Best eSIM for the UK in 2026: prices from 26 providers compared

The best eSIM for the UK depends on the trip: Telcomia sold 10 GB for 30 days on EE at €5.80, Airalo sold unlimited data at US$11.50 for 3 days on EE, Ubigi sold UK unlimited at US$26 a month and Orange Travel sold 500 GB for 90 days at €92.99, all read on 20 October 2026. This page compares the UK prices 26 providers published that day, with unlimited terms, hotspot rules, long-stay plans, the networks they name and the UK or Europe choice. Every price carries its currency, size, validity and source.

Which is the best eSIM for the UK?

Telcomia for the lowest 10 GB price in euros (€5.80 for 30 days on EE), Ubigi for unlimited data by the month (US$26), Airalo for short unlimited trips (US$11.50 for 3 days on EE), Nomad eSIM Partner for a month of unlimited data (USD 49), Sim Local for calls and texts on Three UK and Orange Travel for 90 days (500 GB for €92.99), all read on 20 October 2026. Saily, Holafly, Kolet and HelloRoam lead on one published fact each, shown in their cards.

Other UK prices published on 20 October 2026

These providers published a UK price or plan on the day. Each line is from the company's own page.

• Roamify: 1 GB, 7 days, US$2.50; 10 GB, 15 days US$11.00 or 30 days US$12.00; unlimited 1 day US$2.26, 30 days US$70.00.
• Global YO: 1 GB, 3 days, $2.68; 10 GB, 30 days, $10.94; unlimited 3 days $9.34, 30 days $42.14 (the page does not name the currency).
• BNESIM: 10 GB, 30 days, EUR 11.99, or EUR 13.99 with no expiry; unlimited 10 days, EUR 29.00.
• Eskimo: 10GB shown as US$ 19.90 and US$ 12.93 (the page does not label which is the sale price), no expiry.
• PuraSIM: 1 GB, 7 days, $2.99; 10 GB, 30 days, $15.99; 50 GB, 180 days, $78.49.
• Jetpac: 10 GB, 30 days, USD 17; unlimited 30 days USD 65.99.
• MobiMatter: 1 GB, 7 days, US$5.99; 20 GB, 30 days, US$21.99; 999 GB, 30 days, US$49.99.
• TravelSim: 10GB, 7 days, $13; 15GB, 30 days, $19; no unlimited UK plan.
• Roamless: unlimited 1 day $3.84, 3 days $11.43, 7 days $25.62; the fixed plans did not load.
• ArriveSIM: pay as you go from US$0.87/GB; no unlimited plan.
• Firsty: one global price list: 1GB €4.50, valid 30 days; unlimited "Starts at €2 per day".
• Maya Mobile: one global unlimited plan: 7 days USD 19.99, 30 days USD 49.99.
• Truely: unlimited "from $2.62/day"; no UK page, so plan lengths are not stated.
• KnowRoaming: home page card "UK From$3.50"; the size and days are not shown.
• Via eSIM: "From €2.99"; the plan list did not load.
• Yesim (Score 71/100 on our September 2026 comparison): "from $2.28 / day"; no UK page, so sizes and days are not stated.

Not shown: Breeze, ByteSIM, Flexiroam, GigSky, Instabridge, Stork Mobile, Surfroam and Yoho Mobile (UK prices did not load on 20 October); JamboSIM and Keepgo (Europe plan prices did not load); Gohub (no plan list loaded); Textr, Trifa and Vodafone Travel (no readable pages); aloSIM (Score 61/100 on our September 2026 comparison), Airhub, Mobal, Redteago, Sakura Mobile and SIMOptions (no UK plan page in the pages read).

Which is the best eSIM for the UK with unlimited data?

For a short trip, Airalo at US$11.50 for 3 days on EE with 3 GB a day at 20 Mbps; for a month, Nomad eSIM Partner at USD 49 for 30 days or Telcomia at €34.90; for a longer stay, Ubigi at US$26 a month, slowing to 2 Mbps after a fair-use threshold. Which plans slow down depends on the provider. Airalo, Jetpac, Roamless, Sim Local and Global YO state a daily full-speed allowance and a slower speed after it. Ubigi states a threshold that varies by destination, then 2 Mbps. Maya Mobile's own words for its global plan are "no caps or throttling", though its privacy policy mentions "daily quota and fair-use policies" and no cap is quoted. Nomad eSIM Partner, Telcomia, HelloRoam and Holafly publish no daily figure.

