2026 eSIM Price Comparison by Country — Complete Guide
Before paying ₩10,000/day for carrier roaming at the airport, compare 5 global eSIM brands by price per GB. For the same 7-day Japan trip, your choice of brand can make a ₩20,000–30,000 difference.
This guide is based on the 2026-04-19 official plan snapshots from Airalo, Holafly, Ubigi, Nomad, and Saily. Actual prices vary with promotions, exchange rates, and regional pricing policies. Unofficial tool.
1. Five Brands at a Glance
| Brand | HQ | Strength | Hotspot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airalo | Singapore | 200-country coverage leader · Korean app UI | Hotspot / tethering allowed |
| Holafly | Spain | Unlimited-data specialist · Korean customer support | Hotspot limited in many plans — no tethering on most |
| Ubigi | France (Transatel) | Run by Transatel (Airbus) · long-stay value | Hotspot allowed · 5G in many countries |
| Nomad | Singapore | Singapore-based · strong Asia pricing | Hotspot allowed · no eKYC hassle |
| Saily | Lithuania (Nord Sec) | NordVPN group · security add-ons | Hotspot allowed · NordVPN-integrated option |
| aloSIM | Clean app UI · frequent coupon deals | Hotspot allowed · Canada-based | |
| Maya Mobile | Budget Asia/ME plans · prepaid top-up | Hotspot allowed · Asia & Middle East focus |
2. Three Key Concepts
- Price per GB — Total cost ÷ data volume. The most neutral metric for comparing brands over the same duration. Unlimited plans are normalised to "1.5 GB/day assumed usage" for ranking purposes.
- Price per day — Total cost ÷ number of days. For short trips (3–7 days), per-day cost is often more intuitive than per-GB.
- Hotspot/tethering support — Essential if you share data with a laptop, tablet, or travel companion. Holafly restricts hotspot on many plans; Airalo, Ubigi, Nomad, and Saily generally allow unlimited tethering.
3. Top Pick by Country (2026-04-19 — 7-day snapshot)
| Country · 7 days | Best-value brand | Total (USD) | Price/GB | Unlimited? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇯🇵 Japan · 7 days | Ubigi | $7.00 | $2.33/GB | 3 GB |
| 🇪🇺 Europe (39-country) · 7 days | Holafly | $22.00 | $2.10/GB | Unlimited |
| 🇺🇸 United States · 7 days | Holafly | $27.00 | $2.57/GB | Unlimited |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam · 7 days | Maya Mobile | $5.50 | $1.83/GB | 3 GB |
4. Brand Matching by Travel Style
- Short trips to Japan/Vietnam/Thailand (3–7 days): Airalo or Nomad. 3 GB/7d plans at $6–8 are the cheapest, running on SoftBank (Japan) or Viettel (Vietnam) networks.
- Extended Europe travel (2+ weeks): Ubigi or Airalo Eurolink. Single plan covering 39 European countries; Ubigi supports 5G in many countries.
- US/Australia/Canada 1-month business trip: Holafly Unlimited (for heavy Zoom/tethering use) or Ubigi 10 GB/30d. Exclude Holafly if hotspot is required.
- China: Holafly China plan lets you access Google, Instagram, YouTube, and KakaoTalk without a separate VPN. Airalo works similarly, though backend roaming speeds vary by brand.
- Data sharing with family/companions (hotspot): Airalo, Ubigi, Nomad, or Saily. Holafly restricts or disables hotspot on most plans.
5. Unlimited vs Fixed Data — When Does Each Win?
- 3+ GB/day (YouTube, Zoom, long-duration Google Maps navigation): Holafly Unlimited wins on total cost. Per-GB ranking is unfavorable, but for content creators and business travelers who need no interruptions, it's the right choice.
- Under 1 GB/day (KakaoTalk, browsing, occasional photo uploads): Airalo 3 GB/7d or Ubigi 10 GB/30d fixed plans win on both per-GB cost and total.
- Local physical SIM vs eSIM: Local SIMs are often cheaper, but (1) installation time, (2) physical SIM swap, and (3) receipt/return issues mean eSIM has a convenience advantage for stays of 5–7 days or less.
6. Pre-Purchase Checklist
- Confirm eSIM compatibility — most devices from iPhone XS / Galaxy S20 / Pixel 3 onwards support it.
- Check carrier lock status — most Korean carrier phones purchased after 2020 are unlocked. For older devices, contact your carrier's customer service.
- Install the eSIM before departure; simply enable "Data Roaming" when you land. The APN does not activate in Korea.
- Keep your primary SIM (for Korean KakaoTalk, bank authentication SMS) and set the eSIM as "data only" for safety.
- Use the share URL feature to compare plans with travel companions and speed up decisions.
7. Official Links
- Airalo Official
- Holafly Official
- Ubigi Official
- Nomad Official
- Saily Official
- aloSIM Official
- Maya Mobile Official
This guide is based on 2026-04-19 data and will be updated as brand promotions and country coverage change. Unofficial tool.