eSIM Peru: compare, buy, and travel connected

Those who have been to Peru know very well that the country has many wonderful places to visit and sightsee thanks to its diverse fauna and flora making it one of the most exotic and attractive countries in Latin America. Therefore, traveling to Machu Picchu with a good internet connection is essential and even more so when cell phone data plans and roaming for Peru are expensive. We don’t want you to waste time and money looking for plans or paying extra costs, so we present international eSIMs.

The eSIM is a virtual SIM card activated through a QR code. The best thing about this new format is its convenience because unlike other alternatives, like Pocket WiFi, you won’t have to rely on external devices or physical chips to activate it or connect to the internet.

Besides, you can buy it comfortably from home or when you are already in Peru and avoid paying additional costs to do so. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know, from how they work, to the providers on the market and a comparison between them.

What you should know about eSIM Peru

Peru has a lot of places to explore and to go sightseeing, from visiting Machu Picchu, Cuzco, or Arequipa, to its islands or archaeological sites protected as world heritage sites. But before we go into details with that travel plan, the first thing is to know the minimum eSIM requirements, because your cell phone may not be compatible, and to avoid unnecessary expenses, we recommend you check the following list:

• Check that your cell phone is compatible with an eSIM because is a relatively new technology, and some devices are not compatible.
• We also suggest that you check that your device is supported by the operator or eSIM card provider. As of this moment, the iPhone XR or more recent versions are compatible with eSIMs.
• You must have an email to register and receive your eSIM.
• To activate your eSIM you must have an internet connection because your eSIM profile will be downloaded from the operator’s servers. You can do this on the first day of your stay in Peru or from a WiFi spot.
• Some providers will ask you to install their app to download the eSIM.

Before going into details with the providers on the market, we want to give you peace of mind that in case your cell phone is not compatible, you can still choose a Peru SIM card with 10GB or 12GB data for 30 days at $40.02 USD and $51.79, respectively.

Cellular providers of eSIM cards to travel to Peru:

Clearing that up, the eSIM providers mentioned below sell international eSIM cards intended for use on tourism or business trips abroad.

• HolaFly
• WifiMap
• TravelSIM

Prices and data plans of eSIM providers to travel to Peru

The next step is to know the plans and prices offered by each of these companies. The important thing is that you choose the service that best suits your travel plan. Just keep in mind that the price variation may be due to various reasons that can range from the coverage offered, to the data plans or the means of payment available.

Holafly plans and prices in Peru:

• 6GB for 15 days at $44 USD

WifiMap plans and prices in Peru:

• 3GB for 30 days at $85 USD
• 1GB for 30 days at $34.14 USD
• 500MB for 30 days at $17.66 USD

TravelSIM plans and prices in Peru:

• 5GB for 30 days at $185 USD
• 3GB for 30 days at $160 USD
• 2GB for 30 days at $109 USD

Comparison of eSIM providers for Peru

Features of the eSIM to travel to Peru

Surely you have already decided to buy an eSIM for your trip to Peru and in this section, we will go a little deeper to convince you even more, because as eSIMs are very different from the physical cards that we currently know, the following features will help you make the final decision.

• Most eSIM cards don’t offer analog calls, only data. But with the plans offered on the market, you can communicate through voice using apps like Skype or WhatsApp.
• They can be installed only once, so, if you are having problems with your eSIM card, don’t delete it from your cell phone, instead, contact your eSIM provider.
• Keep in mind that some eSIMs configure the automatic APN.
• You can add multiple data plans on your iPhone, but this depends on the available memory, although it’s only possible to use one at a time.
• Some eSIMs allow you to share data.
• You will have a dual-SIM iPhone, as you will be able to keep your local SIM when you travel. Remember to set up your iPhone to avoid surprise invoices.

Peru eSIM Coverage

Your trip to Peru may be somewhat exotic and you can decide to go to seldom visited places with a travel package. After all, it’s the third-largest country in Latin America, and therefore, when you buy your eSIM, ask the provider about the coverage offered. The plan you choose may not cover the areas you want to visit, so to make it easier, we have listed the telecommunications companies that have the best coverage in the Peruvian territory:

• Bitel
• Claro Peru
• Entel
• Movistar Peru

Bitel 4G coverage map in Peru

Claro 4G coverage map in Peru

Entel 4G coverage map in Peru

Movistar 4G coverage map in Peru

Local cellular operators offering eSIM in Peru

In case you live in Peru and want to request the permanent change of your physical SIM to an eSIM, unfortunately, the domestic companies still don’t offer this service for cell phones. Claro is the only exemption, the company offers the eSIM service but only for the Apple Watch. We hope that soon this technology will reach everyone and more devices in Peru.

FAQ about eSIM Peru

We hope that your trip through Peru is a complete adventure and the information in this article has been useful. However, we leave some common questions that travelers usually have when they visit Peru. If you have more questions, leave your comments.

Carolina Silva