Asia holds both the cheapest data in this comparison and some of the sharpest coverage gaps. Thailand sells at $0.29/GB, the lowest figure in the entire 185-destination catalogue, while India sits at $2.42/GB and the Maldives at $7.81/GB. The regional plan here covers 19 destinations, not the whole continent, and knowing which 19 is the difference between one purchase and three.
This page compares four providers on published catalogue numbers, names the partner operator behind each market, and lists the Asian destinations that fall outside the regional bundle.
Which providers work best in Asia?
| Rank | Provider | Best For | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | HelloRoam | Lowest per-GB rates in 19 Asian destinations | HelloRoam rates 4.9/5, the highest overall score on this page, and its Asia plan covers 19 destinations on 23 partner operators with 5G in 13. Thailand runs $0.29/GB and Japan $0.61/GB. Top-up works on 1,124 of its 1,129 plans, hotspot is on all 1,129, and an unactivated eSIM stays refundable for 180 days. |
| #2 | Airalo | 200 destinations and the cheaper India ticket | Airalo rates 4.5/5 across 200 destinations, 15 more than HelloRoam, and it reaches Asian countries that sit outside this 19-destination plan. It also wins outright in India, where 5 GB costs $14 rather than $15.89. Refunds close after 14 days, and support runs in 12 languages against 63. |
| #3 | Holafly | Unlimited data across long Asia stays | Holafly rates 4.2/5 across 160 destinations and sells unlimited data only, from $19 for 5 days. In India and Laos it drops to $6.97 for 5 days. There is no small tier, so a light user in Thailand pays far more than the $6.99 a 5 GB plan costs, and hotspot sharing is not enabled on every plan. |
| #4 | Saily | Privacy-first data at $1.90/GB | Saily rates 4.4/5 across 150 destinations, backed by Nord Security with a verified no-log policy. Its 10 GB rate is $1.90/GB, and it sells 5 GB in Japan for $10.99, 5 GB in India for $13.99 and 5 GB in Indonesia for $13.99. Coverage is the narrowest of the four brands compared here. |
| #5 | Nomad eSIM | Single short trips | Nomad rates 4.2/5 across 120 destinations, the smallest catalogue on this page. Its entry tier is 1 GB at $3.00 and its 10 GB tier works out at $2.00/GB, against $0.80/GB at the top of this table. For a one-week Bangkok trip it is workable, and it loses badly over a month. |
Countries in Asia
What the 19-destination Asia plan covers
HelloRoam's Asia regional plan carries 19 destinations on one profile: Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, India, Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Singapore, Laos, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Sri Lanka. That covers the main tourist and business corridors from Tokyo to Jakarta, and it is a smaller list than most Asia guides imply.
Several Asian destinations are sold as country plans but sit outside the regional bundle. Nepal is $2.42/GB on Ncell, Cambodia is $1.44/GB on Metfone, Mongolia is $4.05/GB on Mobicom and the Maldives is $7.81/GB on Dhiraagu. A trip that pairs Thailand with Cambodia therefore needs the regional profile plus one country plan, not one purchase.
One destination is absent altogether. Myanmar has no plan in this 185-destination catalogue, so a visit there means a local SIM on arrival. Airalo lists 200 destinations, 15 more, which is the clearest argument for buying from it on a route that touches the gaps.
Within the 19, coverage depth tracks operator count rather than price. Indonesia carries 3 partner operators, Telkomsel, XL and Smartfren. Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and Vietnam each carry 2.
Singapore, Hong Kong, China, India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Laos each run on a single partner.
China, VPN access and what an eSIM cannot do
China runs on China Unicom in this catalogue at $1.08/GB, with 5 GB at $13.99 and 10 GB at $23.49. That connection is a normal Chinese mobile connection, which means the same national filtering applies to it that applies to a local SIM. Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and most Western services are blocked at network level.
No e-sim changes that on its own. Any claim that a particular brand of profile walks through the Great Firewall is a claim about routing that no public dataset supports, and this page will not make it. What is verifiable is that Saily is built on Nord Security infrastructure and ships privacy tooling with the plan, which is the honest reason to consider it for a mainland trip.
Install and test whatever VPN you plan to use before you fly. App stores and provider sites are among the things that become hard to reach once you are inside.
Hong Kong is a separate regulatory environment and applies no comparable filtering. It runs on CMHK at $0.86/GB, with 5 GB at $10.49. A single regional profile covers both Hong Kong and the mainland, so the practical move for a combined trip is one plan and a VPN installed at home.
