Activate a travel eSIM by adding it in your phone’s settings with the QR code, then switching on its line and data roaming when you land. Our Global eSIM installs once and stays on your phone, so each trip starts at USD 9.99 for a 3-day plan.
The trap is settings you only learn about at the arrival gate, with a dead signal and a queue behind you.
To activate a travel eSIM, scan its QR code and turn on roaming
Do the install in two moves: add the plan with its QR code, then confirm it shows up as a cellular line in your phone’s settings. On iPhone the path is Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM > Use QR Code. Scan the QR code your carrier or travel provider gives you.
With Maya, choose the QR code method in the Maya Mobile app. It’s marked Recommended. Scan the code with the device you’re installing on, tap Add eSIM or Add Cellular Plan when the notification appears, and follow the on-screen prompts.
Your plan’s clock starts when you enable the Maya eSIM in your phone’s settings. Install once, switch on when you’re ready. Done.
What do you need ready before you activate a travel eSIM?
Confirm your phone supports eSIM and is on the compatible device list before you buy. Keep the QR code and the manual entry details (SM-DP+ address, activation code) to hand when you install.
Apple’s check for an iPhone (Apple Support, Set up eSIM on iPhone):
- Open the Settings app on your new iPhone.
- Tap Cellular or Mobile Service, then tap Set Up Cellular or Add eSIM.
- If you see Add eSIM or Add Cellular Plan, the iPhone supports eSIM (that’s the check the carrier-activation steps rely on).
Google’s rules for Pixel (Google Pixel Phone Help, Get a SIM or eSIM & add it to your Pixel phone):
- Pixel 4 and later: all phones work with eSIM.
- Pixel 3a: phones bought with Verizon service or in Japan can’t use eSIM.
- Pixel 3: phones bought with service from any US or Canadian carriers other than Sprint and Google Fi can’t use eSIM; phones bought in Australia, Taiwan, and Japan can’t either.
- Pixel 2: only phones bought with Google Fi service work with eSIM.
- Pixel (2016): no phones work with eSIM.
- [US only]: you can’t use a physical SIM (pSim) with a Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, or Pixel 10 Pro XL.
Our compatible list covers iPhones from the iPhone XR/XS series through the iPhone 17 series, including iPhone Air, SE 2 (2020) and SE 3 (2022). Samsung Galaxy support includes the S20 through S25 series, Z Flip and Z Fold models, and A34, A54, A55 and A56 5G. Pixel models run from the Pixel 3 up to the Pixel 10 Pro. Most modern smartphones work, including Android devices running Android 10 or later.
For manual entry, your provider supplies the SM-DP+ address, activation code and confirmation code.
How do you install a travel eSIM on iPhone and on Android?
On iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM and choose Use QR Code. On Android or Pixel, go to Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Add SIM and select Set up an eSIM. Samsung has its own route, listed below.
Samsung’s steps for adding an eSIM with a QR code (Samsung UK, How to install Nano-SIM card & eSIM on the Galaxy S24 Series):
- Launch the Settings app and tap Connections.
- Tap SIM manager.
- Tap Add eSIM.
- Tap Scan QR code, then scan the QR code provided by your service provider.
- When a mobile plan is found, follow the on-screen instructions to activate the eSIM.
Prefer to skip the scanning on iPhone? Use our automatic method. In the Maya Mobile app go to Home, select the eSIM, choose Installation Instructions, tap Install eSIM Now, and follow the on-screen prompts.
Need the code itself? Log in to your Maya Mobile account, open the related eSIM, and go to the Installation tab, where the QR code and manual activation code are shown. For the manual code, 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 device when prompted.
How do you switch your phone’s data to the travel eSIM?
Once installed, set the travel eSIM as the line your phone uses for cellular data, and turn on data roaming for that line. On landing, switch on the Maya eSIM and select it for Cellular Data. Turn On This Line and Data Roaming both need to be ON for the eSIM plan.
Apple’s steps (Apple Support, About cellular data roaming options for your iPhone and iPad):
- If your device has a single SIM card or eSIM, turn on Cellular Data, then tap Cellular Data Options, and turn on Data Roaming and other settings suggested by your carrier.
- If your device uses Dual SIM or Dual eSIM, turn on Cellular Data, tap the number you want to modify, then tap Cellular Data Options, and turn on Data Roaming and other settings suggested by your carrier.
Google’s steps for a Pixel (Google Pixel Phone Help, How to use dual SIMs on your Google Pixel phone):
- Open your Settings app.
- Tap Network & internet SIMs.
- Turn on Mobile data so the phone can use your mobile network for data.
- Under “Your primary SIMs,” choose which SIM you want to use for Data: tap Mobile data.
Switch Data Roaming off on your primary line, your home SIM, so it can’t run up roaming charges. Then you’re online, and the trip is about the trip.
What if the QR code won’t scan or the eSIM won’t connect?
Enter the details by hand: on iPhone, Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM > Enter Details Manually, then type the SM-DP+ address, activation code and confirmation code. If the eSIM is installed but won’t connect, work through the troubleshooting steps in order.
