Latvia: 5 Travel eSIMs Compared & Tested + Discounts (February 2023)

Photo by Aleksas Stan on Unsplash

Last updated March 2023

Latvia may not be your typical travel destination, but don't let that stop you. Considered one of Europe's greenest nations, 45% of the country is covered in forests. But access to nature isn't the only great thing about it. Latvia is an excellent destination to experience the beauty of all four seasons. So whether you decide to get lost in the charming old town of Riga or explore some of the countryside, you won't be disappointed.

If you are planning a trip to the small yet impressive country, you'll need an eSIM. For your convenience, we've compared and tested five different eSIMs to determine the best option.

Overview of main local providers

When it comes to size, Latvia is certainly not the biggest. In fact, its area comprises just 64,589 square meters. Surprisingly, for its relatively small size, the country has three main cellular service providers, which are:

• LMT

• TELE2

• BITE

Of the three providers, LMT and TELE2 are known to have better coverage. However, BITE is fast catching up to them. Overall, in Latvia, you should expect quite a fast internet connection, and in most areas, LTE is available.

When it comes to 5G, it's a different situation. Although technically, 5G has been available on all three networks since July 2019, there are only a few places it would actually work. As of now, LMT has the widest 4G coverage in Latvia.

Right now, all three operators offer their own eSIM plans. At LMT, you can get an eSIM with a new phone number. Prices for their plans start as low as 99 cents, most of which are valid for 120 days. Since LMT has the best coverage in Latvia, their eSIM is the best option.

TELE2 is a bit more expensive. Existing customers can switch to an eSIM for 5,17 euros. For new clients, the cheapest plan is 12,49 euros per month and includes 3G of data.

BITE also has its own eSIM plans, but they don't offer many details on their website about it.

LMT network coverage in Latvia

Bite network coverage in Latvia

TELE2 network coverage in Latvia

As you can see, the best coverage is offered by LMT. Unfortunately, most prepaid eSIM plans don't operate on this network. If you look through the options available, you'll notice that most of them work on BITE or TELE2 networks. The upside – all operators provide great connections in Riga, the capital of Latvia. Travelers who don't plan on spending much time outside it won't notice a big difference.

When it comes to download speed (source: Opensignal), LMT is a winner with 32.00 Mbps. BITE is second – with 29.3, and TELE2 follows with 24.9 Mbps.

Upload speed, however, is better for BITE (10.6 Mbps). TELE2 is 8.5, while LMT is 8.3 Mbps.

5 travel eSIM plans compared & tested

So, you've decided to visit Latvia and use an eSIM. What's next? First, you must head to esims.io and check out all the plans available. Next, you must decide what factors are important to you. Do you plan on doing data-consuming tasks? Will you visit the countryside too? Do you plan to explore neighboring countries? How long will you stay in Latvia?

Once you have the answers to these questions, making a decision will be easier.

'Latvia 1 GB' by Nomad

Spending a week in Latvia is enough to visit all the major attractions. If you agree, you should consider testing the 'Latvia 1 GB' plan by Nomad. With our voucher 'ESIMS23', you can get $1 off your purchase. So instead of paying $6, spend just $5.

This plan, like most others, operates on the BITE network (there is no option to switch between networks). Unless you plan to head North-East, you should have no problem with the connection. What's great, you have 30 days to activate the eSIM, plus it works on LTE speed. You can use a hotspot too. To make calls or send texts, you must use your primary SIM.

Although BITE has access to 5G in some parts of Riga, it's more of an exception. To set up the eSIM, you can scan a QR code or use their app. According to Speedtest, my download speed was 23,83 Mbps, which is considered average.

Generally, Nomad's plan is a good one (the company has a good reputation), but compared to other packages, it's on the more expensive side. If that doesn't bother you, you will be satisfied.

Data

1 GB

Validity7 day(s)

🇱🇻 Latvia

Data only

Network(s) : Multiple carriers (4G, LTE)

Special Offer : $1 OFF

Local Latvia - 7 Days - 1 GB

Nomad

$5.00

$6.00

$5.00/GB

Learn more ›

Other plans by Nomad (before discount):

• Latvia / 1GB / valid 7 days / $9 / link

• Latvia / 3GB / valid 30 days / $17 / link

• Latvia / 5GB / valid 30 days / $18 / link

• Latvia /10GB / valid 30 days / $26 / link

There are several global plans (mainly for the EU)  available too, which offer 1, 3, 5, and 10GB of data.

'Europe 3 GB Data 30 Days ' by Airhub

Travelers planning a Euro trip or at least hoping to visit the rest of the Baltic States too can opt for the 'Europe 3 GB Data 30 Days' plan by Airhub. Within it, you get 3 GB of data that can be used in 30 days in 18 European countries.

This is a 4G data-only eSIM, which, similar to Nomad, works on the BITE network (you can't switch between different networks). Once you make the purchase, a QR code will be sent to your e-mail. What's great, you can use a hotspot too. According to the Speedtest, my download speed was 39.22 Mbps. This plan doesn't include a phone number – it's data-only.

The price for the plan is $10, which is quite a lot. However, for visiting several countries, that's not too bad.

Data

3 GB

Validity30 day(s)

15 countries

Data only

Special Offer : 3% OFF

Europe 3 GB Data 30 Days

Airhub

$10.67

$11.00

$3.56/GB

Learn more ›

Other plans by Airhub:

• Latvia / 5 GB / valid for 30 days / $13,50 / link

Global plans that work in Latvia:

• Global / 3GB / valid for 30 days / $20 / link

• Europe / 8 GB / valid for 14 days / $25 / link

• Europe / 10 GB / valid for 30 days / $24 / link

• Europe / 2- GB / valid for 14 days / $40 / link

'Surf 1GB in Latvia' by BNESIM

BNESIM has a good reputation for having some of the best eSIMs on the market. I agree. Using our voucher 'ESIMS10', you can buy the plan for $3,19 and get 1 GB of data.

