Traviva’s pick for the UK is Ubigi: 10GB for 30 days at US$11, the cheapest verified plan by almost US$8, with tethering allowed. Saily (US$18.99), Nomad (US$19) and Airalo (US$19) are next. If you are also visiting Europe, Ubigi’s Europe plan covers the UK for US$15; if you need calls and texts, Airalo’s UK Data, Voice & Text packages start at US$5. It suits most travellers with an unlocked, eSIM-capable phone.
Updated · Prices in US dollars unless marked A$; figures marked “checked October 2026” were read off each provider’s own site on 8 October 2026.
United Kingdom eSIMs at a glance
The 10GB, 30-day plan from each provider, or its unlimited plan where it sells no fixed data. Hotspot rules come from each provider’s own terms.
| Provider | Plan / data | Validity | Price | Hotspot | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ubigi | 10GB | 30 days | US$11 | Yes | Network not confirmed. Unlimited: US$44 for 30 days (60GB at full speed, then 2 Mbps). Price checked October 2026. |
| Saily | 10GB | 30 days | US$18.99 | Yes | Network not confirmed. Price checked October 2026. |
| Nomad | 10GB | 30 days | US$19 | Yes | Three, EE and Vodafone. Unlimited: US$49 for 30 days. Price checked October 2026. |
| Airalo | 10GB | 30 days | US$19 | Yes | EE. 10GB with 100 minutes and 100 texts is US$23.50. Price checked October 2026. |
| Holafly | Unlimited | 30 days | US$76.50 | 1GB a day | No fixed-data plans; 15 days is US$51.50. Price checked October 2026. |
| Maya Mobile | Unlimited | 30 days | US$49.99 | Allowed, with guidance | Three and Vodafone. 3GB a day, then 10 Mbps, then 1 Mbps. Price checked October 2026. |
| Simify | 10GB | 30 days | A$49 | Allowed | Sold as one Europe & UK plan. Billed in A$. Price checked October 2026. |
A UK plan, a Europe plan, or one with calls
Three different products get sold as “a UK eSIM”. Which one is cheapest depends on where else you are going and whether you need to make calls.
UK only. Ubigi’s 10GB for 30 days at US$11 is the cheapest verified UK plan, and it also sells a 30-day unlimited plan at US$44, which runs at full speed for 60GB and then at 2 Mbps.
Europe including the UK. Ubigi’s Europe plan covers 38 countries including the UK, at US$15 for 10GB over 30 days, and Simify sells one Europe & UK plan at A$49 for 10GB. Plans sold as “Europe” do not all include the UK, so check the country list before you buy — our Europe guide compares them.
Data with calls and texts. Airalo sells UK Data, Voice & Text packages alongside its data-only plans: 10GB with 100 minutes and 100 texts over 30 days is US$23.50, against US$19 for 10GB of data alone. Ubigi, Holafly, Maya Mobile and Simify are data-only.
What a 10GB month costs in the UK
Same plan, same duration, four sellers. Prices in US dollars, checked 8 October 2026.
Holafly sells no fixed-data plans anywhere — its 30-day unlimited plan is $76.50, which is a different product and so is not plotted on the same scale.
Ubigi
Ubigi at $11 for 10GB over 30 days is the cheapest verified plan by almost $8, and its 30-day unlimited plan at $44 is the cheapest month of unlimited here. If the UK is one stop on a European trip, its $15 Europe plan covers the UK too.
See Ubigi the UK plans →Every verified plan
Prices in US dollars, read off each provider’s own page. Where we could not confirm a price, we say so rather than estimate.
| Provider | Fixed data plans | Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| Saily | 1GB/7d $4.49 · 3GB/30d $8.99 · 5GB/30d $12.99 · 10GB/30d $18.99 · 20GB/30d $30.99 | Not verified in October 2026 |
| Airalo | 1GB/3d $4 · 3GB/3d $8.50 · 3GB/7d $9 · 5GB/7d $12 · 10GB/7d $18 · 5GB/15d $12.50 · 10GB/15d $18.50 · 20GB/15d $30 · 5GB/30d $13 · 10GB/30d $19 · 20GB/30d $31 · 50GB/30d $39 Airalo also sells UK Data, Voice & Text packages, from 1GB with 10 minutes and 10 texts over 3 days at $5 to 50GB with 500 minutes and 500 texts over 30 days at $54; 10GB with 100 minutes and 100 texts over 30 days is $23.50. | 3d $11.50 · 5d $18.50 · 7d $27 · 10d $34.50 · 15d $48 · 30d $69 |
| Nomad | 1GB/7d $4.50 · 3GB/30d $9 · 5GB/30d $12 · 10GB/30d $19 · 20GB/30d $26 · 50GB/30d $39 | 3d $11 · 5d $18 · 7d $25 · 10d $33 · 30d $49 |
| Ubigi | 3GB/30d $5 · 10GB/7d $9 · 10GB/30d $11 · 25GB/30d $22 · 50GB/30d $32 Ubigi also sells recurring UK plans: 5GB at $5/month, 20GB at $12/month, and 5GB a month for 12 months at $29. | 1d $5 · 7d $21 · 15d $32 · 30d $44 The 30-day plan runs at full speed for the first 60GB, then 2 Mbps. An unlimited monthly subscription is also sold, at $26/month. |
| Holafly | No fixed-data plans — unlimited only | 3d $11.90 · 5d $20.50 · 7d $27.50 · 10d $37.50 · 15d $51.50 · 30d $76.50 |
| Maya Mobile | No fixed-data plans — unlimited only Maya sells no fixed-data plans anywhere; its product is one global unlimited plan. | 3d $9.99 · 7d $19.99 · 14d $27.99 · 30d $49.99 The same four prices apply in every country Maya covers. |
| Simify | 5GB/7d A$29 · 10GB/30d A$49 · 20GB/30d A$75 · 30GB/30d A$99 · 45GB/45d A$135 · 60GB/60d A$159 · 100GB/90d A$219 Sold as one Europe & UK plan. | Not verified in October 2026 |
Provider names link to their own site. Some of those links earn us a commission — the disclosure page says exactly which, and it plays no part in which plan we call cheapest.
