Having fast, reliable high-speed data on your phone is basically a requirement when you’re traveling to the United States, but visitors are often surprised to learn that prepaid SIM data plans aren’t as widely available or affordable as they are in their home country.
In this guide, I’ll cover everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in the US and how to buy the best US prepaid mobile data plans at the best prices.
Important Notes About US Prepaid SIM Data Plans
Getting a prepaid data plan in the United States can be a frustrating experience, especially for international travelers. Mobile service in the U.S. is typically much more expensive than in other parts of the world, so visitors are often surprised when they arrive in the U.S. expecting easy access to cheap data.
Why?
Prepaid data plans are uncommon in the United States, as most Americans have one-year phone service contracts. To further complicate matters, many mobile carriers also require you to use a U.S. credit card if you purchase a monthly plan.
This is why many tourists have problems purchasing data plans when they arrive in the United States, as they have to struggle to find prepaid services in the United States.
Even at major airports like New York’s JFK, options are few, expensive, and inconvenient.
I’ll cover all of this in more depth later in this article, but I want to get this out of the way upfront.
In short, if you don’t want to deal with these hassles, I highly recommend purchasing a data plan before arriving in the United States. Check Simulation options (Physical SIM card and eSIM plan) or Horafle (eSIM only) There are a few different options – I recommend buying eSIM data plans If your phone is compatible.
How to buy a US prepaid data plan
When purchasing a US data plan, you have three main options:
Pre-purchase eSIM data plan (easiest)
The easiest way to buy a US data plan is to buy an eSIM data plan, as you can activate it instantly and therefore don’t have to pay shipping costs. All you have to do is purchase the service and then activate it once you arrive in the United States. As an added bonus, using an eSIM allows you to keep your original phone number on your phone.
I personally have used them all Simulation options and Horafle Purchased international data plans in the past. You can also read my guide Best Prepaid US eSIM Data Plans.
Not sure what eSIM is? Here’s a short video showing you how easy eSIM is:
Not all phones are eSIM compatible (although most modern phones are), so keep that in mind.
Pre-purchase SIM data plan (easy)
If you want to confirm your data plan before traveling, I recommend purchasing a SIM card before departure so you have data as soon as you arrive (i.e. no need to track down the SIM card once you arrive in the US).
The main disadvantage is that you have to wait for the SIM card to arrive and pay for shipping, so if you need a SIM card right away, this may not be a good option.
Wait until you get to the U.S. to buy a SIM card (the hardest thing)
The third option is to wait until you arrive in the United States before purchasing a data plan. As I mentioned before, prepaid data plans aren’t very popular in the United States, so you’ll have to do some digging to find them.
I’ll cover this further in this article.
The best prepaid SIM cards and eSIM data plans you can buy before arriving in the US
Below is a list of prepaid eSIM data plans and physical SIM data plans available in the United States.
I’ve tried to list the pros and cons of each plan, so please take a moment to read each plan as some have some quirks.
Holafly US Data Plan (Unlimited Data eSIM)
Horafle is a new data-only eSIM startup that I personally used on a recent trip and found it to work surprisingly well (read my Holafly eSIM Review learn more).
Unlike other companies, Holafly’s plans give you unlimited data (if you use Too much data, but this is not an issue for most users) and their plans run for 5 to 90 days. Holafly also connects to AT&T and T-Mobile networks – the two largest mobile carriers in the United States.
In short, if you don’t want to worry about monitoring your data usage while traveling, then Horafle is your best choice.
- Unlimited data prices (check Horafle details)
- 5 days: $19
- 10 days: $34
- 15 days: $47
- 20 days: $54
- 30 days: $64
- 60 days: $84
- 90 days: $99
- Service speed: 4G/LTE
- Incoming call: without any
- SMS/SMS: without any
- Network sharing: No
Three 30-day passes (digital eSIM plan)
Plan specifications:
- price: $35
- data: 20GB
- Including text messages or phone calls? : No
- Letter of credit is suitable for: 30 days
If your phone is eSIM compatible, Three 30-day passes For price and data, it’s hard to beat. This data plan gives you 20GB data for $35 and is valid for one month.
