FairSIM eSIM for Philippines
The Philippines runs on your phone before you even land. The eTravel form has to be filed within 72 hours of arrival, Boracay checks a QR code and a hotel booking at the pier, and the ferry to El Nido is booked in an app, not at a window.
A FairSIM eSIM for the Philippines connects to Globe or Smart, the two networks that reach Palawan, Siargao and the Visayas, at the wholesale rate. Install it at home, switch it on at NAIA or Mactan-Cebu, and walk past the SIM counters.
Those counters matter here. Under the 2022 SIM Registration Act every Philippine SIM is tied to a passport, proof of address and a return ticket, and a tourist SIM switches itself off after 30 days. A foreign travel eSIM is outside that law.
- CarriersGlobe
- CompatibilityCheck if eSIM is available on your phone
- No days lostPurchase now, data will start when you arrive
Philippines eSIM plans
Plan starts: On first data use
Coverage in Philippines
- 4G LTE5G
Globe
Opensignal's October 2025 winner for coverage experience, the widest footprint in populated areas. Usually the stronger signal in El Nido, Coron and rural Mindanao. The most common travel eSIM host.
- 4G LTE5G
Smart (PLDT)
Opensignal's 5G coverage winner in 2025 and the second travel eSIM host. Strong in Manila, Cebu, Boracay and Siargao.
4G on the main islands, 5G in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Boracay and most provincial cities
Typical speed: About 58 Mbps median download nationally (Ookla, October 2025), behind Thailand and Vietnam but fine for maps, calls and photo uploads.
Good in cities and on the big resort islands, patchy in Palawan's interior, on smaller islands and on boats. Signal drops between towns on Siargao's east coast and in El Nido's outer coves. Power cuts after typhoons take cell sites down for hours.
How much data do you need in Philippines?
It depends on how you travel. Find your trip below, then pick the plan that matches. You can always top up in the app.
Island hopping, first visit
Manila, then Cebu, Palawan or Boracay over two weeks with a domestic flight or two.
Why data matters: Grab in Manila and Cebu, 12Go and ferry apps, the eTravel form, the Boracay iPass QR, and hotel and boat chats on Messenger and WhatsApp.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 20 GB
Surf and dive: Siargao, Moalboal, Malapascua
Swell chasing and thresher sharks, with tricycles instead of Grab.
Why data matters: Swell forecasts, dive shop chats, drivers arranged on Messenger because there is no ride-hailing, and photo uploads when you are back in range.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 20 GB
Digital nomad in Cebu, Siargao or BGC
Weeks of remote work from coworking spaces and beach cafés.
Why data matters: Hotspot backup when café Wi-Fi drops in a storm, video calls, cloud sync, and visa extension appointments booked online.
- 7 days
- 10 GB
- 14 days
- 20 GB
- 30 days
- Unlimited
Family visit across the provinces
Weeks with relatives, moving between Manila and home provinces.
Why data matters: Family group chats, video calls, Google Maps on provincial roads, banking apps, and streaming for the kids on long drives. One plan per phone from one app.
- 7 days
- 8 GB
- 14 days
- 15 GB
- 30 days
- 30 GB
Backpacker on the Southeast Asia loop
Hostels, night ferries and cheap Cebu Pacific flights, then onward to Vietnam or Indonesia.
Why data matters: Last-minute bed bookings, ferry and bus apps, group chats, and the Asia regional plan for the next countries on the loop, since the Philippines is sold as its own plan.
- 7 days
- 3 GB
- 14 days
- 7 GB
- 30 days
- 15 GB
Business trip to Manila
Makati and BGC meetings, traffic between them.
Why data matters: Teams and Zoom from the back of a Grab, Personal Hotspot for the laptop, and Waze for Manila traffic.
- 7 days
- 10 GB
- 14 days
- 20 GB
- 30 days
- Unlimited
What your home carrier charges in Philippines
Daily roaming passes look small until you multiply them by the length of the trip. FairSIM plans for Philippines start at $8.99 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 $8.99, 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 $8.99, no daily fee |
| Vodafone UK | £8 per day, £6 on plans started before 11 August 2021 | from $8.99, no daily fee |
| Rogers (Canada) | C$18 per day with Roam Like Home | from $8.99, 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 $8.99, 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 Philippines
File eTravel at etravel.gov.ph in the 72 hours before your flight. It is free; any site that charges is not the official one.
Boracay entry needs a DOT-accredited hotel booking and a QR code, and the pier fees are ₱450 per person. Sort it in Boracay iPass before Caticlan.
Palawan: Globe usually beats Smart in El Nido and Coron. Pick a Globe-hosted plan if Palawan is the heart of the trip; the app shows the network.
Siargao has no Grab. Arrange tricycles and habal-habal drivers on Messenger and download offline maps for the east coast road.
Typhoon season is June to November. Follow PAGASA warnings, expect ferry cancellations, and keep a day of slack before international flights.
Domestic flights are cheap and the islands are far apart. The Cebu Pacific and PAL apps handle changes faster than the counters.
Continuing to Thailand, Vietnam or Indonesia? Those three are on the Asia regional plan. The Philippines is a single-country plan, so buy the regional one for the next leg.
Keep your home SIM on for bank SMS codes with data roaming off. The eSIM has no Philippine number.
Can you rely on free Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi is decent in Manila and Cebu malls, airports and mid-range hotels, and unreliable everywhere else. Island resorts share one slow link, and a storm or a brownout takes it down. Mobile data comes back first.
Local SIM card or eSIM in Philippines?
Globe and Smart booths at NAIA and Mactan-Cebu sell tourist bundles around the clock, from about ₱1,750 for 80 GB over 30 days to ₱3,000 for the biggest packs, with eSIM versions on the spot. In town, a ₱100 to ₱500 prepaid promo goes much further, if you can register it.
Registration is the catch. The SIM Registration Act requires your passport, a hotel booking as proof of address and a return ticket, and a tourist SIM is deactivated automatically after 30 days unless you file a visa extension. A FairSIM eSIM has no Philippine number, so it is exempt from registration and simply runs until the plan ends.
Philippines eSIM questions
Does eSIM work in the Philippines?
Yes. Unlocked eSIM phones connect to Globe or Smart 4G and 5G networks across the main islands with a travel eSIM.
Which Philippine network will I get?
FairSIM plans for the Philippines use Globe, the widest-coverage network, or Smart, the 5G coverage leader. The app shows the network for each plan.
Do I get 5G in the Philippines?
Yes, on a 5G phone in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Boracay and most provincial cities. Elsewhere you get 4G, which is enough for maps and calls.
Can I hotspot my laptop?
Yes. Every FairSIM plan supports Personal Hotspot, with no separate cap. Nomads working from cafés should budget an extra 1 to 2 GB a day for it.
When should I install the eSIM?
Install at home on Wi-Fi and enable the line after landing. Validity typically starts on the first connection in the Philippines.
Do WhatsApp and Messenger calls work?
Yes, over data. The eSIM has no Philippine number, so keep your home SIM active for SMS codes and for drivers who call.
How much data do I need for two weeks in the Philippines?
Around 10 GB for maps, Grab, Messenger and photos; 20 GB or more if you stream or work remotely.
Is a local SIM better than an eSIM in the Philippines?
Local promos are cheap, but the SIM Registration Act means passport, proof of address and a return ticket at a counter, and a tourist SIM dies after 30 days. The eSIM skips all of it and tops up from the app.
Do I have to register a travel eSIM under the SIM Registration Act?
No. The law covers SIMs issued by Philippine operators. A foreign travel eSIM has no Philippine number, so there is no registration and no 30-day deactivation.
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.
