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Best eSIM for Thailand Feature phone with temple

The Best eSIM for Thailand: Stay Connected Wherever You Go

Picking the best eSIM for Thailand can be challenging because there are sooo many choices out there. Here’s what I love about the top providers I’ve tried: Saily, Holafly, Roamless, and Jetpac. I’ve also hooked you up with 5-20% eSIM discounts codes for every option.

This post may contain affiliate links. Buying an eSIM through some of these links generates a small commission for me at no extra cost to you. In this case, it even means you get a discount! Thanks for your support.

Table of Contents

Choosing the best Thai eSIM package

eSIMs are way more convenient than traditional SIM cards — they’ve been a real game changer for me. And with so many options out there for your trip to Thailand, you’ll have to do a little digging to find the one that actually suits your travel style. The key factors to consider are:

  • Price. You want something affordable that still meets your data needs.
  • Set up. The best ones let you purchase, install, and activate as soon as your flight lands. Some use a QR code, some require an app, some let you pay-as-you-go.
  • Customer support. You’ll want someone available 24/7 to help if you have tech issues. 
  • Compatibility. Make sure it works with your specific phone model before you buy.

The 4 best eSIM for Thailand

There are so many options out there, it can be hard to choose! Here are the top eSIM companies I’ve tried and can recommend for Thailand, with all their main features and benefits.

Saily is the best eSIM for Thailand for security

I loooove Saily for its unique digital security features. You can set your geo location to somewhere that isn’t Thailand, block ads, and turn web protection on. Web protection shields you from data theft and malware — things you don’t want to think about when you’re in paradise.

Beyond the security features, the data packages are well-priced and they have an unlimited option for Thailand. Saily has a cool widget feature for your phone homepage, which makes it super easy to see where you’re at with your data package.

Saily Ultra is their subscription model with 30 GB of data that auto-renews monthly. It also gives you one airport lounge pass per month!

Here’s my detailed Saily eSIM review.

Saily Discount

Saily offers my readers 10% off with the code: NAOMI10.

Get 10% off your Saily eSIM
Holafly is the best eSIM for Thailand with unlimited data

Unlimited data makes Holafly the best eSIM for Thailand if you’re online a lot and not on a shoestring backpacker budget. (It’s one of the more expensive options — but you get what you pay for.)

Instead of set 7, 14, or 30-day plans like most eSIM providers, you choose the exact dates you’re travelling and only pay for data during that period. And you can always extend your plan or do a monthly Holafly Plans subscription that works globally if your trip is open-ended. A lot of cafés I work from in Thailand have open Wifi networks, which I don’t love, so being able to hotspot from my phone is awesome.

The “Always On” feature is also unique and gives you 1 GB of free data every month even if your plan expires.

Here’s my detailed Holafly eSIM review.

Holafly Discount

Holafly offers my readers 5% off regular plans with NAOMI5. And 10% off subscriptions with the code: RUNAWAYTRAVELLER.

Get your Holafly eSIM discount

Roamless lets you make local and international calls (even landlines) with a unique in-app calling feature. It’s a bit like Skype used to be and charges a few cents per minute. This came in super handy when we forgot our card in a Krungsri ATM and needed to call the bank — a dramatic but perfect example lol.

Roamless is also the only eSIM company I’m aware of with a pay-as-you-go model. You can do a Flex plan that works anywhere in the world, and/or choose a Fix package just for Thailand that makes it cheaper per GB than Flex. The best way is to use both. Bonus — Flex credit never expires.

Roamless Discount

Roamless offers my readers a 20% discount with the code: RUNAWAY20.

Get 20% off your Roamless eSIM

I always say Jetpac is the “coolest” eSIM company. You’ve probably seen them on Instagram or TikTok — they go hard with the social media marketing. Their major draw is the free lounge access when your flight gets delayed.

Fortunately/unfortunately, my flight never got delayed when I tested Jetpac. But they have an impressive 4.8-star rating on Trustpilot, so it must work!

But beyond lounge access, Jetpac is a great budget-friendly option. They have 1 GB eSIMs for $1 if you just need a wee bit of data or want to test it out, and then bigger packages when you’re ready to commit.

Here’s my detailed Jetpac review.

Jetpac Discount

Jetpac offers my readers 10% off any eSIM over 10 USD with the code: RUNAWAY10.

Get your 10% Jetpac eSIM discount
eSIM Provider Data Limits Phone Number / Calling Best For
Saily 1GB–20GB; unlimited on select destinations Data only Budget travellers, security-conscious users
Holafly Unlimited on all plans Data only Heavy data users, vloggers, hotspotting
Jetpac Varies by plan; no unlimited Outgoing calls on select plans Airport lounge access perks
Roamless Pay-as-you-go or fixed; no true unlimited In-app calling available Multi-country hoppers, flexible travellers

Who doesn’t love a spreadsheet? Iv’e compared 10+ providers with prices, discounts, perks, refund policies, support, device compatibility… the whole deal. I update my Google Sheet regularly, so check it out. 

FAQs about finding the best eSIM for Thailand

Here are some quick answers to frequently asked questions about eSIMs for travel around Thailand.

Can I get an eSIM for all of Southeast Asia?

Heck yes you can. Most eSIM companies have regional packages that include Thailand other parts of Southeast Asia, or even the wider region. For example, Saily has an Asia & Oceania package with 19 countries. You can see the full list to make sure it covers everywhere you’re going.

Will an eSIM work with my phone?

Certain phone models support some eSIMs, but not all. However, if you have even a mostly new-ish smartphone you’ll be totally fine.

Each eSIM provider has a detailed list somewhere on their site of which phones are compatible. But be careful about this — don’t just assume! Most providers will have something in the T&Cs about not refunding eSIMs just because your phone isn’t compatible.

Will my eSIM work for my laptop in Thailand?

Only some windows laptops, including Asus, Dell, and HP have eSIM-compatible models — no Macs yet. But you can hotspot from your phone to your laptop. And some iPads and tablets are eSIM-compatible, so you could download an eSIM directly or hotspot.

I hotspot all the time with my unlimited Holafly subscription. But if you’re hotspotting, you def need an eSIM package with a big data allowance. Most eSIM companies allow for hotspotting these days, but double check just in case.

Holafly eSIM subscription page on a laptop in the jungle

Are eSIMs cheaper than local SIM cards?

A local SIM card in Thailand, like AIS or DTAC will usually cost less. With an eSIM, you’re paying for the convenience of having data as soon as you arrive, in-app support, and being able to top up and manage everything easily.

Can I use an eSIM and normal SIM at the same time?

Yes, you can keep both your home SIM and eSIM switched on. This can come in handy if you need to receive text messages for 2 factor authentication (2FA). You can usually receive texts internationally, but not send them.

However, you need to be careful with using both a SIM and eSIM — you could accidentally rack up a huge roaming charge back home. So personally, I just use an eSIM.

Naomi, Runaway Traveller

Naomi Lai

Naomi is a Canadian travel editor and writer with 13 years of international travel across Southeast Asia, Europe, South America, and beyond. She covers everything from budget backpacking to luxury travel — always from personal experience.

More about Naomi →
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