An eSIM is a digital SIM built into your phone, so you add a mobile plan by scanning a QR code or tapping an app instead of swapping a plastic card. For travel, you install a travel eSIM before you fly and it connects to a local network when you land; Maya’s one eSIM stays on your phone and covers 165+ countries with unlimited data, priced flat by trip length from USD 9.99.
The old way meant a new plan, a new checkout page and a new SIM hunt every time the plane touched down somewhere new.
What is an eSIM, and how is it different from a SIM card?
An eSIM is a digital SIM built into your phone, so there is no plastic card to swap or lose. A regular SIM is a physical card tied to one carrier, while an eSIM lets you switch carrier profiles digitally, with no hardware and no store visit.
Ericsson’s 2023 blog explains the hardware: it is either a separate embedded chip called an eUICC or part of another chip, such as the modem, and the plan profiles are provisioned remotely. Your phone gets a new plan the way it gets a new app.
Maya’s eSIM works this way. Plans come in 3, 7, 14 and 30 days, at $9.99, $19.99, $27.99 and $49.99.
How does an eSIM get onto your phone?
You download an eSIM profile over Wi-Fi or mobile data by scanning a QR code or tapping an install link in an app. Installation needs an internet connection, so do it at home or on hotel Wi-Fi.
With Maya, you download the app, scan your QR code and the eSIM is installed in 2 minutes. Activation can take a minute or two, and the app confirms when it’s ready. On iPhone, scan with the Camera or tap and hold the QR code and choose Add eSIM. On Android, point the Camera at the code and tap the Data Plan notification.
You install it once. For each trip you buy a plan, and the plan ends when its days end. Auto Top-Up is optional and off by default, so there’s nothing to cancel and no charge after unless you turn it on.
How does a travel eSIM work when you land in another country?
You install the eSIM before you fly, and it connects to a local network when you land, so you skip the airport SIM counter and, typically, the roaming bill. You keep your home line on the same phone for calls and texts.
When you land, switch on your Maya eSIM and select it for Cellular Data. Maya connects you to the best local network, and the plan clock starts when you switch it on. Your home carrier adds no roaming charges for data while the Maya eSIM carries it and Data Roaming is off on the home line.
| 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. |
| Ubigi | Europe and World unlimited plans; monthly, annual, one-off, lifetime; unlimited, 60GB then 2 Mbps | Your unlimited data plan includes 60GB of full speed data, then optimized to 2 Mbps — this Fair Use Policy ensures a stable and fair connection for all users on the network. |
| GigSky | Per country, per region, and cruise plans; by day, unlimited data with 3.5GB daily high-speed allowance | Get up to 3.5GB/day at our fastest speeds: Video calls, uploads, streaming and more. |
Rival entries quote or briefly summarize what each provider states about its unlimited plan, and the Maya Mobile entries give Maya’s own published terms.
Which phones support an eSIM, and how do you check yours?
Many recent phones support an eSIM, but a carrier-locked phone can block a new plan. The quickest check is the compatibility test in the Maya app, which takes seconds and gives a definitive answer for your exact phone.
You can also check the full list at maya.net/esim-compatible-devices. On an iPhone, open Settings > General > About. If “No SIM Restrictions” appears next to Carrier Lock, the phone is unlocked (Apple Support, 2026). Only your current carrier can release it from the carrier lock. Maya needs an unlocked, eSIM-compatible phone, and a phone that isn’t on the list won’t work with our plans.
How much data does a week abroad need, and what does unlimited mean?
Maya’s plans give unlimited data with a daily high-speed allowance, stated in its terms, at one flat price for the trip length you pick. A week costs $19.99.
The daily allowance resets every 24 hours. Once you use it, you stay online at standard speed. Hotspot is included with every plan, and Maya’s speed isn’t guaranteed in any country.
Your home carrier prices the same week differently. Verizon’s TravelPass is $12 a day, so seven days of daily use is $84 (Verizon, 2026).
Your phone also runs both lines at once. Apple’s “Using Dual SIM with an eSIM” page lists adding a local data plan when you travel as a use for Dual SIM, and says both phone numbers can make and receive voice calls while the iPhone uses one cellular data network at a time (Apple Support, 2026).
What do travelers say went wrong with other travel eSIMs?
The top complaint is data that doesn’t work on arrival: 576 to 641 of 934 complaints about five travel eSIM providers, published September 22 to October 9, 2026, were about it. A second group, 212 to 226 of those 934, was about what “unlimited” really means.
