USA eSIM Provider Comparison: POVNOMAD vs. Airalo vs. Holafly

Last updated on 1 September 2026

POVNOMAD, Airalo, and Holafly each offer differently structured eSIMs for the USA. POVNOMAD data packages start at €2.50 (1 GB, 7 days), Airalo’s unlimited plans at €10.50 (3 days). The biggest difference: POVNOMAD names concrete networks — T-Mobile and Verizon — while Airalo only confirms “T-Mobile plus one more.” Check current Holafly prices directly at esim.holafly.com/de.

The comparison at a glance

All prices as of 1 September 2026, collected from povnomad.com and airalo.com (USA product pages, EUR). “—” = POVNOMAD offers Unlimited Smart only for 7, 15, and 30 days; for 3, 5, or 10 days, POVNOMAD’s data packages are the right choice (see table below). Fair-use details: for Unlimited Smart, POVNOMAD states both the daily high-speed threshold (1 GB) and the speed afterward (a steady 1 Mbit/s). Airalo’s own USA product page states no concrete threshold and no throttled speed for its unlimited plans. Holafly prices are deliberately left out here: the DE and EN product pages agree with each other, but a third, independent confirmation is missing, and some Holafly sub-pages quote different figures for the USA. Check Holafly prices directly and on the day at esim.holafly.com/de. Prices are subject to change.

The network difference

POVNOMAD names T-Mobile or Verizon specifically for the USA, depending on the variant you choose, nationwide and with 5G where available. Airalo’s USA product page lists “T-Mobile” and “+1 more” carrier, without naming that second one. That makes POVNOMAD the only one of the three providers that names both US networks it actually uses.

Checking Holafly’s own channels (accessed 1 September 2026) turns up an inconsistent picture: the product pages esim.holafly.com/de/esim-usa/ and esim.holafly.com/esim-usa/ name “AT&T / T-Mobile” (two networks), a Holafly blog post about O2 roaming in the USA names “AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile” (three networks), and another search-index result for a Holafly guide page names only “AT&T” (one network). These three versions contradict each other; which network(s) Holafly actually uses for the USA can’t be determined from its own channels alone.

Data packages instead of unlimited

For anyone who doesn’t need unlimited data, POVNOMAD offers fixed data packages in two IP variants: standard IP and US IP (a US-based IP address, useful for services that require a US location).

Prices as of 1 September 2026, povnomad.com/produkt/vereinigte-staaten-esim-usa-us/. “—” = no US IP variant currently exists for this volume/duration. Two packages are especially well suited to longer stretches without unlimited data: 20 GB for 90 days at €19.90 and 50 GB for 180 days at €47.90. Hotspot is included with every POVNOMAD eSIM for the USA, and the validity period starts with the first connection to the network.

Which plan for which trip

For a one-week city trip, say to New York or Miami, a fixed package like 5 GB for 30 days (€6.90) usually covers it, or, with heavy map use and streaming, Unlimited Smart for 7 days (€10.90). For a two- to three-week road trip across several states, 20 GB for 30 days (€17.90 standard IP, €19.90 US IP) or Unlimited Smart for 15 days (€18.90) fits better; for an overview of individual regions, see the USA regions guide. Anyone preparing for a longer stay, say ahead of moving abroad or a study stint, gets through weeks without topping up using the long-term packages 20 GB for 90 days (€19.90) or 50 GB for 180 days (€47.90).

Frequently asked questions

All prices as of 1 September 2026, sources: povnomad.com, airalo.com, esim.holafly.com. Prices are subject to change.