eSIM plans · North AmericaUnited States eSIM plans, sized by how long you stay
HelloRoam charges in 31 checkout currencies where Airalo, Holafly, Nomad and Saily charge in US dollars alone. Eight United States plans run from $2.87 for 1 GB to $34.46 for 20 GB, on an operator list naming AT&T and Verizon. Airalo covers more ground, 200+ destinations against HelloRoam's 186.
Your United States data plan starts with one number: 15GB. That covers 10 days of maps, messaging and social media at 1.5GB a day on the local network your handset finds. The 20GB plan at $34.46 covers that with 5GB to spare. Heavy users skip the math with unlimited data from $3.49/day on the local network your handset finds.
The published attachment list for United States holds 2 operators: AT&T or Verizon.
Data needs in United States split into three bands. Light travelers cover 5GB over 10 days on the 0.5 GB band, maps and email only. Moderate travelers (15GB total) add social media and ride-hailing at 1.5GB/day. Heavy travelers (30GB total) stream video and run hotspots at 3GB/day. 2 carriers and 8 5G plans service all three segments.
Here is the plan match for each traveler type. At $10.01, the 5GB plan handles 10 days of basic navigation and email without overspending. If you browse social feeds and use ride apps, then 5GB at $10.01 covers your 1.5GB/day pattern at $2.00/GB. Video callers and streamers skip fixed plans and pay $3.49/day for uncapped 5G data on the local network your handset finds.
Trip length decides the tier, and the United States is a longer trip than most people plan for. The enrichment record puts the average visit at 10 days and daily use at 2 GB, a third above the 1.5 GB a day moderate benchmark. Ten days at that rate is 20 GB, and 20 GB costs $34.46. Cut the estimate to the moderate 1.5 GB a day benchmark and the same trip needs 15 GB, still inside the 20 GB tier. Only the 0.5 GB a day light benchmark, which means maps, transit apps and messaging with the video switched off, brings a 10-day visit down to 5 GB at $10.01.
Three usage tiers, priced for the United States
Three tiers, and all 5 providers scored inside each one. Most travelers land on Moderate. Not sure? Take the quiz.
Light use, 1 to 3 GB
Maps and transit apps · Translation and messaging · Email and boarding passes
Sticking to trains, translation and messaging in the United States? HelloRoam takes Light at 86 out of 100. Nomad is next at 83. Nomad is cheaper per gigabyte, $3.00 against $3.50. Budget first, everything else second: Nomad. No plan this small exists at Holafly, which is why it sits at 31. A 3 GB plan for the United States runs $6.87.
| Provider | Plan at this size | Per GB at 0.5 GB/day | Tier match |
|---|---|---|---|
| HelloRoamMost Support LanguagesTier pick | Fixed 1 GB and 3 GB tiersPublished rate $3.50/GB | $3.50 | 86/100 |
| NomadLowest Fixed Rate | Fixed 1 GB and 3 GB tiersPublished rate $3.00/GB | $3.00 | 83/100 |
| SailyOnly Built-In VPN | Fixed 1 GB and 3 GB tiersPublished rate $3.99/GB | $3.99 | 77/100 |
| AiraloOnly Regional Bundles | Fixed 1 GB and 3 GB tiersPublished rate $4.50/GB | $4.50 | 74/100 |
| HolaflyBest Unlimited Value | No plan at this size, unlimited daily onlyPublished rate $2.99/day | No rate to quote | 31/100 |
Moderate use, 3 to 7 GB
Photo sharing and social apps · Browsing and short video · Music and a call home
Week in the United States with photos going up most evenings? The match score puts Holafly first here, 96 to HelloRoam's 86. Nobody beats its $1.99 a gigabyte at 1.5 GB a day. HelloRoam lands at 86, second best and beaten. A 5 GB plan for the United States runs $10.01.
