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Fastest eSIM in the UK

Saily

Saily recorded a speed of 649 Mbps in the UK on the EE network. The best tested in the UK and one of the fastest speed tests we’ve seen anywhere so far.

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Cheapest eSIM in the UK

Lyca Mobile

Great prices with an incredibly low price per GB that only decreases with the more data you purchase, going as low as about $0.13 per GB at current prices.

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Best eSIM for high data requirements in the UK

International SIM by Bouygues Telecom

The best overall option for users requiring either 60 GB or 120 GB of data, backed up by solid speeds, signal and extras. Above that, Roamify would be our pick offering great prices.

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Best eSIM for unlimited data in the UK

Truely

A really solid offering in the UK. The fastest of the unlimited data offerings, while also working on 3 of the best networks available here. We’ve also got you an exclusive discount for it.

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UK mobile networks and which eSIMs use them

The 4 UK mobile networks

There are 4 main mobile network operators (MNOs) in the UK:

Network Name
3
EE
O2
Vodafone

Which are our favorites you ask?

1. Vodafone: Vodafone offers the strongest signal we’ve seen, with 5G coverage in most places and usually very fast speeds
2. EE/O2: We’ve found that O2 has improved leaps and bounds over the past few years compared with where it used to be, so much so that it now competes with EE which has traditionally been very strong for signal and speeds. Our issue with EE is that 5G signal can drop easily.
3. 3: We had years of issues with 3 as, while prices can be cheap, the service is generally not as reliable as the other networks and can be slower.

Which network does each eSIM use?

We’ve tested extensively in the UK, so can tell you exactly which eSIM uses which network. The below table breaks it down.

Our eSIM experience in the UK

Our real world UK test results

All tests: iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPad Pro M2, 2025 - 2026, 2025 - 2026 | Testing Methodology

What our UK eSIM testing found

Signal and coverage

Signal all over the UK is quite strong with a few exceptions. They are:

• In very remote areas
• In big cities at peak hours (Before and after working hours in particular)

5G is available in most parts of the country and probably will be at your accommodation, but sometimes doesn't always hold too well while you're on the move.

Speeds & Stats

Overall eSIM speeds in the UK are fast and only getting faster, though not at the very top tier yet. Most speeds are considerably higher than the 100 Mbps mark and that does show up in regular usage.

Pricing

According to our data, the UK is cheaper than 93% of all countries, earning itself a 10/10 in affordability. There are a range of prices available from a ton of different providers and price per GB for regular plans can even get closer to $0.50, when often a decent number is $1.

While your total price will be more, the price per GB is always going to be cheaper when you purchase more of it. Who's the cheapest eSIM in the UK? Check out our breakdown here.

Below we break down the overall pricing in full...

UK eSIM Free Trials

Looking to try before you buy, you have free trial options of...

For most short UK trips, we’d choose a travel eSIM. You can buy it before departure, install it in advance and get online as soon as you arrive without visiting a shop or changing your usual number.

For longer stays, a local UK option can offer better value. Providers such as Lyca Mobile can include large data allowances, UK calls and texts at very low prices. The trade off is that they are less convenient if you only need data for a week or two and you'll need to be sure you don't sign up to minimum term commitments or automatic renewals.

Best of the rest

Fastest eSIM tested in the UK

We tested 37 different eSIMs around the UK, running speed tests using the Ookla Speedtest app. We manually switched cell networks on each eSIM provider to ensure completeness. Every eSIM was tested under similar conditions at similar times to ensure consistent and fair speed results. Though we tested eSIMs throughout the country, every speed test was run in the most commonly visited UK destination: London.

The average speed across all 37 eSIMs was a very strong 281 Mbps and 10 different eSIM providers even hit over 400 Mbps. That average speed has increased as we’ve tested more providers and it’s great to see more and more providers focusing on fast speeds for users.

The fastest provider we tested by a distance was Saily, with a download speed of a whopping 649 Mbps, that’s among the fastest speeds we’ve tested in any country so far. Upload speeds came in at 42.6, placing Saily around mid-table - decent for the UK, but not the fastest you’ll ever see. These speeds are a major part of why Saily is not only the fastest eSIM in the UK, but our pick for the best one too. 

In 2nd place, French brand Bouygues Telecom with their International eSIM product came in at 581 Mbps and a very similar upload speed of 44.6 Mbps. Bouygues Telecom is another great choice for those with the need for speed.

Close behind In 3rd place, eSIM UK hit 569 Mbps download speed and a less impressive 16.4 Mbps upload speed. Overall, this is another super fast eSIM and you’ll encounter minimal slowdown during your UK travels.

Cheapest eSIM tested in the UK

The UK has a ton of cheap eSIM options and according to our data, is actually cheaper than 93% of all countries. Our full comparison table above shows you the pricing options available.