• Airalo: 3 days US$11.50, 30 days US$69.00. Fair use "3GB per day at 20 Mbps", then reduced speeds.
• Nomad eSIM Partner: 3 days USD 11, 30 days USD 49 ("Full-Speed"). No fair-use line is quoted.
• Telcomia: 1 day €2.70, 7 days €11.00, 30 days €34.90 (EE). "High speed every day"; no cap or throttle figure given.
• HelloRoam: 1 day £2.24, 30 days £45.64. A fair-use policy applies; no daily cap is given.
• Ubigi: 7 days 21 euros, or US$26 a month (renewing). 2 Mbps after a threshold that varies by destination.
• Holafly: "from" €3.90 a day; 30 days US$76.50. Speed may be restricted "if your usage is deemed excessive"; no daily cap is stated.
• Roamless: 1 day $3.84, 7 days $25.62. "3GB/day at full speed", then 1 Mbps.
• Roamify: 1 day US$2.26, 30 days US$70.00. Speed may drop to 256 to 1024KB above 90GB a month.
• Sim Local: Three UK 30 days US$46.25, with calls and texts. "Up to 10GB of full-speed data daily".
• Jetpac: 30 days USD 65.99. 3 GB every 24 hours, then up to 1 Mbps.
• Global YO: 3 days $9.34, 30 days $42.14. A "daily 1GB high-speed limit", then reduced speed.

Sources: each company's UK page as linked in the cards and lists above, plus Airalo's unlimited terms, Ubigi's unlimited plans and Holafly's terms, read 20 October 2026.

What is the best travel eSIM for the UK at the lowest price?

In euros, Telcomia: 1 GB for 3 days at €1.70 and 10 GB for 30 days at €5.80, on EE. In US dollars, Roamify: 1 GB for 7 days at US$2.50 and 10 GB for 15 days at US$11.00. In pounds, HelloRoam: 1 GB for 7 days at £2.12 and 10 GB from £11.88 for 30 days. Prices are compared only within one currency, as published on 20 October 2026.

• Euros, 1 GB: Telcomia €1.70 (3 days); BNESIM EUR 2.49 (30 days); Orange Travel €3.99 (7 days).
• Euros, 10 GB: Telcomia €5.80 (30 days); BNESIM EUR 11.99 (30 days); Orange Travel €12.99 (7 days).
• US dollars, 1 GB: Roamify US$2.50 (7 days); PuraSIM $2.99 (7 days); Saily US$4.49 (3 or 7 days); Nomad eSIM Partner USD 4.50 (7 days).
• US dollars, 10 GB: Roamify US$11.00 (15 days) or US$12.00 (30 days); PuraSIM $15.99 (30 days); Jetpac USD 17 (30 days); Nomad eSIM Partner USD 17.50 (30 days); Saily US$18.99 (30 days); Kolet $18.99 (30 days).
• Pounds, 1 GB and 10 GB: HelloRoam £2.12 (7 days) and from £11.88 (30 days).

Two prices need care. Global YO shows 10 GB for 30 days at $10.94 and also $15.99 on the same page. It does not name the currency. Eskimo shows 10GB at US$ 19.90 and US$ 12.93 without saying which is the sale price.

Which is the best eSIM for the UK that lets me use my phone as a hotspot?

Ubigi ("Tethering is unlimited") and Jetpac ("unlimited tethering with no data cap") publish hotspot use with no cap; Holafly limits hotspot sharing to 1 GB a day. On Airalo and Sim Local unlimited plans, hotspot data counts against the same daily full-speed allowance.

• Ubigi: "Use any Ubigi data plan to turn your smartphone into a hotspot"; "Tethering is unlimited".
• Jetpac: "Jetpac allows unlimited tethering with no data cap", where the phone supports hotspot.
• Sim Local: "All our plans include hotspot and tethering", shared within the daily allowance.
• Airalo: allowed on unlimited eSIMs; "All tethered usage is included in your daily high-speed data allowance".
• Nomad eSIM Partner, Kolet, Orange Travel, HelloRoam and Global YO: hotspot allowed, no limit stated.
• Saily: allowed, but on unlimited plans "Excessive tethering or sharing of data via hotspot with multiple devices or users beyond occasional personal use" is prohibited.
• Telcomia: tethering "may be limited depending on the connectivity provider and the specific plan purchased".
• Holafly: hotspot sharing limited to 1 GB a day on destination plans.

Read 20 October 2026 from each company's plan pages, FAQ or terms.

Which is the best eSIM for the UK for a stay of a month or more?

Orange Travel for a fixed 500 GB over 90 days at €92.99, Sim Local for UK carrier plans with calls and texts (Three UK unlimited for 90 days at US$118.75) and Ubigi for a renewing unlimited plan at US$26 a month with a three-month minimum. Prices read on 20 October 2026.