| Provider | Plan at this size | Per GB at 1.5 GB/day | Tier match |
|---|---|---|---|
| HolaflyBest Unlimited ValueTier pick | Unlimited daily, no 5 GB tierPublished rate $2.99/day | $1.99 | 96/100 |
| HelloRoamMost Support Languages | Fixed 3 GB and 5 GB tiersPublished rate $3.50/GB | $3.50 | 86/100 |
| NomadLowest Fixed Rate | Fixed 3 GB and 5 GB tiersPublished rate $3.00/GB | $3.00 | 83/100 |
| SailyOnly Built-In VPN | Fixed 3 GB and 5 GB tiersPublished rate $3.99/GB | $3.99 | 77/100 |
| AiraloOnly Regional Bundles | Fixed 3 GB and 5 GB tiersPublished rate $4.50/GB | $4.50 | 74/100 |
Heavy use, 10 GB and up
Streaming and video calls · A full remote work day · Laptop hotspot
Working from the United States or streaming most nights? The match score puts Holafly first here, 96 to HelloRoam's 66. It holds the cheapest gigabyte too, $1.00 at 3 GB a day. HelloRoam lands at 66, second best and beaten. Saily and Nomad cap you at a fixed bundle, which for a heavy week means paying for the ceiling. A 10 GB plan for the United States runs $16.41, and unlimited runs $3.49 a day.
| Provider | Plan at this size | Per GB at 3 GB/day | Tier match |
|---|---|---|---|
| HolaflyBest Unlimited ValueTier pick | Unlimited dailyPublished rate $2.99/day | $1.00 | 96/100 |
| HelloRoamMost Support Languages | Fixed up to 20 GB, unlimited in some destinationsPublished rate $3.50/GB | $3.50 | 66/100 |
| AiraloOnly Regional Bundles | Fixed up to 20 GB, unlimited in some destinationsPublished rate $4.50/GB | $4.50 | 54/100 |
| NomadLowest Fixed Rate | Fixed tiers only, no unlimited planPublished rate $3.00/GB | $3.00 | 43/100 |
| SailyOnly Built-In VPN | Fixed tiers only, no unlimited planPublished rate $3.99/GB | $3.99 | 37/100 |
The rate column is each provider's published entry price, worked out per gigabyte at the tier's daily usage. That is the only way a daily plan and a per-GB plan land on one scale. Published entry rates: Airalo $4.50/GB, Saily $3.99/GB, Holafly $2.99/day, Nomad $3.00/GB, HelloRoam $3.50/GB. Those are catalogue floors, not prices for the United States. Only one of the five publishes prices we can read per destination, and that is HelloRoam, so every the United States plan price above is HelloRoam's. The rest get their published floor and no destination quote.
How trip length changes your United States plan
Short trips and extended stays need different data strategies. Find your trip length below.
Short trip (1-3 days)
For a weekend trip, 5GB handles moderate usage. The 5GB plan costs $10.01 on the local network your handset finds.
Standard trip (5-10 days)
A 5-10 day trip requires 11GB at 1.5GB/day. The 20GB plan at $34.46 gives moderate users enough data on the local network your handset finds.
Extended stay (14-30 days)
Extended stays of 14-30 days push past fixed plan limits. Unlimited data at $3.49/day on the local network your handset finds removes the cap.
Your United States shortlist, all 5 providers
Two questions decide most e-sim purchases: how big the bundle is and how long it lasts. Here is both, next to tethering, phone numbers and each published rate.
| Provider | Our rubric score | Min to max GB | Min to max validity | Hotspot | Local number | Entry rate | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 HelloRoamMost Support LanguagesTop of our rubric | 8.7/10 | 1 GB to 20 GB, plus unlimited | Unlimited runs 1 to 30 days, fixed window not published | Not published | No, data only | $3.50/GB | Get Plan |
 HolaflyBest Unlimited Value | 8.6/10 | Unlimited daily, no GB tiers | 1 to 90 days | Capped at 1 GB per day | No, data only | $2.99/day | Get Plan |
 AiraloOnly Regional Bundles | 6.9/10 | 1 GB to 20 GB | 7 to 30 days | Included, full speed | No, data only | $4.50/GB | Get Plan |
 NomadLowest Fixed Rate | 6.6/10 | From 1 GB, top size not published | 30 days on the plans we list | Not published | No, data only | $3.00/GB | Get Plan |
 SailyOnly Built-In VPN | 6.5/10 | From 1 GB, top size not published | Not published | Included on all plans | No, data only | $3.99/GB | Get Plan |
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Who you're connecting to
In United States, the underlying carrier matters more than the brand on your plan.