Cheapest eSIM overall in the UK

This one is relatively easy and it’s actually an eSIM that doesn’t appear on the price comparison: Lyca Mobile. They aren’t a traditional travel eSIM that you might be used to, more a low cost UK MVNO (think of it like a sub cell network) that uses EE's infrastructure in the UK. At the moment, prices look like this…

Lyca Mobile Pricing

The 30 GB and unlimited plans are great prices with a fantastic price per GB as low as $0.23 or $0.57 per day. This is our overall cheapest option in the UK, especially if you use it for 30 days only and don’t keep it running.

If you’re staying a month and just don’t want to think about data again, Lyca Mobile is the “set it and forget it” option. Unlimited calls, huge data bundle, no stress about running out mid trip.

The only time it can be beaten? If you are heading to the UK for a few days and know for sure that you’ll only need a few GB of data. If that’s your scenario, Roamify or BNESIM are great options for you.

Cheapest fixed data eSIM in the UK

If you’re simply looking for fixed data, Lyca Mobile would again be our pick, even with the lack of different plan options. Otherwise, Roamify and BNESIM is again worth a look, especially at lower data requirements. 

Cheapest unlimited data eSIM in the UK

Once again, Lyca Mobile is by far the cheapest unlimited data option at current rates. 30 days of unlimited data for around $17 is fantastic value for money. eSIM UK is our second choice here, offering 30 days of unlimited data at $45.99.

Note: Lyca Mobile does not clearly state their "Fair use policy" regarding the amount of data you can use per day.

Cheapest short stay data eSIM in the UK

Not staying for long and only need a little bit of data to keep you going? Go for either:

• BNESIM: 1 GB for $1.76. Valid for 7 days.
• Roamify: 1 GB for $2.  Valid for 7 days.

Cheapest long stay data eSIM in the UK

RedteaGO and Roamless are our picks for long stay options in the UK.

RedteaGO has 2 plans that we’d suggest:

• 20 GB, 90 days: $16.90
• 50 GB, 180 days: $37.90

Roamless is our other suggestion. It costs more, but offers a better overall service thanks to faster speeds, signal and a super convenient service. Their pay as you go data doesn’t expire at all. 

Best eSIM for high data requirements tested in the UK

This one really depends on what you value most.

Bouygues Telecom's 60 GB and 120 GB options are our picks for those requiring a lot of data without needing huge amounts or unlimited data.

At $0.67 and $0.50 per GB respectively, pricing is quite competitive and offers a ton of value when you consider speeds are fast, signal is very good and you even get roaming around other European countries and calls included.

Require data above 120 GB? Roamify is our pick. They offer a ton of different options that are extremely well priced, going as low as 500 GB for $60, all for $0.12 per GB which is a great overall price.

Best eSIM for unlimited data tested in the UK

We think the best eSIM for unlimited data in the UK is Truely. We found ourselves going back to it time after time during our own usage. Sometimes unlimited data options can be a bit slower, or have a “Fair usage policy” that really restricts daily data usage. Truely is the opposite, speeds are very fast, hitting 484 Mbps, signal is great courtesy of 3 separate network options (3, EE, Vodafone) and your daily limit is high at 5 GB of data.

Prices are right in line with the competition, so unfortunately it’s not particularly cheap. The good news is that our users can take 10% off on all plans for new users with code: TRAVELESIMEXPERT10

Considerations for choosing an eSIM in the UK

Countries to visit: Are you just visiting the UK? If so, the best choice is a dedicated UK eSIM. If you are heading into Europe, you might want to consider a multi country plan. Be sure to look carefully, as prices can be more expensive and you generally get more for your money by purchasing separate eSIMs for each specific country.

eSIM performance: Select an eSIM which offers the best performance. You'll want a balance of signal strength, speed, app quality and customer support. Our three non negotiable requirements are speed, signal reliability, and overall value.

Do you need a phone number? If you do require voice capabilities, be sure to check out eSIMs that offer calls included as part of their package. From the eSIMs that we've tested, that is:

- Airalo
- aloSIM
- BNESIM
- eSIM.net
- eSIMo
- eSIM UK
- Jetpac
- Lyca Mobile
- Orange Travel
- Roamless
- Sim Local

Data required: Estimate your usage to determine the best value for your budget. Consider how much you use your phone at home and how long you are staying. Options vary widely, from small 1GB packages to unlimited data plans.

Tethering and Personal Hotspot: Ensure you can connect other devices if needed. Look for an eSIM that explicitly supports personal hotspots. Most eSIMs do, but you should always verify it before purchasing.

Trip and plan duration: Find a plan that covers your entire stay. Pro tip: install your eSIM right before you leave.

About our testing

Your writer Philip is a British national that goes home for a grand total of about 3 months throughout the year, every year.

