New York, Florida, Las Vegas, California or a coast-to-coast road trip: the United States is one of the most visited destinations in the world. Once there, everything runs through your phone: GPS, bookings, tickets, boarding passes. A data eSIM avoids the roaming bill without changing anything about your number.
A GoDataTravel eSIM installs on your phone at home, days or weeks before you leave, in two minutes, over your Wi-Fi. On arrival, you activate it yourself in a few seconds in the phone settings (a step we detail below). Your data then goes through a US network, with no roaming fees. Your usual number stays reachable, but be careful: calls and texts made or received through your usual SIM are still billed by your carrier (see the warning below).
Why an eSIM rather than roaming?
Carrier roaming passes typically cost $12 to $16 a day in the United States, and often more depending on your country and carrier. For a week, that is easily $85 to $110, and the meter runs even on days when you barely use anything. A data eSIM costs a fraction of that:
- A price you know in advance: no overage possible, no surprise when you get home.
- Your number stays reachable: the eSIM sits next to your SIM card; calls and texts keep coming in. Just know that answering or sending them through your usual SIM is still billed at your carrier's roaming rate.
- Installed before you leave: no kiosk to find at the airport, no card to cut; all that is left is to switch it on in the settings when you land.
- The local network: your eSIM connects to one of the major US national networks, with the same coverage as locals. The network name appears at the top of the screen once connected.
United States plans, with today's prices
The table below shows today's prices, read directly from our shop on every visit, in Canadian dollars (the shop can also show them in US dollars or euros, as an indication; payment is made in Canadian dollars). Every plan is data only, with no contract and no hidden fees. The shop also offers other sizes (15 GB, daily plans): you will see them when you choose.
| Data | Duration | Today's price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | … | A weekend or a short city break, with hotel Wi-Fi |
| 3 GB | 15 days | … | Two weeks: messages, maps, social media |
| 3 GB | 30 days | … | One month, light use |
| 5 GB | 30 days | … | One month with GPS every day |
| 10 GB | 30 days | … | Road trip: navigation, photos, some video |
| 20 GB | 30 days | … | A month without counting, light remote work |
| 50 GB | 30 days | … | Heavy use, daily video |
| 20 GB | 90 days | … | Several months, moderate use |
| 50 GB | 180 days | … | A long winter stay (six months) |
Prices in Canadian dollars, updated automatically from the shop. The price shown at checkout is the one that applies.
A week in a city, mostly checking messages, the weather and a few maps: 1 GB is enough for most travelers, especially with hotel Wi-Fi in the evening. A road trip: think big, continuous GPS, photos sent to the family and the occasional video quickly use 5 to 10 GB a month. If you watch video every day or work remotely, aim for 20 GB and up. When in doubt, take the next size up: the price difference is small, and a used-up plan is replaced in two minutes.
Combined USA and Canada trip, or Puerto Rico
If your route crosses the border, a USA + Canada plan saves you from installing two eSIMs. Puerto Rico, a US territory, has its own plans in the shop. Same today's prices, in Canadian dollars:
| Plan | 7 days | 15 days | 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸🇨🇦 USA + Canada | … | … | … |
| 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | … | … | … |
Coverage: what to expect by region
The United States has an excellent mobile network in cities and along major highways. A few pointers before you go:
- Major cities (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Las Vegas): 5G and 4G everywhere, including the subway in several cities. Speeds often beat your connection at home.
- Florida and tourist coasts: continuous coverage on the beaches, in theme parks and resorts.
- National parks and rural areas (Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, the Southwest deserts): expect long stretches with no signal, whatever the carrier. Download offline maps before going in.
- Interstate highways: good coverage on the main routes (I-95, I-10, I-5); secondary roads can have gaps.
- Hawaii: it is part of the United States and is covered by the United States plans, with good coverage in populated areas. Alaska: coverage is limited to the cities and depends on the network assigned to your eSIM; write to us before you leave if Alaska is on your route.
Install and activate: 5 steps
Check that your phone is compatible and unlocked
iPhone XS and newer, Samsung Galaxy S21 and newer (Galaxy S20 models sold in Canada do not have eSIM enabled), Google Pixel 4 and newer, among others. The phone must be unlocked from any carrier: a device bought on a contract may be locked, ask your carrier, it is free.
