Best Travel eSIM for the USA in 2024

Updated January 2024

What is an eSIM anyway?

eSIM stands for embedded SIM and allows you to get connected anywhere, anytime, on (most) flagship devices, without ever having to visit a shop or buy a physical SIM card. It has all of the functionality of a SIM card and more.

Not sure if your phone supports eSIM? Check your phone’s eSIM compatibility here!

Every eSIM has great benefits for international travelers and tourists that make it an absolute game changer:

• Multi-SIM capability: the beauty of eSIM is that it can hold multiple carriers and plans at the same time. No more swapping SIM cards and risking losing that tiny card.
• Lower cost: eSIMs can also be much cheaper than buying a local SIM card. Because there are no physical stores required to sell eSIMs, eSIM retailers have lower operating costs and can therefore pass on those savings to you.

When you are traveling to the U.S., the last thing you want to do is pay hundreds of dollars in outrageous roaming fees or be stuck constantly searching for public WiFi as you navigate the country. Considering all factors (price, speed, reliability, and duration of trip), Nomad’s USA eSIM plans got you covered across the board.

Before you buy your first eSIM for that upcoming US trip, here are 5 factors that you need to consider.

💡 Not sure which Nomad data plan to choose for your US trip? Check out our mobile data calculator and let it help you calculate the perfect data plan for your travel needs!

Factor 1: Price ($) and Plan Sizes (GB)

Never pay the same price that you would pay for a physical SIM card. There are some eSIM carriers that launched plans for U.S. travel during the pandemic in 2020, and continue to charge upwards of $20-$30 / GB of data for U.S. travelers. To avoid paying high costs, always do your research and vet multiple options.

We highly recommend using a handy tool like eSIMdb or esims.io, which will show in a neat table all the eSIMs available for the US, sorted by lowest to highest price. However, don't consider price alone. You don’t want lower prices in exchange for less reliable networks or speed throttling, for example.

Closely related to price are the plan sizes in GB that are on offer. Most US eSIM providers offer a range of plans across 1 GB, 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB, and the like.

In 2024, for Nomad’s US eSIM plans, prices start from 1 GB for just $6, and if you’re staying longer, we also have a 3 GB eSIM for $11 and 5 GB for $14. Currently, one of the most popular US data plans is the 10GB option for only $20 (usual price $24).

The US is a large country and it’s pretty popular to travel in groups and do multi-state road trips - in this case not only will you want larger plans, but you’ll also want to reap some benefits from volume buying. At Nomad we have a cool referral program - any friend you refer will get $3 off their first US eSIM purchase!

Factor 2: Network Coverage and Speed

Sure, you can get a cheaper GB plan for a US eSIM, but that’s not worth it if it’s at a snail’s pace. Especially for a country that is as geographically spread out as the US, always ensure that you are selecting a plan that fits your speed requirements. Are you going to be streaming 4K Netflix on your East-West road trip? Or are you going to be constantly navigating with Google Maps? For these cases, you'll definitely want to find a plan that is 4G or LTE.

Start by checking who the partner carrier is! Having the right local telecom partners ensures a fuss-free experience, allowing you to have the freedom and flexibility of eSIM technology for an exceptional travel experience in the United States.

📡 Nomad’s USA eSIMs work with multiple network providers in the United States, and you can easily switch between various carriers, ensuring reliable coverage, fast speeds, and convenience wherever you go.

Oftentimes, it's hard to know what speed you can expect from your eSIM as the eSIM providers don't always provide it upfront. With the Nomad app, or even on our web store, for any plan that you select, you can see the expected coverage speed. We recommend downloading the app to see what speeds you can expect when traveling to not only the U.S. but over 110+ destinations across the world.

Factor 3: Reliability of the Provider

Reliability is often underestimated. Nobody wants to be stranded without data service and spend hours of their trip chatting or emailing customer support. Because eSIM is a relatively new technology, many eSIM providers have not been able to create an ideal support experience for their customers. Always check the App Store reviews before purchasing your eSIM and ensure that there are enough users who vouch for the providers’ support and product.

🌟 We get it - eSIMs should be easy but sometimes things don’t happen as they should. That’s why at Nomad our 24/7 customer support team is on hand to handle any difficulty you may face on the road. But don’t take our word for it! Check out our 4.6 star rating on the Apple App Store and Google Play, or read customer testimonials that have contributed to our 4+ star rating on Trustpilot.

Factor 4: Duration of the Trip

The final piece to consider is your personal trip duration. Are you staying for a week on business? Are you a digital nomad traveling for 30 days +? The reason you'll want to consider this is to help inform you how much data you will need for your trip to the US and how long you'll want your plan to last before it expires. In any case, you'll want the flexibility to have short or long-term plans with varying data amounts. Ensure that your eSIM provider offers this flexibility before deciding to purchase with them. Additionally, you'll want the ability to top-up at any time and further prolong the duration of your plan

📲 All of Nomad's eSIM plans for the U.S. can be topped up at any time with more data. In the US, Nomad offers numerous options ranging from 7 days to 30 days of expiry, to support any traveler's needs.

So don’t pay more than you have to for travel data in 2024!

All in all, as long as you make a conscious decision and do your research, there are many good options available on the market for eSIM plans in the U.S. We might be biased, but facts are facts: Nomad offers some of the lowest cost, high speed, flexible, and reliable eSIM data plans today for travelers to the U.S. Don't get stuck paying expensive roaming fees or swapping SIMs, download the Nomad app available on both App and Google Play stores, or visit our web store, and browse the best eSIMs today!