Yes, installing a travel eSIM needs an internet connection, and Wi-Fi at home is the easy way to do it. Install our Global eSIM before you fly and it stays on your phone, ready for the plan you pick.
Skip that step and you’re hunting for a signal at the arrivals gate to download the thing that gets you a signal.
Yes, you need internet to install a travel eSIM, so use Wi-Fi
Yes, a travel eSIM has to download to your phone over an internet connection, so install it on Wi-Fi before you leave. A phone’s eSIM profile is added by scanning a QR code or tapping an install link, and the profile downloads in a few minutes. Once it is on the phone, the setup is done.
Wi-Fi or cellular data both work as the connection, as long as you’re online before you start. The connection verifies and activates the eSIM, so a dead connection means a stalled install.
Your QR code and manual activation code live in your Maya Mobile account. Log in, go to the eSIM (via the eSIM itself, the Settings icon > Manage eSIM, or Manage eSIM), and open the Installation tab. Scan the code, wait a few minutes for the profile to download, and you’re finished.
How do you install the Maya Global eSIM on Wi-Fi?
Connect to Wi-Fi, open the install steps for your phone, scan the QR code or use the install link, and let the eSIM download. Our Global eSIM installs once, and it stays on the phone after the trip.
On iPhone, you have three routes in the Maya Mobile app and Settings.
- QR code, marked Recommended: choose the QR code method in the app, scan the code with the phone you’re installing on, tap Add eSIM or Add Cellular Plan when notified, and follow the prompts.
- Automatic: in the app go to Home, select the eSIM, choose Installation Instructions, tap Install eSIM Now, and follow the prompts.
- Manual: in Settings go to Cellular (or Mobile Service), tap Add eSIM or Add Data Plan, select Use QR Code, then Enter Details Manually, and enter the SM-DP+ address and activation details from the eSIM provider.
For the manual code, log in to your Maya Mobile account and click My eSIMs. Click Install eSIM under the plan, click Manual Activation Code on the pop-up, then copy the code and enter it on the device when prompted.
Apple publishes its own steps for adding an eSIM with a QR code while you set up an iPhone (Apple Support, Set up eSIM on iPhone):
- Turn on and set up your iPhone.
- When the Set Up Cellular screen appears, tap Use QR code.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
On a Samsung Galaxy, Samsung UK publishes these steps (Samsung UK, Galaxy eSIM and supported network carriers):
- Go to Settings > Connections > SIM manager.
- Tap Add eSIM, then tap Scan QR code.
- Scan the QR code from your network carrier.
- Your eSIM will be automatically downloaded and activated on your Samsung Galaxy device.
Robert T. gave Maya Mobile five stars on Trustpilot on July 24, 2026, and wrote: “I recently used Maya eSIM for international travel, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. The setup process was incredibly easy, it only took a few minutes, and I was connected without any issues. The pricing was very fair, especially considering I purchased a worldwide plan that worked seamlessly across multiple countries. It gave me great peace of mind knowing I didn’t have to worry about buying a new SIM card every time I crossed a border. What really stood out was their customer service. I had a couple of questions before my trip, and their responses were extremely fast, professional, and courteous. Overall, Maya eSIM exceeded my expectations. If you’re looking for an affordable, easy-to-use, and reliable eSIM with excellent customer support, I highly recommend giving Maya eSIM a try.”
Pick a method, tap through, done.
What can you do if you have no Wi-Fi to install your travel eSIM?
The simplest fix is to install before you leave, when your home connection is steady. If home Wi-Fi isn’t an option, cellular data counts too, because our help center says you need Wi-Fi or cellular data before you start.
If the install stalls, a common cause is Mobile Data turned off or a phone that can’t reach Wi-Fi. Test your connection by loading a website in Chrome or Safari. If the plan isn’t already on the device, the best fix is to move to an area with good internet connectivity.
Once you’re online, follow the prompts. The default options are okay to accept.
How does the Maya Global eSIM connect once you land abroad?
Once the eSIM is installed and your plan is active, your phone connects to local networks in the country you land in, with no Wi-Fi needed. Our Global eSIM covers 165+ countries with unlimited data under a daily high-speed allowance.
The eSIM can be installed at any time, but it won’t connect to a network until you arrive in the destination. On landing, switch on the Maya eSIM in your phone settings and select it for Cellular Data. We connect you automatically to the best local network, and the plan clock starts the moment you enable the eSIM.
