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.<\/p>\n
Skip that step and you\u2019re hunting for a signal at the arrivals gate to download the thing that gets you a signal.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Wi-Fi or cellular data both work as the connection, as long as you\u2019re online before you start. The connection verifies and activates the eSIM, so a dead connection means a stalled install.<\/p>\n
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\u2019re finished.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
On iPhone, you have three routes in the Maya Mobile app and Settings.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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):<\/p>\n
On a Samsung Galaxy, Samsung UK publishes these steps (Samsung UK, Galaxy eSIM and supported network carriers):<\/p>\n
Robert T. gave Maya Mobile five stars on Trustpilot on July 24, 2026, and wrote: \u201cI recently used Maya eSIM for international travel, and I couldn\u2019t 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\u2019t 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\u2019re looking for an affordable, easy-to-use, and reliable eSIM with excellent customer support, I highly recommend giving Maya eSIM a try.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pick a method, tap through, done.<\/p>\n
The simplest fix is to install before you leave, when your home connection is steady. If home Wi-Fi isn\u2019t an option, cellular data counts too, because our help center says you need Wi-Fi or cellular data before you start.<\/p>\n
If the install stalls, a common cause is Mobile Data turned off or a phone that can\u2019t reach Wi-Fi. Test your connection by loading a website in Chrome or Safari. If the plan isn\u2019t already on the device, the best fix is to move to an area with good internet connectivity.<\/p>\n
Once you\u2019re online, follow the prompts. The default options are okay to accept.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The eSIM can be installed at any time, but it won\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
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 \u201cData Refresh at…\u201d in UTC.<\/p>\n
Switch on, select, go.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Check that your phone has a steady internet connection and that it supports eSIM. Then repeat the install steps from the start.<\/p>\n
Our compatible devices list is at maya.net\/esim-compatible-devices, and a device that isn\u2019t on it won\u2019t work with Maya Mobile eSIM packages. The compatibility check in the Maya app takes seconds and gives a definitive answer for your specific device.<\/p>\n
Maya\u2019s help center reads two iPhone errors this way: \u201cUnable to Complete Cellular Plan Change\u201d means the device is compatible but can\u2019t reach the eSIM activation server to verify the plan, and \u201cUnsupported eSIM\u201d means the phone is locked by its carrier. If an iPhone shows \u201cUnable to Activate eSIM,\u201d the eSIM may already be installed, so follow the eSIM Connection Troubleshooting Guide to check phone settings. If activation doesn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
If you still can\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
Apple\u2019s steps for an eSIM that won\u2019t add or activate (Apple Support, If you can\u2019t set up an eSIM on your iPhone):<\/p>\n
If your phone doesn\u2019t show the manual activation code entry options, it doesn\u2019t support eSIMs. Contact us and we\u2019ll help cancel or refund the order.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
| Travel eSIM<\/th>\n | How plans are sold<\/th>\n | Unlimited plan allowance, as published<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maya Mobile<\/strong><\/td>\n| 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<\/td>\n | 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<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Airalo<\/td>\n | Per country, per region, or one global plan; priced in USD<\/td>\n | Our unlimited data packages don\u2019t 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\u2019ll slow down (or \u201cthrottle\u201d) 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.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Holafly<\/td>\n | 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<\/td>\n | 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.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Saily<\/td>\n | Per country and per region, plus one global plan; by the gigabyte, unlimited, or both<\/td>\n | 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 \u2014 fast enough for navigation, messaging, and standard browsing.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Nomad<\/td>\n | Per country, per region and global plans; by the gigabyte and unlimited<\/td>\n | 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.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n | In the table, the Airalo, Holafly, Saily and Nomad cells use each company\u2019s own wording or a short summary of it, while the Maya Mobile cells come from maya.net.<\/p>\n 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: \u201cNo 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\u2019t. It\u2019s 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\u2019ll give aloSIM another try. My family is heading to Turkey at the end of August, and if everything goes well, I\u2019ll update my review to 5 stars.\u201d<\/p>\n Atlas shrugs at that one. Install at home, once, with the steps in front of you.<\/p>\n How Maya keeps one eSIM on your phone for every trip<\/h2>\nThe Wi-Fi install is a one-time job. One eSIM goes on your phone and stays there permanently, covering 165+ countries.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Trip running long? Buy another plan from the Maya app. Back to the trip.<\/p>\n FAQ<\/h2>\n |