Best eSIM for the USA compared

US networks are the part of this choice people skip. Coverage outside the big cities depends on which carrier your eSIM rides, so a plan that names its network earns a point before you look at price.

Airalo against Ubigi

Both sell 10 GB for 30 days. Airalo's plan is $22.50 and Ubigi's is $14 (Airalo checked November 2, 2026, Ubigi November 2, 2026). The gap is the headline.

What the price doesn't tell you is the network. Airalo's page names T-Mobile, Verizon, and says its US eSIM is rechargeable online with no expiry. Ubigi's plan list gives a size, a validity and a price, but no carrier. If you plan a road trip, that matters more than a few dollars.

Neither US page says whether hotspot works, though Airalo's help page on tethering says it does where your device and the network support it. Ubigi's page says one-off plans can be topped up. Ubigi also lists a 7-day, 10 GB plan at US$12 and an unlimited 7-day plan at US$23 (read November 2, 2026).

A hypothetical week in New York with 4 GB of use fits any of these. A month of remote work doesn't, and for that, run the numbers in the calculator.

The others

aloSIM's USA plan gives 10 GB for 7 days at $21.50. Its page says the network is T-Mobile, Verizon, hotspot works, and top-ups are available. Every plan includes a free Hushed US number for calls and texts, which is the thing hotel check-ins and delivery apps ask for. The validity is shorter than Airalo's 30 days, though, so it suits a week.

Holafly's unlimited plan runs 10 days at $36.50. Its page names AT&T and T-Mobile. Hotspot shares 1 GB a day, and the fair-usage policy can slow speeds for up to one day. Validity starts when the eSIM connects to a supported network. No phone number.

Nomad's USA page, read November 2, 2026, lists unlimited for 7 days at $23. Fixed plans include 10 GB for 30 days, which the page displayed as EUR 11.64. Nomad names Verizon and AT&T, says hotspot is supported, and lets you buy an add-on if you run out. It says to activate within 60 days of purchase, after which the plan starts on its own.

Which one

For a named network over 30 days, Airalo. For a smaller bill on the same 10 GB, compare the two prices above and check Ubigi's coverage first. For a US number for a week, aloSIM. For heavy daily use over 7 to 10 days, Holafly or Nomad unlimited, with the daily slowdowns in mind.

If you're weighing a plan against your carrier's day pass, our roaming cost explainer has the sums. Also see Nomad's review, the Thailand comparison and every eSIM plan.