Best eSIM guide · 2026
Best eSIM Plans for Long-Term Stay (2026): Side-by-Side
5 providers scored across coverage, pricing, speed, app quality, and support. All data verified June 2026.
The comparison
eSIM providers compared for Long-Term Stay
All 5 providers ranked by weighted composite score. Color-coded by value.
| Provider | Rating | From / GB |
|---|---|---|
 HelloRoamHighest score | 4.3 / 5 | from $3.50/GB |
 AiraloTop composite rating | 4.5 / 5 | $4.50/GB |
 HolaflyStrongest unlimited tier | 4.3 / 5 | $2.99/day |
 SailyLeading privacy integration | 4.2 / 5 | $3.99/GB |
 NomadMost competitive per-GB rates | 4.2 / 5 | $3.00/GB |
Prices verified June 2026. Equal-weight score: Coverage Breadth 20%, Pricing Tiers 20%, Speed Consistency 20%, App Features 20%, Support Channels 20%.
Feature matrix
Spec-by-spec breakdown for Long-Term Stay
Every measurable dimension compared side by side.
| Feature | HelloRoam | Airalo | Holafly | Saily | Nomad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.3/5 | 4.2/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Countries | 186+ | 200+ | 178+ | 150+ | 112+ |
| Starting Price | from $3.50/GB | $4.50/GB | $2.99/day | $3.99/GB | $3.00/GB |
| Per-GB Floor | $3.50 | $4.50 | $2.99/day | $3.99 | $3.00 |
| Founded | 2025 | 2019 | 2017 | 2023 | 2020 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Singapore | Murcia, Spain | Vilnius, Lithuania | Santa Clara, CA |
| Support | Email + in-app chat | 24/7 chat + email | Email only | Email only | |
| Guarantee | Refund policy | 14-day refund | 6-month refund | 30-day refund | 30-day refund |
| Coverage Score25% weight | 4.5/5 | 4.9/5 | 4.3/5 | 4.0/5 | 3.9/5 |
| Pricing Score25% weight | 4.4/5 | 4.1/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.0/5 | 4.8/5 |
| Speed Score20% weight | 4.3/5 | 4.4/5 | 4.2/5 | 4.4/5 | 4.3/5 |
| App Score15% weight | 4.2/5 | 4.7/5 | 4.1/5 | 4.5/5 | 3.9/5 |
| Support Score15% weight | 4.1/5 | 4.2/5 | 4.7/5 | 4.1/5 | 3.9/5 |
| Weighted Composite | 4.30/5 | 4.45/5 | 4.35/5 | 4.20/5 | 4.15/5 |
Score breakdown
Provider scores for Long-Term Stay
Weighted composite score across 5 dimensions.
Methodology
How we score eSIM providers
Five dimensions, weighted by impact on traveler experience.
Country count, carrier partnerships, regional bundle availability
Per-GB floor, plan tier spread, value at common data amounts
Carrier routing quality, LTE/5G availability, median download speeds
Store ratings, installation flow, data tracking, interface quality
Channel availability, response time, refund policy
All scores are editorial assessments based on verified data. Pricing checked weekly. See our full scoring methodology for details.
HelloRoam -- Best Coverage + Value
HelloRoam's unlimited tier starts at $5 for short stays and scales down by length of stay, a structure built closer to long-term renewal pricing than a flat per-day or per-GB rate. Its 204+ carrier partnerships and web-based checkout, run through 63 languages and 31+ currencies, support repeated renewals from a non-English-speaking destination without a dedicated app to reinstall.
Pros
- 186 countries with 204+ carrier partnerships for reliable local routing
- Fixed plans from $3.50/GB across popular destinations
- Unlimited plans from $5 for short stays, scaling by duration
- 31+ local currencies supported at checkout
- 63-language interface for non-English travelers
Cons
- Email-only support with 12-24 hour response times
- Newer brand (launched August 2025) with shorter track record
- App store ratings still building compared to Airalo
Airalo -- Best Overall Coverage
Airalo's 200-country footprint and Discover Global bundle, covering up to 130 countries on one eSIM, suit a long-term stay whose route changes mid-trip rather than staying fixed in one destination. Its $4.50/GB fixed rate is the highest in the matrix, so repeated renewals over 60 or 90 days add up faster here than on Nomad's or HelloRoam's lower per-GB floors.
Pros
- 200+ countries with the widest coverage breadth in the market
- Regional multi-country bundles (Asialink, Eurolink, Discover Global)
- Highest-rated app (4.8/5 iOS, 4.6/5 Android) with real-time data tracking and hourly runtime estimates
- Airmoney cashback rewards (5-10% depending on loyalty tier)
- Established brand since 2019 with proven reliability
Cons
- Per-GB pricing higher than budget alternatives
- Unlimited plans available in select markets only, not all 200+ destinations
- Customer support slower than premium providers (4-6 hour email response)
Holafly -- Best Unlimited Data
Holafly's unlimited $2.99/day rate removes the per-GB renewal math across a long-term stay, and its 24/7 chat support, the only round-the-clock option in this comparison, answers connectivity issues fastest when an outage threatens a stay measured in months. Its 1GB/day hotspot cap on select destinations and post-threshold throttle to 256 Kbps-1 Mbps both apply on every renewal cycle, not just the first purchase.
