Verizon TravelPass and AT&T International Day Pass both cost $12 a day, so a week in Italy adds $84 to your bill. A 10 GB travel eSIM for the same week costs $7.54. T-Mobile is different: its Experience plans include 5 GB or 15 GB abroad, and Essentials customers pay $50 for a 10-day pass. Roaming still wins in two cases: Verizon Unlimited customers visiting Canada or Mexico, and T-Mobile Experience customers who stay under their included data.
Here is how the bill builds up. You land in Rome, check your messages in the taxi, and your phone quietly starts a $12 day. You do the same on each of the next six days. Add a partner on the same account and the week costs well over $100 before you have bought a coffee. Below are the US carriers’ own published prices on 1 October 2026, set against the plans in our catalogue on the same date.
- Verizon TravelPass: $12 a day in 210+ destinations, $6 a day in Canada and Mexico, with 5 GB of high-speed data per TravelPass session, then 3G speeds.
- AT&T International Day Pass: $12 a day for one line, $6 a day for each extra line on the same account, capped at 10 daily fees per line per bill period on land.
- T-Mobile: Experience More includes 5 GB of high-speed data, Experience Beyond 15 GB, then 256 Kbps. On Essentials you buy a pass: 2 GB for one day at $10, 15 GB for 10 days at $50, or 30 GB for 30 days at $75.
- Travel eSIM: one prepaid price per trip, from $6.00 for 5 GB across 28 European countries to $7.54 for 10 GB in Italy or across 34 European countries.
What each US carrier charges abroad in 2026
All three carriers publish their international prices. These are the figures on their own pages on 1 October 2026.
| Carrier option | Price | Data you get | How it is billed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon TravelPass | $12 a day; $6 a day in Canada and Mexico | 5 GB high-speed per TravelPass session, then 3G speeds | Only on days you use your phone abroad |
| Verizon International Monthly Plan | $100 a month | 20 GB high-speed, then 3G speeds | One month, or renewing monthly |
| AT&T International Day Pass | $12 a day; $6 for each extra line the same day | Your domestic plan’s data | