If your bags are ready to travel to the United States, but you still don’t know how to stay connected to the Internet to communicate with your family and friends in the most visited country in the world. Well, one of the best alternatives to be always connected is to buy a SIM card for the USA, so you will forget about returning home and having to pay an expensive roaming bill from your operator.
Find out where to buy a SIM card for your trip to the USA, whether you prefer it before traveling or upon arrival. So, get ready to know that and much more in this article. Remember that if your cell phone is compatible with virtual SIM cards, you can opt for the new eSIM technology to have mobile internet on your trip in a faster and more easily accessible way for everyone.
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Where to buy a SIM card for USA?
You can buy a prepaid SIM card for the USA from the comfort of your home before traveling or at a store in a shopping mall when you arrive at your destination, even in the country’s international airports. A prepaid SIM card for tourists is not difficult to find. But it is important to know the best options to travel connected to Mobile Internet in the USA.
For many tourists, the best option is to buy their international SIM card before their trip because of the facilities and good rates offered by the online stores. However, you can also check with local carriers such as AT&T or T-Mobile to see what services they have.
(You may be interested in Best eSIM for New York)
Easy to buy
When we travel, we have a lot on our minds and things to do. One of the tasks we can solve before we arrive is how to keep mobile internet during the adventure. Online stores offer you solutions at great prices and with solutions for all types of travel. You don’t have to take time out of your visit to look for physical stores, just take a few minutes before your trip and search the web to find one of these remote providers.
That’s just our recommendation. However, you can always buy your local SIM card for tourists once you are in the USA. You can find a prepaid SIM card in stores such as Amazon, Walmart, BestBuy, CVS, or Target when you arrive. Also in stores of the mobile carriers themselves in supermarkets, shopping malls, as well as stands at airports, among others. However, keep in mind that this option often takes some time and that the offers may be reduced and more expensive.
Buy before you travel.
It should now be clearer to you why the best option is to buy your international SIM card for the USA before your trip, but there are some points to consider before choosing one. There are a lot of online suppliers, so you should always try to choose a trusted online store. You can find great prices, but you should also confirm that the prepaid SIM card connects to a network with good service and coverage in the USA.
Some stores offer specialized customer support, with English-speaking advisors and other languages, so that they will solve any questions on your purchase. With these points in mind, you will be ready to buy a SIM card for the USA and be able to use it once you arrive in the country. Having internet at all times of your trip is ideal for solving situations more easily once you are there.
Buy upon arrival
We have given you our recommendations so far, and unless you are a resident customer buying your prepaid SIM card upon arrival is not as practical. However, doing it this way will still have its advantages, such as several brands and products to choose from. Even at international airports, you will find several options as well as in the city you arrive in.
You should always take the time to check what each store offers and of course, allow you to have mobile internet in the cities you plan to visit. This can take time, so if you don’t mind visiting several stores and comparing services once you arrive in the USA, you can buy your local SIM card this way.
AT&T and T-Mobile Stores in USA
These are the two big mobile operators in the country; although there are many other options and brands, they are all MVNOs of the two big ones, so that they will use their network and speed. In total, there are about 21 telecom providers in the USA, so there are a lot of physical stores all over the country as well as vast network coverage. This has both a positive and negative aspect, with so many possibilities it is easy to get lost as a tourist and maybe choose an option that is not so convenient for us.
Even so, if you want to buy a local SIM card from AT&T or T-Mobile as a tourist, you just have to visit one of their branches, buy it and register your service. You can find stores in major cities, international airports, and malls.
How much does a SIM card cost to travel to USA?
It is logical to think that just as there are many stores, brands, and possibilities to buy a prepaid SIM card for the USA there is also a wide range of prices. This is true and can be expensive compared to other services and destinations. You can expect to pay between 15$ and 70$ for a local SIM card; this varies by the plan you choose, the way you use to buy it, and the operator that supports your service.
eSIM card for USA, the new alternative
First of all, we want to tell you that no matter if you are already in the USA or if you are preparing for your next trip, you can buy an eSIM with Holafly for this destination. The eSIM is the virtual evolution of the physical SIM card that comes to put mobile internet within easy reach for travelers.
