eSIM finderCountriesSIM-onlyPhonesRoamingGuides

Best eSIM for Thailand

We compare 20 plans from 6 eSIM providers for Thailand, in pounds, show what your UK network would charge instead, and share the local mobile tips worth knowing.

Prices last checked 25 September 2026

eSIMs from£2.2620 plans · 6 providers

Quick answers

  • The cheapest data plan here is £2.26.
  • Best value for a longer stay: Nomad 10GB for 30 days, £7.55.
  • Unlimited data from Nomad: £12.07 for 10 days.
  • Thailand 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 over Thai mobile data and Wi-Fi.
Trip finder

Work out your trip

Change the days or add more countries. We'll find the cheapest way to stay online.

Loading the trip finder...

Prices

Thailand eSIM prices compared

All 20 plans we track, cheapest first within each length.

ProviderDataLastsPrice (approx. in £)
Saily 1GB 7 days £2.26US$2.99 · £2.26/GB Go to Saily Provider link
UbigiAIS, True Move 1GB 7 days £2.26US$3.00 · £2.26/GB Go to Ubigi Provider link
NomadTrue, AIS, dtac 1GB 7 days £3.77US$5.00 · £3.77/GB Go to Nomad Provider link
Sim Local 3GB 7 days £4.34US$5.75 · £1.45/GB Go to Sim Local Provider link
Saily 5GB 30 days £6.03US$7.99 · £1.21/GB Go to Saily Provider link
NomadTrue, AIS, dtac 5GB 30 days £6.04US$8.00 · £1.21/GB Go to Nomad Provider link
Sim Local 5GB 30 days £6.04US$8.00 · £1.21/GB Go to Sim Local Provider link
NomadBest value 10GB+True, AIS, dtac 10GB 30 days £7.55US$10.00 · £0.75/GB Go to Nomad Provider link
Show all 20 Thailand tariffs
ProviderDataLastsPrice (approx. in £)
Sim Local 10GB 30 days £7.92US$10.50 · £0.79/GB Go to Sim Local Provider link
Saily 10GB 30 days £8.29US$10.99 · £0.83/GB Go to Saily Provider link
UbigiAIS, True Move 10GB 30 days £8.30US$11.00 · £0.83/GB Go to Ubigi Provider link
Airalo Unlimited 3 days £7.17US$9.50 Go to Airalo Provider link
HolaflyTrue, DTAC Unlimited 3 days £8.98US$11.90 Go to Holafly Provider link
Airalo Unlimited 7 days £15.85US$21.00 Go to Airalo Provider link
Sim Local Unlimited 7 days £16.03US$21.25 Go to Sim Local Provider link
UbigiAIS, True Move Unlimited 7 days £17.28US$22.90 Go to Ubigi Provider link
HolaflyTrue, DTAC Unlimited 7 days £20.75US$27.50 Go to Holafly Provider link
NomadTrue, AIS, dtac Unlimited 10 days £12.07US$16.00 Go to Nomad Provider link
Airalo Unlimited 30 days £36.97US$49.00 Go to Airalo Provider link
HolaflyTrue, DTAC Unlimited 30 days £55.76US$73.90 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 Thailand

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

Nomad£0.75
Sim Local£0.79
Saily£0.83
Ubigi£0.83
Roaming

What UK networks charge in Thailand

A week in Thailand: what it costs

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

EE£56
Vodafone£56
Three£56
O2£49
iD Mobile£35
Sky Mobile£14
Cheapest eSIM£6.03
Your networkPer dayA weekDetails
EE£8 a day£56Zone 2 24h pass £8, buy on arrival Check with your network
O2£7 a day£49O2 Travel bolt-on £7/day (Ultimate plans include some destinations) Check with your network
Vodafone£8 a day£56Global Roam Zone C/D, approx £8/day Check with your network
Three£8 a day£56Go Roam Around the World Extra £8/day (£7 on older plans), 12GB
giffgaffAdd-ons only–no daily pass; travel data add-on 1GB/5GB/10GB, 30 days, approx £6-£15 per GB tier
SMARTYAdd-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£35Roam Beyond add-on from £5 (2GB, 1 day) Check with your network
VOXIAdd-ons only–PAYG roaming pass rates by zone Check with your network
LebaraAdd-ons only–add-on 1GB/8 days £5 or 3GB/15 days £15 Check with your network
Tesco MobileAdd-ons only–not Home From Home; PAYG or data bundle Check with your network
Sky Mobile£2 a day£14Roaming Passport £2/day, 120 destinations (country not confirmed) Check with your network
Lyca MobileAdd-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 Thailand: what to know

Mobile networks

AISWidest coverage in Thailand and the most reliable choice for rural areas, national parks and smaller islands.
True (TrueMove H and dtac)True and dtac merged in 2023; strong urban coverage, particularly in the south, and matching tourist SIM prices.
NT (National Telecom)State-owned operator formed from CAT and TOT; a smaller budget option rather than a tourist favourite.

Coverage

5G is concentrated in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and other big cities, while rural areas, national parks and smaller islands are mostly 4G, where AIS tends to be the most reliable.

Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi is normal in hotels, cafes and malls, and True/dtac tourist SIMs include free access to True Wi-Fi hotspots.

WhatsApp and FaceTime calls

No restrictions: WhatsApp, FaceTime and other app calls work normally over Thai mobile data and Wi-Fi.

Buying a local SIM

Easy. AIS and True/dtac counters at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket and Chiang Mai airports (True says 24/7), plus shops and 7-Eleven in town. You need your passport and, since August 2025, a quick face liveness scan at registration. Foreigners are limited to 3 SIMs per operator. True's 8-day unlimited tourist SIM is 449 baht; airport prices run about 20-30% above city shops.

Emergency number

191 police, 1155 tourist police, 1669 ambulance, 199 fire

Tips for UK travellers

  1. Take your passport to an official AIS or True counter: since August 2025 every new SIM needs a face liveness check as well as passport registration.
  2. Thai tourist SIMs now last a maximum of 60 days and cannot be extended by topping up, so longer stays need a fresh registration.
  3. Thailand's regulator flags incoming calls starting +697 (overseas internet calls) or +698 (roaming Thai numbers) as common scam routes, so ignore ones you don't recognise.
  4. Install the Thailand Tourist Police app before you fly: it lets you contact the Tourist Police online even without a Thai SIM.
FAQ

Common questions

Do I need a passport to buy a SIM card in Thailand?

Yes. Every SIM must be registered with a valid passport, and since August 2025 you also do a quick face scan so the shop can confirm you are a real person.

Is AIS or True better for the Thai islands?

AIS generally has the widest coverage and is the safer bet for smaller islands and national parks, while True/dtac is strong in cities and the south.

How long does a Thai tourist SIM last?

Under rules brought in in August 2025, tourist SIMs are valid for a maximum of 60 days and cannot be extended with top-ups.

More destinations

Going somewhere else too?

Add more stops in the trip finder to see if a multi-country eSIM is cheaper.

AustraliaBulgariaCanadaCroatiaCyprusDominican RepublicEgyptFranceGermanyGreeceIndiaItalyJapanMexicoMoroccoNetherlandsPortugalSpainTurkeyUnited Arab EmiratesUnited StatesVietnam
Some links on S4M are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the order of our tables. How we make money.