We show a saving only when roaming would genuinely cover your whole trip.
UK → United States · roaming vs eSIM
Compare eSIMs for United States.
Compare what your UK network charges to roam in United States with travel eSIMs sized for your trip. See the hotspot rules, speed caps and fair-use limits before opening checkout.
20 destinations20 with eSIM pricesRoaming priced, never guessedNo account needed
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Hotspot rules, speed caps and fair-use limits beside every plan.
See where each number came from and when we checked it.
The United States guide · updated 10 Sept 2026
Short answer: buy a USA eSIM before you fly, unless your plan already includes the US.
The US is outside every UK network's Europe zone. Sky Mobile charges £2 a day to use your allowance, EE sells passes from £6 for 24 hours, O2 Travel is £7 a day at 2Mbps, and Three sells passes from £12.50 for 3 days. SMARTY charges 10p per MB and Tesco Mobile 1p. For a week or two, an eSIM with enough data for the trip usually costs less than the passes. The worked costs below show both.
- Local networks
- AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. Nomad and Airalo use T-Mobile, and Klook offers AT&T or Verizon options.
- 3G is gone
- All three networks have switched off 3G, so ordinary calls on US networks need a phone that supports 4G voice (VoLTE) roaming.
- US iPhones
- iPhones sold in the US since the iPhone 14 have no SIM tray. UK models still have one, so you can keep your UK SIM in and add an eSIM.
- Cruises
- Out of range of land, your phone can connect to the ship's own network, which neither UK roaming nor a travel eSIM covers.
- Remote areas
- National parks and long rural roads have gaps on every network, so download offline maps before you set off.
What your UK network charges in United States
The US is outside every UK network's Europe zone. Where a network publishes a charge for The US, the row is priced in the calculator above and links to the network's page. Where it prices against your account, we say so rather than guess.
| Network | How United States is charged | Worth knowing | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| EE | EE Rest of World Zone 1 pass: £6 for 24 hours, £30 for 7 days, £50 for 15 days | Uses your UK allowance, up to a 50GB fair-use ceiling. Full Works and some older plans may already cover this zone, so check the EE app first. | EE mobile price guide ↗checked 25 Aug 2026 |
| O2 | O2 Travel: £7 on each day you use it | Unlimited data, minutes and texts, with speeds capped at 2Mbps: fine for maps and messages, slow for video. Ultimate and some other plans already include it. | O2 Travel ↗checked 10 Sept 2026 |
| Vodafone | Priced against your plan in Vodafone's roaming checker | Vodafone's public pages don't print one rate for the US. Its roaming checker shows the charge for your number, and some plans include it. | Vodafone global roaming ↗checked 25 Aug 2026 |
| Three | Go Roam Around the World passes: £12.50 for 3 days, £30 for 7, £60 for 14 | Or £5 a day on plans taken out between October 2021 and 17 December 2025; check My3 for the rate on newer plans. Up to 12GB of your UK data abroad, and hotspot use isn't allowed. | Three Go Roam passes ↗checked 10 Sept 2026 |
| iD Mobile | Roam Beyond passes: £5 for 1 day and 2GB, £20 for 5 days and 10GB, £35 for 10 days and 20GB | Data-only passes that start straight away and don't renew. Ordinary calls and texts cost extra. | iD Mobile Roam Beyond ↗checked 25 Aug 2026 |
| Sky Mobile | Roaming Passport Plus: £2 on each day you use it | Uses your UK allowance, capped at 25GB per billing period. Your phone may need to support VoLTE. | Sky Roaming Passport Plus ↗checked 25 Aug 2026 |
| giffgaff | Check giffgaff's roaming page for the US | giffgaff sells fixed-price travel data add-ons for some destinations outside the EU. Buy one before you use any data, because standard roaming rates apply without it. | giffgaff roaming checker ↗checked 25 Aug 2026 |
| SMARTY | Standard rate: 10p per MB, from an out-of-plan add-on | That's about £100 a gigabyte, and SMARTY's default £45 worldwide spend limit stops you well before a week's use. Calls and texts cost extra. | SMARTY roaming in the USA ↗checked 25 Aug 2026 |
| VOXI | Global Roaming Extra: £16 for 8 days with 2GB, £26.60 for 15 days with 4GB | Includes some minutes and texts to the UK and within the country you're in. Incoming calls come out of those minutes. | VOXI Global Roaming Extra ↗checked 25 Aug 2026 |
| Tesco Mobile | US data rate: 1p per MB | About £10 a gigabyte. Calls and texts are charged separately, and a safety buffer may pause your data. | Tesco Mobile roaming rates ↗checked 25 Aug 2026 |
Roaming versus an eSIM, priced for a real trip
Everyday use is about 0.8GB a day, so a week needs 6GB and a fortnight 12GB. Roaming figures come from the same published charges the calculator uses; eSIM figures are the cheapest single plan from each provider that covers the trip, live from Nomad. Klook is left out because it shows prices only on its own page.