In that time, we’ve spent a significant amount of time testing and simply using eSIMs for our day to day connectivity requirements.

We ran the 37 eSIM speed tests across 2 phones, trying to keep network conditions as consistent as possible by testing at similar times in similar locations. 

The majority of our testing takes place in London, where I’m from, but we’ve also tested while travelling to and within other cities such as Brighton and Bath.

UK travel: Our thoughts and experience

It's always a difficult one to write about your home country from the perspective of a tourist, but I'll give it a shot.

We’ve spent time travelling around the country and just like any place, the experience changes completely depending on where you are. Big cities feel fast, expensive and hectic, while smaller cities and towns have a strong sense of identity shaped by history, music and usually football. Coastal areas are more relaxed and can be quite artsy, looking at you, Brighton, and the countryside feels like another world entirely. One of the biggest surprises for visitors, which you might just see as you come in to land, is how green the UK is.

Food gets a bad reputation, but that's really outdated nowadays. Traditional dishes like roast dinners, pies and full English breakfasts are comforting and filling, especially in winter. For us, the international food scene is where it excels most, particularly in bigger cities. Indian food is a national staple and some of the best curries we’ve had were in the UK.

That said, you still notice very quickly when mobile data drops. Between train delays, tube journeys, contactless payments, restaurant bookings, maps, ride hailing apps and the weather changing its mind every 5 minutes, having reliable data makes travelling in the UK much smoother.

London is where your eSIM gets tested properly

Mobile data really matters in big cities, and there's few bigger than London. You’ll constantly use your phone for maps, tube routes, restaurant bookings, WhatsApp, Uber, train updates and working out which exit of a station you actually need.

When your data works well, London is easy even for tourists. When it doesn’t, it can become annoying very quickly.

For London, we would rather use an eSIM that connects to EE, Vodafone or sometimes, O2. Vodafone has been the most consistently strong for us, EE can be extremely fast and O2 has improved a lot over the past few years. Unfortunately 3 is the one we trust least when reliability really matters.

The London Underground is the main signal trap

The London Underground (the tube) is probably the easiest place to get caught without signal. Some parts of the tube now have mobile signal or Wifi, but you should definitely not assume you’ll stay connected once you go underground.

Before heading into a station, load your route, screenshot your hotel address and open any ticket or booking details you might need. We also tend to download a podcast too. Citymapper and Google Maps are both useful, but they’re much more useful when your route is already loaded before you lose signal.

This matters more than people expect. London stations can be huge, some interchanges are confusing (Bank station) and taking the wrong exit can add ten minutes to a journey. A reliable eSIM helps, but a bit of offline preparation still saves stress.

UK trains are useful, expensive and occasionally chaotic

Getting around throughout the country can be expensive. Trains are pricey and delays are the default, you will get delayed. Buses are cheaper and reliable in cities, but rural areas can be quite tricky without a car.

Train travel is still one of the best ways to move around the UK though, especially between places like London, Brighton, Bath, Oxford, Cambridge, Manchester, York and Edinburgh. However, because trains can be expensive and unpredictable, mobile data is useful.

You’ll often need to check platform changes, delays, cancellations and alternative routes. National Rail, Trainline and Google Maps are all worth having ready.

Signal on trains can be mixed. It is usually fine around cities and stations, but it can drop in tunnels, rural stretches, and busy commuter routes. If you’re travelling by train, download your tickets, save your route and keep important booking details available offline too.

The UK apps we actually use

A UK eSIM is not just for browsing. These are the apps where mobile data becomes genuinely useful.

App or service	Why it matters in the UK
Citymapper and Google Maps	Best for London and big city transport routes, with Google Maps best for restaurants reviews, driving and navigation
National Rail	Live train times, platforms, delays and cancellations
Trainline	Booking train tickets and checking journeys
Uber, Bolt, FREENOW	Ride hailing apps useful in cities
Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat	Handy after a long travel day or if you’re staying somewhere without easy food nearby
WhatsApp	The default for messaging in the UK
Apple Pay or Google Pay	Contactless payments are everywhere, you are unlikely to need cash
Banking apps	Useful for card checks, payment approvals and fraud alerts

For most visitors, you don’t need unlimited data just to use these apps. But you do need stable data. A cheap plan with weak signal can become annoying faster than a slightly more expensive plan that actually works when you need it.

Contactless payments are everywhere, but data still helps

The UK is extremely contactless payment friendly. You can use Apple Pay, Google Pay or a contactless card in most shops, cafes, restaurants, buses, Tube gates and train stations. The minimum charge has almost completely disappeared too.

You don’t need mobile data every time you tap to pay, but data can still help. Banking app checks, payment approvals, travel card top ups, booking confirmations and fraud alerts can all need a connection at awkward moments.