• Orange Travel: 100 GB, 30 days, €34.99; 200 GB, 45 days, €59.99; 500 GB, 90 days, €92.99.
• Sim Local: Three UK with calls and SMS, 200 GB, 30 days, US$26.50; unlimited 30 days US$46.25 or 90 days US$118.75. EE UK with calls and SMS and unlimited local SMS: unlimited 30 days US$52.75, 90 days US$125.50.
• Ubigi: UK unlimited monthly, US$26 a month; monthly plans need 3 months before cancelling.
• Holafly: monthly Unlimited €59.95 a month, with quarterly and yearly options.
• PuraSIM: 50 GB, 180 days, $78.49.
• MobiMatter: 999 GB, 30 days, US$49.99.
• BNESIM and Eskimo: UK plans with no expiry (BNESIM 10 GB EUR 13.99; Eskimo 10GB US$ 12.93 or US$ 19.90).

Which network do eSIMs use in the UK?

Three is named by 11 providers on their UK pages (also written 3, H3G or Hutchison 3G), EE by 10, O2 by 9 and Vodafone by 8. Airalo names EE alone. Networks are listed as each company names them on its UK page, read 20 October 2026.

• Airalo: EE.
• Telcomia: EE on most plans; EE, O2, Three and Vodafone on the 1 GB and 2 GB plans.
• HelloRoam: EE and Three (5G).
• Nomad eSIM Partner: Hutchison 3G, EE and Vodafone.
• Sim Local: EE UK, Three UK and Lycamobile.
• Eskimo: "Powered by Vodafone UK, EE".
• MobiMatter: EE, Vodafone, O2 and 3.
• Global YO: 3, Everything Everywhere and O2.
• Roamless: Vodafone, O2 and Three UK.
• PuraSIM: O2 5G, T-Mobile UK 5G and 3 4G.
• Via eSIM: O2 UK, Vodafone UK, EE UK and H3G UK.
• Holafly: Orange UK, T-Mobile UK, H3G UK, VirginMediaO2 UK and Vodafone UK.
• Orange Travel: Orange, EE Limited, T-Mobile, Three UK, Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone.
• TravelSim: O2, Orange, T-Mobile or Sure.

Saily, Kolet, Ubigi, BNESIM, Jetpac, Roamify and Firsty do not name a UK network on the pages read.

Should I buy a UK eSIM or a Europe eSIM?

Buy a UK eSIM for a UK-only trip: Nomad eSIM Partner sells 10 GB for 30 days at USD 17.50 for the UK against USD 23 for Europe. Saily sells it at US$18.99 against US$35.99. Buy a Europe eSIM when the trip crosses into the EU: Airalo's EU and UK unlimited plan was US$58 for 30 days, below its UK-only US$69. Pairs are shown only where both the UK and the Europe price were published, read 20 October 2026.

• Nomad eSIM Partner: UK 10 GB, 30 days, USD 17.50; Europe (35 or 36 countries, including the UK) USD 23. Unlimited 5 days: UK USD 18, Europe USD 19.
• Airalo: unlimited 30 days: UK US$69.00; Europe (41 countries) US$71.00; European Union and United Kingdom (28 countries) US$58.00.
• Saily: 10 GB: UK US$18.99 (30 days), Europe US$35.99 (35 countries). Whether the Europe plan includes the UK is not stated on the page read.
• Kolet: 10 GB, 30 days: UK $18.99, Europe $27.99 (45 countries, list not fully loaded).
• Orange Travel: UK 20 GB, 30 days, €18.99; Europe (39 countries, including the UK) 20 GB, 14 days, €24.99 with unlimited calls and texts.
• Holafly: unlimited 30 days: UK US$76.50, Europe (33 countries) US$76.50.
• Roamless: unlimited 7 days: UK $25.62, Europe (40 countries, "including the UK") $25.62.

Which to buy first

Check Telcomia first for a fixed allowance, Airalo for unlimited data on a short trip or Nomad eSIM Partner for 30 days of unlimited data, then Sim Local or Orange Travel for a stay of a month or more. The order rests on the prices and terms read on 20 October 2026.

1. Telcomia, for 10 GB or less: €5.80 for 10 GB over 30 days on EE. Confirm hotspot on the plan description before paying.
2. Airalo, for a short trip with unlimited data: US$11.50 for 3 days on EE, with the fair-use line published.
3. Nomad eSIM Partner, for 30 days of unlimited data: USD 49 on Hutchison 3G, EE and Vodafone.
4. Sim Local, if you need calls and texts: Three UK with 20 GB for 30 days at US$13.25.
5. Orange Travel, for 45 or 90 days: 200 GB for €59.99 or 500 GB for €92.99.

Richard Jasinski · Uncompromised Travel · written from Valencia · first published 20 October 2026 · updated 20 October 2026