That allowance is called the Daily Quota. It resets automatically every 24 hours, and after you use it, data continues at standard speed for the rest of the day. To see your refresh time, click the eSIM name or nickname in your Maya Mobile account (or Settings icon > Manage eSIM) and look under the data usage bar for “Data Refresh at…” in UTC.
Switch on, select, go.
When should you install a travel eSIM before your trip?
Install it at home before you fly, while you have Wi-Fi and time to check it. The plan you buy for the trip is what counts the days.
Our Global eSIM stays on your phone permanently, with no need to delete or reinstall it between trips. For each trip you buy a new plan. The Unlimited 3 Days plan, suited to weekend trips and short getaways, costs USD 9.99. The Unlimited 7 Days plan, suited to week-long trips and city breaks, costs USD 19.99.
What do you do when a travel eSIM will not install?
Check that your phone has a steady internet connection and that it supports eSIM. Then repeat the install steps from the start.
Our compatible devices list is at maya.net/esim-compatible-devices, and a device that isn’t on it won’t work with Maya Mobile eSIM packages. The compatibility check in the Maya app takes seconds and gives a definitive answer for your specific device.
Maya’s help center reads two iPhone errors this way: “Unable to Complete Cellular Plan Change” means the device is compatible but can’t reach the eSIM activation server to verify the plan, and “Unsupported eSIM” means the phone is locked by its carrier. If an iPhone shows “Unable to Activate eSIM,” the eSIM may already be installed, so follow the eSIM Connection Troubleshooting Guide to check phone settings. If activation doesn’t complete after several minutes, confirm a working connection and retry, or contact support. A restart is sometimes needed after the first install to initialize network settings.
If you still can’t connect after 15 minutes, see the eSIM Connection Troubleshooting Guide. You may be in an area without service, or there may be a network issue outside our control, and the best action is to wait and check later. If the eSIM is verified as not installed after these steps, contact Maya support, who will help.
Apple’s steps for an eSIM that won’t add or activate (Apple Support, If you can’t set up an eSIM on your iPhone):
- Turn Airplane Mode on and off.
- Open the Settings app and tap Cellular. Check if the number you’re trying to activate is shown. If it is, turn off the line and then turn it back on again.
- Restart your device.
- On iPhone models running iOS 18 or later, you can download the latest version of the Apple Support app to run additional diagnostics that might help determine the source of your device’s issue.
- Check the carrier settings: Open the Settings app.
- Tap General.
- Tap About.
- Scroll down to the eSIM section. Your iPhone’s carrier name and a version number is next to Carrier. Tap the version number. If an update is available, you’ll see a prompt to select OK or Update.
- If you still can’t set up an eSIM on your iPhone, contact your carrier. Gathering the following information ahead of time might be helpful: note the error message you are seeing on your iPhone; collect your phone number, your carrier account password and/or PIN, and your iPhone’s IMEI or EID (open the Settings app, tap General, then tap About).
If your phone doesn’t show the manual activation code entry options, it doesn’t support eSIMs. Contact us and we’ll help cancel or refund the order.
Which travel eSIM fits a trip you can set up before you fly?
The table lists how each company prices and sells its plans, in its own published words. Read it for what the plan covers, how it is priced and how often you would have to buy.
| Travel eSIM | How plans are sold | Unlimited plan allowance, as published |
|---|---|---|
| Maya Mobile | One Global eSIM for 165+ countries, unlimited data at a flat price by trip length: USD 9.99 for 3 days, USD 19.99 for 7 days, USD 27.99 for 14 days, USD 49.99 for 30 days | A daily high-speed data allowance (the Daily Quota) at up to 4G LTE or 5G where local networks offer it, reset every 24 hours; unlimited data at standard speed once the Daily Quota is used |
| Airalo | Per country, per region, or one global plan; priced in USD | Our unlimited data packages don’t have a fixed total data cap. However, to keep the network running fairly for everyone, when you use more than 3GB in a day, we’ll slow down (or “throttle”) your internet speed to 1 Mbps for the rest of that day. Your full high-speed connection will automatically be restored when your daily allowance next resets. Your daily allowance resets every 24 hours, counted from the time you activated your eSIM. |
| Holafly | Per country, per region (Europe, Latin America, Cruise plans), and monthly global plans: Light, 25GB of data, $ 49.90USD/month; Unlimited, $ 64.90USD/month; Ultra, $ 90.95USD/month | Unlimited data plans are subject to a fair use policy, which may temporarily reduce speed in cases of unusually high usage to maintain network quality for all users. |
| Saily | Per country and per region, plus one global plan; by the gigabyte, unlimited, or both | The Unlimited plan gives you 5 GB per day at full 4G/5G speed, then keeps you online at 1 Mbps for the rest of the day — fast enough for navigation, messaging, and standard browsing. |
| Nomad | Per country, per region and global plans; by the gigabyte and unlimited | Once the daily allowance of 2 GB is used, data speeds are reduced (throttled) for the rest of the day. Depending on the specific plan, this reduced speed is approximately 1 Mbps or 2 Mbps. |
In the table, the Airalo, Holafly, Saily and Nomad cells use each company’s own wording or a short summary of it, while the Maya Mobile cells come from maya.net.
