Networks and speeds in United Kingdom
Plans here run on EE (5G) and 3 (4G); each plan names its operator and its best generation. 5G is included where the operator has it and your phone supports the local bands; elsewhere you get 4G.
Local eSIM
United Kingdom eSIM plans
Install at home, switch on when you land.
Networks
- EE5G
- 34G
From$1.49US dollars, no roaming feesPrices checked 9 November 2026
The cheapest United Kingdom eSIM is $1.57 for 1 GB · 7 days; unlimited data costs $1.49 a day (the first 1 GB each day at high speed, then 512 Kbps under the fair use policy). Plans run on EE and 3, with 5G. Prices checked 9 November 2026.
Choose your plan
- Unlimited dataFair use policyAfter 1 GB each dayYou get 1 GB at high speed each day. After that, the fair use policy slows data to 512 Kbps until the next day, so you are never cut off.Validity1–30 daysNetwork5GTop-upUp to 9 timesOperatorsEE +1 $1.49per dayView plan
- Unlimited dataFair use policyAfter 1 GB each dayYou get 1 GB at high speed each day. After that, the fair use policy slows data to 1 Mbps until the next day, so you are never cut off.Validity1–30 daysNetwork5GTop-upUp to 9 timesOperatorsEE +1 $1.73per dayView plan
- Unlimited dataFair use policyAfter 2 GB each dayYou get 2 GB at high speed each day. After that, the fair use policy slows data to 500 Kbps until the next day, so you are never cut off.Validity1–30 daysNetwork5GTop-upUp to 9 timesOperatorsEE +1 $2.78per dayView plan
- Unlimited dataFair use policyAfter 2 GB each dayYou get 2 GB at high speed each day. After that, the fair use policy slows data to 1 Mbps until the next day, so you are never cut off.Validity1–30 daysNetwork5GTop-upUp to 9 timesOperatorsEE +1 $3.30per dayView plan
- Unlimited dataFair use policyAfter 3 GB each dayYou get 3 GB at high speed each day. After that, the fair use policy slows data to 1 Mbps until the next day, so you are never cut off.Validity1–30 daysNetwork5GTop-upUp to 9 timesOperatorsEE +1 $3.44per dayView plan
- Unlimited dataFair use policyAfter 5 GB each dayYou get 5 GB at high speed each day. After that, the fair use policy slows data to 512 Kbps until the next day, so you are never cut off.Validity1–30 daysNetwork5GTop-upUp to 9 timesOperatorsEE +1 $5.64per dayView plan
- Unlimited dataFair use policyAfter 10 GB each dayYou get 10 GB at high speed each day. After that, the fair use policy slows data to 512 Kbps until the next day, so you are never cut off.Validity1–30 daysNetwork5GTop-upUp to 9 timesOperatorsEE +1 $11.28per dayView plan
At a glance
United Kingdom eSIM at a glance
- From
- $1.49
- 16 plans
- Unlimited data
- $1.49 a day
- The first 1 GB each day at high speed, then 512 Kbps under the fair use policy
- Data plans
- $1.57
- 1 GB · 7 days
- Validity
- Up to 180 days
- Unlimited: 1–30 days
- Networks
- 5G
- EE, 3
- Top-ups
- Up to 9 times
- On 16 of 16 plans
Prices
United Kingdom eSIM prices
| Data | Validity | Price | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $1.57 | EE, 3 · 5G |
| 2 GB | 15 days | $2.86 | EE, 3 · 5G |
| 3 GB | 15 days | $4.13 | EE, 3 · 5G |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $4.40 | EE, 3 · 5G |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $6.55 | EE, 3 · 5G |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $11.77 | EE, 3 · 5G |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $22.55 | EE, 3 · 5G |
| 50 GB | 30 days | $46.75 | EE, 3 · 5G |
| 50 GB | 180 days | $77.00 | EE, 3 · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 1 GB each day at high speed, then 512 Kbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $1.49 a day | EE, 3 · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 1 GB each day at high speed, then 1 Mbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $1.73 a day | EE, 3 · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 2 GB each day at high speed, then 500 Kbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $2.78 a day | EE, 3 · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 2 GB each day at high speed, then 1 Mbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $3.30 a day | EE, 3 · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 3 GB each day at high speed, then 1 Mbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $3.44 a day | EE, 3 · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 5 GB each day at high speed, then 512 Kbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $5.64 a day | EE, 3 · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 10 GB each day at high speed, then 512 Kbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $11.28 a day | EE, 3 · 5G |
Against Airalo, Saily and Nomad, checked 27 October 2026
| Data | ONE eSIM Our price | Airalo | Saily | Nomad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | $1.57 (7 days) Cheapest, saves $2.42 | $4.00 (3 days) | $3.99 (3 days) | $4.50 (7 days) |
| 5 GB | $6.55 (30 days) Cheapest, saves $5.44 | $12.00 (7 days) | $11.99 (7 days) | $12.00 (30 days) |
| 10 GB | $11.77 (30 days) Cheapest, saves $5.73 | $18.00 (7 days) | $17.99 (7 days) | $17.50 (30 days) |
Before you go
Travelling in United Kingdom
How much data do you need in United Kingdom?
