Best eSIM for Vietnam (2026): Prices, Networks and Which Plan to Buy

The best eSIM for Vietnam depends on how long you're staying and how much data you burn. For light use, a 1GB plan costs $4 with Wayfarro (Nomad: $4), and 5GB for 30 days is $10 (Nomad: $10). For heavy use, unlimited prices differ a lot: 10 days of unlimited data costs $21 with Wayfarro, $33 with Nomad and $34.50 with Airalo. Wayfarro's prices come straight from its store; Nomad's and Airalo's were checked in October 2026. All three work in Hanoi, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City. The real differences are the network, the plan lengths on offer and the price per day of unlimited data.

Vietnam eSIM prices compared

These are the plans travelers actually buy, taken from each provider's own Vietnam page. Prices change and sales come and go, so check before you buy.

Plan	Wayfarro	Nomad	Airalo
1GB · 7 days	$4	$4	—
2GB · 15 days	$6	—	—
3GB · 30 days	$7.50	$8	—
5GB · 30 days	$10	$10	—
10GB · 30 days	$16	$17	—
20GB · 30 days	$25	$25	—
50GB · 30 days	$46	$39	—
Unlimited · 1 day	$5	—	—
Unlimited · 3 days	$8	—	$11.50
Unlimited · 5 days	$11	$18	$18.50
Unlimited · 7 days	$15	—	$27
Unlimited · 10 days	$21	$33	$34.50
Unlimited · 15 days	$31	—	$48
Unlimited · 30 days	$61	—	$69
Networks	Viettel, Vinaphone	Vietnamobile, MobiFone, Vinaphone	VNPT

How to read this table: On fixed-data plans, Wayfarro and Nomad are close: level at 1GB, 5GB and 20GB, Wayfarro a little cheaper at 3GB and 10GB, and Nomad cheaper at 50GB. On unlimited plans, Wayfarro is the cheapest at every length, from 1 day to 30 days. A dash means the provider doesn't sell that exact plan, or we couldn't confirm its US-dollar price. Airalo's Vietnam page also has a fixed-data tab; check its site for those prices.

Wayfarro's unlimited rows are its Unlimited Lite plans: 1GB a day at full speed, then 512 kbps until the next day. It also sells Unlimited Essential (1GB a day, then 1.25 Mbps) and Unlimited Plus (2GB a day, then 2 Mbps). Seven days costs $18 on Essential and $36 on Plus.

Why the network matters in Vietnam

Vietnam's big three carriers are Viettel, Vinaphone and MobiFone. In central Hanoi, Da Nang, Hoi An or Saigon you won't notice much difference between them. They all have good 4G in the cities.

The gap opens up once you head for the mountains:

• Ha Giang, Cao Bang and Sapa: Viettel is the largest carrier and has the best coverage in remote areas, and it's the usual recommendation for the northern loops. Even on Viettel, expect dead spots in deep valleys and on high passes like Ma Pi Leng.
• Sapa trekking: Sapa town has strong 4G, but signal fades quickly on the trekking trails between villages.
• Mekong Delta: Vinaphone is strong here as well as in the cities.
• Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay cruises: Signal on the water is patchy whichever network you're on. Cat Ba Town itself has good 4G.

Wayfarro is the only provider in this comparison whose Vietnam plans list Viettel. If your trip is the classic Hanoi–Hoi An–Saigon route, any of the three is fine. If you're riding the Ha Giang loop, the best eSIM for Vietnam is one on Viettel, and offline maps are still a good idea.

What "unlimited" means

Every "unlimited" travel eSIM has a fair-use policy. Once you use a certain amount of high-speed data in a day, speeds drop until the next day. Wayfarro publishes its limits on the plan page: 1GB a day on Lite and Essential, 2GB a day on Plus, then 512 kbps, 1.25 Mbps or 2 Mbps for the rest of the day. Neither Nomad nor Airalo states a threshold on its Vietnam page, so read the plan details before you buy if you'll stream or tether a lot.