Every price on this page is in US dollars except Simify’s, which are in Australian dollars because it bills in A$. An Australian card adds a foreign transaction fee of around 3% to the rest, which none of them mention at checkout — what that actually costs you →
Before you choose on price
Every unlimited plan sold in the UK slows down at some point, so none of them is truly unlimited. Airalo gives you 3GB a day before dropping to 1 Mbps; Nomad gives you 2GB a day before dropping to 512 kbps; Ubigi sets no daily cap, but its 30-day plan runs at full speed for 60GB, then 2 Mbps; Holafly publishes no figure at all, though third-party analysis puts it near 2–3GB a day; Maya Mobile gives you 3GB a day before dropping to 10 Mbps, then 1 Mbps; Simify, where it sells unlimited, publishes no firm figure at all — only an approximate 1–1.5GB, and only in a troubleshooting article rather than on any plan page.
The cap matters less than what happens after it, and it decides whether a cheaper fixed-data plan would serve you better. Every provider’s daily cap and throttled speed, in one table →
Which network you actually roam onto
An eSIM is a roaming agreement with a local carrier. In the UK, that means:
| Provider | Local network |
|---|---|
| Airalo | EE |
| Nomad | Three, EE and Vodafone |
| Maya Mobile | Three and Vodafone |
| Holafly | Orange UK, T-Mobile UK, Three, Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone, as Holafly lists them |
| Saily | Not confirmed |
| Ubigi | Not confirmed |
| Simify | Not confirmed |
UK eSIM questions travellers ask
What is the best eSIM for the UK?
Traviva’s pick is Ubigi: 10GB for 30 days at US$11 in October 2026, the cheapest verified plan by almost US$8, with tethering allowed. Saily (US$18.99), Nomad (US$19) and Airalo (US$19) are next.
How much does a UK eSIM cost?
A 10GB, 30-day plan cost US$11 from Ubigi and US$18.99 to US$19 from Saily, Nomad and Airalo in October 2026. Simify charges A$49 for a Europe and UK plan, and Holafly sells only unlimited plans, at US$76.50 for 30 days.
Will a Europe eSIM work in the UK?
Some do. Ubigi’s Europe plan covers 38 countries including the UK, at US$15 for 10GB over 30 days, and Simify sells a combined Europe and UK plan at A$49. Plans sold as Europe cover different country lists, so check the UK is on it before you buy.
Can I get calls and texts with a UK eSIM?
Yes with Airalo’s UK Data, Voice & Text packages: 10GB with 100 minutes and 100 texts over 30 days is US$23.50, and the smallest package is 1GB with 10 minutes and 10 texts over 3 days for US$5. Ubigi, Holafly, Maya Mobile and Simify are data-only.
What is the cheapest unlimited eSIM for the UK?
Ubigi: US$44 for 30 days, with 60GB at full speed and then 2 Mbps. Nomad charges US$49 for 30 days, Maya Mobile US$49.99, Airalo US$69 and Holafly US$76.50.
Which UK network will my eSIM use?
Airalo uses EE, Nomad lists Three, EE and Vodafone, and Maya Mobile lists Three and Vodafone. Holafly lists Orange UK, T-Mobile UK, Three, Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone. We could not confirm the network for Saily, Ubigi or Simify.
Can I use a UK eSIM as a hotspot?
Yes with Ubigi, Saily, Nomad and Airalo, which allow tethering. Holafly limits hotspot sharing to 1GB a day. Tethering uses the same data allowance as your phone.
Related
- Going on to the continent? The best eSIM for Europe, and which plans include the UK →
- Need a number for SMS codes? Which travel eSIMs actually include one →
- Airalo and Holafly both sell UK plans and are the two most-searched eSIM brands, but they work in completely different ways — we put them side by side →