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The 7 Best Prepaid eSIM Plans for the USA (September 2023) + Discounts

4G/5G, Networks, Speeds, Price, Hotspot : Discover our selection of 7 prepaid eSIM providers that offer great value for visting the United States.

Published: Jun 22, 2022

Table of content:

What are the best prepaid eSIM providers and plans for the United States?
Our recommendation (best value): Nomad and Simtex
Nomad: United States 20 GB
eSIM provider with the best user experience and 5G : Airalo
For long stays (30 days and more)
Best Mobile App: T-Mobile
What to consider before buying an eSIM for the USA
MVNO vs. Local Network plans
Network quality
Understand features or limitations
Conclusion

Last update: September 18th, 2023

If you're going to be one of the 79 million+ people who visit the United States and need an eSIM (or embedded SIM), you've come to the right place.

Everyone knows that mobile communications in the US are among the most expensive places in the world. Major US carriers still have prohibitive prices, which is hard to understand for most people living outside the US who are used to cheap and affordable 4G or 5G mobile data.

In order to get a cheap data plan, you'll probably have to do a thorough web search, compare lots of options, order a physical SIM card weeks in advance, and pray that everything works once you get there. Sounds old-school, right?

Luckily, eSIM plans are here now, and if you own one eSIM compatible device (check our recently updated list here), you already have access to hundreds of virtual SIM cards (eSIM) from providers around the world and you can connect in the next 5 minutes if you are already in the United States.

Here are our top seven picks of eSIM providers and plans for traveling to the US that will help you avoid roaming charges, are affordable, and give you great value.

But before we dive in, it is probably a good idea to explain you what you should look at and be careful about when you buy a travel plan for the US.

Before you lock in your eSIM plan, be sure you've got a handle on the key considerations to avoid any surprises (scroll to the bottom of this article)

Table of content:

What are the best prepaid eSIM providers and plans for the United States?
Our recommendation (best value): Nomad and Simtex
Nomad: United States 20 GB
eSIM provider with the best user experience and 5G : Airalo
For long stays (30 days and more)
Best Mobile App: T-Mobile
What to consider before buying an eSIM for the USA
MVNO vs. Local Network plans
Network quality
Understand features or limitations
Conclusion

What are the best prepaid eSIM providers and plans for the United States?

Our recommendation (best value): Nomad and Simtex

The most advantageous eSIM plans for the United States are undoubtedly Nomad and Simtex. Nomad is a Singapore and US based eSIM data provider that offers data plans worldwide. Simtex is similar, except it's based in Israel. Both providers offer very aggressive prices and offer good quality networks and data for travelers to the United States.

Nomad: United States 20 GB

The plan includes 20 GB of mobile data valid for 30 days. For $32.00 ($31.00 after using coupon code "ESIMSIO"), this plan has one of the best price/GB ($1.55/GB) we could find. Nomad's plan is offered by eSIM Go, a global connectivity provider.

The network you will be connecting to are T-Mobile, Verizon or AT&T, Tier 1 network operators in the United States, and you can expect 4G speeds. It is not clear whether Nomad supports 5G or not, though.

Please note that the plan can also be topped-up.

Geographically, this plan is designed for use exclusively within the United States.

Data

20 GB

Validity30 day(s)

🇺🇸 United States

Data only

Network(s) : AT&T (4G), Verizon (4G)

Special Offer : $1 OFF

Local United States of America - 30 Days - 20 GB

Nomad

$31.00

$32.00

$1.55/GB

Learn more ›

Simtex comes with a similar all-purpose 10GB data-only plan in the US. This prepaid plan is valid for 30 days once you activate it and costs $22.5 after applying our "ESIMSIO" voucher code on the Simtex website.

This plan is also competitive with a price/GB of $2.25. When we tried this plan in New York, we were able to get 4G speeds and were roaming on Tier 1 providers.

Data

10 GB

Validity30 day(s)

🇺🇸 United States

Data only

Special Offer : 10% OFF

United States - 10GB - 30D (new)

Simtex

$22.50

$25.00

$2.25/GB

Learn more ›

eSIM provider with the best user experience and 5G : Airalo

🎁 In September 2023 : New Airalo Customers get 15% Discount on all Airalo eSIMs with the code “SEP15“

If you're looking for a decent amount of data while keeping things relatively cheap and having a great user experience, you should definitely check out Airalo. Airalo is a Singapore-based eSIM provider that offers eSIM plans for hundreds of destinations. Their website, app and overall experience are excellent and getting an eSIM is a breeze.

On top of that, Airalo has great roaming agreements and you can expect to get 4G speeds in most of the country with Tier 1 telecom providers for the US: T-Mobile Networks and AT&T.

UPDATE: Airalo recently changed their plan to be 5G compatible for the US, which is great news!.

We love Airalo's "Change" plans for the US, which come in three different flavors: 10GB, 5GB, and 3GB and cost $26.00, $16.00, and $11.00 respectively.

Data

10 GB

Validity30 day(s)

🇺🇸 United States

Data only

Network(s) : T-Mobile (5G), Verizon (5G)

Special Offer : 15% OFF

Change - 10 GB

Airalo

$22.10

$26.00

$2.21/GB

Learn more ›

Data

5 GB

Validity30 day(s)

🇺🇸 United States

Data only

Network(s) : T-Mobile (5G), Verizon (5G)

Special Offer : 15% OFF

Change - 5 GB

Airalo

$13.60

$16.00

$2.72/GB

Learn more ›

Data

3 GB

Validity30 day(s)

🇺🇸 United States

Data only

Network(s) : T-Mobile (5G), Verizon (5G)

Special Offer : 15% OFF

Change - 3 GB

Airalo

$9.35

$11.00

$3.12/GB

Learn more ›

For long stays (30 days and more)

If you are staying in the United States for more than 30 days. Or intend to come several times to the country, KeepGo and BNESIM offer excellent eSIM plans valid for 365 days or not expiring.

