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eSIM for a short UK city break (around 5 days)
Prices checked 17 October 2026 · Sources linked in every row
Who this is for
Long weekend or 5 days: maps, transport apps, messaging, some photos and social posts.
How much data you'll probably need
Moderate use is roughly 0.25–0.4 GB per day, so 1.3–2 GB for 5 days. Your number may be very different, so run your own estimate in the data calculator.
Plans that fit this trip (sorted by price)
| Provider | Data | Validity | Price (USD) | Per day | Notes / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saily | 1 GB | 7 days | $4.49 | $0.64 | source |
| Saily | 3 GB | 30 days | $8.99 | $0.30 | source |
| Airalo | 3 GB | 7 days | $9.00 | $1.29 | source |
| Airalo | 5 GB | 7 days | $12.00 | $1.71 | source |
| Saily | 5 GB | 30 days | $12.99 | $0.43 | source |
| Airalo | 5 GB | 30 days | $13.00 | $0.43 | source |
| Airalo | Unlimited | 5 days | $18.50 | $3.70 | source |
| Holafly | Unlimited | 5 days | $20.50 | $4.10 | source |
Prices checked on 17 October 2026 on the providers' own websites. Prices in USD as displayed on each provider's public website on 17 October 2026 (fetched from Europe). Providers can show different prices or currencies by location, and they change prices and run promotions often. Always confirm the price at checkout.
Our take
Fixed plans are the cheapest fit: Airalo 3 GB/7 days $9.00 or Saily 3 GB/30 days $8.99 (useful if you return within a month). Saily's 1 GB/7 days $4.49 suits very light users. 5-day unlimited plans are $18.50 (Airalo) and $20.50 (Holafly). EU-based travellers: check whether your home plan includes UK roaming before buying anything.
How this page was made: we compared the prices and terms that each provider publishes on its own website. We have not tested these eSIMs ourselves on this trip type, and we do not report speed or coverage results. For coverage, check each provider's network list and your phone's eSIM compatibility before buying.
Plan details to know
- Airalo: Unlimited plans and fixed-data plans. Check each package's details on Airalo for fair-use or speed terms; we did not find them stated on the country page.
- Saily: Saily's 'Unlimited' plans give 5 GB per day at full speed, then up to 1 Mbps for the rest of the day (per Saily's country pages). Fixed-data plan cards list several validity options; the card price shown may correspond to one of them. Saily's own FAQ text quotes some different figures, so confirm the price for your chosen validity at checkout.
- Holafly: Unlimited data plans by number of days. Hotspot sharing is limited to 1 GB per day (per Holafly's pages). Data only, no local phone number.
Full price list for the UK (all plans we captured)
| Provider | Data | Validity | Price (USD) | Per day | Notes / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airalo | 1 GB | 3 days | $4.00 | $1.33 | source |
| Airalo | 3 GB | 3 days | $8.50 | $2.83 | source |
| Airalo | 3 GB | 7 days | $9.00 | $1.29 | source |
| Airalo | 5 GB | 7 days | $12.00 | $1.71 | source |
| Airalo | 5 GB | 15 days | $12.50 | $0.83 | source |
| Airalo | 5 GB | 30 days | $13.00 | $0.43 | source |
| Airalo | 10 GB | 7 days | $18.00 | $2.57 | source |
| Airalo | 10 GB | 15 days | $18.50 | $1.23 | source |
| Airalo | 10 GB | 30 days | $19.00 | $0.63 | source |
| Airalo | 20 GB | 15 days | $30.00 | $2.00 | source |
| Airalo | 20 GB | 30 days | $31.00 | $1.03 | source |
| Airalo | 50 GB | 30 days | $39.00 | $1.30 | source |
| Airalo | Unlimited | 3 days | $11.50 | $3.83 | source |
| Airalo | Unlimited | 5 days | $18.50 | $3.70 | source |
| Airalo | Unlimited | 7 days | $27.00 | $3.86 | source |
| Airalo | Unlimited | 10 days | $34.50 | $3.45 | source |
| Airalo | Unlimited | 15 days | $48.00 | $3.20 | source |
| Airalo | Unlimited | 30 days | $69.00 | $2.30 | source |
| Holafly | Unlimited | 3 days | $11.90 | $3.97 | source |
| Holafly | Unlimited | 5 days | $20.50 | $4.10 | source |
| Holafly | Unlimited | 7 days | $27.50 | $3.93 | source |
| Holafly | Unlimited | 10 days | $37.50 | $3.75 | source |
| Holafly | Unlimited | 15 days | $51.50 | $3.43 | source |
| Holafly | Unlimited | 30 days | $76.50 | $2.55 | source |
| Saily | 1 GB | 7 days | $4.49 | $0.64 | source |
| Saily | 3 GB | 30 days | $8.99 | $0.30 | source |
| Saily | 5 GB | 30 days | $12.99 | $0.43 | source |
| Saily | 10 GB | 30 days | $18.99 | $0.63 | source |
| Saily | 20 GB | 30 days | $30.99 | $1.03 | source |
| Saily | Unlimited | 5 to 30 days | $48.99 | – | card price; confirm for your validity; starting card price; validity for this price not shown in our capture source |
Prices checked on 17 October 2026 on the providers' own websites. Prices in USD as displayed on each provider's public website on 17 October 2026 (fetched from Europe). Providers can show different prices or currencies by location, and they change prices and run promotions often. Always confirm the price at checkout.
Before you buy
- Check that your phone supports eSIM and is not carrier-locked (each provider has a compatibility list).
- Install the eSIM on Wi-Fi before you fly; turn on data roaming for the eSIM line on arrival.
- Download offline maps of the places you'll visit to cut data use.