Which eSIM brand is best in 2026? 10 options compared by plan, support and value

How this comparison was made

This comparison is based on each brand's published plans, policies and help pages as of October 2026, not on a test trip. This site sells eSIMs too, so esimonline appears as one of the ten options and is listed last.

Summary table of the 10 options

The 10 options one by one

Airalo

Airalo calls itself the first eSIM store and covers 200+ countries and regions, with apps and a Thai-language website. Most plans are data only. Unlimited plans drop to 1 Mbps after 3GB in a day. Limitation: a wrong purchase is refunded as Airmoney credit only.

Holafly

Holafly sells unlimited trip plans by number of days, plus monthly subscriptions, all data only. Hotspot has a cap (1 GB a day on the Japan page). Limitation: its FAQ, updated 1 October 2026, says top-ups are gone, so a longer trip needs a new plan, and we found no Thai site.

Nomad

Nomad has GB packages in 200+ destinations, plus Unlimited and Day Plans with a set high-speed amount per day, then 512 kbps. Mostly data only, though the Thailand eSIM from TRUE has a number. It has a Thai help centre. Limitation: Unlimited plans are non-refundable.

Saily

Per its App Store listing, Saily is from Nord Security and offers an ad blocker, top-ups, sharing for up to 4 people and a paid virtual US number add-on. Limitation: Thai is not in the app's languages, and its website blocks automated reading, so read the refund and activation terms yourself.

Ubigi

Ubigi is a Transatel brand, majority-owned by NTT Communications. It sells prepaid data with no number, calls or SMS, and supports Windows 10/11. Unlimited plans in 90+ destinations slow to 2 Mbps after a threshold. Limitation: refunds only before the QR is scanned, and support appears not to include Thai (check again).

Yesim

Yesim's Pay & Fly is a balance on one eSIM across 170+ countries whose leftover carries over, alongside Unlim Day Pass and GB packages. The site has a Thai option. Limitation: installing the profile counts as activation, which ends the 30-day refund window.

Klook

Klook is a marketplace reselling other suppliers' eSIMs, so rules differ by product. As of October 2026 it reportedly has a Thai site and app with THB prices (check again). Limitation: refund terms and QR expiry depend on the supplier, and a local China SIM may block Google and LINE.

AIS SIM2Fly

SIM2Fly is AIS's roaming SIM, as an eSIM or physical SIM, usable from any Thai network but on a new AIS prepaid number. It has country packs (Japan on Softbank, KDDI, NTT DOCOMO, Rakuten), regional and worldwide packs, and Ultimate tiers with calls and SMS. Limitation: once opened it must be used abroad within 60 days or the bundled pack is lost.

True/dtac GO Travel

GO Travel is True's single roaming brand for True and dtac customers (the old dtac GO INTER pages redirect to it). The MyPlan eSIM lets you choose countries, days and data, on a separate TrueMove H number, registered with a face scan and Thai ID. Limitation: no calls or SMS, 128 Kbps after the quota, and use abroad within 60 days of scanning.

esimonline

Disclosure: this site sells eSIMs too. Plans are in THB, need no app, and the QR arrives by email. Support is in Thai, English and Chinese, and you can request a refund yourself within 14 days if not installed. Limitation: data only with no phone number, so keep your Thai SIM for bank OTP SMS.

Comparing cost per GB for your dates

Prices change weekly, so this guide gives no amounts. Compare the pricing model, then apply the current price for your dates.

1. 1Fix your dates and data needCount the days abroad and estimate the GB you use per day.
2. 2Identify the pricing modelFixed GB, daily cap, unlimited with a speed threshold, or pay as you go.
3. 3Work out cost per GBDivide the current price by the GB you will use over the trip, or by the days for unlimited plans.
4. 4Check when validity starts and the install deadlineSome start on connection abroad, some on install, some require use within 60 days.
5. 5Add top-up cost and hotspot rulesIf top-ups are not offered you buy a new plan; check hotspot caps if you tether a laptop.

Why speed depends on the local network

Every travel eSIM borrows an operator's network in the destination. The brand writes the plan, the signal belongs to the operator, and two brands on the same operator use the same towers. What differs is plan rules such as a daily threshold (Airalo at 3GB a day, Ubigi down to 2 Mbps).

Check these on the plan page before you buy.

• The local network names, for example NTT docomo, KDDI or SoftBank in Japan
• The speed after the daily threshold or quota runs out
• That your phone supports 4G and that network's bands

Which option suits which traveller

• Want calls from a number: SIM2Fly Ultimate, or GO Travel roaming packs on your existing number
• One country, short trip: country plans from Airalo, Nomad or esimonline
• Heavy daily use: unlimited plans from Holafly, Airalo, Nomad or Ubigi, with the speed threshold checked
• Several countries: Yesim Pay & Fly or a regional plan

Browse eSIM plans on esimonline