Ubigi eSIM review: what the plans cost, and how they compare

What is Ubigi eSIM?

Ubigi sells data-only eSIM plans for travellers, and its rates pages describe coverage in more than 200 destinations. The same site also sells data top-ups for connected cars from several car makers.

Every Ubigi eSIM plan we read on 10 November 2026 was a one-off package lasting 30 days. Each one starts on what Ubigi calls Smartstart: the validity clock begins when your phone first connects in a covered country, not when you buy it. A plan that is never activated expires six months after purchase.

This is desk research from Ubigi's own pages. We have not bought or tested a Ubigi plan.

What do Ubigi eSIM plans cost in Japan, the USA, Europe and Thailand?

These are the prices on Ubigi's plan pages when we read them, in US dollars. Most of the pages carried a last-updated date of 3 November 2026.

Three details matter here. First, the "unlimited" plans are not unlimited at full speed. Ubigi's fair use policy gives 60GB at full speed, then cuts you to 2Mbps for the rest of the 30 days, which Ubigi itself describes as fine for messaging, email, maps and light browsing. Second, the USA plans cover Hawaii but not Alaska. Third, the Europe plan includes the UK (on EE and Three) and Switzerland, but Turkey was not on its list.

One oddity: several plan pages showed the same number in euros in their checkout block as in dollars in the header, so check the currency at checkout. A Japan destination page we opened in another language also showed a 1GB plan over 3 days at €3.50, so shorter plans may exist that the English plan pages did not list.

Ubigi is unusual in naming its partner networks on each plan. Most of the brands we cover do not, as our eSIM providers comparison explains.

Is Ubigi data only, and can you use it as a hotspot?

Yes, it is data only. Ubigi says calls and texts go through apps such as WhatsApp. You keep your own SIM for your number.

Hotspot use is allowed. The plan pages say data sharing is allowed, and Ubigi's help centre has tethering guides for iPhone, iPad and Android. If Personal Hotspot is greyed out on an iPhone, Ubigi says to set the APN to "mbb" first.

Can you top up a Ubigi eSIM?

Yes. Ubigi says you can top up in its app even with no Wi-Fi and no data left, and Windows laptops can top up at ubigi.me. Once an allowance runs out you buy another plan for the same eSIM.

Ubigi also sells recurring plans. Its help page says a monthly plan renews and charges your card each month and can be cancelled after a minimum of three months. An annual plan is paid upfront and cannot be cancelled or refunded during its term. Unused data does not roll over on either.

What is Ubigi's refund policy?

Ubigi refunds only plans you have not started. Its help page says a request will be denied once you have begun using the data plan. It may refund if a carrier lock or an incompatible phone stops you using the plan. You must ask through the online customer service form within 14 business days of purchase, with your receipt, and an approved refund goes back to your card within 10 business days. The general terms say a purchased plan cannot be refunded, so the help page is the more generous of the two.

Which phones work with Ubigi eSIM?

You need an unlocked, eSIM-compatible device. Ubigi lists supported iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows models, and says activation can vary by country and model. A quick check is to dial *#06#: if an EID number appears, the phone takes an eSIM. Our eSIM compatible phones list covers the same ground.

Ubigi vs Airalo in Japan, and the other alternatives

Here is Ubigi's 10GB, 30-day price beside the same size from the six brands we cover. Their prices come from our verified records, read on each seller's own site on the dates shown. Ubigi's were read on 10 November 2026, so the gap in dates is up to three months.

Brand	Japan	USA	Thailand	Europe	Prices read
Ubigi	$16.50	$14	$11	$15 (38 destinations)	10 Nov 2026
Airalo	$18	$22.50	$11	$14 (Spain only)	13 Aug 2026
Nomad	$16	$25	$10	$14 (Spain only)	17 Aug 2026
Saily	$17.99	$22.99	$10.99	$15.99 (Spain only)	13 Aug 2026
Holafly	unlimited only	no verified price	no verified price	unlimited only	18 Aug 2026
eSIMCard	no verified price	no verified price	no verified price	no verified price	see note
eSIM Go	no verified price	no verified price	no verified price	no verified price	see note

We do not hold a verified regional Europe price for any of the six, so the Europe column compares Ubigi's 38-destination plan with single-country Spain plans. That flatters the others: a Spain plan only works in Spain. We have no stored prices for eSIMCard or eSIM Go, for the reasons set out on our providers page.

What the table says, fairly:

Japan

Ubigi sits between Nomad and Saily. On a 10GB month, the difference is under $2 either way

USA

Ubigi's $14 is lower than any 10GB, 30-day price we have verified, by more than $8

Thailand

all four are within $1 of each other

Unlimited

Ubigi's 30-day Japan plan at $65 compares with Airalo's 30-day unlimited at $69 and Holafly's at $73.90. Ubigi publishes its 60GB full-speed limit. Our records hold no such figure for the other two

Where Ubigi loses is short trips. Every plan we read ran 30 days. Airalo sells Japan 10GB over 7 days at $17 and 1GB over 3 days at $4, and Nomad sells a 3-day unlimited Japan plan at $11. If you are away for a long weekend, a 30-day plan is paying for time you will not use. Our cheapest eSIM table ranks the verified plans by cost per gigabyte.

Who is Ubigi eSIM best for?

Ubigi suits a traveller spending two to four weeks in one country or region who wants a mid-sized allowance and likes knowing which network they will be on. For the United States in particular, its 10GB price was the lowest we could set against verified figures. It suits people with a laptop or tablet too, since hotspot use is allowed.

It suits short trips less well, because its plans run 30 days. Its refund window is also tighter than some: 14 business days, and only for plans you have not started. If you want an unlimited plan for a week in Japan, Airalo, Nomad and Holafly all sell 7-day options that Ubigi did not list.