Buy one Global eSIM plan for your trip length (3, 7, 14 or 30 days, from USD 9.99), install it over Wi-Fi at home before you fly, and switch it on when you land in Guatemala. The eSIM stays on your phone after the trip, so the next trip needs a new plan and nothing else.
The one way to wreck this is to leave the install for arrivals, because an install needs a working Wi-Fi or cellular connection first.
Install the Maya Mobile eSIM over Wi-Fi at home, then switch it on in Guatemala
Install it in the Maya app at home on Wi-Fi, then switch the eSIM on after you land. The QR code method is marked Recommended: choose it in the app, scan the code with the phone you’re installing on, tap Add eSIM or Add Cellular Plan when the notification appears, and follow the prompts.
Prefer the app to do the work? On iOS, go to Home in the Maya Mobile app, select the eSIM, choose Installation Instructions, tap Install eSIM Now, and follow the prompts. Prefer typing? 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 activation 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 your phone when prompted.
Apple Support, in “Set up eSIM on iPhone,” publishes this procedure for the Set Up Cellular screen:
- Turn on and set up your iPhone.
- When the Set Up Cellular screen appears, tap Use QR code.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
Apple Support’s same page gives these steps for a QR code you scan later:
- Open the Camera app and scan your QR code. When the Cellular Plan Detected notification appears, tap it.
- If you are using an iPhone with iOS 17.4 or later and receive a QR code from your carrier in a default email app or browser, tap and hold the QR code. Then, tap Add eSIM.
- Tap Continue at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap Add Cellular Plan.
- If you’re asked to enter a confirmation code to activate your eSIM, enter the number that your carrier provided.
And these for entering details by hand:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap either Cellular or Mobile Data.
- Tap Add Cellular Plan.
- Tap Enter Details Manually at the bottom of the screen.
On a Galaxy, Samsung US Support’s “SIM cards for your Galaxy phone or tablet” gives the QR route:
- Navigate to and open Settings, then tap Connections, then tap SIM manager, and then tap Add eSIM.
- Tap Scan QR code, and then scan your carrier’s QR code.
- Restart the device to apply the eSIM profile.
Samsung Caribbean’s “Galaxy eSIM and supported network carriers” page gives the manual route:
- Go to Settings > Connections > SIM manager.
- Tap Add eSIM, tap Scan QR code > Tap Enter activation code.
- Enter the activation code provided by your network carrier.
- Your eSIM will be automatically downloaded and activated on your Samsung Galaxy device.
Set the eSIM as your line for Mobile Data. Keep data roaming off on your home carrier’s primary SIM so nothing bills you abroad.
What do you need before you set up a Maya Mobile eSIM for Guatemala?
You need an eSIM-capable phone that is carrier unlocked, a stable Wi-Fi connection and your plan’s QR code or install details. Using Maya requires an unlocked, eSIM-compatible device, and you need a Maya account to buy and manage the eSIM.
Download the Maya app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Then check your phone. The 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. It runs from the iPhone XR/XS series through the iPhone 17 series, including iPhone Air, SE 2 (2020) and SE 3 (2022). Smart watches, tablets and laptops sit in a separate list of eSIM compatible devices.
The fastest check is the compatibility check in the Maya app. It takes seconds and gives a definitive answer for your specific phone. Most modern iPhones and Android devices support eSIM, and the eSIM works on both.
Your QR code lives in your account. Log in, go to the related eSIM (through the eSIM itself, the Settings icon > Manage eSIM, or Manage eSIM), and open the Installation tab. The QR code and the manual activation code are both there.
When do the days on a Maya Mobile eSIM plan start in Guatemala?
Install the eSIM any time before you fly, over Wi-Fi at home. The plan’s days run from the start point the Global eSIM’s terms set for the plan length you bought, so installing early is the safe move.
That start point is you enabling the Maya eSIM in your phone settings. When you land, switch on your Maya eSIM and select it for Cellular Data.
Activation usually takes a minute or two once it begins, and may take a few minutes on some devices or networks. Unlimited data refreshes every 24 hours, counted from the activation date.
What do you do if your Maya Mobile eSIM has no signal in Guatemala?
Check that the Maya eSIM is switched on and selected for Cellular Data in your phone settings. On landing, that’s the job: switch it on, select it for Cellular Data, and Maya connects automatically to the best local network.
After an install you may see no signal bars, the phone searching for signal, or a status of “No connection.” Slow download and upload speeds, only an “E” (Edge) with no 4G/LTE, or no internet even though the eSIM shows a connection are also signs the eSIM isn’t connected to a data network. Go back to the settings, confirm the line is on and chosen for data, and give it a moment.
Still stuck? Support is covered in the next section. You’ll be back to maps and messages soon.
Who do you contact at Maya Mobile if your Guatemala eSIM will not install?
