How an eSIM works in the US
A travel eSIM is a mobile plan you download instead of collect. You buy it, scan a QR code, and your phone carries a second line alongside your normal SIM. When you land in the US, that line connects to a local network and your home carrier’s roaming charges never enter the picture.
US plans start at €1.83, and there are 37 to choose from on the United States plan page.
Which network will you be on?
Ours roams onto T-Mobile, Vodafone. That matters more in the US than in most countries: coverage between the major carriers differs sharply once you leave metro areas, and a plan is only as good as the network behind it.
You don’t pick the network and you can’t switch it mid-trip — the eSIM connects to whichever partner serves your location. For city travel this is a non-issue. For national parks and long drives, check the carrier’s own coverage map for the areas you’ll be in before you rely on it.
What “unlimited” actually means
This is the detail worth reading twice. An unlimited US plan does not run at full speed indefinitely. It gives you a daily full-speed allowance, and once you pass it the connection continues at a reduced speed until the allowance resets the next day.
The unlimited tiers we sell for the US, and what each actually delivers:
| Full speed per day | Then | Validity | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1GB | 512kbps | 1 day | €2.43 |
| 2GB | 2mbps | 1 day | €4.43 |
The practical difference is large. A plan that drops to 512kbps still handles maps and messaging but not video; one that drops to 2mbps is comfortable for most things. If you tether or stream, the higher tier is usually worth the gap in price — and if you don’t, a fixed allowance is often cheaper than either.
How much data do you need?
- 1–3GB per week — maps, rideshare apps, messaging, email
- 5–10GB per week — the above plus social media and photo uploads
- Unlimited — video calls, streaming on the road, or tethering a laptop
US trips skew heavier than European ones for one reason: driving. Navigation running for hours a day, plus streaming in the car, adds up faster than most people expect.
What it costs
| Data | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1GB | 3 days | €1.83 |
| 3GB | 3 days | €4.50 |
| 5GB | 7 days | €6.96 |
| 10GB | 7 days | €12.29 |
| 20GB | 15 days | €22.14 |
Compare that with a home carrier’s international day pass at roughly $10–15 a day — a ten-day trip is $100–150 before you’ve used anything unusual.
Calls, texts and your own number
Our US plans are data-only. That’s less of a limitation than it sounds: calls over WhatsApp, FaceTime, Signal or Messenger all work normally, and they’re how most travellers call home anyway.
Your own number keeps working if you leave your normal SIM enabled — just turn its data roaming offso nothing leaks onto the expensive line. You’ll still receive calls and texts on your usual number while data runs over the eSIM.
If you specifically need a US number, some destinations have plans that include calls and texts with a local number; you can filter for those on the US plan page.
Adding Canada and Mexico
Crossing into Canada or Mexico? A US plan stops at the border. A North America plan covers the region on one profile, from €6.00 — cheaper than buying a second eSIM the moment you drive north or south.
Install before you fly
Installing an eSIM needs an internet connection, which is exactly what you won’t have on arrival. Install at home over wi-fi. Validity starts on first data use, not at purchase, so there’s no penalty for doing it early.
- Buy — the QR code and install link arrive immediately
- Install over wi-fi before you leave, and leave the line switched off
- On landing, enable the eSIM line and its data roaming
- Turn data roaming off on your home SIM so nothing bills to it
Pick a plan: all US plans, unlimited for the US, 10GB for the US, or the North America plan.