans are not. Each brand gives a different amount of full speed data a day, so compare the price at the daily amount you will really use, not the word unlimited.
Which networks will you use in the USA, and is there 5G?
Our US plans list Verizon and AT&T, both with 5G, and connect to the internet inside the United States, so websites and apps see a US connection. Airalo's US page lists T-Mobile and Verizon, Holafly's lists AT&T and T-Mobile, and Nomad's lists Verizon and AT&T.
On coverage, Airalo's page says its eSIM covers the United States, including Hawaii and Puerto Rico, with limited availability in Alaska, and Holafly's says it is valid in all 50 states. If your trip goes far from towns, check the networks' own coverage maps before you rely on any eSIM; our guide to remote areas covers backup plans. The United States page lists every plan with its networks and speed.
How much data do you need for a week in the USA?
These are the daily amounts our plan finder uses. Not sure? Most people are Standard.
| Your use | A day | One week | Two weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | 300MB | 2.1GB | 4.2GB |
| Standard | 1GB | 7GB | 14GB |
| Heavy | 2GB | 14GB | 28GB |
So a 10GB plan covers a week of Standard use in the USA with room to spare, and a fortnight at that rate needs a bigger plan or a top up. Navigation and rideshare apps add up over a day, so if you are unsure, plan for Standard. Our cost and data guide breaks the figures down by app.
Should you get unlimited data or a fixed plan in the USA?
A fixed plan is usually the cheaper buy if you know roughly how much you use, because one allowance stretches across light days and busy ones. Unlimited is the simpler buy if you stream, make long video calls or would rather not watch a meter.
If you do want unlimited, compare plans at the same daily amount. For a week in the USA:
- At 1GB a day, Endless is US$14.50, less than any unlimited week in the table, though each of those gives you more full speed data a day.
- At 2GB a day, Nomad's week is US$23 against US$25 for Endless, so Nomad is the better buy.
- At 5GB a day, Airalo's week is US$25 against US$50.20 for Endless, and Airalo slows to 1 Mbps after the 5GB where Endless at 5GB slows further. Airalo is clearly the better buy for heavy use.
- Holafly's week is US$27.50. It states no daily amount, and says a network may slow heavy use for no more than a day.
Endless charges one price for the exact number of days you pick, so a 12 day trip is priced for 12 days, not the nearest pack. Our guide to what unlimited really means explains the daily amounts and the slower speeds after them.
Do you need calls and texts in the USA?
Most travellers do not. Our US plans are data only: you call and message through apps such as WhatsApp or FaceTime, and your home number stays on your home SIM for bank codes. If you need minutes and texts on the eSIM itself, Airalo sells 10GB with 100 minutes and 100 texts for 30 days at US$30; its page says incoming calls use the minutes and outgoing international calls are not allowed. Our guide to keeping your home number covers the rest.
When do the days start?
Our US plans start when the eSIM first connects to a network in the United States, so you can install it at home and it waits. The one exception is a 100MB trial, which starts when you install it, and the United States page marks it. Endless also starts on first connection there, and its full speed amount refills every 24 hours from that moment.
Airalo's US plans start on first use, Nomad's when the eSIM connects to a network or after 60 days if it has not, and Holafly's US page says its plan starts when the eSIM connects to a supported network.
Can you use a USA eSIM as a hotspot?
On our daily plans and on Endless, yes: sharing your connection works, and what you share counts toward the day's full speed amount. Holafly's US page allows sharing up to 1GB a day, so a 7 day plan includes up to 7GB of shared data. If you plan to work from a laptop, ask the seller before you buy.
What should you do before you fly from New Zealand or Australia?
Install the eSIM at home on wifi a few days before you leave, and leave it switched off. When you land in the United States, switch it on, set it as your data line and turn on data roaming for it. Keep your home SIM on for calls and texts, with its own data roaming off, so your carrier does not charge you for data. Our landing day checklist walks through each step.
Our prices are in US dollars, so your bank converts the payment.
When is another brand the better choice?
- You want unlimited at 2GB or 5GB a day. Nomad and Airalo cost less for a week than Endless at the same daily amount.
- You need minutes and texts on the eSIM. Airalo sells a US package that includes them; ours are data only.
- You would rather not count anything. Holafly states no daily amount at all, only that a network may slow heavy use for up to a day.
Choose RoamMore if you want a fixed plan at the lowest price we found, no app to install, and a real person who answers by email or WhatsApp.
How did we check these prices?
We read every rival price on 6 October 2026 on the brand's own US page, in US dollars (Airalo with its own currency setting), with no codes, credits or memberships. We did not go through any checkout. Prices change, so each one links to the page it came from, and we check them again each month. To compare RoamMore with Airalo and Holafly on support, refunds and apps, see our honest comparison.
Prices for popular trips
Cheapest plan with 1GB or more, in US dollars from our catalogue, updated 27 Sep 2026.
Questions travellers ask
What is the best eSIM for the USA?
For most trips, a fixed data plan. On 6 October 2026, RoamMore and Nomad had the lowest prices of the four brands we checked for 5GB and 10GB over 30 days, and Holafly's US page sold unlimited plans only. If you want unlimited data, Nomad at 2GB a day and Airalo at 5GB a day cost less for a week than our Endless plan at the same daily amount. If you need calls and texts, Airalo sells a US package with minutes and texts; ours are data only. RoamMore wrote this answer, and every rival price on the page links to the store it came from.
Which networks does a USA eSIM use?
It depends on the brand. Our US plans list Verizon and AT&T, both with 5G. Airalo lists T-Mobile and Verizon, Holafly lists AT&T and T-Mobile, and Nomad lists Verizon and AT&T.
Is 10GB enough for a week in the USA?
For most people, yes. At Standard use, about 1GB a day, a week comes to about 7GB, so a 10GB plan leaves room to spare. Two weeks at that rate needs more than 10GB, so pick a bigger plan or top up.
Does a USA eSIM come with a phone number?
Ours do not. They are data only, so you call and message through apps such as WhatsApp or FaceTime, and your home number stays on your home SIM. Airalo sells a US package with minutes and texts; its page says outgoing international calls are not allowed on it.
Can I use a USA eSIM as a hotspot?
On our daily plans and Endless, yes, and what you share counts toward the day's full speed amount. Holafly's US page allows sharing up to 1GB a day. If you plan to work from a laptop, ask the seller before you buy.