The smartphone is a practical companion when traveling to the USA. If you want to use it as you usually do while on vacation in America, you can get an eSIM or SIM card for the USA.
The United States of America is one of the most diverse vacation destinations in the world! Breathtaking experiences await travelers to America in unique national parks such as Yosemite or Yellowstone, dazzling metropolises such as Las Vegas or Los Angeles, and the beautiful beaches in Florida or Hawaii. An eSIM card or SIM card for the USA enables you to share your impressions and stay informed throughout the whole of your journey.
Navigating the vacation route for your road trip, checking the weather forecast, finding the nearest roadside attraction, or sharing vacation snapshots: a SIM card for the USA can pay off on many occasions.
Choosing an eSIM or SIM card for the USA protects you from high roaming charges and guarantees you excellent network coverage and sufficient data volume. You also have the possibility to use GPS at any time.
Physical SIM cards are inserted into the smartphone and can therefore be exchanged easily. As a link between the phone and the mobile phone provider, they allow access to the provider's network services.
The abbreviation eSIM stands for "embedded SIM." As the eSIM is a built-in circuit in the smartphone and not a SIM card as such, it cannot be replaced. However, the eSIM can be rewritten if you change providers.
Today, eSIMs can be found in a majority of common smartphones, e.g., iPhones from the XS onwards, Samsung devices from the Samsung Galaxy S20 onwards, or Google devices from the Google Pixel 3 onwards. Smartwatches also sometimes have an eSIM function.
If you have an older smartphone, you should check whether it is suitable for eSIM before purchasing your eSIM for the USA.
You can order your SIM card for the USA online before your flight to the United States. This means you can use your phone and internet immediately after your arrival in the USA.
If you would rather have a physical SIM card for the USA or your smartphone does not have an eSIM function, you can use the tariffs from TravSIM, for example.
The practical eSIM are becoming increasingly popular. In contrast to the classic SIM card, which is sent to you by mail, an eSIM can be used immediately. The top offers include the eSIM tariffs from eSIMony, which are available in different sizes.
| Package | Price |
|---|---|
| 2 GB / 15 days | € 11.90 |
| 5 GB / 30 days | € 14.90 |
| 10 GB / 30 days | € 24.90 |
| 20 GB / 30 days | € 39.90 |
| 50 GB / 30 days | € 69.90 |
The provider eSIMony offers a range of eSIM tariffs for the United States. No matter what your surfing habits and travel plans are - you'll find the right eSIM for the USA! And if your itinerary also takes you on a detour to America's northern neighbor, you can order your eSIM for Canada as well.
Think about how much and how often you want to make calls or use the internet while on your USA vacation, and choose the right eSIM card accordingly. The following examples will help you to estimate your expected data usage:
| Activity | Data usage |
|---|---|
| Google search (per search query) | 0.20 MB |
| Send/receive an email | 0.20 MB |
| Send/receive a WhatsApp message | 0.01 MB |
| Facebook & Instagram (scroll, per page with pictures and videos) | 2.00 MB |
| Music streaming, e.g., Spotify (per minute) | 1.50 MB |
| Watch YouTube video (per minute, high resolution) | 8.00 MB |
| Video streaming, e.g., Netflix (per minute, high resolution) | 35.00 MB |
Do you need a lot of data, or do you want to stay as flexible as possible? Then you can also buy a USA eSIM from BNE with unlimited data volume, which also has the following advantages:
Do you have further questions about SIM cards for the USA? We have compiled useful information and tips in our FAQ:
Newer smartphones can usually be used in the United States without any problems. If you have an older device, there may be issues with frequency band usage in the USA. It is best to check whether your smartphone is compatible with the US frequencies before you travel.
Also, remember that NEMA sockets are used in North America and you may need a travel adapter for the USA to charge your smartphone.
Roaming allows you to use foreign mobile networks with your smartphone when traveling. However, depending on your mobile provider, roaming charges can be very high – especially if you are traveling on another continent. In most cases, it is therefore worth buying an eSIM or SIM card for the USA.
The largest network operator in the USA is AT&T. Other major operators are T-Mobile US, Verizon Wireless, and U.S. Cellular.
Of course, you can also buy your SIM card or eSIM on-site in America. However, you can save yourself the trouble of searching for a store that offers SIM cards if you purchase the SIM or eSIM online as part of your travel planning. Moreover, you can use the USA SIM card as soon as you enter the USA.
Your WhatsApp account is linked to your phone number, even if you insert a SIM card for the USA into your smartphone. You can therefore use your WhatsApp account with all chat histories and contacts in the USA as usual.
In some cases, WhatsApp will recognize the new phone number on the SIM card. If the app asks whether you want to store a new phone number, you can simply decline by clicking on "No."