Home › Destinations › India
🇮🇳 eSIM for India
Indian prepaid SIMs involve paperwork and verification that can take a day or more. A data eSIM is the fastest way to be connected on arrival.
India eSIM plans and prices
In short: Num sells 14 prepaid data eSIM plans for India, from $3.28 for 500 MB per day (1 day) up to 50 GB over 180 days at $182.45. The best value per gigabyte is 10 GB per day for 1 day at $13.86 ($1.39). It connects to AirTel, IDEA, Jio and Vodafone with 5G on every plan. Validity starts when the eSIM first connects in India, it installs by QR code on any eSIM-capable iPhone, and your own number keeps working.
Live prices, updated from our provider catalogue · 3G/4G/5G. These are the amounts charged at checkout — nothing is added afterwards.
| Plan | Validity | Total data | Per GB | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 MB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 500 MB | $6.72 | $3.28 |
| 1 GB totalTop-up available | 7 days | 1 GB | $3.38 | $3.38 |
| 1 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 1 GB | $3.77 | $3.77 |
| 2 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 2 GB | $1.92 | $3.83 |
| 3 GB totalTop-up available | 15 days | 3 GB | $1.71 | $5.13 |
| 3 GB totalTop-up available | 30 days | 3 GB | $1.81 | $5.43 |
| 3 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 3 GB | $1.92 | $5.76 |
| 5 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 5 GB | $1.49 | $7.46 |
| 1 GB totalTop-up available | 30 days | 1 GB | $7.58 | $7.58 |
| 5 GB totalTop-up available | 30 days | 5 GB | $1.71 | $8.53 |
| 10 GB per dayTop-up availableBest value | 1 day | 10 GB | $1.39 | $13.86 |
| 1 GB totalTop-up available | 365 days | 1 GB | $14.35 | $14.35 |
| 10 GB totalTop-up available | 30 days | 10 GB | $1.56 | $15.56 |
| 50 GB totalTop-up available | 180 days | 50 GB | $3.65 | $182.45 |
Prices shown were generated on 2026-10-08 and can change with our provider's catalogue. The app always shows the current price before you pay.
Num vs Airalo, Saily, Nomad, Simpal, Maya: India eSIM prices compared →
Best India eSIM by trip length
Our pick for each trip length: the cheapest plan that lasts the whole stay and carries enough data for maps, messaging and a bit of video. Heavy streamers should go a size up.
| Trip | Our pick | Validity | Total data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A long weekend India eSIM for 3 days | 1 GB total | 7 days | 1 GB | $3.38 |
| One week India eSIM for 7 days | 3 GB total | 15 days | 3 GB | $5.13 |
| Two weeks India eSIM for 14 days | 5 GB total | 30 days | 5 GB | $8.53 |
| A month India eSIM for 30 days | 10 GB total | 30 days | 10 GB | $15.56 |
Using your eSIM in India
The strongest argument for an eSIM in India is time. Local prepaid SIMs for visitors involve paperwork and verification that can take a day or more; the eSIM is installed before you fly and connects on landing. According to the plan details the eSIM connects to AirTel, IDEA, Jio and Vodafone, and the phone picks whichever is strongest where you are standing.
Each plan carries 5G in its speed rating, which in practice means 4G most of the time and 5G in the cities that have it. Coverage is broad in the cities and along major routes. Ride-hailing and payment apps are central to daily life and need data, so the plan is in use from the airport taxi rank onwards.
At the bottom of the table is 500 MB over 1 day for $3.28, at the top 50 GB over 180 days for $182.45. Every plan here can be topped up from the app without reinstalling anything.
Setup is the usual three switches: install on wi-fi, data roaming on for the Num line, data roaming off for your home line. The APN is set by the profile. Validity starts at the first connection in India. Fits a business trip or a two-week visit where waiting a day for a local SIM is not an option.
Practical notes for India
- Coverage is broad in cities and along major routes.
- Ride-hailing and payment apps are central to daily life and need data.
- Local SIM registration for visitors is genuinely slow — this is the strongest argument for an eSIM here.
How to get connected
- Download Num and pick India.
- Choose a plan and pay with Apple Pay.
- Scan the QR code the app gives you — Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM.
- Turn on data roaming for the Num line when you land.
Questions about India
How much does an eSIM for India cost?
Plans start at $3.28. The table on this page shows current prices — 14 options ranging from short trips to month-long stays. These are the prices you pay in the app; there are no separate activation or delivery fees.
Will my phone work with a India eSIM?
Most iPhones from the XR and XS onward support eSIM, and the handset must be carrier-unlocked. Check the compatibility page for the full list before you buy.
When does the plan start counting down?
Validity begins when the eSIM first connects to a network in the coverage area, not when you buy it. You can install it before you travel and it will wait until you land.
Can I keep my normal number while using it?
Yes. The Num eSIM runs alongside your existing SIM, so calls and texts on your usual number keep working while data runs over the travel plan. Turn your normal line's data roaming off to avoid a roaming bill.
Can I add more data if I run out?
Yes — reloadable plans can be topped up from inside the app without buying a new eSIM or reinstalling anything.
Is there an unlimited data eSIM for India?
Num does not sell unlimited plans for India. The closest are the daily-allowance plans, such as 500 MB per day, which give a fixed amount each day for the length of the trip. For most travellers the fixed bundles, from 500 MB to 50 GB, are better value.
Which networks does a Num India eSIM use?
It connects to AirTel, IDEA, Jio and Vodafone and picks the strongest available network automatically. Every plan on this page supports 5G where the network offers it.
Do I get a India phone number with the eSIM?
No. Num eSIMs are data-only. Your own number stays active on your existing SIM for calls and texts, and WhatsApp, iMessage and other messaging apps keep working over the eSIM's data. If you need a local number, see our guide to eSIMs with a phone number.
What is the best eSIM for India?
It depends on how long you stay and how much you use maps and video. On this page the best value per gigabyte is 10 GB per day for 1 day at $13.86 ($1.39); the trip-length picks match a plan to a weekend, a week, two weeks and a month. The comparison page sets Num's prices against Airalo, Saily, Nomad, Simpal, Maya at matched plan sizes, including the sizes where we are not the cheapest.