Best eSIM for India (2026): 19 plans compared in £

Quick answers

The cheapest data plan here is £2.64.
Best value for a longer stay: Ubigi 10GB for 30 days, £11.32.
Unlimited data from Airalo: £74.70 for 30 days.
India is outside the EU, so the big UK networks charge about £7 to £8 a day here.
No restrictions: WhatsApp, FaceTime and other app calls work normally, except during local internet shutdowns, which India orders more often than almost anywhere else.

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Prices

India eSIM prices compared

All 19 plans we track, cheapest first within each length.

Provider	Data	Lasts	Price (approx. in £)
Sim Local	1GB	3 days	£3.02US$4.00 · £3.02/GB	Go to Sim Local Provider link
UbigiReliance Jio	1GB	7 days	£2.64US$3.50 · £2.64/GB	Go to Ubigi Provider link
Saily	1GB	7 days	£3.01US$3.99 · £3.01/GB	Go to Saily Provider link
NomadAirtel	1GB	7 days	£3.02US$4.00 · £3.02/GB	Go to Nomad Provider link
Sim Local	5GB	30 days	£8.30US$11.00 · £1.66/GB	Go to Sim Local Provider link
NomadAirtel	5GB	30 days	£9.81US$13.00 · £1.96/GB	Go to Nomad Provider link
Saily	5GB	30 days	£10.56US$13.99 · £2.11/GB	Go to Saily Provider link
UbigiBest value 10GB+Reliance Jio	10GB	30 days	£11.32US$15.00 · £1.13/GB	Go to Ubigi Provider link

Show all 19 India tariffs

Provider	Data	Lasts	Price (approx. in £)
Sim Local	10GB	30 days	£12.83US$17.00 · £1.28/GB	Go to Sim Local Provider link
NomadAirtel	10GB	30 days	£15.85US$21.00 · £1.58/GB	Go to Nomad Provider link
Saily	10GB	30 days	£18.10US$23.99 · £1.81/GB	Go to Saily Provider link
HolaflyAirtel, Jio	Unlimited	3 days	£15.02US$19.90	Go to Holafly Provider link
AiraloVi India	Unlimited	3 days	£15.47US$20.50	Go to Airalo Provider link
NomadAirtel	Unlimited	5 days	£13.58US$18.00	Go to Nomad Provider link
Sim Local	Unlimited	7 days	£20.75US$27.50	Go to Sim Local Provider link
AiraloVi India	Unlimited	7 days	£29.81US$39.50	Go to Airalo Provider link
HolaflyAirtel, Jio	Unlimited	7 days	£29.81US$39.50	Go to Holafly Provider link
AiraloVi India	Unlimited	30 days	£74.70US$99.00	Go to Airalo Provider link
HolaflyAirtel, Jio	Unlimited	30 days	£84.44US$111.90	Go to Holafly Provider link

Prices checked 25 September 2026. Most travel eSIM companies charge in US dollars, even to UK customers, so your bank converts the price when you pay. We show pounds at that day's rate (US$1 = £0.75458) with the dollar price underneath.

Price per GB in India

Each provider's best-value 30-day plan of 5GB or more, as a price per GB. Lower is better; orange = cheapest.

Ubigi£1.13

Sim Local£1.28

Nomad£1.58

Saily£1.81

Roaming

What UK networks charge in India

A week in India: what it costs

7 days of data on each UK network's roaming (where there's a daily price) against the cheapest 5GB+ eSIM (Sim Local). Orange bar = eSIM.

EE£112

Vodafone£56

Three£56

O2£49

iD Mobile£35

Sky Mobile£14

Cheapest eSIM£8.30

LebaraIncluded

Your network	Per day	A week	Details
EE	£16 a day	£112	Zone 4 24h pass £16, buy on arrival Check with your network
O2	£7 a day	£49	O2 Travel bolt-on £7/day (Ultimate plans include some destinations) Check with your network
Vodafone	£8 a day	£56	Global Roam Zone C/D, approx £8/day Check with your network
Three	£8 a day	£56	Go Roam Around the World Extra £8/day (£7 on older plans), 12GB
giffgaff	Add-ons only	–	no daily pass; travel data add-on 1GB/5GB/10GB, 30 days, approx £6-£15 per GB tier
SMARTY	Add-ons only	–	PAYG by band (Roaming 1 e.g. US/TR 10p/MB, higher bands up to £5/MB) Check with your network
iD Mobile	£5 a day	£35	Roam Beyond add-on from £5 (2GB, 1 day) Check with your network
VOXI	Add-ons only	–	PAYG roaming pass rates by zone Check with your network
Lebara	Included	£0	Roam Like Home includes India, up to 30GB Check with your network
Tesco Mobile	Add-ons only	–	not Home From Home; PAYG or data bundle Check with your network
Sky Mobile	£2 a day	£14	Roaming Passport £2/day (£10 for 5 days), 25GB fair use
Lyca Mobile	Add-ons only	–	PAYG rates / country bundles, not checked Check with your network

Checked 25 September 2026. Roaming prices depend on your exact plan and when you joined, so check with your network before you travel.

Local know-how

Mobile in India: what to know

Mobile networks

JioIndia's largest network, with the strongest 5G in the big cities; 28-day plans from about INR 299.

AirtelEstablished operator, often stronger in rural and mountain areas; 28-day plans from about INR 350.

Vi (Vodafone Idea)Third private operator, with plans from about INR 299.

BSNLState-owned operator, less commonly used by tourists.

Coverage

Jio and Airtel give good 4G and 5G in cities, with Airtel often stronger in rural and mountain areas, but prepaid SIMs bought elsewhere in India don't work in Jammu and Kashmir or Ladakh.

Wi-Fi

Hotels and cafes usually have Wi-Fi, but public hotspots such as airport and RailWire railway station Wi-Fi usually send a one-time password to an Indian mobile number, which makes them hard to use without a local SIM.

WhatsApp and FaceTime calls

No restrictions: WhatsApp, FaceTime and other app calls work normally, except during local internet shutdowns, which India orders more often than almost anywhere else.

Buying a local SIM

Doable but slow. Take your passport, printed visa or e-visa, a hotel address and expect a live photo at the counter; official Jio or Airtel stores are cheaper than airport kiosks. Activation usually takes 2-4 hours and can run to 24. Since July 2024 the verification code can go to your email, so you no longer need an Indian contact number. Plans cost roughly INR 300-350 for 28 days with 1.5GB a day.

Emergency number

112 (police, fire and ambulance, in English, Hindi and other languages)

Tips for UK travellers

Land with a travel eSIM for the first day, as a local SIM can take hours to activate and most airport Wi-Fi needs an Indian number.
If you are going to Jammu and Kashmir or Ladakh, buy a SIM there (for example in Leh or Srinagar), because prepaid SIMs from other states don't work.
Don't pack a satellite phone or handheld GPS: they are illegal in India without a licence, even in transit, and can lead to arrest.
India had 65 government-ordered internet shutdowns in 2025, so keep offline maps and screenshots of tickets and bookings, and download the 112 India app.

FAQ

Common questions

Do I need an Indian reference to get a SIM card in India?

Not any more. Since a July 2024 government order, the verification code can be sent to a foreign visitor's email instead of an Indian contact's phone.

How long does a tourist SIM take to activate in India?

Usually 2-4 hours after your documents are checked, and occasionally up to 24 hours, especially after a late-night arrival.

Will my Indian SIM work in Kashmir or Ladakh?

Not if it is a prepaid SIM bought in another state. You'll need a local SIM from Jammu and Kashmir or Ladakh, or a postpaid connection.

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