KeepGo, an Israel-based telecom provider, offers a 25GB eSIM plan valid for 365 days. With a price tag of $90.00, it is more expensive but still offers great value due to its super long duration. KeepGo has roaming agreements for the United States with AT&T and T-Mobile. Note that the data remains valid for life, if filled in at least once a year (for any amount).

Data

25 GB

Validity365 day(s)

🇺🇸 United States

Data only

Solaris

KeepGo

$88.00

$3.52/GB

Learn more ›

BNESIM, an Italian eSIM provider, offers a 30 days 20 GB eSIM package! After using promo code "ESIMS15", the plan costs $46.12 ($54.26 if you don't use our discount code). Expect 4G speeds on BNESIM's US roaming partner: AT&T and T-Mobile.

Data

20 GB

Validity30 day(s)

🇺🇸 United States

Data only

Network(s) : AT, T-MOBILE (4G, 3G, 2G)

Special Offer : 30% OFF

Surf 20GB/month in United States

BNESIM

$37.27

$53.24

$1.86/GB

Learn more ›

Best Mobile App: T-Mobile

T-mobile, one of the major US local carriers, offers a prepaid eSIM plan aimed at tourists. For $40 you will get 10 GB of data. It's a bit pricey, but you can experience the excellent T-Mobile app and the T-mobile network. To connect, all you have to do is download the T-mobile eSIM app and get your plan here, which is very simple and straightforward.

T-Mobile ONE Prepaid

Data

10000 GB

Validity

30 days

Price

USD 70

Buy now

What to consider before buying an eSIM for the USA

There are many eSIM plan options already available if you are travelling to the USA. On esims.io, as of today, we list more than 300 plans from dozen of providers that are compatible in the USA.

Most of those plans are great and will do just fine for most internet browsing needs, but there are some important features related to the eSIM plan you purchase and to the provider you go with that you should be aware of before your purchase an eSIM plan.

MVNO vs. Local Network plans

First off, you've got two main types of plans: the ones created by MVNOs like Holafly, Airalo, and Nomad, and then your local big dogs like AT&T and Verizon.

If you're a globetrotter hopping from the U.S. to Canada to Mexico, MVNOs are your best friend. They offer multi-country plans that give you the freedom to roam. But if you're staying put in the U.S., you might want to stick with AT&T or Verizon for more consistent speeds and better coverage.

Network quality

Local Network Compatibility: The Roaming Game Now, if you do go the MVNO route, you've got to play detective. It's crucial to investigate which local networks the MVNO has roaming partnerships with to see which ones you will be able to use.

In the U.S, Nomad offers roaming with both AT&T & Verizon networks.

You don't want to be left hanging with a weak signal when you're in dire need of Google Maps. According to PCMag's 2022 mobile network tests, T-Mobile is currently the best network in the U.S., winning in 18 out of 30 cities tested. They've also improved their rural coverage, although they still have more dead zones in rural areas compared to AT&T and Verizon. AT&T, on the other hand, shines in network reliability, particularly in rural areas.

So, if you're going MVNO, look for one that partners with all those networks if possible, or with one of those networks if you have specific needs.

Network Prioritization: The VIP vs. Back of the Line Dilemma In the U.S., the big networks like AT&T and Verizon have this VIP list, and guess what? MVNO users aren't on it. So, during busy times, you might find your data speeds throttled. Just something to keep in mind.

Internet Routing and Latency: The Long Way Home This one's a bit geeky but super important. Some MVNOs route your internet traffic through servers that are miles away from your actual location. Imagine sending your data on a round-trip flight to Europe before it gets to your phone in the U.S.

Yeah, that's gonna cause some lag. Some MVNOs are smart about this and have servers all over the world to minimize this issue.

4G/5G: The Need for Speed Most plans are still on the 4G train, but if you're all about that speed, look for plans that offer 5G. It's not everywhere yet, but it's growing.

Understand features or limitations

Phone Number, Text, SMS: careful about VOIP solutions A lot of eSIM plans are data-only, which is cool if you're just gonna WhatsApp or FaceTime people. But if you need an actual phone number, dig a little deeper. Some plans offer it directly, while others might require you to use a VOIP app. Heads up, though—some services like Uber are picky and won't take VOIP numbers.

Hotspot Functionality: Sharing is Caring, or Not? If you're the type who likes to share your connection with other devices, check if the eSIM plan allows for hotspotting. Some do, some don't. Don't assume; always check.

Unlimited Plans and Fair Usage Policy: The "Unlimited" Mirage Lastly, don't get seduced by the word "unlimited." Read the fine print. Most of these so-called unlimited plans have a Fair Usage Policy that'll cap your data after you hit a certain point.

Read the fine lines: Holafly's unlimited plans are not truly unlimited and limit your speeds after a certain usage has been reached.

Conclusion

The United States is not the country where you will get the cheapest prepaid data plans, and you have to be careful about what your eSIM might hide before you purchase it.

That said, some eSIM providers are able to offer eSIM plans that offer decent value and won't break your bank. We love Nomad, Simtex and Airalo products.

If you are not satisfied, you will find more eSIM plans options for the USA on esims.io. You can also contact us at hello@esims.io if you need advice!