5 Of The Best Apps For Roaming Data And eSIMs

Whether you're a travel vlogger roaming the world with a camera, a digital nomad, or you simply enjoy exploring different parts of the world, one of the most important things to do on your phone before traveling is to sort out the internet connectivity. Your regular carrier may offer you roaming plans, but they would almost always be more expensive compared to getting a dedicated SIM for the country you're visiting. While you can still head to your destination and pick up a SIM card from a local store, it's inconvenient. So, an effective workaround that not only takes just a few minutes but also doesn't occupy a physical SIM slot on your phone is getting an eSIM.

There are several apps and services that you can install on a compatible phone to purchase an eSIM suitable for the country you're traveling to. This is a convenient solution, since you can technically have a SIM before you arrive at your destination. You can use it to book a cab or look up directions to your hotel. Apart from convenience, the biggest advantage is the cost. An eSIM purchased via apps like these can turn out to be substantially cheaper than getting a roaming plan from your carrier. The savings only get better as the duration of your stay increases. Now, several such apps let you purchase eSIMs, so it can be confusing to choose one that works best for your usage. Owing to this, we decided to list a few of the best eSIM apps for roaming data, based on parameters like pricing, network stability, number of countries supported, and additional perks.

Nomad stands out as a budget-friendly eSIM provider, designed for travelers who are looking for the best deal. It is ideal for solo travelers who don't want to spend much. The app is designed well and makes the process of browsing, purchasing, and activating data plans quite intuitive. 

Covering over 190 countries across 10 regions, Nomad offers local, regional, and global plans, with a standout feature being the ability to choose whether you want to pay daily or for a longer period. If you're unsure about the duration of your stay, you can opt for the daily plan and renew for as long as necessary. If your plan is clearer, then a monthly plan with a fixed bandwidth is likely more cost-effective. There's a 1 GB plan that's perfect for moderate users who need connectivity only for navigation, messaging, or light browsing.

If you're traveling to Asian countries, Nomad's pricing is highly competitive. Nomad's app includes real-time data tracking, hotspot functionality to use additional devices, and a referral program offering up to 25% discounts. Nomad's flexibility shines for short-term trips or multi-country travel, since the app also offers regional plans for Europe or Asia-Pacific territories. Its focus on affordability and ease of use makes it ideal for digital nomads or budget travelers. However, heavy data users may prefer apps with a greater choice of unlimited data plans.

Launched in 2024 by Nord Security — the company you may know from the popular NordVPN — Saily is a newcomer that prioritizes a simple yet attractive UI with a bunch of additional perks. For instance, there's a built-in option to pick a virtual location, an ad blocker when browsing the web, and an interface that makes the process extremely simple for those using an eSIM for the first time. Saily covers 200+ destinations by partnering with local carriers to deliver reliable 3G,4G, and even 5G connections. Saily claims that the built-in ad blocker can reduce data consumption to a certain extent — which means users can opt for cheaper plans to save both data and money. Speaking of money, the pricing is highly competitive, right in line with some other apps on this list, or even undercutting them in some instances.

However, Saily's limitation is its focus on country-specific plans, lacking regional or global options, which can be slightly inconvenient if you're hopping from one country to another in the same region. That said, the data-only plans are useful for those who rely on VoIP apps like WhatsApp or Telegram. In Europe, Saily is known to excel with solid connectivity and affordable prices compared to other options. Just like Nomad, there are several options in the Saily app to pick the duration of your plan, the required bandwidth, etc. The minimum duration for a plan is seven days, which provides 1 GB of high-speed data. If you want the added security features and are headed to Europe, you should check out Saily.

If you've ever looked up eSIM apps in the past, you must have surely come across Airalo. After all, it's one of the world's largest eSIM marketplaces. Airao is a favorite among travelers for its extensive coverage and flexibility, serving over 10 million users across more than 200 countries. The app may feel clunky at first, but once you get the hang of it, features like real-time data tracking and instant top-ups when you're running low on data are helpful. Airalo's strength lies in its variety of plans — local, regional, and global — with the Discover+ package adding voice and SMS options — a rarity among eSIM providers. Of course, that's going to be more expensive than a standard eSIM restricted to a country, but it's always nice to have options.

