FairSIM eSIM for United States
In the United States your phone is your concert ticket, your boarding pass and your ride home. Rotating-barcode tickets need data at the gate, ride-hail pickups hide in dedicated airport zones, and the restaurant bill arrives on a tablet. Hotel Wi-Fi, meanwhile, often sits behind a resort fee.
A FairSIM eSIM for the USA rides on T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon, the three national networks, at the wholesale rate. There is no store visit, no ID check and no three-month minimum like the prepaid brands. Install at home, land, connect.
- CarriersAT&T, AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile, Verizon
- CompatibilityCheck if eSIM is available on your phone
- No days lostPurchase now, data will start when you arrive
United States eSIM plans
Plan starts: On first data use
Coverage in United States
- 4G LTE5G
T-Mobile
The most common host for travel eSIMs. Opensignal's 2026 leader for 5G availability and reliability.
- 4G LTE5G
AT&T
The second most common host, with the best time-on-network score and strong rural coverage in the South and Midwest.
- 4G LTE5G
Verizon
The largest US network by subscribers, with the widest rural 4G footprint. The app shows which network each plan uses.
4G LTE nationwide, 5G reaching about 90% of the population
Typical speed: Around 160 to 170 Mbps median mobile download (Ookla, 2025), top-ten worldwide.
Urban coverage is excellent. Rural coverage is good along the interstates but has real gaps in national parks, deserts and mountains, notably Nevada, Utah, Montana and West Texas. 3G is fully shut down, so your phone needs 4G LTE.
How much data do you need in United States?
It depends on how you travel. Find your trip below, then pick the plan that matches. You can always top up in the app.
New York City break
Four to seven days of subway, museums, Broadway and food.
Why data matters: Google or Apple Maps with the MTA, OMNY tap-to-ride, Uber and Lyft, Resy and OpenTable, rotating-barcode Ticketmaster tickets, and Instagram uploads.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 20 GB
West Coast road trip
Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and the national parks by rental car.
Why data matters: Waze and Google Maps navigation, Spotify, GasBuddy, Recreation.gov park passes, Airbnb check-ins, and hotspot for passengers.
- 7 days
- 10 GB
- 14 days
- 15 GB
- 30 days
- 25 GB
Florida theme parks with the family
Orlando's Disney and Universal parks with kids.
Why data matters: Park apps for Lightning Lane, virtual queues and mobile food orders, photo uploads, and streaming in the lines. A plan per phone keeps everyone online.
- 7 days
- 10 GB
- 14 days
- 20 GB
- 30 days
- 30 GB
Business travel
Conferences and client meetings in New York, San Francisco, Chicago or Austin.
Why data matters: Teams and Zoom on the move, Slack, email, and a laptop hotspot when hotel Wi-Fi is gated behind resort fees.
- 7 days
- 10 GB
- 14 days
- 20 GB
- 30 days
- Unlimited
Study or exchange semester
A long campus stay on a budget.
Why data matters: Daily maps, banking apps, social, and streaming off campus Wi-Fi. Top up in the app instead of signing a US contract.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 30 GB
Cruise gateway: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Galveston
One to three land days before or after a Caribbean cruise.
Why data matters: Port transfers, Uber, cruise-line app check-in and e-boarding passes.
- 7 days
- 3 GB
- 14 days
- 5 GB
- 30 days
- 10 GB
What your home carrier charges in United States
Daily roaming passes look small until you multiply them by the length of the trip. FairSIM plans for United States start at $5.99 and never bill per day.
| Carrier | Roaming charge | FairSIM |
|---|---|---|
| EE (UK) | £6 per day, £30 for 7 days or £50 for 15 days, using your UK allowance | from $5.99, no daily fee |
| Vodafone UK | £8 per day, £6 on plans started before 11 August 2021 | from $5.99, no daily fee |
| O2 (UK) | £6 to £7 per day unless your plan includes the USA | 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 |
| Telstra International Day Pass (Australia) | A$10 per day with 2 GB of data | from $5.99, no daily fee |
| Rogers (Canada) | C$16 per day with Roam Like Home | 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.
Related guides
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 United States
Install the eSIM at home and switch it on when the plane lands. JFK and LAX immigration queues are long and you will want Uber and maps the moment you are through.
Expect dead zones: cell service covers only about half of Yellowstone, and Yosemite beyond the Valley and Grand Canyon trails have none. Download offline maps and park maps.
Long desert stretches such as I-15 to Las Vegas, US-50 across Nevada and West Texas have 30 to 60 minute gaps with no signal. Google Maps keeps the route cached.
A data-only eSIM gives no US number. Keep your home SIM on for SMS codes and use WhatsApp, FaceTime or Wi-Fi calling for voice.
Hotspot works and pays for itself the first time a resort asks $15 to $30 a day for premium Wi-Fi.
Turn off automatic app updates and cloud photo backups over mobile data. iOS Low Data Mode stretches a 10 GB plan across two weeks.
Tipping and split bills happen on tablets and in apps, not always in cash.
Can you rely on free Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi is everywhere in cities: Starbucks, McDonald's, malls, airports, Amtrak, and LinkNYC kiosks across New York. Hotel and resort Wi-Fi is frequently gated behind a resort fee or a premium tier, and rural motels and parks are weak.
Local SIM card or eSIM in United States?
Prepaid SIMs need no ID in the US and are easy to find: T-Mobile's Prepaid U.S. Pass eSIM runs $25 for 7 days to $50 for 30 days, and Mint Mobile starts at $15 a month but with a three-month minimum. Kits sit on the shelf at Walmart, Target and Best Buy.
The catches are practical. Your phone must be unlocked and support US 5G bands; some imported Android models drop to LTE. Prepaid brands push a phone number and a plan cycle you do not need for a two-week trip. A travel eSIM is ready before you fly, has no minimum term, and each traveler in your group can have their own plan from one app.
United States eSIM questions
Does eSIM work in the USA?
Yes, in the 50 states and Washington, D.C. It does not cover Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, which need their own local eSIM. Any unlocked eSIM-capable iPhone (XS or newer) works, connecting to T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon with a one-tap install.
Which network will my eSIM use in the US?
FairSIM plans for the USA connect to T-Mobile, with the best 5G availability, AT&T, with strong rural coverage, or Verizon, the largest network by subscribers. The app shows the network for each plan.
Do I get 5G?
Yes, where your plan and phone support it. 5G covers about 90% of the US population. In rural areas you fall back to 4G LTE, which is fine for maps and messaging.
Can I use hotspot or tethering?
Yes. Every FairSIM plan supports Personal Hotspot, with no separate cap. A laptop on a video call can use a gigabyte an hour.
Should I install before or after landing?
Install at home on Wi-Fi. You can switch the line on before you fly too, since the plan only starts once it connects to a network on arrival; just turn off data roaming on your main line first. No Wi-Fi before takeoff? Install and activate after landing instead, as long as you have Wi-Fi there.
Can I make calls and use WhatsApp?
It is data-only, so WhatsApp, FaceTime, Messenger and Wi-Fi calling all work. Keep your home SIM active for regular calls and SMS.
How much data do I need for 7, 14 or 30 days?
City breaks: 5, 10 and 20 GB. Road trips with navigation and music: 10, 15 and 25 GB. Streaming or hotspot use: 20 GB or more per week. Top up in the app if you run low.
Local SIM or eSIM for the USA?
A US prepaid eSIM such as T-Mobile's U.S. Pass costs $25 to $50, needs an unlocked phone and a sign-up, and includes a number you will not use. A travel eSIM is ready before you fly, has no minimum term, and works for every member of the group from one app.
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.
