Networks and speeds in United Arab Emirates
Plans here run on Du (5G); 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 Arab Emirates eSIM plans
Install at home, switch on when you land.
Network
- Du5G
From$4.68US dollars, no roaming feesPrices checked 9 November 2026
The cheapest United Arab Emirates eSIM is $4.81 for 1 GB · 7 days; unlimited data costs $4.68 a day (the first 1 GB each day at high speed, then 1 Mbps under the fair use policy). Plans run on Du, 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 1 Mbps until the next day, so you are never cut off.Validity1–30 daysNetwork5GTop-upUp to 9 timesOperatorDu $4.68per 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 512 Kbps until the next day, so you are never cut off.Validity1–30 daysNetwork5GTop-upUp to 9 timesOperatorDu $4.98per 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 timesOperatorDu $7.62per 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 timesOperatorDu $8.80per 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 512 Kbps until the next day, so you are never cut off.Validity1–30 daysNetwork5GTop-upUp to 9 timesOperatorDu $10.89per 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 timesOperatorDu $14.74per 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 timesOperatorDu $17.57per 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 timesOperatorDu $26.68per dayView plan
At a glance
United Arab Emirates eSIM at a glance
- From
- $4.68
- 17 plans
- Unlimited data
- $4.68 a day
- The first 1 GB each day at high speed, then 1 Mbps under the fair use policy
- Data plans
- $4.81
- 1 GB · 7 days
- Validity
- Up to 180 days
- Unlimited: 1–30 days
- Network
- 5G
- Du
- Top-ups
- Up to 9 times
- On 17 of 17 plans
Prices
United Arab Emirates eSIM prices
| Data | Validity | Price | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $4.81 | Du · 5G |
| 2 GB | 15 days | $9.63 | Du · 5G |
| 3 GB | 15 days | $13.17 | Du · 5G |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $13.75 | Du · 5G |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $22.00 | Du · 5G |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $39.88 | Du · 5G |
| 10 GB | 60 days | $41.20 | Du · 5G |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $71.50 | Du · 5G |
| 50 GB | 180 days | $288.75 | Du · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 1 GB each day at high speed, then 1 Mbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $4.68 a day | Du · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 1 GB each day at high speed, then 512 Kbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $4.98 a day | Du · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 2 GB each day at high speed, then 500 Kbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $7.62 a day | Du · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 2 GB each day at high speed, then 1 Mbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $8.80 a day | Du · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 3 GB each day at high speed, then 512 Kbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $10.89 a day | Du · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 3 GB each day at high speed, then 1 Mbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $14.74 a day | Du · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 5 GB each day at high speed, then 512 Kbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $17.57 a day | Du · 5G |
| Unlimited: the first 10 GB each day at high speed, then 512 Kbps under the fair use policy | 1 to 30 days | $26.68 a day | Du · 5G |
Against Airalo, Saily and Nomad, checked 27 October 2026
| Data | ONE eSIM Our price | Airalo | Saily | Nomad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | $4.81 (7 days) | $4.00 (3 days) Cheapest | $8.99 (7 days) | $4.00 (7 days) |
| 5 GB | $22.00 (30 days) | $11.00 (7 days) Cheapest | $11.99 (30 days) | $11.00 (30 days) |
| 10 GB | $39.88 (30 days) | $18.50 (7 days) Cheapest | $19.99 (30 days) | $18.50 (30 days) |
Before you go
Travelling in United Arab Emirates
How much data do you need in United Arab Emirates?
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 $4.81; 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 $4.68 a day. Most plans top up from your order page if you run low.
Where travellers use it
Most of our customers land in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and travel on to Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. 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 Arab Emirates?
Visitor SIM cards are sold at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports and in malls, registered against your passport and visa. They include calls, which an eSIM does not. For data alone an eSIM is cheaper and avoids the queue at the airport counter.
City guides: Dubai eSIMAbu Dhabi eSIM
Going further?
Need broader coverage?
These multi-country eSIMs include United Arab Emirates and keep working when you cross a border.
Why an eSIM
Why use an eSIM in United Arab Emirates?
Landing in United Arab Emirates 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 Arab Emirates prices compare with Airalo, Holafly, Saily and Nomad →Good to know
How much does an eSIM for United Arab Emirates cost?
Plans start at $4.68; a data plan costs from $4.81 for 1 GB · 7 days. Unlimited daily data costs $4.68 a day (the first 1 GB each day at high speed, then 1 Mbps under the fair use policy). Prices are in US dollars and include everything: no roaming fees, no subscription.
When does my United Arab Emirates 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 Arab Emirates 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.
Do WhatsApp and FaceTime calls work in the UAE?
Voice and video calls over WhatsApp, FaceTime and Skype are blocked on UAE networks regardless of the SIM. Messaging works. Botim and Zoom are allowed. A VPN is your own responsibility under local law.
Will it work in the desert and on the road to Oman?
Etisalat (e&) and du cover every city, the highways and most of the desert camps. The plan stops at the Omani border; pick a Gulf or Middle East plan if you are driving on to Muscat.
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