Best prepaid SIM card for North America: which one to buy?

It is challenging to accept pay for expensive roaming rates abroad. For that reason, the best thing to do during your trip to countries like Mexico, the USA, and Canada to be able to connect to the internet is to bring a data SIM card for North America. In addition to providing an internet connection at a much more affordable price during your trip to the Golden Gate Bridge or the Statue of Liberty, it will give you access to advantages that considerably improve your journey.

A prepaid SIM card for North America is a more economical solution than other options such as international roaming or pocket wifi. You also have embedded SIM cards at your disposal, which work similarly but with the advantage of being entirely virtual. In this article, we will know all the alternatives you can consider for your next trip to the region.

Where to buy a SIM card for North America?

Another point in favor of the international SIM card for North America is the number of options we have as tourists to buy them. One of the most recommended ways is to buy one of these before your trip online because of the facilities it represents. However, it is also possible to find alternatives as visitors in local stores once you arrive in your destination country.

Each way has advantages and conditions, depending on what you are looking for to take one option or another. We will talk about how to buy, how to activate, and what plans you can find in each of the alternatives to choose the one that best suits you. Finally, suppose you are looking for a fast, secure, easy-to-purchase solution. In that case, you should visit Holafly’s online store, where you will find eSIM for North America and many other destinations.

Easy to buy

When you think of buying a SIM card with coverage throughout North America as a tourist, it doesn’t sound like an easy task. However, remote providers and online stores have given travelers a solution with few steps. It is possible to find these services in international online stores that offer prepaid SIM cards for North America with good data packages. This is the best option if you want to solve your internet connection for your trip from home.

If your trip is around the clock and you don’t have time to do it before arriving, you can also find local SIM cards from carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Telcel, and Rogers. The availability and number of stores will depend on which country you arrive in, but it is common to have carrier vendors at many international airports. One recommendation is to take at least a few minutes to check to see if any of the carriers have a store at the airport you are arriving at.

Buy before you travel.

Don’t leave for your trip what you can solve before! Today there are a number of online options that offer prepaid SIM card services for North America. Providers like Holafly have virtual SIM cards for the region that you can buy and install from home. You just need internet access and a compatible phone. We initially told you that physical SIM cards and eSIM cards are very similar. You can compare them yourself to see that the virtual versions have an advantage over the traditional ones. 

Also, if you can’t buy a virtual SIM card, you can look for a physical SIM card for North America. You have to ensure that the store you choose has international shipping to your address, as you must have the chip with you before traveling. However, even though it is purchased abroad, it will work as a local SIM card once you arrive. In fact, those purchased online will still use local carrier networks to work in the country where you are traveling.

Buy upon arrival

Although it is not our recommendation, you can also buy a tourist SIM card when you arrive in North America. It will depend a little bit on the country where you arrive, but usually, telephone companies have offers for foreigners known as prepaid SIM cards. As for the availability of coverage throughout North America, it also depends on the operator. AT&T and T-Mobile from the USA have prepaid plans with coverage in Mexico and Canada.

Rogers of Canada and Telcel of Mexico also have some tourist SIM card offers with coverage throughout North America. Remember to ask in your destination country and look for the nearest physical store of one of these operators to buy your SIM card. It is essential to know that the plans for tourists are reduced and that you must always go through a local registration process that the online options do not have. The reward of this whole purchasing process is that it is possible to find slightly cheaper options in some cases.

AT&T or T-Mobile, Telcel, and Rogers Stores in North America

Suppose you are interested in enjoying an internet connection without interruptions or with very low latency. In that case, we recommend that you use AT&T’s Internet networks since this Internet provider is considered one of the best in the North American region, especially in the United States, where it has 176.7 million customers on average, which reflects the quality and reliability of the services it provides.

On the other hand, the company T-Mobile is also considered one of the best telecommunications companies in North America, especially in the United States. If you are interested in connecting to one of these networks with Holafly’s North America virtual SIM card, you can connect to the AT&T USA, T-Mobile, AT&T Mexico, and Rogers network during your trip.

Lastly, the other two options you have are Telcel in Mexico, which is the first and the one with the largest coverage area in the country. Rogers is the leading mobile operator in Canada, with excellent service throughout the territory. It is possible to find stores of each of the operators in major cities and international airports. Just find the one closest to you and buy your local SIM card!

