India eSIM plans compared

Which plan size fits your trip to India

Choose an allowance you expect to use, then check that its validity covers your stay. A longer validity period does not mean more data: Yesim lists 1 GB for 30 days at US$3.72, while Saily lists 1 GB for 7 days at US$3.99. Yesim has the lowest entry price in our price table.

For a larger allowance, Ubigi lists 10 GB for 30 days at US$15.00. That works out to US$1.50 per GB, the lowest price per GB in our table. Compare that with Yesim's 10 GB for 30 days at US$21.60 and Saily's 10 GB for 30 days at US$23.99. The allowance and validity match, but the price does not.

If you expect to use more than 10 GB, Yesim lists 30 GB for 30 days at US$46.20. Pick the larger allowance because you need the data, not because the per-GB price looks attractive. If you plan to share your connection, Saily explicitly states that it has no hotspot restrictions or limitations; Yesim says hotspot access depends on the operator.

Unlimited plans and their limits

Compare unlimited plans by duration and restrictions, not the label alone. Nomad lists unlimited data for 5 days at US$18.00. For the same duration, Holafly lists US$30.90 and Airalo lists US$31.50. Airalo and Nomad's pages we checked do not state a daily high-speed allowance or a throttled speed.

For 7 days, Airalo and Holafly both list US$39.50. For 30 days, Airalo lists US$99.00 and Holafly lists US$111.90. Those prices tell you the cost and duration, but they are not a promise of unrestricted speed or sharing.

Holafly says network operators can temporarily apply a Fair Usage Policy for no more than 1 day to manage traffic. Its India plan also limits hotspot sharing to 1 GB per day. Keep that sharing limit separate from the unlimited data allowance on your phone.

Yesim also warns that data speed may be limited under the network operator's Fair Usage Policy. Its page explains that reaching a daily usage limit can lead to throttling. Treat that warning as a reason to check the selected plan's terms, rather than assuming the unlimited label removes speed restrictions.

Networks and coverage

Airalo names VI India as its primary network. Holafly names Airtel India and Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited. Nomad names Airtel. Yesim lists SwitchLess Networks; keep that wording in mind rather than assuming it names the same network as another provider.

Use the network name as part of your comparison, not as a coverage guarantee. Nomad asks you to check the selected plan's network availability and speed, and says coverage can vary by location and time of day.

Holafly advertises 5G where available, alongside 4G and LTE. Saily says coverage quality depends on local network providers. These statements are conditional: choose with your destinations in mind, rather than treating a speed label as a promise across India.

Before you fly

Separate installation from activation. Airalo says you can install in advance with a stable internet connection. In the coverage area, turn on the eSIM and select it for data. Holafly sends the eSIM by email after purchase and says the plan starts when it connects to a supported network.

Saily says activation is automatic at your first destination when the eSIM is on and roaming is enabled. It gives plans a 180-day activation period, after which activation is automatic. Nomad requires activation within 60 days of purchase and says the plan starts on connection to the destination network. Check Nomad's installation email, because some eSIMs require manual activation.

Yesim allows activation within 180 days of purchase, with validity beginning on connection to a compatible network. It recommends installing before your trip and activating when needed to avoid unwanted data usage on multi-destination plans.

For identity checks, Yesim explicitly says ID verification is not required. Saily describes quick identity verification for its separate US phone-number service paired with calls and texts; that statement is not a registration instruction for its data-only plan. Beyond these statements, the provider pages we checked do not specify registration or KYC requirements for the other data plans.

If you need a phone number, do not assume it comes with data. Holafly's India eSIM is data-only, without a local number for traditional calls or texts. Saily describes calls and SMS through separate minutes and text-message plans.