A land of natural and architectural wonders, India is a popular destination among tourists, students, and entrepreneurs. While you visit the local sights, let the best eSIM for India care about technical specs. This technology allows using the Indian Internet without paying roaming fees and buying a local SIM card. See how it works, where to buy eSIM, and what are the best providers for your trip to India. Compare pricing, coverage within the country, and available offers for international tourists.
Table of Contents
- What’s eSIM, and Why Do You Need It in India?
- Yesim Provider
- Airalo Provider
- Holafly Provider
- Nomad eSIM Provider
- How Do You Activate eSIM Plans?
- Choose the Best Provider: Key Characteristics
- Final Thoughts
What’s eSIM, and Why Do You Need It in India?
eSIM is a new technology in the world of cell data. These digital SIM cards can be activated without a plastic card and work digitally. Using them, you don’t pay roaming fees and can activate an eSIM plan the moment you need it. A rare option for locals, eSIM cards are commonly used by tourists. When visiting a new country, simply buy an eSIM with local mobile data, and use the local Internet without overpaying.
In India, this is especially important due to roaming fees. An average cost per 1-minute phone call will cost you $2-3, and around $6 to use the Internet. eSIM providers, meanwhile, give the 1 GB of data for $1.5 on average. Moreover, you can pay $2-$9 for the whole day of unlimited Internet in India. Let’s see the best eSIM for India travel and compare their features.
Yesim Provider
- versatile plans;
- cheap unlimited connection;
- activate within 365 days.
For beginners, Yesim is the best eSIM card for India to understand all the features of eSIM technology. The provider offers both data- and unlimited plans. For 1 GB, you pay around $2 – long-term plans are more beneficial. Unlimited Internet is even more profitable. Pay $7 and use an unlimited amount of data for the whole day.
To ensure stable connection everywhere, Yesim works with all the available cell providers in India. That’s how you stay connected in large cities, small towns, and even in mountains.
Before buying a plan, check out the compatibility. Visit the Yesim compatibility list and see if your smartphone is here.
Special Features of Yesim
Apart from the standard Indian plan, consider the regional “Asia Pacific” pack. Pay only $14.4, and use the Internet in India, Hong Kong, China, Cambodia, and other neighboring countries.
You also benefit from sticking to Yesim. The company uses a digital currency – Ycoins, within the app. Buy plans, invite friends, and collect coins to get discounts.
Yesim Customer Reviews
Airalo Provider
- the cheapest plans;
- easy activation.
Airalo is a good option to cut off expenses and decide if you like the eSIM technology. This company offers the lowest prices in India and most of the countries.
Offering an LTE connection and only 1 cell data provider, Airalo doesn’t charge much. A single GB plan costs $4.50, but within the 20 GB offer, you get 1 GB for $2. Choose the plan depending on the data volume you need. Note that unlimited plans are absent.
Special Features of Airalo
Airalo has a useful mobile app with a plan catalog, discounts, and detailed instructions on installation. The support team is available 24/7 to help with any issues. Overall, this is the best eSIM for beginners, who don’t know much about the technology.
Airalo Reviews
Holafly Provider
- customizable data plans
- low prices for long-term tariffs
- multi-device activation
Holafly is famous for its unlimited Internet. No matter where you go, this excellent eSIM provider ensures you have an unlimited amount of data. In India, a single day would cost you $9. But buy more days within a single order, and the price gets cheaper and cheaper. In the longest 90-day offer, you pay only $2 per day.
The provider grants 5G, 4G, or 3G connections and works with the largest local provider – Airtel. Note that unlimited Internet poses some challenges. For instance, you can share only 500 MB with other devices per day.
What’s Special About Holafly?
Holafly’s advantages revolve around unlimited connectivity. Buying one tariff, you can activate it on several devices at the same time. This feature compensates for the limited hotspot.
The manual choice of plan duration is also beneficial. Most providers limit you to 1,7,15, or 30 days. With Holafly, you choose any number of days.