Carrier routing determines the right plan for each traveler type in United States. Most of United States's 5G capacity sits with AT&T, concentrated where visitors actually go. Verizon runs secondary towers in United States's countryside and mountain regions, giving hikers and road-trippers a fallback when AT&T thins out. No provider states its United States routing, so compare what each one does publish. Crossing more than one border on this trip? Airalo is the only one of the five publishing a regional bundle, from 16 to 130 countries on a single profile. Reach costs it price: a published $4.50/GB, the dearest floor here. Holafly sells unlimited daily data and no per-GB tier at all. Its published rate starts at $2.99/day, which beats every fixed plan here past 1.5 GB a day and loses below it. Saily bundles Nord Security VPN routing into every plan at no extra charge, a useful layer on airport and hotel WiFi. Its published entry rate is $3.99/GB. Nomad holds the lowest published fixed entry rate of the five at $3.00/GB, which is why light users should price it first. It publishes the smallest destination list, at 200. HelloRoam publishes the widest support access of the five, 63 languages on chat, WhatsApp and email around the clock, plus 180 days to refund an unactivated eSIM. It does not win price at $3.50/GB. All 2 operators in United States support 5G, so the plan size matters more than the carrier preference.
HelloRoam publishes its local operator list for United States, and the next section prints that list in full. The other four providers publish no equivalent list, so the cards below carry published facts about each provider instead of a carrier we would be guessing at.
Airalo
5GReaches the most destinations of the five, at 200.
Saily
5GAdds VPN routing on every plan.
Holafly
5GUnlimited daily plans with fair-use speeds after the threshold.
Nomad
5GLowest fixed per-GB rate of the five, at $3.00.
HelloRoam
5GRuns on 204+ carrier partners with a 180-day refund window.
AT&T and Verizon carry a United States eSIM
Good news for United States: HelloRoam publishes 2 local operators there. Your eSIM attaches to AT&T or Verizon. HelloRoam does not publish which one a given handset selects.
The extra operators matter when signal gets patchy. If one network thins out on a train or in a rural stretch, another can carry you. 68 of the 185 destinations HelloRoam publishes list more than one operator.
HelloRoam marks 5G on every operator it lists here. Operator count does not set your plan size. Trip length does, so pick the tier first.
HelloRoam names two operators for the United States, AT&T and Verizon, and both carry 5G labels. Two entries means a fallback: if the profile will not register on one, the other is there. That is the minority case in this dataset, where 117 of 185 destinations list a single operator and only 68 list more. The list is alphabetical, so neither name is a ranking. Nothing published states which network a given handset selects, and the dataset contains no speed figure, so we do not print one. The country record names T-Mobile alongside AT&T and Verizon as national carriers, which makes three carriers in the market and two on the list.
| Local operator | Network labels |
|---|---|
| AT&T | 5G |
| Verizon | 5G |
Where this table came from: HelloRoam's own destination catalogue, read on 17 August 2026. That catalogue publishes an operator list for every destination it sells, and we copied it. Nobody ran a speed test to build it, and no throughput number sits behind any row.
Your United States pricing notes
Here is what each plan tier costs in United States: 1GB at $2.87 ($2.87/GB), 3GB at $6.87 ($2.29/GB), 5GB at $10.01 ($2.00/GB), 10GB at $16.41 ($1.64/GB), 20GB at $34.46 ($1.72/GB). The per-GB rate drops as you buy larger plans. If you use 1.5GB/day for social media and maps, the 5GB plan at $10.01 covers 4 days at $2.00/GB. Short-trip travelers spending 3-4 days in United States pick 1GB at $2.87 and pay only for the data they need. The math on unlimited: $3.49/day times 10 days equals the 20GB plan price. Trips beyond 10 days favor unlimited. A 30-day unlimited plan drops to $2.86/day (18% off). Streaming daily? Holafly's published $2.99/day unlimited is the shape that fits. Under a gigabyte a day, Nomad's $3.00/GB fixed rate wins the maths. Looking for the cheapest eSIM in United States? The lowest destination price we hold is 1GB at $2.87 from the catalogue. Nomad publishes the lowest fixed entry rate of the five at $3.00/GB, though not a United States figure we can stand behind.