Maps, messaging, ride apps and a few photos use about 300 to 500 MB a day, so 1 GB covers a short stay and 3 to 5 GB a week of normal use. The smallest plan is 1 GB · 7 days for $1.57; a longer trip is cheaper per gigabyte on a bigger plan. For video calls, streaming or a hotspot for a laptop, unlimited daily data starts at $1.49 a day. Most plans top up from your order page if you run low.
Where travellers use it
Most of our customers land in London and Edinburgh and travel on to Manchester, Liverpool and Belfast. Coverage follows the operator’s network, so a city centre, an airport and a main road are covered everywhere; remote coast and mountains depend on the plan’s operator.
eSIM or a local SIM card in United Kingdom?
UK SIM cards are easy to buy without ID at any supermarket, but a prepaid pack is sized for a month and you still need a shop and a Wi-Fi connection to set it up. An eSIM is ready before Heathrow passport control and is cheaper for a short visit.
City guides: London eSIMEdinburgh eSIM
Going further?
Need broader coverage?
These multi-country eSIMs include United Kingdom and keep working when you cross a border.
Why an eSIM
Why use an eSIM in United Kingdom?
Landing in United Kingdom with data already working means maps, translation and your ride from the airport are ready before you reach the exit. No kiosk, no passport photocopy, no hunting for Wi-Fi.
Your home SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts. The eSIM handles data on local networks, so you avoid roaming bills without losing your number.
Install on Wi-Fi at home and keep the line switched off until you land. Validity starts the first time it connects abroad, not when you buy.
How our United Kingdom prices compare with Airalo, Holafly, Saily and Nomad →Unlimited data in United Kingdom: our prices against the others →Good to know
How much does an eSIM for United Kingdom cost?
Plans start at $1.49; a data plan costs from $1.57 for 1 GB · 7 days. Unlimited daily data costs $1.49 a day (the first 1 GB each day at high speed, then 512 Kbps under the fair use policy). Prices are in US dollars and include everything: no roaming fees, no subscription.
When does my United Kingdom plan start?
On nearly every plan, the first time the eSIM connects to a network abroad, not when you buy or install it. A few plans start on installation; each plan says which. Install within 180 days of purchase.
Do I need to change any settings?
Turn the travel line on, enable data roaming for that line only, and set it as your mobile data line. Keep data roaming off on your home line. Most phones set the APN automatically. If you are connected but have no data, enter the APN shown on your order page or eSIM page (none shown means the phone sets it itself), or reply to your order email and we will help.
How fast is it?
Each United Kingdom plan lists its operators and whether they run 3G, 4G or 5G; each plan card shows its best generation. Daily unlimited plans slow to the fair-use speed shown on the plan once the day's full-speed data is used.
Can I top up or buy again?
Most plans can be topped up from your order page, with more data for the same area or more days. Plans marked non-reloadable cannot; buy a new one and it installs the same way.
Is tethering allowed?
Yes, personal hotspot works on every plan.
Does the eSIM cover Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Yes, a United Kingdom plan covers all four nations on the same networks. The Republic of Ireland is a separate country; choose the Ireland and UK plan if you are crossing the border.
Will it work on the Tube and on trains?
Most of the London Underground now has 4G and 5G on EE, O2, Three and Vodafone, with the rest being added. Mainline trains have coverage along the route with gaps in tunnels and the far north.
Read next