Speaking of pricing, Airalo's tariffs are slightly on the higher side compared to some other options on this list. Partnerships with established carriers ensure reliable 4G and 5G coverage across the globe. Airalo's regional plans, like those covering 41 European countries, are ideal for multi-country trips. You won't have to go through the hassle of browsing through and selecting individual plans for each country. Airalo's global plan is perfect for travelers hopping between continents — especially those who travel all the time for work-related commitments. It's pricier than regional options, but you can't put a price on peace of mind. If you're more interested in unlimited plans for a specific region, Holafly is the way to go.

Are you the kind who streams movies or TV shows when traveling? If yes, Holafly is tailor-made for you. While there are plans for just about anyone, heavy data users may see more value in the unlimited plan offered by the app. The best part is that the unlimited plan isn't restricted to certain regions. So, you can stream, attend video calls, or carry out remote work no matter where you are. 

If you're on a workcation or a freelancer who hops from one country to another since you have no fixed place of work, getting an unlimited plan from Holafly for the duration of your stay is worth it. You don't have to worry about running out of data during a call with your client. Unlike competitors, Holafly prices plans by duration, not data. This is because all its plans are unlimited.

For instance, you can pay $20 for five days, or $54 for 20 days of data. Technically, the pricing is higher compared to the competition. However, there's no cap on data, which makes it a worthy option for several users. Notably, Holafly lacks any sort of voice or SMS option present on Airalo. You can still use VoIP-based apps, though. Just like Airalo, Holafly also offers regional plans in certain continents. Holafly's unlimited plans also shine for longer stays — at which point, they may even offer more value compared to renewing a cheaper plan multiple times. We recommend using Holafly in European and North American countries, since their tariffs in Asia and Africa aren't as competitive.

Ubigi is a reliable eSIM provider offering coverage in 200+ countries. The app is available in eight languages, supports instant plan activation, Wi-Fi tethering, and a no-frills approach. Granted, Ubigi's interface is considerably less polished than Airalo's or Saily's. The app looks dated, the design language is from the previous decade, and there are no fancy UI elements that give it a modern look. That said, this can also be a blessing for those who aren't well-versed with tech and are exploring eSIMs for the first time. It's less intimidating for sure. Where Ubigi loses out in terms of aesthetics, it makes up with competitive pricing. It undercuts the competition by 20-25% in some regions, which can result in substantial savings on longer trips.

Speaking of longer trips, Ubigi also offers annual plans that cater to long-term travelers. Just like Holafly, the app also offers unlimited plans for those who are chronically online. The app's hotspot functionality and pay-as-you-go top-ups add flexibility to those who aren't sure how much data they will require. Compared to some other apps, Ubigi offers better value in countries like Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and the U.S. — especially if you opt for the annual plans. For travelers prioritizing cost and reliability over flashy features, Ubigi is a strong contender. Additionally, you can also use connected car features with the app, which means you can use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay with the data if you've rented a car.

One of the most important aspects when picking an app for an eSIM or roaming data is the list of supported countries. You may be headed to a country that's not so popular, so getting an eSIM may not be as straightforward as traveling to popular countries like Italy, France, or Singapore. The next factor that can make or break the deal for lots of users is the cost. The whole point of installing an eSIM from an app is not to pay exorbitant roaming charges to your local carrier when traveling. So if an app provides expensive roaming plans, it defeats the purpose. We've ensured that all the apps mentioned in this list have an extensive list of supported countries, while providing reasonable prices for most of them.

Factors like cross-platform compatibility are also important, since some users may prefer an iPhone, while others may be using phones with a better operating system — Android. All five apps are present on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Some other minor but impactful features we've taken into consideration are the variety of mobile data plans available, plan duration, app functionality, and call and hotspot availability.