Whether you’re a digital nomad, taking a gap year, or planning a month-long trip, an eSIM subscription is likely a good call. That’ right — not just a regular eSIM, but the new subscription model a few companies offer. Saily, Holafly, Jetpac, and GigSky currently offer a recurring subscription. And they all come with unique perks from airport lounge access to bundled NordVPN subscriptions.
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What is an eSIM?
Essentially, an eSIM gives you instant access to the internet when you’re traveling. No need to swap out physical SIM cards or hunt for a kiosk at the airport and try to find the best deal with an unfamiliar currency.
An eSIM connects to the local network so you get data just as if you’d bought a physical chip. However, one pretty important difference is that they rarely give you the ability to make calls or send texts. This is changing slowly, and a few eSIM providers do have an outgoing call option in some locations. But in this day and age with WhatsApp and everything, data is usually just fine!
Fun fact: eSIM stands for embedded SIM. I thought it was like e-mail and just short for electronic SIM. But I guess they were electronic to begin with.
And an added bit of pub trivia: SIM stands for Subscriber Identity Module. Though good luck remembering that.
Read more: The Best eSIM for traveling to the US
When you should get an eSIM subscription
Bottom line: If you’re going to be abroad for 30 days or more, an eSIM subscription makes sense. The model is (usually) like Netflix where you just commit for one month and don’t have to lock into a contract.
The main benefits of an eSIM subscription are:
- It’s often cheaper to do a one-month subscription than to pay for a 30-day package with the same company.
- You don’t need to manage data plans, top up, or or choose eSIM packages.
- Most subscriptions are global, meaning you’ll have data basically anywhere in the world, as soon as you land.
- Your data renews automatically and is a consistent price. Better for travel budget forecasting if you’re into that! (TravelSpend is my favourite budgeting app, btw.)
I love doing the girl math of what a subscription costs per day 🙂
If your travel style is spontaneous and you’re always on the move, a monthly subscription is the best way to ensure you’re connected wherever you go. An eSIM subscription is perfect for:
- Digital nomads who need consistent internet access.
- People taking a gap year to travel.
- Anyone doing a month in Europe, the classic three-month South East Asia loop, six months in Central and South America… you get the idea.
An eSIM subscription is NOT for you if you’re just going for a quick trip or plan to stay in the same country for a year. In that case, you’re better off with a shorter eSIM plan or a local SIM card.
Read more: Are eSIMs Worth It for a Short Trip?
Top providers offering eSIM subscriptions
Here’s a quick look at the top eSIM companies currently offering recurring plans. At least the ones I’m aware of — there are so many providers out there right now it’s hard to keep track! Each company below has a slightly different approach to its eSIM subscription plan, with perks from unlimited global data to lounge access.
This is the eSIM subscription I’m currently using! As someone who works remotely, it’s perfect for me. When Holafly introduced a monthly subscription, Holafly Plans, it was a no-brainer for me. (And I think they were the first to offer it.)
Holafly Plans price & features:
$65 Unlimited Plan
$50 Light Plan (25 GB/month)
22% discount for annual commitment
Unlimited data
Unlimited hotspotting
Prices are in USD. Here’s an approximate conversion: 65 USD
So once you’ve set up your subscription, you’ll get unlimited data around the world. I love that I can hotspot the data from my phone to my laptop. It’s a life-saver when I’m trying to work from somewhere with dodgy wifi, or someone I’m traveling with doesn’t have data. Other companies offer hotspotting as well, but there’s usually a daily limit. Holafly is chill like that and it’s always unlimited.
Here’s my full review of Holafly Plans based onpersonal experience.
Saily’s monthly eSIM subscription is called Saily Ultra. While I’m not personally using this plan, I’ve tested Saily’s regular eSIM and it delivered on everything from fast setup and solid connectivity to great coverage. It’s by the same people behind NordVPN, and that same focus on online protection carries over to their eSIMs.
Saily Ultra price & features:
- $60 Ultra Plan
- 30 GB/month
- Airport lounge access
- Fast-track service at select airports
- Includes NordVPN & other subscriptions
Prices are in USD. Here’s an approximate conversion: 60 USD
Saily Ultra isn’t unlimited. But 30 GB per month is generous enough for most travelers. Fine for basic navigation, messaging, video calls, and some remote work on the go. The added travel perks like lounge access and fast-track are a nice bonus if you fly often.
Try Saily’s data usage calculator to see how many GBs you typically use in a month. Here’s my full Saily review for more deets.
Jetpac
Jetpac’s eSIM subscriptions are very perk-focused. Unlike the other eSIM subscription plans, Jetpac’s memberships give you way less data but come with free lounge access. In fact, it kind of feels like a lounge membership with bonus data. But it’s a great budget-friendly option! Especially if you’re a frequent flyer.
JetPro price & features:
- $45 JetPro
- 7 GB/month
- 3-month commitment
- 1 DragonPass lounge visit per month (option to buy more)
- Alternatively, there’s JetFlex, which is $24 for 10 GB/month and no lounge access.
Prices are in USD. Here’s an approximate conversion: 45 USD
As 7-10 GBs isn’t a ton of data, you can always top-up if you run out. Personally, Jetpac’s subscriptions wouldn’t work for my lifestyle because I use my phone and laptop too much a lot.
The data doesn’t roll over, but the lounge passes kinda do. They’re “stackable,” and you can use them up to 9 months after they’re issued. So you get one every month but it doesn’t disappear if you don’t use it.
GigSky One
GigSky‘s subscription model gives you 25, 50, or 75 GBs per month. So it offers the most GBs possible (behind Holafly’s unlimited plan) and is also one of the cheapest options. Pretty crazy!
GigSky One price & features:
- $34 for 25 GBs
- $54 for 50 GBs
- $74 for 75 GBs
- Prices above are 50% off for the first month
- No long-term commitment, cancel whenever
Prices are in USD. Here’s an approximate conversion: 54 USD
GigSky’s connectivity for cruise vacations is pretty cool if that’s your thing! It also gives you in-flight access in some cases. However, these features are not included in the subscription plan as of now, so you’d have to investigate that separately.
Non-subscription eSIM options
I’m a big believer in eSIMs, and I’ve been writing about them for a couple of years now. Here are popular options that don’t have eSIM subscription models. These are good options for quick trips.
- Roamless — 20% discount: RUNAWAY20
- Alosim — 15% discount: RUNAWAY15
- ETravelSim — 15% discount: NAOMI15
- Kolet — 10% discount: KOLET10
- BambooSIM — 10% discount: RUNAWAY10
- Yesim — 10% discount: YESIMSPECIAL10
- Ubigi — 10% discount on first purchase: RUNAWAY10
- Nomad
See my eSIM comparison chart with details & discounts to help you find the best one.
Naomi Lai
Naomi is a Canadian travel editor and writer with 13 years of international travel across Southeast Asia, Europe, South America, New Zealand, and beyond. She covers everything from budget backpacking to luxury travel — always from personal experience.
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