What this means for you:

• Slowed speeds are usually fine for maps, Grab and messaging, but not for HD video or video calls.
• If you'll hotspot a laptop every day, check each provider's tethering rules. Nomad says its eSIMs support hotspot, and Wayfarro's plans allow it too.
• If your use is predictable (say 10GB over three weeks), a fixed plan is often cheaper than unlimited and has no daily slowdown.

Best eSIM for Vietnam by type of trip

Match the plan to the trip:

• Short city break (3–5 days), light use: A 1GB–3GB plan. Wayfarro's 1GB is $4 and Nomad's is $4. For a heavy-use stopover, Wayfarro's 1-day unlimited plan is $5 and its 3-day plan $8.
• One week, heavy use: A 7-day unlimited plan. Wayfarro's is $15, against $27 for Airalo's.
• Two to four weeks, moderate use: The 10GB or 20GB 30-day plans. Wayfarro and Nomad are within a dollar of each other here, so choose on network.
• A month of heavy use or remote work: 50GB for 30 days costs $39 at Nomad and $46 at Wayfarro. For unlimited, Wayfarro's 30-day plan is $61 and Airalo's is $69.
• Ha Giang loop, Sapa, the far north: Pick a plan on Viettel.
• Vietnam plus Thailand or more of the region: A regional plan beats buying several country plans (see below).

How to set up an eSIM for Vietnam

Install at home, switch it on when you land. It takes about two minutes:

1. Check your phone is unlocked and supports eSIM. iPhone XS and later, Google Pixel 3 and later, and most recent Samsung Galaxy phones do.
2. Install over Wi-Fi before you fly. Scan the QR code or use the one-tap install link. Here's the step-by-step install guide.
3. Label it "Vietnam" so it's easy to find in settings.
4. When you land, make the Vietnam eSIM your mobile-data line and turn on Data Roaming for it. Travel eSIMs technically roam, so data won't connect without this.
5. Keep your home SIM on for calls and texts (with its data roaming off) so you still get bank and app verification codes.

With Wayfarro, your plan's validity starts when the eSIM first connects in Vietnam, not when you install it. If you run low, you can top up without reinstalling anything.

Vietnam tips: SIM counters, Grab and free Wi-Fi

Skipping the airport SIM queue is the main reason to buy an eSIM for Vietnam before you go. Physical SIMs in Vietnam must be registered to your passport, at an airport kiosk or a carrier store in town. Airport kiosks register you on the spot. City stores can take 10–15 minutes and may want a photo or copy of your passport page. SIMs sold by street vendors without registration can be blocked within days, so don't buy one to save a couple of dollars.

Grab is how most visitors get around, and it needs a working data connection to book and track rides. Grab asks for a phone number when you sign up, and data-only eSIMs don't come with one. So set up your Grab account at home with your own number, and keep that SIM switched on for the verification text.

Free Wi-Fi is everywhere indoors. Cafés, hotels, restaurants and malls almost always have a guest network, and café Wi-Fi in Hanoi is often quick. It's no help on the street, on a motorbike or in the back of a Grab, though. Airport Wi-Fi at Noi Bai (Hanoi) and Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City) asks for SMS verification, which is awkward when your phone has no local number. Public networks aren't encrypted, so avoid banking on them.

Visiting more than Vietnam?

Vietnam often comes with Thailand, Cambodia or Laos on the same trip. Wayfarro's Southeast Asia eSIM covers Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines and China on one plan. If your route includes countries outside that list, the Trip Builder puts together the cheapest mix of plans for your exact itinerary. For the Thailand leg on its own, see our best eSIM for Thailand guide.

Bottom line

For most travelers, the best eSIM for Vietnam is a fixed 5GB–10GB plan for a normal trip, or a short unlimited plan if you're always online. Wayfarro is the cheapest here on unlimited plans at every length and the only option in this comparison on Viettel, which matters in the northern mountains. Nomad matches Wayfarro on most fixed plans and is cheaper on 50GB. Airalo costs more per day of unlimited data. Whichever you pick, install it at home and turn on data roaming when you land. See Wayfarro's Vietnam eSIM plans.