How much does a SIM card cost to travel to North America?

Although the countries in the region are considered some of the largest in the world, operators throughout North America have similar rates for their plans. It is possible to find prepaid SIM card options starting at $25 for packages of 16GB of browsing used in a month. More complete plans can cost up to $55 for more complete packages, including unlimited calls and messages to be used in a month.

As a tourist with any of these options, you must go through the SIM card registration process required by local laws. This can take some time, so you should include this in your travel planning.

eSIM card for North America, the new alternative

The mobile phone industry is moving quickly to these new eSIMs. To understand them quickly, you can see them as the virtual version of the traditional SIM card. With these digital SIM cards, you can use them on your phone and have internet without going through a physical installation. You only need to use a QR code that you scan with your mobile phone, and in just minutes, you can activate your eSIM for North America.

Holafly is one of the most used online stores by travelers worldwide to buy eSIM cards for North America and many destinations. You can purchase the eSIM, which will be delivered immediately to your email address. Most importantly, you can do this process before your trip or once you are at the destination without any problem. 

Before buying an eSIM with Holafly, we recommend you verify some conditions that you must fulfill to be able to use them:

• You must have a phone compatible with eSIM technology because not all phones can use eSIM. You can quickly check this list of phones that have eSIM for North America available for use.
• You must have a valid email address. This is where you will receive the QR code to activate your eSIM card. 
• As you should be thinking, you need to have an internet connection at the time of purchase of the eSIM in the online store. You must also have a connection when you install the virtual SIM card for the first time on your phone.
• Finally, you must confirm that you can pay by any of the means that Holafly offers to its customers. These are credit and debit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay.

Holafly online store

Holafly’s online store lets you purchase your eSIM for North America and 160 other destinations worldwide in just a few easy steps. They also have web portals in more than five languages to facilitate access to people worldwide. Even though the purchase process is quite easy, 24/7 customer service and multilingual support are available. 

With the eSIM options for North America, you have unlimited data on all available plans. You can travel around the USA, Canada, and Mexico using your phone and all its applications without restrictions.

Something uncommon in international eSIMs is the possibility of top-up your service without installing a new virtual SIM card. Holafly will send you an email notification when you have used 90% of your plan so you can purchase a service extension and activate it immediately on your phone. 

Finally, using Holafly’s eSIM, you will not have to change your local WhatsApp number, making it easier for your family and friends to contact you. As long as your phone allows it, you can use your local SIM card and the international eSIM simultaneously.

Disadvantages of Holafly’s eSIM card

As with any purchase, there are also some downsides to consider. Although Holafly’s eSIM for North America allows unlimited data, it does not have a local number. So, you cannot make analog calls or send SMS to numbers in the region.

How can I shop at Holafly? 

One of Holafly’s online store’s best factors is how easy it is to purchase online. First, you must search for the destination or region where you will use the service. Then you will see all the plans available now. Select one of the packages, and you can purchase through any of the available payment methods.

Finally, you enter your email address, name, and last name to receive your eSIM instantly to that address. When you have it, you only have to scan the QR code, and you can install the eSIM on your phone.

How much does the eSIM for North America cost?

We will introduce you to the cost of Holafly’s eSIM for North America, a better alternative to pocket wifi and international roaming.

Frequently asked questions about the SIM card for travel to North America

Brenda Beltrán

EN: I am Brenda Beltrán, a Colombian content creator who loves travel, technology, and video games. Since 2019, I have been creating content about entertainment and technology, starting as a journalist for video games, eSports, and tech. Now, I focus on writing about travel, providing tips on how to stay always connected abroad. I hope that all the content I create helps you discover new places in the best possible way! | ES: Soy Brenda Beltrán, creadora de contenido colombiana amante de los viajes, la tecnología y los videojuegos. Desde 2019, he creado contenido sobre entretenimiento y tecnología, comenzando como periodista de videojuegos, eSports y tech. Ahora me dedico a escribir sobre viajes, dando consejos sobre cómo mantenerse siempre conectado en el exterior. Espero que todo el contenido que creo te ayude a conocer nuevos lugares de la mejor manera!