The best eSIM for the USA, and when you actually want calls and texts

Dated comparison examples

Our fuller USA ladder: A$4.95 for 1GB over 7 days, A$14.95 for 5GB over 30 days, A$34.95 for 20GB over 30 days, A$59.95 for 20GB over 90 days, A$89.95 for 50GB over 30 days, and A$149.95 for 50GB over 180 days.

On the two US dollar providers. Nomad and Saily publish only in US dollars and neither offers an Australian dollar option. We are not going to convert and print the result as a price, because the rate moves daily and your card’s fee is your card’s business. Both are likely to land above our A$19.95 once conversion and a typical card fee are counted.

For Holafly, compare the current total price for your the USA dates, then check speed, hotspot and refund conditions. A plan sold by the day should be compared with enough fixed data for the same trip, not with a different-duration headline price.

The SIM Shop is not registered for GST, so GST is not charged. The checkout total is the amount we charge you. Full ladders for every provider: travel eSIM prices in Australia.

The calls and texts question

This is the section that matters most on this destination.

A travel eSIM is data only by default, including ours. You get an American mobile data connection and no American phone number.

Use a compatible, unlocked phone that supports both lines at once. Leave your Australian line enabled and check that international roaming is available on your carrier account. Turn data roaming and automatic data switching off for that line, then use the travel eSIM for mobile data. Calls, voicemail and sent texts can still attract charges. Bank texts depend on your bank, carrier and network; delivery is not guaranteed.

Where that bites in the USA specifically:

Restaurant bookings. Many places still take reservations by phone, and confirmation texts go to a US number.

Medical and service appointments. Overwhelmingly phone-based.

Verification systems. Some American services will not accept an international number for SMS verification. This catches people trying to set up local delivery apps, event tickets or rideshare accounts.

Rideshare and delivery drivers calling to find you.

What each provider offers:

Airalo sells voice and SMS options on their USA range. If you need a US number that can make and receive calls, that is the most direct answer here.

Nomad bundles minutes and texts on some plans, most prominently on their UK range, and offers calling on selected other destinations. Check the specific USA plan before you buy, because their voice bundling varies by country and we would rather you verified it than took our word.

If you need a US number, check a provider’s current voice and SMS offer separately from its data plan. Confirm incoming and outgoing service, number type, recurring cost and whether the service you need accepts it for verification. A US number alone does not guarantee that a code will arrive.

We do not sell voice, SMS or a phone number, and on this destination that is a real gap. If calling is central to your trip, buy from one of the three above.

And the free option most people forget: WhatsApp, FaceTime, Messenger and Signal calling all work fine over a data plan, and are how most Australians will actually talk to people back home. The gap is specifically about being reachable by an American business on an American number.

How much data do you actually need?

The USA is wifi-rich in hotels, cafés and airports, but American travel patterns push data use higher than a city break.

Most travellers use five to nine gigabytes across a week, which is at the upper end of typical.

The heavy items are specific to how people travel there:

For a road trip, save maps and important details offline. Navigation, video, cloud backups and hotspot use draw different amounts of data, so estimate from your actual habits rather than driving time alone.

Rideshare apps running maps while you wait and travel.

Streaming in the car, which quietly consumes more than anything else on this list.

Ten gigabytes over thirty days covers most two week trips. If you are doing a road trip, consider 20GB at A$34.95, because navigation across several states adds up.

Full sizing guide: how much data you need for the USA.

What to compare before choosing

Airalo sells calls and texts and we do not, which on this destination is the headline concession. They also commit in writing to “no limit on tethering or the number of devices you connect”, publish their throttle threshold and explain what 1 Mbps feels like, run a tiered loyalty programme paying 5% up to 10% by lifetime spend, pay Australian referrers A$5 in Australian dollars, and have an offline mode in their app.

For Nomad, compare the current the USA offer in the currency you will pay. Check the country list, validity, start window and any voice or SMS requirement. Read reward eligibility separately from the upfront price.

For any phone-number add-on, read the current separate terms. Check the number’s price and renewal, supported calls and SMS, and the restrictions that matter to your trip. Do not assume a data-plan purchase includes a local number.

If you are comparing Ubigi for the USA, check the exact plan’s high-speed allowance, reduced speed and allowance period. Check its current reload and reinstallation rules too. Compare those terms with the other plan you are considering, rather than treating one policy as a category-wide winner.

For SimCorner, check the current the USA offer, whether it is a physical SIM or eSIM, and any delivery or installation requirements. Compare the exact plan and refund terms before paying. Read current independent reviews directly if they matter to your choice.

For Holafly, compare the current total price for your the USA dates, then check speed, hotspot and refund conditions. A plan sold by the day should be compared with enough fixed data for the same trip, not with a different-duration headline price.

For our the USA plans, check the exact option’s coverage, allowance, validity, speed and hotspot terms before buying. You can also read our public refund policy and company details. If reviews matter to your decision, open the current independent profile and read the recent feedback rather than relying on an old count here.

Unlimited pricing on this destination: Airalo A$36.50 for seven days and A$66.50 for fifteen, Holafly A$40 for seven and A$108 for thirty, Saily a flat US$48.99 for five to thirty days, Nomad from about US$11 for three days.

For a road trip with heavy navigation, Ubigi’s terms are the only ones here worth paying a premium for. For most people a 10GB or 20GB fixed plan is better value, and we say that knowing it points at our cheaper product.