Buy the plan whenever you like before you leave
In the GoDataTravel app or on the website, days or weeks ahead: the plan only starts at your first connection in the United States, you lose no days. You receive the eSIM immediately in the app, and the QR code by email in under a minute.
Install it at home, on your Wi-Fi
With the app on iPhone, a single tap. Otherwise, scan the QR code: Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM (iPhone), or Settings → Network → SIMs → Add eSIM (Android). The eSIM is installed, but it uses nothing until you activate it at your destination.
On arrival, turn on data on the eSIM
Choose the GoDataTravel eSIM as your data line and enable data roaming on that line only. The plan starts at that moment, not at purchase. If you arrive by car, do it once you are across the border.
Turn off roaming on your main SIM
This is the step that avoids the surprise bill: your number stays reachable for calls and texts, but no data goes through your usual carrier. Keep in mind that calls and texts through that SIM are still billed at its roaming rate: a ten-minute incoming call can cost more than your eSIM plan.
The GoDataTravel eSIM covers data only. Once in the United States, we advise you not to use calls or texts through your usual carrier: every call made or received, and every text sent through your usual SIM, is billed by your carrier at its roaming rate, often several dollars a minute, unrelated to your eSIM plan. To reach home for free, use WhatsApp, FaceTime or Messenger, which run on the eSIM's data. When in doubt, turn off roaming on your main SIM as soon as you arrive.
Compatible phones
Most phones sold since 2019 support eSIM: iPhone XS and newer, Samsung Galaxy S21 and newer (Galaxy S20 models sold in Canada do not have eSIM enabled), Google Pixel 4 and newer, among others. The phone must be unlocked from any carrier. The full list, brand by brand, is in our article eSIM-compatible phones.
iPhones sold in the United States from the iPhone 14 onward have no SIM tray: they work with eSIM only. They are therefore fully compatible with our plans, and you can keep several eSIMs on them at the same time.
Three habits that make a plan last
- Download offline maps (Google Maps or Apple Maps) before you leave: navigation will use almost nothing, and you keep guidance in parks with no signal.
- Save app updates and photo backups for hotel Wi-Fi. Those are what drain a plan overnight, not your messages.
- For calls home, use WhatsApp, FaceTime or Messenger: they run on the eSIM's data, so no long-distance charges.
🇺🇸 Ready for the United States?
Choose your plan, install your eSIM tonight, and travel with peace of mind.
See the plans →Frequently asked questions
What does "(USIP)" mean in a plan name?
"USIP" stands for "US IP": with this plan, your traffic reaches the internet through a US IP address. That is useful if you plan to use streaming services, banking apps or websites that check the country you connect from. For browsing, messaging and calling over the internet, a plan without that label does exactly the same job.
Can I receive calls on my usual number?
Yes: the eSIM only handles data, your SIM stays active alongside it and calls and texts keep coming in. But every call received or made, and every text sent through that SIM, is billed by your carrier at its roaming rate, often several dollars a minute; received texts are usually free. To talk to home for free, use WhatsApp, FaceTime or Messenger over the eSIM's data.
Does the eSIM work in Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico?
Hawaii is part of the United States and is covered by the United States plans. In Alaska, coverage is limited to the cities and depends on the network assigned to your eSIM: write to us before you leave. Puerto Rico has its own plans in the shop: take a Puerto Rico plan if you are staying there.
Does my plan start when I buy it?
No. It starts when the eSIM connects to the US network, on arrival. You can buy weeks ahead without losing a day. If your trip is cancelled, a plan whose QR code has not been scanned (eSIM not installed) can be refunded on request, within six months of purchase: write to us through the contact form with your order number, and we process the request within 48 business hours.
What if I run out of data there?
Open the GoDataTravel app and buy a new United States plan. You receive the new eSIM immediately; install it and select it as your data line, like the first one. Plan on Wi-Fi for the installation, the hotel's or a café's is enough.
Does the eSIM work on a cruise ship leaving from Miami?
As long as the ship is within reach of the coastal towers, yes. Far from the coast, the eSIM no longer picks up a land network, like any phone. The ship's own network is billed separately by your carrier if your main SIM connects to it: use airplane mode between ports and turn the eSIM's data back on at each port. Our article Cruise eSIM explains what to do at each port.