Holafly Reviews
Nomad eSIM Provider
Among others, Nomad is a less known provider – but no less good. Nomad eSIM offers only prepaid data plans but tries to make them versatile.
Choose among 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, or 20 GB offers – each with a different duration. As always, buying more data is more profitable. Nomad cooperates with Airtel just like Holafly. In most cases, it means an excellent connection. Although the provider doesn’t specify the availability of 5G, most users say that LTE is enough.
What’s Special About Nomad?
Install the Nomad plan, and it will be automatically activated once you arrive in India. This is a convenient option for beginners. In other terms, this is an average company with average functions, but reliable and stable. By buying Nomad eSIM tariffs, be sure you’ll stay connected in most parts of the country.
Nomad eSIM Reviews
How Do You Activate eSIM Plans?
Once you pay for the data plan, a provider sends you activation details. You need to input them in the mobile settings and add a new data plan. In 2024, these processes are automated:
- Yesim. The provider sends you a QR code in your email. Scan it with your device, and the plan will be installed. Alternatively, activate with 1 click in the Yesim app.
- Aialo. The activation is available in the official app.
- Holafly. Old-school users can still enter plan details manually. To save time, use the QR code in your mailbox.
- Nomad. Install via QR code and activate the plan when you come to the country.
Commonly, users call Nomad’s activation process the most complicated. On the contrary, Holafly support is active 24/7 and helps with installation.
Choose the Best Provider: Key Characteristics
| Provider | Yesim | Airalo | Holafly | Nomad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price in India | from $2.64 per GBfrom $2.70 per day (unlimited data) | From $2 per GB | From $3.4 per day (unlimited data) | From $1.75 per GB |
| Plan duration | 1–30 days | 7–30 days | 1–90 days | 7–45 days |
| Unlimited Internet options | available (1-30 days) | unavailable | available | unavailable |
| Coverage and speed | 10+ local providers, 4g/5g/LTE speed | Jio, LTE speed | Airtel, 5G/4G/3G speed | Bharti Airtel, 5G/4G/3G speed |
| Unique features of the provider | Activate your eSIM plan without 365 after the payment; bonus program. | No special features or bonuses | Only unlimited data; manual choice of the plan duration. | “Add-on” feature to purchase more data within the same plan |
| The best choice for you, if… | You need versatile data plans for all possible occasions | You search for a cost-effective data tariffs. | You want to travel for a long period and need unlimited connection | You don’t know a particular stay duration and want to top the plan up. |
Final Thoughts
According to the data, Nomad and Airalo are the cheapest providers to travel across India. But be ready – connection is not the best. Some travelers complain about poor Internet speed in distant locations and when far from the cities. If you plan a mountain hike or nature trip, consider other providers. Yesim remains the most versatile option. Pay for 1 GB or buy the whole 30-day pack. And if you want to visit several countries, consider the “Asia Pacific” option by Yesim. Holafly, meanwhile, provides the fastest unlimited Internet speed. Yet, be ready to overpay for it. And if you already tried some of the services, feel free to share your experience and ask questions.
In 2024, eSIM plans are available online. Choose your favorite eSIM provider and find cell data offers for India on the website. Buy and activate your eSIM plan online, using s QR code.
The average pricing is $2 per 1 GB or $7 for the whole day of unlimited Internet. Each provider is different – Nomad is the cheapest, while Yesim has the best “price-quality” ratio.
To choose the best eSIM, focus on your priorities. For long-term stays, Holafly is the most beneficial. If you want to economize, buy a 30-day tariff by Nomad or short-term options by Airalo. Yesim has amazing connections due to the large number of local providers.
The leading local carriers are Jio, Vi, BSNL, and Bharti Airtel. Check out if your eSIM provider connects to all of them – otherwise, the connection may be poor in certain regions.
Commonly, eSIM providers offer only mobile data within the main plans. You can buy a virtual number as a separate service. Search for the feature on your provider’s website.
