FairSIM eSIM for Brazil
In Brazil the phone is the wallet and the phone line. Pix, the central bank's instant transfer system, handled 47% of all payments by the end of 2024. The beach vendor, the açaí stand and the taxi driver all expect it. Tourists rarely get Pix, because it needs a Brazilian bank account, so you fall back on cards and Apple Pay, and on data to call an Uber or a 99 instead of arguing a fare.
A local SIM is the other problem. Vivo and Claro stores usually ask for a CPF, the Brazilian tax number, and will not register a line to a passport alone. A FairSIM eSIM for Brazil connects to Vivo, Claro or TIM at the wholesale rate, installs in one tap before you fly, and needs no CPF, no store and no Portuguese.
Coverage is excellent where the 9.3 million visitors of 2025 actually went: Rio, São Paulo, Salvador, Florianópolis and Foz do Iguaçu. It is not the Amazon or the Pantanal, where lodges run on satellite links and your phone shows nothing for days. That is what offline maps and the tips below are for.
- CarriersVIVO Brazil
- CompatibilityCheck if eSIM is available on your phone
- No days lostPurchase now, data will start when you arrive
Brazil eSIM plans
Plan starts: On first data use
Coverage in Brazil
- 4G LTE5G
Vivo
Largest network and Opensignal's 2025 leader for overall download speed, with the fastest 5G in the country. The usual host for travel eSIMs.
- 4G LTE5G
Claro
First Brazilian operator to win Opensignal's Reliability award (January 2025). Strong in São Paulo and the south-east.
- 4G LTE5G
TIM
Wins Opensignal's Consistent Quality award four reports running and leads on video. The widest 5G footprint by number of towns.
4G LTE in every city and along the coast, 5G in more than 800 municipalities covering about 63% of the population
Typical speed: Opensignal's January 2025 report put Vivo at about 40 Mbps overall download, with 5G above 300 Mbps. Ookla's late-2025 median tops 200 Mbps, driven by 5G in the cities; on 4G expect 30 to 50 Mbps.
Excellent in Rio, São Paulo, Brasília, Salvador, Florianópolis and Foz do Iguaçu. The Amazon, the Pantanal, Chapada Diamantina and the Lençóis Maranhenses have signal in towns and at some lodges, and nothing between them.
How much data do you need in Brazil?
It depends on how you travel. Find your trip below, then pick the plan that matches. You can always top up in the app.
Rio beach and city week
Copacabana, Ipanema, Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf and a night in Lapa.
Why data matters: Uber and 99 for every trip after dark, Google Maps, WhatsApp with hosts and guides, and Cristo and cable-car tickets booked online to skip the queue.
- 7 days
- 3 GB
- 14 days
- 6 GB
- 30 days
- 12 GB
Carnival in Rio or Salvador
Street blocos by day, the Sambódromo or the Salvador circuits by night.
Why data matters: Bloco locations change by the hour on WhatsApp and Instagram, ride-hailing surges, and you will want to share your live location with friends in the crowd.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 20 GB
São Paulo business and food trip
Meetings on Faria Lima, dinners in Jardins, a weekend of museums.
Why data matters: Video calls, hotspot for the laptop, 99 and Uber between meetings, iFood, and the metro on Google Maps.
- 7 days
- 10 GB
- 14 days
- 20 GB
- 30 days
- Unlimited
Iguaçu and the south loop
The falls from both sides of the border, then Florianópolis beaches and Curitiba.
Why data matters: One Latin America plan covers Brazil and Argentina, so the Iguazú side of the falls stays connected. Bus tickets, hostel WhatsApp and surf forecasts.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 8 GB
- 30 days
- 15 GB
Amazon or Pantanal wildlife trip
River lodges out of Manaus, or the Transpantaneira out of Cuiabá.
Why data matters: Signal ends at the city limits. Download offline maps, the Portuguese pack and lodge confirmations in town, then upload photos when you are back.
- 7 days
- 3 GB
- 14 days
- 5 GB
- 30 days
- 10 GB
Digital nomad in Florianópolis or Rio
One to three months working from the coast.
Why data matters: Hotspot backup for video calls when the café Wi-Fi drops, cloud sync, banking, and top-ups in the app month to month.
- 7 days
- 10 GB
- 14 days
- 20 GB
- 30 days
- Unlimited
What your home carrier charges in Brazil
Daily roaming passes look small until you multiply them by the length of the trip. FairSIM plans for Brazil start at $5.99 and never bill per day.
| Carrier | Roaming charge | FairSIM |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon TravelPass (US) | $12 per line per day, 5 GB of high-speed data per day then slower speeds | from $5.99, no daily fee |
| AT&T International Day Pass (US) | $12 per day per line, $6 for each additional line, charged only on the days you use it | from $5.99, no daily fee |
| T-Mobile (US) | 5 GB of high-speed data included on Experience More, 15 GB on Experience Beyond, then 256 kbps; $10 per day for a full-speed pass | from $5.99, no daily fee |
| EE (UK) | £8 per day with only 500 MB of data | from $5.99, no daily fee |
| Rogers (Canada) | C$18 per day with Roam Like Home | from $5.99, no daily fee |
| Orange (France) | Connexion 24h at €8.99 per day, or a Pass Voyage from €9.99 for 3 days; €13.31 per MB without either | from $5.99, no daily fee |
Carrier prices as published on their roaming pages at the time of writing. They change often; check your own plan before you fly.