This is another reason we care about real world usage and reliability, not just the cheapest plan in the comparison table.

Brighton, Bath and smaller UK cities feel different from London

Outside London, the UK can feel much easier from a connectivity point of view. Brighton and Bath were both less intense than central London.

Brighton is compact, quite walkable and easy to navigate. Mobile data is mostly useful for maps, train times, food, taxis and staying connected around the seafront.

Smaller cities and towns are also where the UK becomes more interesting. Each place has its own local identity, accent, football loyalties, music history and strange little habits. You do not need to understand all of it to enjoy travelling here, but it does make the country feel much less generic once you leave central London.

Rural UK travel needs more preparation

The UK has strong mobile coverage overall, but rural coverage is not the same as city coverage.

If your trip includes rural areas, download offline maps, save your accommodation address and avoid relying on a single weak network if possible. For rural travel, we generally prefer to choose an eSIM with access to multiple UK networks than the cheapest plan.

Food is better than people say, but you’ll use data to find it

British food gets a bad reputation, but that’s outdated. A good roast dinner, a pie, a full English breakfast or proper fish and chips can absolutely hit the spot. For us, the international food scene is where the UK really shines though, especially in bigger cities. Indian food is part of everyday British life and some of the best curries we’ve had were in the UK.

Mobile data helps because a lot of food decisions happen on the move. You’ll check Google reviews, compare menus, book a table, find the right branch, send someone the location or order delivery if you’re tired after travelling.

In bigger cities, especially London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and Brighton, there are a lot of good options, but also a lot of average ones, especially in the mid range. Having data makes it much easier to avoid wasting a meal.

Hotspot is genuinely useful in the UK

Hotspot worked on every UK eSIM we tested, which is a big plus.

This is useful if you’re travelling as a couple, working from a laptop, using an iPad or staying somewhere with weak hotel Wifi.

If hotspot matters to you, check the plan rules before buying. Some unlimited plans still have fair usage limits and some daily unlimited plans slow down after a certain amount of data.

Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland are not the same thing

A UK eSIM should normally work in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland because they are all part of the United Kingdom.

This is especially important for trips like London, Edinburgh and Dublin. A UK only eSIM may be perfect for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but will not cover the Republic of Ireland.

No ID registration makes UK eSIMs easy

One nice thing about buying a UK travel eSIM is that it’s usually straightforward. You don’t need local ID, passport registration or an in person shop visit just to get online.

For most travellers, the easiest option is to buy before you fly, install the eSIM while you still have Wifi and activate it when you arrive in the UK. That way you are not trying to sort mobile data when you arrive.

Keep your home SIM active if you need calls or bank codes

Most travel eSIMs are data only. That’s great for WhatsApp, maps, browsing, email, FaceTime and app based calls, but it doesn’t always help if you need normal SMS messages or phone calls.

If your phone supports dual SIM, we usually recommend keeping your home SIM active for calls and SMS, then using your UK eSIM for mobile data. Just make sure data roaming is switched off on your home SIM so you do not accidentally trigger roaming charges. Also be very careful with receiving calls and sending SMS on your home SIM, prices can be steep.

This is especially useful for bank verification codes, airline updates, 2FA authentication and anything linked to your normal phone number.

The UK is cheap for eSIMs, but cheap is not everything

The UK is one of the cheaper countries in our eSIM data. Our current comparison table includes hundreds of UK eSIM plans from many providers, with plenty of cheap options, discounts and high data plans available.

That is good news, but it also means there is a lot to filter through. The cheapest tiny plan might be enough for a quick stopover or very light use, but for a normal UK vacation, we would look at the full picture: pricing, signal, speeds data allowance, validity, network access, hotspot support, app experience and whether we actually enjoyed using the provider.

That’s why we rank tested providers separately from the comparison table. The table helps you compare the market. Our recommendations are the eSIMs we would actually choose.

Our practical UK eSIM advice

For a short city break, a small fixed data plan can be enough if you’re mainly using maps, WhatsApp, restaurant searches and transport apps.

For a one week UK trip, we would usually look at 5 GB to 10 GB unless you stream a lot, use TikTok heavily or rely on hotspot.

For a longer trip, remote work or multi city travel, 20 GB or more feels much safer. If you’re going to hotspot a laptop, use video calls or upload content regularly, look at high data or unlimited options.

Check our Data Calculator for a more precise read on how much you'll need.

The challenges

The weather is unpredictable. You can get four seasons in one day and yes, we really do talk about it constantly. Bring layers and an umbrella.

Getting around can be expensive. Trains are pricey and delays are the default. Buses are cheaper and reliable in cities, but rural areas can be tricky without a car.

Any surprises?

The humor. It’s dry, sarcastic and often self deprecating. If someone is teasing you, it usually means they like you.

FAQs