Travel or save money? The constant question on the minds of anyone with a bit of wanderlust and a tight budget. If you do jump on an opportunity and snag a seat sale to the USA, you can rest assured that staying connected doesn’t have to be an added weight on your budgetary constraints.
Using an eSIM is a simple, affordable, and flexible way to stay online all across America. Take a look at how an eSIM works, why they’re an excellent option for intentional travel, and a few different options to find the cheapest e-SIM when visiting the United States.
What is an eSIM?
In short, an eSIM is simply a digital version of the traditional physical SIM card you might already be familiar with.
Instead of relying on fiddling with inserting a tiny physical card into your phone, an eSIM gives you the chance to download a data plan directly onto your phone or mobile device.
Why choose an eSIM over a physical SIM?
You’ll be impressed with the convenience that an eSIM can offer you—especially once you see that set-up takes only a few minutes. With dual SIM capability, you can keep your current phone number active while using a separate eSIM just for your time spent travelling in the United States.
In addition to convenience, eSIMs are super affordable, meaning you can sidestep the steep costs of roaming with international data plans that fit your specific needs.
As an added bonus, without the need for a physical SIM card, less electronic waste makes eSIMs an efficient and sustainable solution for staying connected.
Regardless of where you’ll be visiting in the United States, you’ll want to stay connected to navigate to your destination, access resources, make reservations, and check in with home. When public WiFi is unavailable, unreliable, or unsecure, having mobile data is an essential.
Which is the cheapest eSIM when visiting the United States?
First, here are a few factors to consider when you start to look at different eSIM providers and their list of offerings.
- Pricing and data allowance
- Coverage
- Length of plan
- Set-up and support
- Ongoing changes and ease of use
Second, take a closer about some of the most popular eSIM providers that offer plans for travellers to the United States.
aloSIM
aloSIM provides easy-to-use, flexible and affordable eSIM plans for international travel and every trip to the United States.
- Data plans start at $4.50 for 1GB of data, which is perfect for light users.
- Activation through their intuitive app is easy and straightforward.
- Topping up if data needs increase is easy and inexpensive.
Airalo
Airalo is another eSIM provider offering global coverage.
- U.S. plans start at $5 for 1GB of data with larger, more expensive plans also available.
- Pricing is competitive, though slightly higher than some alternatives.
- Coverage for travel through the United States is comprehensive.
Nomad
Nomad’s aim is to provide international eSIMs with no hidden fees.
- Plans for the United States begin at $8 for 1GB of data, valid for one week.
- The app is fairly user friendly for managing data plans.
- Connections for travellers needing light to moderate data usage are reliable.
Holafly
Holafly focuses on offering unlimited data eSIMs for connectivity.
- With a higher price tag, unlimited data plans start at $19 for 5 days.
- The unlimited data options can be helpful for heavy users.
- A good setup for business travellers who need constant access to the internet.
aloSIM remains the cheapest eSIM when visiting the United States plus tops the list with global coverage, easy setup, and ongoing management.
