Any recommendations on an data eSim that can be used in the states for over a week? Cell phone provider wants $12/day, yeah no thanks.

airalo is the most popular. Some other options...
Mint Mobile (3-12 month plans) or Visible by Verizon (monthly): for longer stays in the U.S.
T-Mobile Test Drive: Terrible reviews, but offers a free trial (30GB for 30 days. Available for iPhone XS or newer only
more info about e-SIMs: https://ydeals.com/buying-a-sim-card-for-your-next-trip
YDEALS.COM
Buying a SIM Card For Your Next Trip? It's Easier To Download Them :: Ydeals.com

Chris ooo thank you! I also came across Nomad or holafly but not too sure on them. Will look up on airalo

Nomad is pretty much a clone of airalo. For both companies you can click on the country name and dig deeper to see who the provider really is. Which might give a better idea of the coverage. With airalo to the U.S. you can see the provider is actually AT&T or T-Mobile. With Nomad it's Truphone. Can't say I've heard of Truphone. airalo is perhaps the most popular eSIM provider out there and I would say has the best reviews. For comparison airalo has 500,000 app downloads on the Android store. Nomad has around 100 (not 100,000 - but 100).

Chris ohhhh thank-you so much for the insight!

Chris small point of correction: Visible is not contract but rather month-to-month. I have used them several times. Usually they have a deal where the first month is $25, even if you only use one month. Unlimited text, talk, data, including calling to Canada. The only thing that isn't good is that the data does not work in Canada.

Thanks Suezie! I'll correct that.

Chris I was looking at airalo for our trip to the US and I see it is data only. So being not very smart when it comes to these things, how do I make sure with the settings on my iPhone that I’m not using my carriers roaming plan when I text someone?

Chris having trouble opening airalo today - do you know if that is just a temporary glitch?
I’ve used them lots and liked them.

I’ve used Holafly for the UK and Mexico for under $25USD for a week on separate trips, they might have some US plans!

Benilde how was the network with Holafly?

Emm Mii no issues for me! Had LTE coverage the whole time except maybe in very rural areas but even then, I still had 3G

Looks like Holafly uses AT&T / T-Mobile for the U.S. - I'm guessing it would be pretty much identical coverage to Airalo.
airalo: $4.50 USD for a week
Holafly: $19 USD for 5 days.

Chris think only difference is halofly is unlimited data but yeah it's restricted to timeframe. I'm over the week so prob best to go airalo

Benilde Sweet thank-you!!

Amazon has a ton of options

I have a Koodo prepaid SIM. I just went online and added USA roaming. Text, talk, and data for $5 each. I only had to add more data while there. I was using maps a lot so added $20. So $35 for 12 days and I still have some left.

T-Mobile free 90 day trial

Hubs just got us onto airalo, I thought it was $5 USD a day, but I see below someone said that is what it cost a week! I'll ask!

Mairilee I couldn't get airalo to work when I bought an esim from them.

Tiffany Yes, we have definitely had some issues using it. We're still trying to work out the kinks. I think our data is fine with them but text and phone calls are through Shaw.

I use skyroam for all our global travel data

We buy a Mint mobile SIM card and put it in an older smart phone. 3 months for $45 unlimited calls, texts and data - US and Canada

Any Walmart will sell a sim kit/top up card for Straight Talk

I use Jethro Mobile when in the states. Search on Amazon. They carry lots of different options. Works great for us every time.

T-mobile worked great for us in the US...bought in Great Falls and used for 10 days in Palm Springs and three travel days back. Rep at the store was awesome and very helpful with phone settings ie. for those not that tech savvy...

https://www.airalo.com/. Some initial clitches with accessing the plan. They were supportive. In Italy now and it works great. Will use again. Cheap.

I bought a SIM card on AMAZON.CA for T-Mobile. It worked awesome and so easy to register and worked seamlessly.

Any idea which plan is best for Hawaii 3 week stay?

Jenny mint mobile, check it out

U get it at best buy for sure, in US

San thanks so much for the tip

Jenny company is owned by Ryan Reynolds (actor)

He even leaves you a message, it's kinda cute

Bought mine off Amazon and used this past April. Worked great! Everything remains the same on your phone (apps, contacts, etc) you just have a new number!

USA T-Mobile SIM Card | Carte SIM US États-UNIS | Unlimited High Speed Data/Calls/Texts | Internet Haut Débit/Appels/SMS/Illimités | t mobile SIM Card US, United States (6 Days) https://a.co/d/897z7dX
AMAZON.CA
USA T-Mobile SIM Card | Carte SIM US États-UNIS | Unlimited High Speed Data/Calls/Texts | Internet Haut Débit/Appels/SMS/Illimités | t mobile SIM Card US, United States (6 Days)

Lorenzo Hernandez
Emm I used airalo 2 weeks ago and went to Nevada and Utah. I purchased 3GB for $11. I came back to Canada 8 days later and I still have balance.

I hate to ask a dumb question but do these kind of sims allow you to keep your phone number or do they make it change until you are back to your local provider?

Robyn You get a temporary number while using the SIM.

Just to note that most eSIMs do not come with a temporary number. Unlike a normal sim card where you virtually always do get one. It is possible for an eSIM to have one, but most of the more popular eSIMs are 'data only'. Many phones that support eSIM technology allow you to have both an eSIM and a normal SIM card active at the same time.
So you could, say, use an eSIM for data, and your normal SIM card (Canadian provider) for voice and text at the same time. But that can defeat the whole purpose of trying to get away from being charged ridiculous fees from Canadian cell phone providers while roaming. Typically you would want to have the eSIM active while travelling and temporarily disable the SIM card slot that has your Canadian SIM card in it, so you don't have to pay $10-$15/day in roaming fees.
What most people do while travelling is use just the eSIM (data only) and then use 'data only' apps to communicate by voice (such as whatsapp, FaceTime, etc).

Used airalo when I went to the States, cost $5 USD for 1GB for a week. Data only though.

I went with mint mobile. $15 month

I just moved from telus to rogers. Telus doesn’t even have wifi calling in US, plus it was $12 a day in US. Rogers included unlimited to and from US calls, texts etc, and 10G more, for $5 less a month.