Two things about the United States price ladder are worth saying in plain words. First, the 20 GB tier at $34.46 costs $1.72 per gigabyte while the 10 GB tier at $16.41 costs $1.64, so the largest plan is not the cheapest per unit. Second, the destination's own floor across all tiers is $1.06 per GB, well under both. Set that against the alternatives: the country record puts an airport SIM at $30 to $50 for 30 days with a 10 to 20 minute wait, and local prepaid at $25 to $40. Set it also against the rest of the catalogue, where the same provider charges $0.29 per GB in Thailand and $22.52 per GB in Monaco. Currency is the last variable. HelloRoam prices checkout in 31 currencies against 1 apiece at Airalo, Holafly, Nomad and Saily, so any non-dollar card avoids a 2 to 4 percent bank conversion markup that the other four cannot avoid.
See how United States compares to similar destinations in North America. For device-specific setup, read our guides for iPhone, Samsung, and Pixel.
Planning notes for United States
Your United States data plan depends on more than usage habits. These on-the-ground details adjust your GB target. WiFi availability: Free WiFi at Starbucks, McDonald's, libraries, and most hotels; widespread but not universal. Strong city WiFi shrinks the data plan you need, so moderate users size down one tier. If you visit United States during Jun-Aug and Nov-Dec, expect higher data use. Summer and holiday season (Thanksgiving through New Year) are peak periods. Navigation and ride apps push a crowded day off the 0.5 GB light band. The average visit to United States lasts 10 days. At moderate usage, that means 15GB total.
WiFi and offline options in United States
Free WiFi at Starbucks, McDonald's, libraries, and most hotels; widespread but not universal. WiFi availability is excellent across United States. Offload video and app updates to WiFi when possible. Download offline maps, translation packs, and boarding passes over WiFi before leaving your hotel each morning.
Peak season data planning for United States
Peak travel in United States runs during Jun-Aug and Nov-Dec. Summer and holiday season (Thanksgiving through New Year) are peak periods. Peak crowds move a day from the 0.5 GB light band to the 1.5 GB moderate one. Size up one tier during those months to cover the extra navigation and ride-app use.
How to activate your United States eSIM
If you travel as a moderate user, grab a plan covering 1.5GB/day for United States. Install the eSIM profile by scanning the QR code from your phone's cellular settings before departure.
Go to Settings > Cellular and rename the new profile "Travel Data." Toggle it as the default data line. Your home SIM handles calls and texts on the second slot.
When you land in United States, your phone connects to a local 5G network within seconds. No store visit, no passport check, no SIM tray.
Common United States eSIM questions
Direct answers grounded in real plan data and carrier coverage.
How United States data adds up over 10 days
A 10-day trip to United States needs 5 GB at the light benchmark of 0.5 GB a day and 15 GB at the moderate benchmark of 1.5 GB a day. The catalogue prices the 5 GB plan at $10.01 and the 20 GB plan at $34.46 for United States. Heavy use at 3 GB a day comes to 30 GB, past the 20 GB tier that is the largest sold for United States. Those three benchmarks are the same figures the quiz and the data calculator on this site read.
One United States tier, priced per day
A moderate traveler spending 10 days in United States needs 15 GB at 1.5 GB a day. The catalogue prices the 20 GB plan at $34.46 for United States, which is $1.72 per GB and $3.45 a day across the trip. That leaves 5 GB of headroom against the 15 GB estimate. The published operator list for United States names AT&T or Verizon, and no published source says which one a handset selects.
United States unlimited pricing beside the fixed ladder
The catalogue prices a 14-day unlimited bundle for United States at $43.49, which is $3.11 a day. The fixed 20 GB tier costs $34.46 and covers the 15 GB a 10-day trip needs at the moderate benchmark. The fixed tier is the cheaper of the two here by $9.03. Unlimited bundles carry a fair-use policy rather than an open tap.