Pros
- Unlimited daily data from $2.99/day with no data caps
- 178+ countries covered including all major destinations
- Simple per-day pricing: know exactly what you pay before you leave
- 6-month refund policy on unused plans
- 24/7 chat support with fast response times
Cons
- Speeds reduce to 256 Kbps-1 Mbps after daily fair use threshold on most plans
- Hotspot tethering limited to 1 GB/day on select destinations
- Not cost-effective for light data users (under 3 GB/trip)
- Fewer countries than Airalo
Saily -- Best for Privacy
Saily's bundled NordVPN renews automatically with every plan purchase at no extra charge, a privacy feature that carries through each renewal cycle across a long-term stay. Its 3.8/5 Support score sits below Airalo's and Holafly's, a gap that compounds across months of potential renewals rather than a single short trip.
Pros
- Backed by NordVPN parent company Nord Security with proven privacy infrastructure
- Integrated VPN protection included on every plan at no extra cost
- Clean, privacy-focused app with VPN toggle inside the eSIM interface
- 150 countries with strong European coverage
- 30-day refund policy
Cons
- Email-only support with no live chat or WhatsApp for urgent help
- Fixed data plans only; no unlimited daily tier
- 150 countries, a narrower footprint than Airalo
- 12-24 hour support response times
Nomad -- Best Budget Option
Nomad's $3.00/GB rate is the lowest fixed price in the matrix, the cheapest base rate for travelers renewing a fixed-GB plan repeatedly across a long-term stay. Its 3.5/5 Support score and 24-48 hour email-only window are the slowest combination in this comparison, a real risk when a renewal needs troubleshooting mid-stay.
Pros
- Competitive pricing starting from $3.00/GB in Southeast Asia
- Simple, fast checkout with no account required in many cases
- Lowest per-GB rates for Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan
- Plans start at a low entry price for short trips
Cons
- Email-only support with 24-48 hour response times
- Basic app compared to Airalo and Saily
- 112 countries, the narrowest footprint among the five providers
- Limited plan variety in some countries
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about eSIMs for Long-Term Stay
Does any eSIM provider offer a plan that lasts longer than 30 days?
Does any eSIM provider offer a plan that lasts longer than 30 days?
Not in this comparison's country-level pricing data: every unlimited tier across the five providers tops out at a 30-day validity, and the largest fixed-GB plan caps at 20GB. A 60- or 90-day stay needs at least one renewal purchase regardless of which provider supplies the original e-sim.
Which eSIM is cheapest for renewing every month on a long-term stay?
Which eSIM is cheapest for renewing every month on a long-term stay?
Nomad's $3.00/GB fixed rate is the lowest base price in the matrix for repeated renewals, ahead of HelloRoam's $3.50/GB and Saily's $3.99/GB. Holafly's $2.99/day unlimited tier removes the per-GB renewal math entirely, while HelloRoam's unlimited rate starts at $5 and scales down by length of stay.
Do I keep the same eSIM profile after renewing for a long-term stay?
Do I keep the same eSIM profile after renewing for a long-term stay?
None of the five providers in this comparison publish whether a renewal reuses the same downloaded eSIM profile or requires a fresh QR code install. That detail is worth confirming directly with the provider before a 60- or 90-day stay forces a mid-trip renewal.
Which eSIM has the best support for a long-term, months-long stay?
Which eSIM has the best support for a long-term, months-long stay?
Holafly offers 24/7 chat support, the only round-the-clock option among the five providers, useful when a connectivity issue threatens a stay measured in months rather than days. Airalo follows with email and in-app chat at 4-6 hours; HelloRoam and Saily run email-only support at 12-24 hours, and Nomad at 24-48 hours.
Is an eSIM a good fit for a 90-day relocation or extended stay?
Is an eSIM a good fit for a 90-day relocation or extended stay?
Yes, with repeat purchases. Since every provider in this comparison caps unlimited tiers at 30 days and fixed plans at 20GB, a 90-day relocation needs roughly three renewal cycles regardless of provider. HelloRoam's duration-scaled unlimited pricing and Airalo's multi-country bundles both reduce friction across those renewals compared to a flat per-day rate.
Which eSIM works best for a long-term stay that crosses multiple countries?
Which eSIM works best for a long-term stay that crosses multiple countries?
Airalo's Discover Global bundle covers up to 130 countries on a single e SIM, the broadest multi-country option in this comparison for a long-term route that shifts between borders. HelloRoam's single 186-country account and 204+ carrier partnerships cover a similar range without a separate regional bundle structure.
Does the refund policy matter for a long-term eSIM purchase?
Does the refund policy matter for a long-term eSIM purchase?
Less than on a single short trip, since a long-term stay typically renews in stages rather than committing all the data upfront. Holafly's 6-month refund window still gives the most flexibility per purchase, while Nomad and Saily state 30 days, Airalo states 14 days, and HelloRoam publishes no specified day-count window.
Compare all 5 providers for Long-Term Stay
Side-by-side scoring. Plans from $2.99/day to $4.50/GB. Verified June 2026.