7 days · plan for 6GB
UK roaming
- Sky Mobile£14.00
- VOXI£16.00only 2GB — not enough
- EE£30.00
- Three£30.00
- iD Mobile£30.00
- O2£49.00speed capped at 2Mbps
- Tesco Mobile£61.44at the per-MB rate; a spend cap would stop this first
- SMARTY£614.40at the per-MB rate; a spend cap would stop this first
Travel eSIM
- Nomad · Unlimited · 7 days≈ £16.79live price, converted from USD · see plan ↗
14 days · plan for 12GB
UK roaming
- VOXI£26.60only 4GB — not enough
- Sky Mobile£28.00
- EE£50.00
- iD Mobile£55.00
- Three£60.00
- O2£98.00speed capped at 2Mbps
- Tesco Mobile£122.88at the per-MB rate; a spend cap would stop this first
- SMARTY£1,228.80at the per-MB rate; a spend cap would stop this first
Travel eSIM
- Nomad · 20GB · 30 days≈ £26.28live price, converted from USD · see plan ↗
Roaming figures assume you roam every day of the trip and the pass or daily fee covers your data need; the calculator above lets you change both. Nomad prices are converted from US dollars at a rounded rate and marked as estimates.
The eSIM providers we compare for United States
Four providers appear in the comparison above. Saily and Nomad send us live prices, Airalo's are checked by hand, and Klook shows its prices only on its own page. Links we could earn a commission on are marked as sponsored in the page source.
Saily on local partner networks
Quotes real pounds, so the price you see is the price you pay. Saily says it doesn't restrict hotspot use, though your phone or the local network may.
Watch out: Check when the plan starts counting down before you install it.
Saily United States plans ↗We may earn a commission on this link.
Nomad on T-Mobile
Prices in US dollars, which we convert at a rounded Bank of England rate, so your card may charge a little more. Nomad lists T-Mobile for the US and says its eSIMs support hotspot use.
Watch out: Nomad plans have to be activated within 60 days of purchase, so don't buy months ahead.
Nomad United States plans ↗We may earn a commission on this link.
Airalo on T-Mobile
We have no affiliate relationship with Airalo and list it anyway. Its the US eSIM lists T-Mobile as the main network. Its US range also includes plans with calls and texts.
Watch out: Its unlimited plans slow to 1Mbps once you've used 3GB in a day.
Klook on AT&T or Verizon, by option
Klook's price changes with every combination of days and data, so we don't show one. The link opens Klook's own page for this country.
Watch out: You get a QR code on a voucher. Install it on Wi-Fi before you travel and check when the countdown starts.
Klook United States plans ↗We may earn a commission on this link.
What UK networks charge in the US
Every UK network treats the US as rest of world. The cheapest published option is Sky Mobile's Roaming Passport Plus at £2 a day, which uses your UK allowance up to 25GB. EE sells passes at £6 for 24 hours, £30 for 7 days and £50 for 15, and Three sells Go Roam Around the World passes from £12.50 for 3 days to £60 for 14.
O2 Travel is £7 a day with unlimited data, but at 2Mbps, which is slow for video. SMARTY charges 10p per MB and Tesco Mobile 1p per MB, so on SMARTY a week of normal use would pass its £45 spend limit. The worked costs below compare each with live eSIM prices.
The 3G shutdown and ordinary calls
AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon have all switched off 3G. A UK phone roaming in the US can only make ordinary calls over 4G, which needs both the phone and your UK network to support VoLTE roaming.
Data isn't affected, so WhatsApp, FaceTime and other app calls work on a travel eSIM as normal. If you need a US number for calls and texts, Airalo's US range includes plans with them.
Cruises from US ports
Once a ship leaves port and is out of range of land, your phone can connect to the ship's own network. That's billed separately and isn't covered by UK roaming or a land-based US eSIM.
Turn data roaming off on every line before you sail, and use the ship's Wi-Fi package if you need to stay connected.
Setting up for United States
- 01Buy and install at home
Install the eSIM on home Wi-Fi before you travel and keep the new line switched off until you land. Save the QR code or setup details in case you need to reinstall.
- 02Turn off data roaming on your UK line
Leave your UK SIM on so calls and bank texts still reach you, but switch its data roaming off so it can't run up charges.
- 03Make the eSIM your data line
Set the eSIM as the line for mobile data, turn off automatic data switching, and turn on data roaming for the eSIM only.
United States questions, answered
Will my UK phone work in the United States?
For data, yes, if it's unlocked and supports eSIM. For ordinary calls it needs to support 4G voice (VoLTE) roaming, because all three US networks have switched off 3G.
