For most trips abroad, a travel eSIM is the cheaper choice, because one flat price covers every country on the trip and there is no SIM card to buy at each border. Maya’s global eSIM starts at USD 9.99 for 3 days with unlimited data across 165+ countries; cruise coverage is the Global + Cruise plan, priced on its own.
The arrivals counter will happily sell you a SIM. One country’s worth. Cross the border and you’re standing at another counter.
Who pays less abroad with a travel eSIM instead of a prepaid SIM?
A traveler crossing more than one country on a trip of days or weeks pays less with a travel eSIM, because a prepaid SIM is bought again in each country while our one eSIM covers 165+ countries on one plan. We offer four plan lengths, 3, 7, 14 and 30 days, each a prepaid, time-based pass with unlimited data and a daily high-speed allowance. You install the eSIM once and it stays on your phone. It runs alongside your existing SIM, so your home number and carrier plan stay as they are.
What does a prepaid SIM card really cost abroad?
A prepaid SIM costs the card or kiosk price plus a data pack, and that sum is paid again in each country. At a London airport arrivals desk, SIM cards sell for £35 to £45 with 30GB to 100GB (London Travel Geek, 2026).
Then there’s the paperwork. In the Philippines, Globe and Smart run staffed counters at Manila’s NAIA terminals, Mactan-Cebu and Clark airports. Every prepaid SIM there must be registered with a passport and proof of a Philippine address, and a hotel booking will do (Saily, 2026). That’s one queue and one form for one country. Add a second country and you do it all again.
How much is Maya’s travel eSIM for 3, 7, 14 or 30 days?
Maya costs from USD 9.99 for 3 days. The price is flat by trip length, with unlimited data and a daily high-speed allowance that resets every 24 hours. It’s the same in every country. Each plan is a one-time purchase that ends when its days end, and Auto Top-Up is opt-in and off by default, so you know the total before you leave.
| Maya plan | Price | Per day |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days | USD 9.99 | USD 3.33 |
| 7 days | USD 19.99 | USD 2.86 |
| 14 days | USD 27.99 | USD 2.00 |
| 30 days | USD 49.99 | USD 1.67 |
Put that beside the visitor SIMs. Ooredoo’s Qatar visitor SIM is USD 20.55 for 7 days with 6 GB and 25 local minutes, and USD 27.47 for 14 days with 10 GB (Ooredoo Qatar). Our 7-day plan costs USD 19.99 and the 14-day one USD 27.99, with unlimited data in every country. Your home carrier’s day pass adds up too. Verizon’s TravelPass is $12 a day, which makes 14 days of use $168, according to its website.
What does a trip through several countries or a cruise cost on each?
Maya’s one eSIM covers 165+ countries at one flat price, and the Global + Cruise plan, a separate purchase, adds 20+ cruise lines. Cruise prices are USD 49.99 for 3 days, USD 109.99 for 7 days and USD 299.99 for 30 days.
A visitor SIM stretches across borders only when its package includes every stop on your route (Roafly, 2026). Check each stop before you pay. eSIMpass lists its 30-day regional Europe plan at €55.81 (eSIMpass, 2026). Ours is USD 49.99 for 30 days, with no country list to check.
When is a travel eSIM the wrong choice abroad?
A travel eSIM needs a phone that supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked, so a phone without both needs a physical SIM. You can check before you buy. We sell eSIM only, and a phone that isn’t on our compatibility list won’t work with our plans.
The quickest check is the compatibility check in the Maya app, which takes seconds. You can also dial *#06#. If an EID number appears, your phone supports eSIM (MobiMatter, 2026). On an iPhone, go to Settings, then General, then About. If Network Provider Lock shows “No SIM restrictions,” the phone is carrier-unlocked (holiday.com Support, 2026).
Pass the check and install the eSIM once, on Wi-Fi, before you fly. When you land, switch it on and select it for Cellular Data. The plan clock starts then, and you’re online within a couple of minutes.
What each travel eSIM publishes for price, coverage and data on a trip abroad
Every rival row below sells plans per country, per region and as a global plan, and Maya’s row describes one global eSIM at a flat price by trip length. That flat price runs from USD 9.99 for 3 days to USD 49.99 for 30 days across 165+ countries.
| 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. |
| Holafly | Per country, per region (Europe, Latin America, Cruise plans), and unlimited monthly/annual global plans | Unlimited data means there is no fixed limit on the amount of data you can use. However, some network operators may temporarily reduce your speed after a certain amount of high-speed data usage, as explained above. |
| 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 | How many GB of high-speed data you wish per day. You can continue to use your data at a throttled speed of 512kbps after you’ve used up your daily allocation. |
The Airalo, Holafly, Saily and Nomad cells quote or briefly summarize what each provider states about its own unlimited plan.
A one-star Trustpilot review of Airalo from October 5, 2026 reads: “It’s been presented that you will will have unlimited mobile data but is not, if you’re working online, it will be a pain for you to do something. How can you say and promote yourself that you have unlimited mobile data but after 3 GB birthday of using it, they stop you. My advice find somebody else in these guys!”
How Maya keeps one eSIM on your phone for every trip
The way to stop paying again at every border is to buy once, for the length of the trip. Install Maya once and it stays on your phone. Pick 3, 7, 14 or 30 days at one flat price, with unlimited data and a daily high-speed allowance across 165+ countries. Add another plan from the app if the trip runs long. The old way means a counter, a card and a new price at each stop. We’re a switch, not a store.
Luca gave us five stars on Trustpilot on March 1, 2026: “I highly recommend Maya eSIM for anyone who’s travel addicted like me! The service is flawless and the support guys are responsive, efficient and knowledgeable. The rates are very competitive: Maya will definitely be my choice for all my future trips from now on!”
Frequently asked questions
What happens after the daily high-speed allowance on Maya’s plans?
Your data continues at standard speed for the rest of the day, and it’s never cut off entirely. The allowance resets every 24 hours, and unused allowance doesn’t carry over. Because of travel and changing time zones, the reset usually isn’t at midnight. No speed is guaranteed.
Does a Maya plan renew on its own?
No. Each plan is a one-time purchase, and Maya is not a subscription. Auto Top-Up is opt-in and off by default, so a renewal only happens if you turn it on.
Can I add more days from the Maya app if my trip runs long?
Yes. Buy another plan from the Maya app. A prepaid plan ends after the days you chose unless you add more. Once the new plan is on, make sure Data Roaming is ON in your phone’s Settings for the eSIM.
Does the same Maya eSIM work on a cruise?
Yes, on the Global + Cruise plan, which is a separate purchase from the Global plan. It covers 20+ cruise lines and 165+ countries. At sea, connectivity runs on satellite and maritime networks, so it depends on the vessel and route. On land, service in a specific country isn’t guaranteed and can vary for reasons outside Maya’s control.
What should I check before buying a prepaid SIM abroad?
Check the registration rules first. In Malaysia, tourists staying under three months must register a prepaid SIM with their passport and a visa document if applicable. Photocopies and scans don’t count, a non-Malaysian can register at most two SIMs per provider, and the SIM can’t be activated before registration (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, 2026). The card then works for a maximum of three months from registration.
Does the Maya eSIM price change by country?
No. The price is the same in every country, one flat rate across 165+ countries. The 30-day plan at USD 49.99 works out to USD 1.67 a day.
Maya puts one eSIM on your phone with unlimited data across 165+ countries, priced flat by trip length from USD 9.99, so there’s no new SIM to buy at each border.