Contact Maya Mobile support through the help center, live chat or email, and the published refund terms apply. You can open a request in the help center, use live chat on maya.net, or email [email protected].
Refund requests go by emailing [email protected] or using the in-app chat. If you no longer need your eSIM, contact support to cancel the order via Contact Us or by email. The Terms give a full refund, less any applicable payment processing fees, when an incompatible or carrier-locked device cannot install the eSIM, and they set out other cases too.
Dillon W. left a five-star Trustpilot review of Maya Mobile on September 11, 2026: “Made a mistake loading up my eSIM and the customer support was exceptional. All sorted in a couple of WhatsApp messages with a human!!! no chat bot that didn’t understand and gave me an answer to another random question I hadn’t asked. Brilliant! Now have a global esim and I certainly won’t be using any others.”
Can you keep your home number on while the Guatemala eSIM carries data?
Yes, you keep your home SIM in the phone for calls and texts while the eSIM carries your mobile data. Label the new line clearly, for example “Guatemala eSIM,” and keep data roaming off on the home SIM so it doesn’t bill roaming charges.
The Maya plan is data only, which saves expensive roaming fees. eSIM plans don’t include a local phone number and don’t provide one for calling or SMS. The plan doesn’t support voice or SMS, so don’t enable it for iMessage.
Your number stays where it is. Your data goes on the eSIM.
Which travel eSIM should you buy for a Guatemala trip?
Maya Mobile sells one Global plan priced by trip length (3, 7, 14 or 30 days, from USD 9.99) rather than by country or by the gigabyte. The table sets out how Airalo, Holafly and Saily publish their plan structure and pricing, each in the company’s own words.
| 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. |
Each rival’s cells are its own published words, or a short summary of what it states; the Maya Mobile cells are from maya.net.
Setup is where travelers get stuck elsewhere. Osman D. left a one-star Trustpilot review of aloSIM on August 13, 2026: “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.”
Install at home, on Wi-Fi, with the steps above. Then land and switch on.
How Maya turns trip setup into one install that stays on your phone
One Global eSIM, installed once, covers the trip. Plans come in 3-day, 7-day, 14-day and 30-day lengths, all with unlimited data across 165+ countries.
A 3-day plan costs $9.99 and a 7-day plan costs $19.99. Every plan includes a daily high-speed data allowance (the Daily Quota), at up to 4G LTE or 5G where available on local networks, and it refreshes every 24 hours counted from the activation date.
No SIM swapping. No hunting for a plan per country. Install, land, switch on, go.
FAQ
How far ahead of your flight to Guatemala should you install the eSIM?
Any time before you fly works. The plan clock starts when you enable the Maya eSIM in phone settings. Installing needs an internet connection to verify and activate the eSIM, so do it on Wi-Fi at home. On arrival, switch it on and set it as your primary Cellular or Mobile Data plan.
What if you forget to install your eSIM before the flight to Guatemala?
Yes, you can still install it, as long as you have a working Wi-Fi or cellular connection first. That connection is what verifies and activates the eSIM. Once it’s in, switch on the Maya eSIM and select it for Cellular Data.
How does the daily high-speed allowance work on the Global eSIM in Guatemala?
Every plan includes a daily high-speed data allowance, the Daily Quota, at up to 4G LTE or 5G where available on local networks. It resets automatically every 24 hours, counted from the activation date. After you use the Daily Quota, data continues at standard speed for the rest of the day.
What happens when your plan’s days end during a Guatemala trip?
The plan ends. Each plan is a one-time purchase, prepaid at the time of purchase, and Maya is not a subscription. Auto Top-Up is opt-in and off by default, so with it off the plan runs until it expires and stops with no further charge. It only renews if you turn it on.
How do you add more days if your Guatemala trip runs long?
Buy another plan from the Maya app. Plans run for 3, 7, 14 or 30 days. The 14-day plan suits two-week trips, costs USD 27.99 (USD 2.00/day) and is marked Most Popular.
Do you need to buy a new eSIM for every trip after Guatemala?
No. Maya is installed once and stays on your phone permanently, with no reinstalling and no need to delete it between trips. For each trip you only buy a new plan.
Does a cruise stop in Guatemala need a different plan?
Yes, cruise coverage is the Global + Cruise plan, a separate purchase from the Global plans. It covers 20+ cruise lines and 165+ countries, including Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line.
What should you check with any eSIM provider before you buy for Guatemala?
Confirm your phone is carrier unlocked and supports eSIM; most modern iPhone, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy models do. Confirm the provider covers Guatemala and sends a QR code or direct-installation instructions by email or in its app. For Maya, check the compatibility list; most modern smartphones are supported, including iPhone 11 and newer and Android devices running Android 10 or later.
Maya gives you one eSIM with unlimited data across 165+ countries, installed once and priced by trip length from USD 9.99.
