Compare the Best Travel eSIMs for Vietnam
Prepaid data eSIMs for visitors to Vietnam, every plan ranked by real price per GB. This is not a Vietnam contract or a local SIM. Updated daily.
The 3 best Vietnam eSIMs right now
Sim Local✓ Verified partner
GigSky✓ Verified partner
Ubigi✓ Verified partner
What Vietnam data actually costs
Vietnam 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 | Ubigi | $36.90 | $0.74/GB | Get plan ↗🏷 10% off with code TRAVELCITY10 |
| 25 GB | Ubigi | $44 | $1.76/GB | Get plan ↗🏷 10% off with code TRAVELCITY10 |
| 20 GB | Nomad | $26 | $1.30/GB | Get plan ↗ |
| 10 GB | Ubigi | $12.90 | $1.29/GB | Get plan ↗🏷 10% off with code TRAVELCITY10 |
| 5 GB | Nomad | $10 | $2.00/GB | Get plan ↗ |
| 1 GB | Yesim | $3.53 | $3.53/GB | Get plan ↗🏷 15% off with code TRAVELCITY |
Cost per GB rises from $0.74/GB at 50 GB to $3.53/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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maya | $49.99 | Confirming | Get plan ↗🏷 10% off with code ATESIM |
| Ubigi | $54.90 | Confirming | Get plan ↗🏷 10% off with code TRAVELCITY10 |
| Yesim | $64.01 | Confirming | Get plan ↗🏷 15% off with code TRAVELCITY |
| GigSky | $65.49 | Confirming | Get plan ↗🏷 15% off with code ATESIM |
| Airalo | $69 | Confirming | Get plan ↗ |
| Saily | $71.99 | Confirming | Get plan ↗ |
Unlimited 30 day plans run from $49.99 to $71.99, a spread of about 44 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 Vietnam, a Vietnam only plan is far cheaper per gigabyte than a Asia or global plan carrying the same data. Same provider (Airalo), same 20 GB, 30 days:
| Airalo plan | Price | Price per GB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnam only | $28 | $1.40/GB | Get plan ↗ |
| Asia | $38 | $1.90/GB | Get plan ↗ |
| Global | $66 | $3.30/GB | Get plan ↗ |
A Vietnam 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 Vietnam 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Airalo | VNPT (Vinaphone) | Confirmed |
| GigSky | Not publicly disclosed | Confirming |
| Ubigi | VNPT (Vinaphone) | Confirmed |
| Nomad | MobiFone / Vinaphone / Vietnamobile | Confirmed |
| Saily | Not publicly disclosed | Confirming |
| Yesim | Not publicly disclosed | Confirming |
Airalo and Ubigi both run on VNPT (Vinaphone) and Nomad uses MobiFone with Vinaphone and Vietnamobile; none of the six confirm Viettel, the operator with the best rural and mountain coverage, so for the northern highlands treat that as a gap and consider a local Viettel SIM as backup.
Coverage by where you are going
- Viettel is the largest operator with roughly 54% market share and the widest reach into rural and mountainous areas such as Sapa, Ha Giang, and the Mekong Delta.
- Commercial 5G launched in late 2024: Viettel went live on October 15, 2024 with more than 6,500 base stations across all 63 provinces, VNPT/Vinaphone followed on December 20, 2024, and MobiFone launched in the first half of 2025.
- Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang have dense 4G and expanding 5G, while outside the major cities most travel eSIMs still run on 4G.
- Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh to Suoi Tien) opened in December 2024 and Hanoi runs the Cat Linh to Ha Dong line, with carriers serving stations and above-ground track.
- Coverage thins in remote border regions near China, Laos, and Cambodia, where Viettel is the most reliable network.
Travel eSIM vs a local Vietnam SIM
A travel eSIM is the fastest way to get online in Vietnam, with plans that activate the moment you land and skip the passport registration local SIMs require. Prices are low by global standards, and providers on VNPT or MobiFone give you solid coverage in the cities and along the main tourist routes. For the northern mountains and the Mekong Delta, check that the plan can use Viettel before you buy.
A local Viettel, Vinaphone, or MobiFone tourist SIM is cheap and gives you that operator's full native coverage, which matters most in rural areas. Budget MVNOs such as Wintel (formerly Reddi, on VNPT and MobiFone), iTel, and Local resell the big networks at lower prices. Buying a physical SIM means showing your passport for registration, and you can pick one up at the airport or an operator store.
Quick rule: City and coast trip, any well known provider is fine; heading into the northern highlands or deep Mekong Delta, make sure Viettel is one of the networks.
Vietnam's networks are Viettel, Vinaphone (VNPT) and MobiFone, and Viettel is the largest with around 54% market share and the country's widest rural and mountain coverage; budget MVNO Wintel resells VNPT and MobiFone.
How a Vietnam 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 Vietnam 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.
Vietnam travel eSIM FAQ
Which network has the best coverage in Vietnam?
Viettel has the widest coverage, especially in rural and mountainous areas like Sapa, Ha Giang, and the Mekong Delta, and it holds roughly 54% market share. Vinaphone (VNPT) and MobiFone are strong in cities and along main routes. Among these eSIM providers, Airalo and Ubigi run on VNPT while Nomad uses MobiFone with Vinaphone and Vietnamobile.
Can I get 5G with a travel eSIM in Vietnam?
Commercial 5G went live in late 2024 and is available in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and other urban areas across all three big operators. Whether your eSIM reaches it depends on the plan, and many travel eSIMs still cap at 4G. Check the plan's stated network technology before you buy.
Will my eSIM work on the metro?
Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh to Suoi Tien) opened in December 2024, and Hanoi runs the Cat Linh to Ha Dong line. Carriers serve the stations and above-ground sections, so you should stay connected on your commute. Signal can dip briefly in deep tunnel stretches.
Do I need to register a travel eSIM in Vietnam?
No. Vietnam requires passport registration for local physical SIM cards, but travel eSIMs are issued under the provider's own arrangement and skip that step. You install the eSIM and activate it on arrival with no paperwork.
Is mobile data expensive in Vietnam?
No, Vietnam has some of the lower mobile data rates in the region. Local operators and their MVNOs, such as Wintel, iTel, and Local, sell large bundles for a few dollars, and travel eSIM prices are low too. A 30-day unlimited travel eSIM runs around $50 to $72.
What about coverage near the China, Laos, and Cambodia borders?
Signal thins out in remote border and highland areas, and Viettel is the most reliable network there thanks to its rural build-out. If you plan to travel close to the borders, carry a plan that can use Viettel or pick up a local Viettel SIM as backup.