Asia eSIM prices, country by country
Thailand is the floor, not just for Asia but for the whole catalogue, at $0.29/GB. That buys 5 GB for $6.99 and 10 GB for $9.97 across 8 plans on AIS and True Move. Japan follows at $0.61/GB, which it shares with only Germany and France across all 185 destinations, with 5 GB at $9.49 and 10 GB at $15.99.
The next band is Singapore at $0.74/GB, Indonesia at $0.84/GB, Hong Kong at $0.86/GB and Malaysia at $0.94/GB. All four sit under a dollar a gigabyte, and all four carry a 5G partner.
The middle band runs China at $1.08/GB, South Korea at $1.11/GB, then Bangladesh, Pakistan and Kazakhstan together at $1.25/GB, the Philippines at $1.35/GB, Vietnam at $1.37/GB, Sri Lanka at $1.40/GB and Uzbekistan at $1.47/GB. Of those, only China, South Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam carry 5G.
The expensive end of the regional plan is Kyrgyzstan at $2.02/GB, Laos at $2.20/GB and India at $2.42/GB. Outside the plan it climbs further: Mongolia is $4.05/GB and the Maldives $7.81/GB.
Rivals price by destination. Airalo sells 5 GB in Thailand for $8, in Sri Lanka for $9, in Singapore for $10, in Japan for $11 and in India for $14. Saily sells 5 GB in Japan for $10.99 and 5 GB in Bangladesh for $10.99.
India is the single Asian market where both rivals come in under HelloRoam on the 5 GB size.
Frequently asked questions
Which eSIM is best for a 19-destination Asia trip?
HelloRoam rates 4.9/5 and its regional plan covers 19 Asian destinations on 23 partner operators, with 5G in 13. Thailand runs $0.29/GB and Japan $0.61/GB. Airalo rates 4.5/5 but lists 200 destinations, so it reaches Asian countries outside that 19. Check your route before choosing.
Which Asian destinations are outside the regional plan?
Nepal at $2.42/GB, Cambodia at $1.44/GB, Mongolia at $4.05/GB and the Maldives at $7.81/GB are all sold as country plans but sit outside the 19-destination Asia bundle. Myanmar has no plan in the catalogue at all. A Thailand and Cambodia route therefore needs 2 purchases, not 1.
Do I need a special eSIM for Japan's 5G networks?
No. Japan runs on KDDI and NTT docomo at $0.61/GB, and any handset with the n77, n78 or n79 bands connects to 5G automatically. An iPhone 12 or newer, a Galaxy S21 or newer, or a Pixel 6 or newer all carry them. Japan's 5 GB plan costs $9.49 and 10 GB costs $15.99.
Can I use one eSIM in both mainland China and Hong Kong?
Yes. Both sit inside the same 19-destination regional plan. China runs China Unicom at $1.08/GB and Hong Kong runs CMHK at $0.86/GB. The two apply different internet rules though, so install a VPN at home before you fly if you need Google or WhatsApp on the mainland leg of the trip.
How reliable is eSIM coverage on Asian islands?
It follows the operator, not the brand. Indonesia carries 3 partner operators, Telkomsel, XL and Smartfren, which is why Bali and Java hold up well. Thailand carries 2 in AIS and True Move. Smaller Philippine and Indonesian islands run thinner on a single tower, so download offline maps before any boat transfer.
Is India a good destination for eSIM travellers?
It is the most expensive market inside the 19-destination plan, at $2.42/GB with 5 GB at $15.89. India is also the one Asian market where rivals undercut: Airalo sells 5 GB for $14 and Saily for $13.99. Jio carries India on both 4G and 5G, so the network itself is strong.
Which Asian eSIM offers the lowest rate at $0.29 per GB?
Thailand, at $0.29/GB, and it is the lowest figure across all 185 destinations in the catalogue. That buys 5 GB for $6.99 and 10 GB for $9.97 across 8 plans on AIS and True Move. Japan is next at $0.61/GB, and Singapore third at $0.74/GB with 5 GB at $8.99.
Can I use an eSIM in the Maldives?
Yes, but the Maldives sits outside the 19-destination Asia plan and needs its own country plan. Dhiraagu carries it at $7.81/GB, with 1 GB at $11.88 and 5 GB at $57.15, which makes it the most expensive Asian destination in the catalogue. Most resorts include Wi-Fi, so many visitors buy 1 GB for transfers.