When you purchase an embedded SIM card, you will receive a QR code to scan, which will activate your SIM card for USA service immediately. This process doesn’t take more than a few minutes, and to make it even better, the Holafly store is very easy to use.
If you want to know what you need to use an eSIM, you can see it below:
- You must have a phone compatible with the technology. It is in the process of incorporation, and not all phones can use it; here is a list of compatible devices.
- The QR code for eSIM activation will be sent to your email address. Therefore you must have one that you can access.
- For the whole process, from the QR Scan to the installation, you need to have an internet connection. This is why we recommend doing it before your trip or when you have a reliable wifi zone in the USA.
- In many cases, the virtual SIM card does not include a local number, only data service. Therefore your calls should be made on Skype, WhatsApp, or similar applications.
Holafly online store
Holafly’s store offers virtual SIM card services for the USA and many other destinations in the world, including options with continental coverage. If you want to have a safe and secure purchase without surprises, this is your store. In the case of the eSIM for USA they have unlimited data, ideal for being always connected and for those who use their phone a lot.
You don’t have to change your local number; with Holafly’s virtual SIM card, you will have mobile internet in the USA without affecting your WhatsApp number. Your family and friends will be able to hear from you without any problems thanks to these eSIM. As we have said before, the purchase process in their store is simple, and the installation of the eSIM is quick and easy. Even so, Holalfy has customer service in more than five languages and available 24/7 for you.
No matter what the situation is and what your needs are, Holalfy is sure to have an embedded SIM card that fits you. Finally, the company’s services are always backed by the best local carriers, so you are guaranteed good coverage and fast browsing speeds during your adventure.
Disadvantages of Holafly’s eSIM card
Not everything can be good, and certainly, Holafly’s online store has disadvantages. At the moment, the virtual SIM card options that the company sells cannot make analog calls, so you will have to use Apps with an internet connection to be able to make calls.
How can I shop at Holafly?
The process is a few steps once you have decided to use Holalfy’s eSIM. All you have to do is go to their website, select your destination and the plan you are interested in, pay by any of the methods offered, and you will immediately receive your activation QR code. It has never been so easy to be connected to the internet on your trip to the USA.
How much does the eSIM for USA cost?
One of the great advantages of the virtual SIM card is its price. Since it tends to be much more economical than other options such as international roaming or prepaid SIM cards. Here is a table with the prices of the virtual SIM card for the USA from Holafly:
USA eSIM card, with coverage in the whole country
| Days of use | Amount of cellular data | Price (USD) |
| 5 days | Unlimited data | $19 |
| 7 days | Unlimited data | $27 |
| 10 days | Unlimited data | $34 |
| 15 days | Unlimited data | $47 |
| 20 days | Unlimited data | $54 |
| 30 days | Unlimited data | $64 |
| 60 days | Unlimited data | $84 |
| 90 days | Unlimited data | $99 |
eSIM North America card, with coverage in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.
| Days of use | Amount of mobile data | Price (USD) |
| 15 | 6GB | $54 |
Frequently Asked Questions about Internet and SIM card for the USA
We have reached the end of this article, and we hope you have learned all about the best ways to connect to the internet during your trip to the United States. Still, we would like to leave you with the answers to some frequently asked questions that tourists often have:
You can have Internet in different ways; buying a prepaid SIM card before traveling, using your operator’s roaming, or taking advantage of the free Wifi in restaurants, stores, and hotels. However, the best option is the new virtual SIM card for the USA with unlimited data.
The cost of roaming varies according to the contract you have with your carrier, whether your plan is prepaid or postpaid. You will be charged per megabyte downloaded, and let me tell you that it is not cheap at all.
The easiest way nowadays is to do it in online stores, for example. If you don’t have time, you can do it on landing, at the airport, in supermarkets, and in carrier stores.
Prices vary according to the data plan, the days of validity, and if it provides you with a phone number to use in the USA.
