Compare the Best Travel eSIMs for Thailand
Prepaid data eSIMs for visitors to Thailand, every plan ranked by real price per GB. This is not a Thailand contract or a local SIM. Updated daily.
Reviewed by Lee DobsonLast updated Ranked independently by real price per GBUpdated dailyFree to use, no account
The 3 best Thailand eSIMs right now
Hand-checked · ranked by price per GB
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AiraloThailand travel eSIM | 50 GB, 100 mins of local calls valid for 10 daysAll plans 152
What Thailand data actually costs
Thailand travel eSIM prices look random until you convert every plan to one number: the real cost per gigabyte. Here is what that reveals right now.
The cheapest plan at each size, 30 days
| Data | Cheapest provider | Total | Price per GB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 GB | Airalo | $27.50 | $0.55/GB | Get plan ↗ |
| 25 GB | Ubigi | $24.90 | $1.00/GB | Get plan ↗🏷 10% off with code TRAVELCITY10 |
| 20 GB | Sim Local | $17.50 | $0.88/GB | Get plan ↗🏷 10% off with code ATESIM |
| 10 GB | GigSky | $9.79 | $0.98/GB | Get plan ↗🏷 15% off with code ATESIM |
| 5 GB | Sim Local | $7.25 | $1.45/GB | Get plan ↗🏷 10% off with code ATESIM |
| 1 GB | Yesim | $3.02 | $3.02/GB | Get plan ↗🏷 15% off with code TRAVELCITY |
Cost per GB rises from $0.55/GB at 50 GB to $3.02/GB at 1 GB. Buying a little more data than you expect to use is almost always cheaper per gigabyte than buying exactly what you need.
The "unlimited" trap
The same words, unlimited for 30 days, cover a wide price range, and most plans slow down after a daily threshold that the label hides.
| Provider | Unlimited, 30 days | Fair-use cap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nomad | $33 | Not published | Get plan ↗🏷 20% off with code ATESIM |
| Yesim | $48.49 | Not published | Get plan ↗🏷 15% off with code TRAVELCITY |
| Airalo | $49 | 3 GB/day, then 1 Mbps source | Get plan ↗ |
| Ubigi | $49 | Not published | Get plan ↗🏷 10% off with code TRAVELCITY10 |
| Maya | $49.99 | 3 GB/day, then 10 Mbps source | Get plan ↗🏷 10% off with code ATESIM |
| GigSky | $65.49 | 2.5 GB/day, then reduced, but not below 100 kbps source | Get plan ↗🏷 15% off with code ATESIM |
| Saily | $71.99 | 5 GB/day, then 1 Mbps source | Get plan ↗ |
Unlimited 30 day plans run from $33 to $71.99, a spread of about 118 percent, for a label that means the same thing on paper. Check the daily cap before you buy, especially if you plan to tether a laptop.
Do not overpay for coverage you will not use
If your whole trip is in Thailand, a Thailand only plan is far cheaper per gigabyte than a Asia or global plan carrying the same data. Same provider (GigSky), same 50 GB, 30 days:
| GigSky plan | Price | Price per GB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand only | $26.39 | $0.53/GB | Get plan ↗🏷 15% off with code ATESIM |
| Asia | $57.99 | $1.16/GB | Get plan ↗🏷 15% off with code ATESIM |
| Global | $109.99 | $2.20/GB | Get plan ↗🏷 15% off with code ATESIM |
A Thailand only plan costs much less per gigabyte than a regional or global plan with the same data. Only pay for the wider plan if you are actually crossing borders on this trip.
Which network does your Thailand eSIM use?
This is the question that decides your real signal, and almost no comparison site answers it. Your travel eSIM connects to one or more local networks as a visitor, and that choice matters the moment you leave the big cities, because rural coverage varies a lot between them.
| Provider | Host network | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad | True / AIS / dtac | Confirmed |
| Sim Local | AIS, dtac | Confirmed |
| Saily | Not publicly disclosed | Confirming |
| Airalo | True + AIS | Confirmed |
| Ubigi | AIS and True Move | Confirmed |
| Yesim | Not publicly disclosed | Confirming |
| GigSky | Not publicly disclosed | Confirming |
AIS has the strongest rural and island reach; Ubigi and Nomad are the safest picks because both publicly confirm they run on AIS plus True/dtac.