A one-star Trustpilot review of Airalo from October 9, 2026 reads: “My data stopped working one day after I arrived even though I purchased a 5-day eSIM. I could only use my phone with free WiFi. The service is horrible and I will be requesting a refund.”
Atlas, our small globe with a massive passport, shrugs at lost luggage. Dead data at the arrivals gate is another matter. So we ask you to install before the flight, on Wi-Fi, and to switch the eSIM on when you land.
What should you check before you buy a travel eSIM for a trip?
Check that your phone supports an eSIM and is unlocked, that the plan covers every country on your route including a cruise, and that you know when the plan ends. Maya’s plan ends when its days end and does not renew unless you opt in, so there is nothing to cancel.
Run through these four before you pay:
- Phone: it must be unlocked and eSIM-compatible. Use the compatibility check in the Maya app.
- Route: one Maya plan covers 165+ countries, but service in a specific country isn’t guaranteed and can vary for reasons outside Maya’s control.
- Cruise: a cruise needs its own plan, covered in the next section.
- Install time: install on Wi-Fi before you leave, then switch the eSIM on and select it for Cellular Data when you land.
Which travel eSIM fits a multi-country trip or a cruise?
Maya’s one eSIM gives unlimited data in 165+ countries and 20+ cruise lines, and you install it once. Cruise coverage is the Global + Cruise plan, a separate purchase: $49.99 for 3 days, $109.99 for 7 days and $299.99 for 30 days, as published. Cruise connectivity runs over satellite and maritime networks and depends on the ship and route.
On land, one plan covers a multi-country trip, so you don’t switch SIMs at the border. Diogo gave Maya five stars on Trustpilot on January 20, 2026: “Just great. I’ve been to three countries during my trip and had internet in all of the moments. Sometimes even when i was on the metro.”
On Android, Google’s Pixel Phone Help page “Set up a new eSIM” lists the steps:
- Open your device’s Settings app.
- Tap Network & internet, then SIMs, then Add SIM, then Set up an eSIM.
- Follow instructions on the screen.
Google adds that the process can differ slightly by carrier.
How Maya keeps one eSIM on your phone for 165+ countries from USD 9.99
An eSIM should be something you install once and keep, and that’s what we sell. Maya Mobile is one eSIM, permanently installed on your phone, with unlimited data in 165+ countries and 20+ cruise lines.
You pick a 3, 7, 14 or 30-day plan, from USD 9.99, and every plan includes a daily high-speed allowance. The eSIM stays on your phone and each trip needs a plan. When you need more data, add another plan from your Maya Mobile account. A switch, not a store.
In a July 2026 Trustpilot review, Phil gave us five stars and wrote: “Very competitive prices and amazing customer support. They always get back to you within a few hours.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use an eSIM and my home SIM at the same time?
Yes. Apple’s support page says you can use Dual SIM with a physical SIM and an eSIM, and iPhone 13 models and later also support two eSIMs alongside a physical SIM (Apple Support, 2026). Maya runs alongside your existing SIM, so your home number and carrier plan stay exactly as they are.
Do I need Wi-Fi to install a travel eSIM?
Yes, you need a connection. Apple says to connect your iPhone to a Wi-Fi network or hotspot, and its cellular setup guide also accepts a cellular network (Apple Support, 2026). Install your Maya eSIM before you travel, then switch it on when you land.
Does a travel eSIM come with a phone number?
No. Maya’s eSIM plans do not include a phone number, so use your home line for voice and texts and the eSIM for data. If your carrier supports Wi-Fi Calling and it’s on, your phone reaches your home network over the internet. Some carriers may charge international SMS fees even over Wi-Fi calling.
When should I install my eSIM before a trip?
Install it before you leave, on Wi-Fi. You don’t activate anything on landing: switch on your Maya eSIM and select it for Cellular Data, and the connection comes up within a couple of minutes. Your plan clock starts when you switch it on.
What happens when my eSIM plan runs out?
It ends. Maya plans are one-time purchases, and with Auto Top-Up off, which is the default, you’re not charged again. For more days, buy another plan from your Maya Mobile account.
Does my phone have to be unlocked to use an eSIM?
Yes. Apple says your iPhone cannot be locked to a carrier when you use it with another carrier abroad, and for two carriers your carrier must release it from the carrier lock or both plans must be from the same carrier (Apple Support, 2026). Maya needs an unlocked, eSIM-compatible phone.
Maya puts unlimited data in 165+ countries on one eSIM you install once and keep, at a flat price by trip length, with 20+ cruise lines on the Global + Cruise plan.