Do UK networks charge extra to roam in the USA?
Yes. Sky Mobile charges £2 a day, EE sells passes from £6 for 24 hours, O2 Travel is £7 a day at 2Mbps, and Three's passes start at £12.50 for 3 days. SMARTY and Tesco Mobile charge by the megabyte.
Can I get a US phone number with an eSIM?
Most travel eSIMs are data only. Airalo's US range includes plans with calls and texts; check what's included before you buy.
What happens to my phone on a cruise from the US?
Out of range of land, it can connect to the ship's own network, which UK roaming and travel eSIMs don't cover. Turn data roaming off before you sail and use the ship's Wi-Fi.
Does WhatsApp work in the USA on an eSIM?
Yes. WhatsApp stays linked to your UK number and works over the eSIM's data, including calls.
Where the numbers come from
How we work this out.
On EE we price roaming for all 20 destinations. Across the other nine networks we price 116 more network-and-destination combinations from published charges; everywhere else we send you to your network's own checker instead of guessing. Saily and Nomad send us their prices directly, covering 20 destinations. Airalo prices are checked by hand for 5 of them and stop being ranked a week after we last looked. Klook never shows a price here — we send you to their own page instead of guessing one.
UK roaming rules 25 Aug 2026 · review overdueHand-checked prices & calls/texts labels 25 Aug 2026 · review overdueExchange rates (rounded) 25 Aug 2026 · review overduePrice refresh rule 7 days, then removed from rankingLive prices from Saily and Nomad working · 20 destinations
Sources for United States Every price’s paper trail
Where we checkedSaily United StatesA set amount of data · checked 25 Aug 2026 · review by 1 Sept 2026Where we checkedKlook United StatesPrice is shown on the provider's own site · checked 25 Aug 2026 · review by 1 Sept 2026Where we checkedAiralo United StatesComes with a US number, plus some minutes and texts · checked 25 Aug 2026 · review by 1 Sept 2026Where we checkedNomad United StatesLive Nomad price · checked 10 Sept 2026 · review by 10 Sept 2026Currency methodBank of England daily spot exchange ratesRounded comparison assumptions · checked 25 Aug 2026 · review by 1 Sept 2026
Setting up before you fly
Keep your UK number. Turn off its data.
- 01Install at home
Buy before departure, install on Wi-Fi and keep the new line switched off until arrival.
- 02Choose the data line
Set the travel eSIM as Mobile Data and disable data switching so your UK SIM cannot take over.
- 03Keep texts available
Leave the UK line on for banking texts if needed, but turn off its data roaming and avoid chargeable calls.
Common questions
Things worth checking first.
Do you work out what my own network would charge?
On EE, for all 20 destinations. Across the other nine networks, for 116 more network-and-destination combinations. Everywhere else we send you to your network’s own checker rather than invent a number — usually because the network has stopped publishing a rate, or prices it against your individual account. Pick the tariff that applies to you and we work out the daily fees, the cheapest combination of passes, or the per-megabyte rate from your network’s published charges. We only claim a saving when roaming would actually cover your whole trip and everything else you asked for.
Are these prices live?
Saily’s and Nomad’s are — they come from each provider’s own feed and are marked “Live price”. Saily quotes real pounds; Nomad quotes US dollars, which we convert. Airalo prices are checked by hand, show the date we checked, and drop out of the ranking after seven days. They are already in pounds, so they need no conversion. Klook never shows a price here, because we cannot read one reliably; that link takes you to their own page.
Why does one provider show several plans?
Because more than one can fit your trip — a bigger allowance, a longer run before it expires, or unlimited data. We show each provider’s best few for your trip and tuck the rest — including any that cost more without giving you more — behind one “show more” button. Pin up to three to compare side by side.
Where do I find hotspot and speed limits?
Open “Hotspot, speed & other limits” on any plan. It covers whether you can use the phone as a hotspot, what happens when you hit a speed cap, what the fair-use rules are, when the plan starts counting down, and which local network you will be on. If it says “check plan”, the provider’s own wording was not clear enough for us to promise you either way.
Can I make normal calls on these?
Usually not. Most travel eSIMs give you data only — WhatsApp and FaceTime work, but your phone number does not. If you need real calls and texts, answer “Yes” in the form and we will only recommend a plan that we have confirmed includes them.
Will an eSIM work on my phone?
Search for your exact model and we will check it against manufacturer guidance. Two things we cannot check for you: whether your phone is locked to a UK network, and which regional version you own — some models sold in certain countries have no eSIM at all. Confirm both before buying.
How many destinations do you cover?
20 destinations — Turkey, United States, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Cyprus, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Japan, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Morocco, Egypt, Indonesia — and all 10 UK networks. Saily and Nomad price every destination live; 5 of them also carry hand-checked Airalo prices.