Since this is an eSIM card, you get instant delivery via email and no shipping charges.
Smart Traveler eSIM (Digital eSIM Plan)
Plan specifications:
- price: $18
- data: 6GB
- Including text messages or phone calls? : No
- Letter of credit is suitable for: 10 days
The Smart Traveler eSIM is valid for only 10 days, making it a good budget option for short trips. If your visit lasts longer than 10 days, then select Three 30-day passes $35 or Horafle.
Orange Holiday World (physical SIM card)
Plan specifications:
- price: $50
- data: 10GB
- Including text messages or phone calls? : No
- Use as a mobile hotspot? : Yes
- Letter of credit is suitable for: 14 days
Orange Holiday World is a popular choice among travelers for a number of reasons.
First, it’s operated by Orange, Europe’s largest mobile operator, and works with major US mobile carriers, so the service tends to be better than no-name SIM data plans.
Secondly, the Orange Holiday World package includes 10GB 4G/LTE data in the United States. This plan also works if Canada and Mexico happen to be part of your trip.
Third, no registration required – just install a SIM card and get started.
The main drawback is that the data plan only lasts 14 days, so it’s not suitable for long journeys, but you can top up the card once for €29 to get another 14 days of service and an extra 10GB of data.
3 PAYG MBB 12GB (physical SIM card)
Plan specifications:
- price: $60
- data: 12GB
- Including text messages or phone calls? : No
- Use as a mobile hotspot? : No
- Letter of credit is suitable for: 1 year
Three UK PYAG MBB is another popular SIM data plan option, priced at $60 for 12GB of data. It does not allow data sharing, you can use it via Pocket WIFI. The card is valid for one year after activation, so it’s a good option for long-term visits to the United States.
3 PAYG MBB 24GB (physical SIM cards)
Plan specifications:
- price: $80
- data: 24GB
- Including text messages or phone calls? : No
- Use as a mobile hotspot? : No
- Letter of credit is suitable for: 1 year
Three UK PAYG MBB 24GB data plans give you 24GB of mobile data for $80, so they’re a good option for heavy data users. If you have pocket WIFI, this is also a good option for groups traveling together so you can split your data across multiple phones.
How to buy a prepaid data plan in the US
Most prepaid data plans from U.S. carriers are billed monthly, so if you don’t cancel the plan, you’ll be charged at the start of the new month. Therefore, many mobile companies require you to have a US credit card.
Verizon Prepaid Data Plans
Verizon, the largest mobile provider in the United States, has prepaid plans starting at $40 per month for 5GB of data. Verizon is also the most expensive option. visit Verizon website learn more.
Verizon also launched a new budget service called visible But you’ll need a US credit card, and only certain phones will work on their network (visit Visible Mobile compatibility checker Check if your phone is working properly).
T-Mobile Prepaid US Data Plans
T-Mobile offers monthly prepaid data plans starting at $40/month (not including tax – $10 SIM starter kit may be required). The $40/month plan gives you 10GB of data, but the $50/month plan offers unlimited data. Click here to visit T-Mobile website learn more.
AT&T Wireless Prepaid Data Plans
AT&T Wireless offers prepaid data plans starting at $30 per month for 5BG data. visit AT&T website learn more.
Google Fi Prepaid Data Plans
Google Fi has monthly plans and pay-as-you-go plans. The monthly plan with unlimited data is $50 per month, and the pay-as-you-go plan is $20+$10 per 10GB of data. visit Google Fi website learn more.
Straight Talk Wireless Prepaid
Straight Talk Wireless is a low-cost carrier sold primarily at Walmart stores. The main problem is that Walmarts are usually located outside of major cities, so you need to drive to get to the store. You can also have your card shipped to a US address.
Get more US budget travel tips
Here are a few articles to help you get around New York City:
Traveling to Europe too? Check out my guide How to use a mobile phone in Europe and our guide The best SIM cards and data plans in Europe. If you have a newer phone, check out our guide Best Prepaid eSIM Data Plans in Europe.
James Faith is the founder of Smart Backpacker and author of The Smart Backpacker’s Guide to Budgeting in Europe. He has been blogging about budget travel in Europe since 2010.
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