Coverage by where you are going
- AIS and True Corp (the 2023 merger of True and dtac) together hold over 95% of the market, with near-total 4G across populated areas.
- Both AIS and True launched commercial 5G in 2020; 5G is now common in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket, and AIS reported about 95% population coverage by 2024.
- Bangkok BTS Skytrain and MRT subway carry 4G and 5G inside stations and tunnels, so data stays live underground.
- Islands such as Koh Samui, Phuket and Koh Tao use the same mainland operators; AIS tends to hold signal better on smaller islands and remote beaches, while boats and dive sites can drop to 3G or no signal.
- Near the Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar borders a phone can latch onto a foreign tower, so manual network selection avoids surprise roaming.
Travel eSIM vs a local Thailand SIM
A travel eSIM from these six providers connects you to the same AIS and True networks a local uses, with no roaming surcharge and a price fixed before you land. Setup is done in an app, and most plans start when you first connect in Thailand rather than at purchase. For a one to three week trip this is the simpler route.
A physical Thai prepaid SIM can be cheaper per gigabyte and gives you a local number for calls and app verification. You can buy AIS or True tourist SIMs at Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports and at convenience stores, though you now need your passport to register any SIM. Budget MVNO Penguin SIM runs on the AIS network if you want AIS reach at a lower price.
Quick rule: Short trip and data only, use a travel eSIM; longer stay or need a Thai number, buy a local SIM.
Thailand's two national networks are AIS and True Corp (which absorbed dtac in 2023), and budget MVNO Penguin SIM resells AIS coverage.
How a Thailand travel eSIM works
A travel eSIM replaces expensive roaming with a cheap local data plan you activate in seconds. There is no plastic SIM and no airport queue. Roaming with your home carrier can run 6 to 12 dollars a day, so a week easily tops 50 to 80 dollars for service you already pay for at home.
Three things to get right:
- Check your phone supports eSIM before you buy.
- Install the eSIM at home over WiFi, but wait to activate it until you land, because the validity period usually starts on activation.
- Keep your physical SIM in the phone for calls and texts on your normal number.
How we rank Thailand eSIMs
Every plan on this page is sorted by real price per GB (total price divided by included data, normalised to USD), so a cheap-looking 1 GB plan cannot outrank a better-value 10 GB one. We refresh prices daily and only list providers with a track record of activating on arrival. We earn a small affiliate commission when you buy through our links. It funds the price tracking and never changes the order you see.
Thailand travel eSIM FAQ
Which network does an eSIM use in Thailand?
It depends on the provider. Ubigi runs on AIS and True Move, Nomad and Yesim on AIS and dtac, and GigSky across AIS, dtac, TrueMove and TriNet. Airalo's Thailand packages primarily use dtac (True Corp), with some running on True and AIS.
Is AIS or True better for travel?
AIS is Thailand's largest operator and generally has stronger coverage on islands and in rural provinces. True Corp, which merged with dtac in 2023, is competitive in Bangkok and major cities and pushes fast 5G. For island hopping or upcountry trips, a plan that names AIS is the safer choice.
Does 5G work in Thailand?
Yes. AIS and True both launched commercial 5G in 2020, and it is now widespread in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and other cities. AIS reported roughly 95% population coverage by 2024, though remote areas can still fall back to 4G.
Will my eSIM work on the Bangkok BTS and MRT?
Yes. The BTS Skytrain and MRT subway carry 4G and 5G inside stations and tunnels, so a data eSIM keeps working underground. Coverage is strong across central Bangkok including the Sukhumvit and Silom areas.
Can I accidentally roam onto another country's network near a border?
Yes, this can happen near the Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar borders where foreign towers reach across. Set your phone's network selection to manual and pick a Thai operator such as AIS or True to avoid unexpected roaming charges.
What does unlimited really mean on a Thailand eSIM?
Most unlimited plans give a set amount of full-speed data before slowing down. Airalo gives 3GB per day then drops to 1 Mbps, Saily and Nomad give about 5GB per day, and Ubigi allows 60GB across the month before easing to 2 Mbps.