Install trouble is where a storefront full of options bites. On Trustpilot in August 2026, Osman D. left aloSIM one star after the family he bought it for could not set it up, writing: “No Russian manuals available. I purchased aloSIM for my family while they were traveling, but none of them could set up the eSIM. As an experienced Windows and Android user, I could have probably figured it out by trial and error, but my family couldn’t. It’s way too complicated with English-only instructions. Plus, after my payment successfully processed, the app still asked me to buy the plan again. # update since you are planning to add Russian instructions, I’ll give aloSIM another try. My family is heading to Turkey at the end of August, and if everything goes well, I’ll update my review to 5 stars.”
Atlas shrugs at that one. Install at home, once, with the steps in front of you.
How Maya keeps one eSIM on your phone for every trip
The Wi-Fi install is a one-time job. One eSIM goes on your phone and stays there permanently, covering 165+ countries.
It stays on the device after a plan expires, ready for the next trip. Each trip is a flat-price plan picked by length, with 3, 7, 14 and 30 days from USD 9.99, and unlimited data under a daily high-speed allowance.
Trip running long? Buy another plan from the Maya app. Back to the trip.
FAQ
What does unlimited data mean on the Maya Global eSIM?
Our plans include unlimited data across 165+ countries. Every plan carries a daily high-speed data allowance, the Daily Quota, at up to 4G LTE or 5G where local networks offer it. Once the Daily Quota is used up, data keeps running at standard speed until the day ends.
Does the eSIM stay on my phone after the trip ends?
Yes. One eSIM is installed on your device and stays permanently installed, with no need to delete or reinstall it between trips. For each trip you only buy a new plan.
How do I know my phone can use a travel eSIM?
Run the compatibility check in the Maya app, which takes seconds and gives a definitive answer for your specific device. The list is also at maya.net/esim-compatible-devices, and it includes iPhones from the iPhone XR/XS series through the iPhone 17 series. Your phone must be carrier unlocked: on iPhone, go to Settings > General > About and look under Carrier Lock, where an unlocked device shows “No SIM restrictions.”
What should I have ready before installing a travel eSIM?
Have your phone, a working internet connection and your QR code or Manual Activation Code. On Android and all other devices, either code can be used to activate the eSIM at any time. To get the manual code, log in to your Maya Mobile account, click My eSIMs, click Install eSIM under the plan, click Manual Activation Code on the pop-up, then copy the code and enter it on the device when prompted.
How do I add more days if my trip runs longer?
Buy another plan from the Maya app. You can extend anytime from the app, and if a plan shows as expired, a new one takes under a minute to buy. Auto Top-Up is opt-in only and off by default.
What happens when my plan’s days end?
Each plan is a one-time purchase. If Auto Top-Up is off, the plan simply runs to its expiry and then stops, with nothing more charged. If you turn Auto Top-Up on, we charge the payment method on file at the end of each plan period, at the same duration and price as the original purchase.
How do I get internet on a cruise with a travel eSIM?
Yes, with the Global + Cruise plan, bought as a separate purchase from the Global plan and priced on its own: USD 49.99 for 3 days, USD 109.99 for 7 days, USD 299.99 for 30 days. Coverage spans 20+ cruise lines and 165+ countries, among them Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line.
What does the refund policy cover if my eSIM will not install?
If the eSIM can’t be installed because the device is incompatible or carrier-locked, a full refund less payment processing fees is available when no data was consumed and the request is within 30 days of purchase. If your phone doesn’t support eSIMs, contact us to have the order cancelled or refunded. We aren’t responsible if a plan can’t be installed or used on an incompatible or locked device, or if the device later becomes locked, damaged or incompatible.
Maya puts one Global eSIM on your phone once, covering 165+ countries, so every trip after is just a plan.