First, check that the Maya eSIM is switched on and selected for Cellular Data in your phone settings. Next, reset the data connection: enable Airplane Mode, wait 30 seconds, then switch it off again. After toggling Airplane Mode, give the eSIM up to 15 minutes to re-authenticate on the network and start receiving data.
Still nothing after 15 minutes? Open the eSIM Connection Troubleshooting Guide. Fix it, and you’re back to maps and messages.
What happens when your travel eSIM plan ends mid-trip?
A plan is a one-time purchase that ends when its days end, and the eSIM stays on your phone. When you need more days, pick another plan from the app, or turn on Auto Top-Up, which is opt-in and off by default.
If you leave Auto Top-Up off, the plan simply ends on its expiry date and nothing more is charged. You can extend your plan anytime from the app. Prices run USD 9.99 for 3 days, USD 27.99 for 14 days (USD 2.00/day) and USD 49.99 for 30 days (USD 1.67/day).
Pick your days and go.
Which travel eSIM should you buy for this trip?
The table lists each company’s own published plan types, how it prices them and its data terms for the trip you are booking. Our Global eSIM covers 165+ countries at one flat price set by trip length.
| 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. |
The Airalo, Holafly, Saily and Nomad cells use each company’s own published words or a short summary of them, while the Maya Mobile cells come from maya.net.
Setup is where some travelers get stuck. Osman D. left aloSIM one star on Trustpilot in August 2026, 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, 4.5 billion years old, shrugs at that. Setup is one job, and with us it’s done once.
How Maya keeps one eSIM on your phone for every trip
Activation should take a minute, not an evening. Our Global eSIM installs once and stays on your phone, with unlimited data and a daily high-speed allowance across 165+ countries. You pick the trip length, from 3, 7, 14 or 30 days, with plans from USD 9.99 at one flat price for each length.
The next trip needs another plan from the app and nothing else. Andrés C. gave us five stars on Trustpilot in April 2026: “I always have a great experience using Maya.net during my travels. The setup is quick and straightforward, which make it easy to get connected right away without any hassle. The connection is stable and reliable throughout my trips, even when I need it for important tasks like checking emails, navigating, and staying in touch. Overall, the service works exactly as expected.”
Land, switch on, go.
FAQ
When should you install your travel eSIM before a trip?
Install it any time before you fly. The eSIM won’t connect to a network until you arrive at your destination. Your plan’s clock starts when you enable the Maya eSIM in your phone’s settings, and a billing day is 24 hours from that moment. If you installed early, set the eSIM as your primary Cellular/Mobile Data plan on arrival.
How do you keep your home number for calls while using a travel eSIM?
On an iPhone with two lines, calls go out on the number you last used with that contact, and your default number if you haven’t called them (Apple Support, 2026). You can also set a number per contact. Only one number at a time can use cellular data, which you change in Settings under Cellular Data (Apple Support, 2026). To label your lines, open Settings, tap Cellular or Mobile Data, tap the number, then tap Cellular Plan Label (Apple Support, 2026).
What should you do with your travel eSIM when the trip ends?
Leave it installed. Our eSIM stays on your phone permanently, with no need to delete or reinstall it between trips. When the plan expires, it’s ready for the next trip.
Why does a carrier-locked phone block a travel eSIM?
To use your iPhone with another carrier when traveling internationally, it can’t be locked to a carrier (Apple Support, 2026). A phone must be free of carrier restrictions to use the Maya eSIM. Check under Settings > General > About: “No SIM restrictions” next to Carrier Lock means the phone is not locked. Only your current carrier can lift the lock on your iPhone, so contact them to request it.
How do refunds work if your travel eSIM won’t activate?
If the eSIM can’t be installed because the device is incompatible or carrier-locked, you get a full refund less payment processing fees when no data was used and you ask within 30 days of purchase. You also get a full refund if an activated plan is completely unusable because of a Maya error that isn’t fixed within 10 days of your refund request. The Terms cover the other cases. Once you’ve followed the steps and the eSIM still shows as not installed, Maya support will help.
What does the daily high-speed allowance mean on an unlimited travel eSIM?
Each plan comes with a daily high-speed data allowance, the Daily Quota, running at up to 4G LTE or 5G wherever local networks offer it. After you use it up, your data carries on at standard speed until the day ends. It refreshes every 24 hours counted from the activation date. Some restrictions apply to very high usage, to assure service quality for everyone, and no speed is guaranteed.
How do you activate a travel eSIM for a cruise?
Cruise coverage is the Global + Cruise plan, bought as a separate purchase from the Global plan. It covers 20+ cruise lines and 165+ countries, including Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line. It’s one eSIM, permanently installed on your phone.
What do you do if you have an eSIM on your phone already and want to add another?
For a Maya trip, you only buy a new plan, with no reinstalling. For another provider’s eSIM on iPhone, open the Camera app, scan the carrier’s QR code, then tap the Cellular Plan Detected notification (Apple Support, 2026). An iPhone can manage up to eight or more eSIMs (Apple Support, 2026). Two eSIMs at once is supported on iPhone 13 models and later, and iPhone SE (3rd generation) (Apple Support, 2026).
Maya installs once on your phone and covers 165+ countries with unlimited data and a daily high-speed allowance, with plans from USD 9.99.