Published entry rates across the five providers
HelloRoam publishes a $3.50/GB fixed entry rate and takes checkout in 31 currencies, against 1 currency apiece at Airalo, Holafly, Nomad and Saily. Published fixed floors across the scored 5 read $3.00/GB at Nomad, $3.50/GB at HelloRoam, $3.99/GB at Saily, $4.50/GB at Airalo, with Holafly selling by the day at $2.99/day. The cheapest United States plan in that catalogue is 1 GB at $2.87, a destination price rather than a published floor. Support runs in 63 languages there, against 12 at Airalo, 10 at Holafly, 2 at Nomad and 1 at Saily.
A travel eSIM beside a United States local SIM
The catalogue prices a 1 GB eSIM for United States at $2.87, installed before departure over home WiFi. The country record puts an airport SIM at $30-50 for 10-30GB / 30 days, with a counter wait of 10-20 min; available at electronics stores in terminals. United States publishes no SIM registration requirement in the country record. HelloRoam refunds an unactivated eSIM for 180 days, against 30 days at Saily and Nomad and 14 at Airalo.
Setting up a United States eSIM in four steps
Buy the tier that matches the trip: the United States ladder starts at $2.87 for 1 GB. Install the profile over home WiFi under Settings, Cellular, Add eSIM on iPhone, or Settings, Network, SIMs, Add eSIM on Android. Turn on data roaming for the travel line and leave the home line's data off. On arrival the profile attaches to a local network.
Plan match by traveler profile
Each profile maps to a specific plan size and provider for United States.
Backpacker
Over 10 days in United States, a backpacker runs through 5 GB on maps and messaging. The 5 GB plan is priced at $10.01 here, $2.00 per GB, on the local network your handset finds. HelloRoam sells the shape this trip needs; Nomad publishes the lower fixed floor.
Budget travelers need 5GB over 10 days. The 5GB plan at $10.01 covers maps and messaging on the local network your handset finds.
Business traveler
A business traveler uses 30 GB across 10 days in United States on video calls and uploads. The 20 GB plan at $34.46 matches that on the local network your handset finds, at $1.72 per GB. On published plan shape, Holafly is the closest fit of the five, and Airalo still reaches more places at 200.
A 10-day business trip in United States needs 30GB minimum. Unlimited data at $3.49/day on the local network your handset finds keeps calls stable.
Family group
A family traveler in United States needs 20 GB for social media and navigation over 10 days. The 20 GB plan covers that at $34.46, or $1.72 per GB, on the local network your handset finds. Of the five we score, HelloRoam publishes the plan shape that fits, at an entry rate of $3.50/GB.
Three travelers sharing United States data need 45GB for 10 days. Each grabs the 20GB at $34.46 on the local network your handset finds.
Digital nomad
A digital nomad uses 25 GB across 10 days in United States on remote work and streaming. The 20 GB plan at $34.46 matches that on the local network your handset finds, at $1.72 per GB. The shape fit here is Holafly, which answers support in 10 languages and refunds for 180 days.
A nomad spending 10 days in United States burns 30GB. The 20GB at $34.46 on the local network your handset finds covers co-working sessions.
Your questions, answered
How many gigabytes per day should I budget in United States?
Budget 0.5 GB a day for maps and messaging, 1.5 GB a day for social media and browsing, and 3 GB a day if you stream. Over a 7-day United States trip those rates come to 4 GB, 11 GB and 21 GB. Most visitors land on the middle rate, so the 20 GB plan at $34.46 covers the moderate figure on the local network your handset finds. Past 3 GB a day the fixed tiers run out here, and unlimited days at $3.49 take over. Pick the daily rate that matches your habits at home, because a trip rarely changes them.
Which plan shape fits my United States trip, fixed tiers or unlimited days?
Two traveler types, two shapes in United States. The leisure visitor on maps, photos and messaging fits a fixed tier: 11 GB across 7 days, which the 20 GB plan covers at $34.46. The streamer or remote worker fits unlimited days at $3.49, where running out is not on the table. The shortest unlimited commitment sold here is 1 day at $3.35. Holafly publishes unlimited daily plans across the catalogue. HelloRoam and Airalo publish them for selected destinations only. There is no unlimited option from Nomad and Saily, fixed tiers only. Holafly publishes nothing by the gigabyte, so light users have no small plan to buy.
