AT&T USA SIM card: eSIM by AT&T is the visitor route

Is an AT&T USA SIM card a good choice for a visitor?

For a short visit, the eSIM by AT&T is the one to look at, not a standard prepaid SIM. AT&T's international page presents it as an eSIM for travellers to the US, Mexico and Canada, set up through an app. We read it on 8 October 2026.

What does eSIM by AT&T cost?

The table on AT&T's page listed these passes. The first figure is talk, text and data in the US, the second is data only in the US, the third is data only across the US, Mexico and Canada.

• 1 day: $6.99 talk, text and data (US only); $3.99 data only (US only); not offered for US, Mexico and Canada.
• 7 days: $20.99; $15.99; $24.99 data only across the US, Mexico and Canada.
• 15 days: $30.99; $25.99; $39.99.
• 30 days: $45.99; $40.99; $59.99.
• 90 days: $128.99 talk, text and data (US only); other options not offered.
• 180 days: $249.99 talk, text and data (US only); other options not offered.

AT&T describes unlimited data for the days you buy, with 5 GB of hotspot data and speeds up to 5G. After the hotspot allowance, speeds drop to a maximum of 128 kbps, and AT&T may slow data when the network is busy. Talk and text work in the US only. The page says coverage is not available everywhere and that there is no AT&T on-net coverage in some countries, Canada among them. Prices change, so use AT&T's page for today's figures.

What do you need?

The page says a compatible plan and device, and links to an iPhone and an Android app for setup. It does not list compatible phones and does not mention ID. A separate summary of the offer says your phone needs to be carrier unlocked and 5G with dual SIM, but that is from search, not the page we read. Buy and activate after you land, because AT&T's support says a device must connect to the AT&T network to activate.

What about an ordinary AT&T prepaid SIM?

AT&T's prepaid support pages describe activating a prepaid eSIM by activation card, which arrives in three to seven business days for a new online account, or a free physical SIM when you buy a plan online. That does not suit a visitor who needs service on arrival. Activation also happens online or by phone using the SIM or eSIM details and the IMEI.

AT&T coverage

AT&T calls itself "the nation's largest network" based on its own comparison of carrier-owned networks. That is a marketing claim; check its map for your route, especially in national parks.

AT&T versus a travel eSIM

The eSIM by AT&T gives you a US talk-and-text option that data-only travel eSIMs lack. The tradeoff is you buy it after landing. Compare on the USA comparison page. Other carriers: T-Mobile, Verizon and US Cellular.

For the wider picture see our USA SIM and eSIM hub, the USA SIM card comparison and our cheapest eSIM page. This page is desk research from the carriers' own public pages, not a test of any plan.