What this calculator does and does not do
It does: compare the cheapest single eSIM plan we are tracking for your destination against your home carrier's published daily-pass roaming rate and a typical airport-counter local SIM. The eSIM number is real: it comes from the providers' own plan feeds, which we read every week.
It does not: simulate every plan size you might pick (we surface the cheapest single purchase that meets the trip), account for data heavy use such as continuous video streaming, or know your specific carrier's promotional roaming rates. For the full plan-fit logic and a personalized recommendation, use find-a-plan.
Where these numbers come from
Carrier prices come from each carrier's own page, checked October 21, 2026: Verizon TravelPass ($12 a day, $6 in Canada and Mexico), AT&T International Day Pass ($12 a day, never more than 10 daily fees per line per bill; the calculator applies that cap per 30-day bill period from the start of the trip) and T-Mobile International Pass ($10 for a day with 2 GB, $50 for 10 days with 15 GB, $75 for 30 days with 30 GB; we use the cheapest mix that covers both the trip length and the data you pick, and for Unlimited we cover the days only and say that speeds slow after each pass's data). Verizon's TravelPass includes 5 GB of high-speed data a day; above that, the calculator notes that part of the trip runs slower. Some T-Mobile plans include data abroad, so your cost may be lower. All one line, before taxes and fees. The local-SIM baseline of $25 is the median tourist-counter price across major international airports, which varies $15-$45 depending on the country and the airport markup. eSIM prices come from our pricing snapshot pipeline; each provider's feed is read every week, and each destination and provider page shows the date its prices were read.
Want a deeper comparison?
The calculator above is the short version. The full decision-aid lives in our eSIM vs physical SIM vs roaming article, including a cost-by-trip-length table from 2 days to 60 days. For multi-country trips, see the regional roundups: Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa. Group and family travelers should also check our eSIM vs pocket WiFi comparison.