To install the eSIM, you must download their mobile app, which is not the most convenient option. Also, remember to check your account details – I had subscribed to their services without realizing it!

An advantage of this plan is that it operates on the TELE2 network. This means you can access 5G if you are in the places it's available. Most of the time, however, you can enjoy a fast LTE connection. With BNESIM eSIM, you can use a hotspot, which is excellent for sharing the internet. According to Speedtest, my download speed was 60.62 Mbps, which is very good.

One of the coolest features of this plan is that it has no expiration date. You can use it even after years have passed.

Data

1 GB

ValidityNo expiration

🇱🇻 Latvia

Data only

Network(s) : BITE (4G, 3G, 2G)

Special Offer : 30% OFF

Surf 1GB in Latvia

BNESIM

$2.52

$3.60

$2.52/GB

Learn more ›

BNESIM has 28 plans available in Latvia. They range between 1GB to even 50 and 100 GB, so you can easily find one that fits your data needs.

Data

50 GB

Validity30 day(s)

Renewed automatically after 30 day(s). You can cancel at any time without cost.

🇱🇻 Latvia

Data only

Network(s) : BITE (4G, 3G, 2G)

Special Offer : €20 OFF

Surf 50GB/month in Latvia

BNESIM

$67.19

$88.35

$1.34/GB

Learn more ›

Data

100 GB

Validity30 day(s)

Renewed automatically after 30 day(s). You can cancel at any time without cost.

🇱🇻 Latvia

Data only

Network(s) : BITE (4G, 3G, 2G)

Special Offer : €20 OFF

Surf 100GB/month in Latvia

BNESIM

$124.67

$145.83

$1.25/GB

Learn more ›

'Most Popular' by GlobaleSIM

Among the cheapest eSIM plans available for Latvia is 'Most Popular' by GlobaleSIM. If you decide to go for this package, you'll get 1GB of data that should be used within 7 days. This is a global plan, which means it will work in 64 other countries. Considering the package costs just $6, it's a great option!

Getting your eSIM through GlobaleSIM is surprisingly easy. You don't even have to create an account. After the payment, I received the QR code in my e-mail. Using GlobaleSIM, I could roam on the TELE2 network, and the 4G connection was pretty fast.

Another advantage of this plan is that you can select your preferred phone number (USA, Canada, or United Kingdom). If you wish, you can add voice minutes to your package. Within the service, you can make use of free incoming texts (but not outgoing SMS). Plus – you can switch on the hotspot. According to the speed test, the download speed was 41.00 Mbs.

If I had to choose just one plan, I'd go for this one. For a great price, you get an eSIM that works in 65 countries, and you can use its phone number too.

Data

10 GB

Validity30 day(s)

45 countries

Data and Phone number*

Special Offer : 10% OFF

Europe

GlobaleSIM

$22.50

$25.00

$2.25/GB

Learn more ›

Those who need more data won't have trouble finding a package that suits them. GlobaleSIM has 20 plans available, which work in Latvia. From 1 to 10 GB – choose which one you prefer. Some of them are global plans, which means you can use them in several countries.

'YESIM European Union 3GB' by YESIM

While YESIM is less popular than other ESIM providers, it is one of the best options on the market. I tried their regional plan, which works in the EU. The plan cost $9.47 - within it, I got 3GB of data valid for 6 days. What's great, new users receive an additional 5€ of Yesim credits (Ycoin) on their first purchase, so it will certainly be a good choice for those who haven't used an eSIM with Yesim before.

To set up YESIM's eSIM, you can scan a QR code sent to your e-mail or manually enter an activation code. This particular plan operates on the BITE network (it's impossible to roam on different ones). As already discussed, it's not the best option since their coverage is not as good.

While using their eSIM, I mostly had 4G+ internet. According to Speedtest, the download speed was 10.92 Mbs, which is quite slow. Still, that didn't really affect my experience – I had no trouble browsing through Instagram, TikTok, or Youtube. After installing the eSIM, you can also use a hotspot.

Keep in mind the company's eSIMs are data-only, so you won't get a phone number. Although the internet speed could be better, I was still pleasantly impressed with YESIM.

In Latvia, you can use 8 of YESIM's plans.

• Latvia / 3GB / valid for 5 days / $9.47 / link

• Latvia / 5GB / valid for 7 days / $14.20 / link

• Latvia / 10GB / valid for 10 days / $26.30 / link

• Latvia / Unlimited data / valid for 15 days / $34.19 / link

Data

3 GB

Validity5 day(s)

31 countries

Data only

Special Offer : €5 OFF

Yesim European Union 3GB

Yesim

$4.23

$9.52

$1.41/GB

Learn more ›

Global plans:

• European Union / 1GB / valid for 14 days / $5,21 / link

• European Union / 3GB / valid for 14 days / $14,60 / link

• European Union / 5GB / valid for 28 days / $20,86 / link

• European Union / 100 GB / valid for 90 days/ $155,39 / link

End notes

If you are planning a visit to Latvia, you can see there are plenty of options available. Some offer better speed, others – more data, so it all depends on your specific wishes. Our favorite from the list is eSIM by Globalesim, which doesn't just include data but also a phone number. To find more plans for Latvia, click here.