Which eSIM plan fits a light or heavy data user in United States?
Light users in United States who check maps, send messages, and browse briefly use about 4 GB over 7 days. The 5 GB plan at $10.01 ($2.00/GB) is the right fit. Moderate users average 1.5 GB a day and need the 20 GB plan at $34.46 ($1.72/GB). Heavy users streaming video or video-calling use 21 GB or more, and the 20 GB plan at $34.46 ($1.72/GB) is the largest tier sold here, so a heavy pace needs a second purchase or an unlimited plan. That is $0.28/GB less than the entry tier charges.
What should I check on my phone before I buy a United States plan?
If your phone is an iPhone XS or newer, a Samsung Galaxy S20 or newer, or a Google Pixel 3 or newer, it can run an eSIM profile. If it is carrier-locked, ask your operator to unlock it before you buy anything for United States. Dial *#06# and look for an EID line, because that number is what the profile installs against. The spelling varies from site to site, e-SIM and e SIM included. The technology does not.
What starts the clock on a United States plan, the purchase or the landing?
Three events, one clock. Purchase: no countdown. Installing the QR code over WiFi: still no countdown. First connection to a United States mobile network: the countdown begins. That separation is what lets you set the phone up at home and arrive already connected. The 1 GB plan at $2.87 suits a short stay. The 20 GB plan at $34.46 suits a longer one. Buy within 3 days of departure and the window lines up with the trip.
Is United States well-covered by travel eSIM networks in North America?
For a North America trip centred on United States, the picture is simple. 2 operators (AT&T, Verizon) deliver 5G service, and travel eSIMs ride the same infrastructure as local SIMs. Coverage is strongest in urban centres and transport hubs. The 5 GB plan at $10.01 ($2.00/GB) fits a standard North America visit. If the trip grows another leg, check reach before loyalty. On published reach the order runs Airalo, Nomad and Saily at 200, HelloRoam at 186 and Holafly at 160.
Which activities use the most mobile data in United States?
Streaming and video calls are the two activities that force a bigger tier in United States. Both put a day on the published 3 GB heavy band. Everything else a tourist does, navigation included, sits on the 0.5 GB light band or the 1.5 GB moderate one. Downloading video over hotel WiFi keeps the trip on the lower band, and the 5 GB plan at $10.01 then covers more days.
How do I match a United States plan tier to the number of nights I am staying?
The arithmetic is one line: nights multiplied by 1.5 GB a day equals the data you need. Match the result against the United States tiers: 1 to 2 nights takes the 3 GB plan at $6.87 ($2.29/GB); 3 nights takes the 5 GB plan at $10.01 ($2.00/GB); 4 to 6 nights takes the 10 GB plan at $16.41 ($1.64/GB); 7 to 13 nights takes the 20 GB plan at $34.46 ($1.72/GB). Add 20% for streaming days. The 10 GB plan holds the lowest per-GB rate here at $1.64/GB. Round up rather than down at every step, since unused data costs you cents and running out costs you an evening.
How many days must I commit to for unlimited pricing in United States?
You commit to at least 1 day, which costs $3.35 in United States. If your trip runs longer, book the days upfront: the 30-day tier costs $2.86 a day, 18% below the $3.49 base rate. If you extend later instead, you pay the base rate for the extra days. Full 5G speed runs to 2GB a day before fair-use terms apply.
Which provider backs up a mis-sized United States plan?
HelloRoam publishes the widest support access of the five we score, at 63 languages over live chat, WhatsApp and email, around the clock. HelloRoam publishes support in 63 languages, Airalo 12, Holafly 10, Nomad 2 and Saily 1. Language matters more than it sounds when a plan is wrong in a country you have not been to before. On refunds: HelloRoam and Holafly publish 180 days, Nomad and Saily 30 days and Airalo 14 days, all measured on an unactivated eSIM. Buy the size you need in United States, then keep the receipt until the profile is live. Sizing up first is still cheaper than any refund: the 10 GB plan holds the lowest rate here at $1.64/GB.
Nearby destinations
Four questions size a United States plan
Answer four quick questions and we'll pick the right tier, provider and price for your trip.
Take the 60-second quiz