Home › Destinations › the United Kingdom
🇬🇧 eSIM for the United Kingdom
Since roaming charges returned for many EU travellers, the UK has quietly become an expensive place to use your home plan. A local data eSIM avoids the per-day surcharges most European carriers reintroduced.
the UK eSIM plans and prices
In short: Num sells 14 prepaid data eSIM plans for the United Kingdom, from $3.28 for 3 GB total (30 days) up to 100 GB over 180 days at $140.08. The best value per gigabyte is 5 GB per day for 1 day at $4.20 ($0.84). It connects to 3, EE, O2 and Vodafone with 5G on every plan. Validity starts when the eSIM first connects in the United Kingdom, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 GB totalTop-up available | 30 days | 3 GB | $1.09 | $3.28 |
| 500 MB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 500 MB | $6.72 | $3.28 |
| 3 GB totalTop-up available | 15 days | 3 GB | $1.12 | $3.36 |
| 3 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 3 GB | $1.26 | $3.79 |
| 5 GB per dayTop-up availableBest value | 1 day | 5 GB | $0.84 | $4.20 |
| 1.5 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 1.5 GB | $3.01 | $4.51 |
| 5 GB totalTop-up available | 30 days | 5 GB | $0.98 | $4.88 |
| 1 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 1 GB | $5.74 | $5.74 |
| 1 GB totalTop-up available | 7 days | 1 GB | $5.95 | $5.95 |
| 2 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 2 GB | $2.98 | $5.95 |
| 1 GB totalTop-up available | 30 days | 1 GB | $6.15 | $6.15 |
| 10 GB per dayTop-up availableBest value | 1 day | 10 GB | $0.84 | $8.40 |
| 10 GB totalTop-up available | 31 days | 10 GB | $0.86 | $8.59 |
| 100 GB totalTop-up available | 180 days | 100 GB | $1.40 | $140.08 |
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: the UK eSIM prices compared →
Best the UK 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 the UK eSIM for 3 days | 3 GB total | 30 days | 3 GB | $3.28 |
| One week the UK eSIM for 7 days | 3 GB total | 30 days | 3 GB | $3.28 |
| Two weeks the UK eSIM for 14 days | 5 GB total | 30 days | 5 GB | $4.88 |
| A month the UK eSIM for 30 days | 10 GB total | 31 days | 10 GB | $8.59 |
Using your eSIM in the United Kingdom
Most people reading this page are arriving from the EU, where roaming into the UK stopped being free for many plans, or from further away, where it never was. According to the plan details the eSIM connects to 3, EE, O2 and Vodafone, and the phone picks whichever is strongest where you are standing. Coverage is dense across England; the Highlands and parts of Wales are thinner on every network, and that is a feature of the terrain rather than of this plan.
5G is included on every plan here — the speed string on each is 3G/4G/5G. London's transport works with a bank card at the gate, so you do not strictly need data to travel, but you will want it for the journey planner, and contactless caps are easier to track from the app than from the machine.
Before you fly: install on wi-fi, switch data roaming on for the Num line only, leave the APN alone. A UK plan does not automatically cover Ireland — if Dublin or Belfast-to-Dublin is on the itinerary, look at the Europe regional plan instead of stacking two country plans.
At the bottom of the table is 500 MB over 1 day for $3.28, at the top 100 GB over 180 days for $140.08. Every plan here can be topped up from the app without reinstalling anything. Best fit: a short stay of a few days to a couple of weeks where the alternative is a per-day roaming charge from a home carrier, which this plan usually undercuts on the first day.
Practical notes for the United Kingdom
- Coverage is dense in England; the Highlands and parts of Wales are thinner.
- Contactless travel across London needs a working connection for ticketing apps, though bank cards work at the gate.
- A UK plan does not automatically cover Ireland — check a regional plan if you are crossing.
How to get connected
- Download Num and pick the United Kingdom.
- 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 the United Kingdom
How much does an eSIM for the United Kingdom 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 the United Kingdom 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 the United Kingdom?
Num does not sell unlimited plans for the United Kingdom. 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 100 GB, are better value.
Which networks does a Num UK eSIM use?
It connects to 3, EE, O2 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 UK 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 the United Kingdom?
It depends on how long you stay and how much you use maps and video. On this page the best value per gigabyte is 5 GB per day for 1 day at $4.20 ($0.84); 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.