How FairSIM works
Three steps between you and the internet abroad. Nothing to pick up at the airport.
Pick a destination and a plan
Choose the country or region and the data you need. The price you see is the price you pay.
Tap install
On iPhone (iOS 17.4+) the eSIM installs in one tap, no QR code. Do it at home while you still have Wi-Fi.
Land and connect
Turn on data roaming for the FairSIM line when you arrive. Your plan starts when it first connects.
Connectivity tips for Brazil
Keep the phone out of sight on the street, especially between 4 pm and 9 pm, when the UK Foreign Office says thieves most often target phones. Check the map inside a shop, not on the kerb.
Do not take your phone onto city beaches unless someone stays with the bags, and never after dark. A cheap waterproof pouch beats a stolen iPhone.
Turn on Stolen Device Protection and Find My before you fly, and note your IMEI. If the worst happens, the police report can be filed online.
You cannot pay with Pix without a Brazilian account. Carry a contactless card and Apple Pay; tap-to-pay works at markets, kiosks and most taxis.
Signal ends at the edge of Manaus, Cuiabá and Campo Grande. Download offline Google Maps and your lodge confirmations before boarding the boat or the Transpantaneira.
US, Canadian and Australian passport holders have needed an e-visa since 10 April 2025. It costs US$80.90, takes a few days, and the PDF lives on your phone.
Carnival falls in February or early March. Ride-hailing surges, bloco routes shift on Instagram, and a 5 GB week is the minimum.
Doing the Argentine side of Iguazú? Pick the Latin America plan so the eSIM keeps working across the bridge in Puerto Iguazú.
Can you rely on free Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi is common in hotels, malls, cafés and the big airports, and São Paulo and Rio run free public hotspots in parks and metro stations. Beach kiosks and long-distance buses are hit and miss. Avoid banking on open networks.
Local SIM card or eSIM in Brazil?
Prepaid data is cheap in Brazil: TIM sells about 9 GB for two weeks at roughly R$15, Vivo 5 GB for R$20, Claro 6 GB for a month at R$30, each plus a R$10 activation. The catch is the CPF. Vivo and Claro stores usually refuse to register a line to a passport alone, and the airport kiosks at Galeão and Guarulhos sell only Correios SIMs. TIM is the exception that accepts a passport, if you find a staffed store that agrees.
A FairSIM eSIM runs on the same Vivo, Claro or TIM networks with no CPF, no store visit and no Portuguese form. Install it on home Wi-Fi in one tap, and it is live when the wheels touch down at Guarulhos or Galeão.
Brazil eSIM questions
Does eSIM work in Brazil?
Yes. Vivo, Claro and TIM all support eSIM, and any unlocked eSIM iPhone connects. FairSIM installs in one tap and activates on your first connection in Brazil.
Which network will my FairSIM eSIM use in Brazil?
Plans connect to Vivo, Claro or TIM, the three national networks. Vivo is fastest, Claro the most reliable and TIM the most consistent in Opensignal's 2025 reports. The app shows the network for each plan.
Is there 5G in Brazil?
Yes, and it is fast. 5G reaches about 63% of the population across more than 800 municipalities, with Vivo averaging over 300 Mbps. Many travel eSIMs run on 4G LTE, which is plenty for maps and video.
Can I use my eSIM as a hotspot?
Yes. Every FairSIM plan supports Personal Hotspot, with no separate cap. Handy for a laptop in a São Paulo hotel with slow Wi-Fi.
Do I need a CPF to use a FairSIM eSIM?
No. A CPF is what Vivo and Claro stores ask for when registering a Brazilian SIM. A travel eSIM roams on their networks and needs no Brazilian ID at all.
Should I install the eSIM before or after landing?
Install it at home on Wi-Fi in one tap, keep it off, then enable data on it when you land. Validity typically starts on the first connection in Brazil.
Can I make calls and use WhatsApp?
WhatsApp calls and messages work fully over data, and that is how Brazil communicates. There is no Brazilian number, so keep your home SIM for SMS codes.
How much data for 7, 14 or 30 days?
Beach and city week: 3, 6 and 12 GB. Carnival or a São Paulo work trip: 5 to 10 GB, 10 to 20 GB, then 20 GB or unlimited. Top up in the app at any time.
Local SIM or travel eSIM for Brazil?
A local SIM is cheaper per gigabyte but needs a CPF at Vivo and Claro, or a store visit with a passport at TIM. A travel eSIM is set up before departure, needs no ID and works the moment you land.
What is an eSIM?
A SIM card built into your phone. Instead of a plastic chip, you download a profile. Every iPhone since the XS has one next to the physical SIM slot, so your home number stays put while FairSIM supplies the data.
Is my phone compatible?
FairSIM works with eSIM-compatible, carrier-unlocked iPhones: the XS, XR and everything newer, on iOS 17.4 or later for the one-tap install with no QR code. iPhones bought in mainland China do not support eSIM at all, even when unlocked. Not sure yours is unlocked? Check Settings, General, About, Carrier Lock, or ask your carrier. The full list is on the How it works page.
When should I install my eSIM?
Before you travel, while you still have Wi-Fi. Installing does not start your plan; the validity typically starts when the eSIM first connects to a network at your destination.
Do FairSIM eSIMs come with a phone number?
No. FairSIM eSIMs are data-only by design, which keeps costs low. For calls and texts, your physical SIM stays active so you keep your existing number, and WhatsApp, FaceTime and iMessage work over data.