Our exact daily plans publish the allowance and supplier-backed reduced-speed wording, with a numeric figure only where available. Full comparison: what “unlimited” actually means.

Hotspot

Airalo states there is no limit on tethering or the number of devices.

Holafly caps it at 1GB per day on trip plans.

Saily’s terms prohibit tethering “beyond occasional personal use” without defining it, while their country pages advertise unlimited sharing.

Ubigi, Nomad, SimCorner and ourselves permit it with no published device limit.

Relevant on a US road trip, where a passenger’s phone or a tablet often rides on the driver’s connection. Hotspot limits compared.

Will it work on your phone, and can you keep your number?

Check your exact phone model, regional version and carrier-lock status before buying. It needs eSIM support, and using your Australian line alongside the travel eSIM also needs compatible dual-SIM operation. The phone’s age alone does not settle it. Read our guide to checking your phone before you pay.

Use a compatible, unlocked phone that supports both lines at once. Leave your Australian line enabled and check that international roaming is available on your carrier account. Turn data roaming and automatic data switching off for that line, then use the travel eSIM for mobile data. Calls, voicemail and sent texts can still attract charges. Bank texts depend on your bank, carrier and network; delivery is not guaranteed.

So which one

Consider our the USA plan if its coverage, allowance and validity fit your trip and you want to deal with The SIM Shop. Read the exact plan terms and our refund policy before choosing.

Buy Airalo if you need a US number that can make and receive calls and texts, or you need tethering permission in writing.

Choose a plan with explicitly included voice and SMS if a local number is essential. Verify that it supports the calls, texts and services you need before paying.

For Nomad, compare the current the USA offer in the currency you will pay. Check the country list, validity, start window and any voice or SMS requirement. Read reward eligibility separately from the upfront price.

If you are comparing Ubigi for the USA, check the exact plan’s high-speed allowance, reduced speed and allowance period. Check its current reload and reinstallation rules too. Compare those terms with the other plan you are considering, rather than treating one policy as a category-wide winner.

Buy SimCorner if your phone does not support eSIM.

And check roaming. Optus Daily Roaming at $5 per 24 hours for 5GB includes unlimited standard talk and text, and the USA is in its Zone 1. For a short trip where calling matters, that solves both problems at once. Full three-way comparison: USA eSIM vs roaming vs a local SIM.

If you have decided what you need, our USA eSIM plans list the current sizes and validity periods.

Questions people actually ask

What is the cheapest eSIM for the USA from Australia?

Ours, at A$19.95 for 10GB over 30 days, of the providers billing in Australian dollars. Ubigi is A$24.00, SimCorner A$29.00 and Airalo A$32.50. Nomad’s US$20 and Saily’s US$22.99 convert to more than ours for most cards.

Do travel eSIMs include calls and texts in the USA?

Our current USA travel eSIM is data-only and does not include a local number for standard calls or SMS. Other providers may offer separate voice and SMS plans or add-ons. Check the exact current offer and any verification restrictions before buying.

Do I need an American phone number?

Only if American businesses need to reach you. Restaurant bookings, medical appointments, some delivery and rideshare verification systems and service calls all want a local number. Calls home over WhatsApp or FaceTime work fine on a data plan.

How much data do I need for two weeks in the USA?

Most travellers use five to nine gigabytes a week, which is at the upper end of typical because of long drives and continuous navigation. A 10GB plan covers most two week trips; consider 20GB for a road trip.

Can I keep my Australian number in the USA?

Use a compatible, unlocked phone that supports both lines at once. Leave your Australian line enabled and check that international roaming is available on your carrier account. Turn data roaming and automatic data switching off for that line, then use the travel eSIM for mobile data. Calls, voicemail and sent texts can still attract charges. Bank texts depend on your bank, carrier and network; delivery is not guaranteed.

Is roaming better than an eSIM for a US trip?

For a short trip where calling matters, possibly. Optus Daily Roaming is $5 per 24 hours for 5GB plus unlimited standard talk and text, and the USA is in Zone 1, so it solves the calling problem and the data problem together. Past about a week, an eSIM is cheaper.

Which USA eSIM has the best unlimited plan?

Ubigi, which publishes 30GB of full speed data on a 15 day plan and 60GB on a 30 day plan, then a floor of 2 Mbps. Saily gives the USA its higher 5GB daily tier. Holafly publishes no figure at all.

Will my eSIM work across all states?

Check the selected plan’s supported network and published coverage against your route, including parks and long drives. National availability does not establish a signal everywhere. Download offline maps and keep bookings available without mobile data.

Sources

Our own prices from our live USA product page. Competitor prices from each company’s own Australian store or published rate card, and from published US dollar pricing for Nomad and Saily. Simify did not list a USA plan at the time of checking. Policy quotes from Airalo’s Unlimited Data Plans Fair Use Policy and Terms of Use, Saily’s Terms of Service and phone number product page, Ubigi’s Terms and Conditions and USA product pages, Nomad’s terms and conditions, Holafly’s refund policy and destination pages, and SimCorner’s refund policy. Optus roaming terms from Optus’s own published material. SimCorner’s review count from ProductReview.com.au, stated as observed. All retrieved 17 to 20 August 2026.

Written by Lachlan, who runs The SIM Shop from Brisbane and answers the support email himself.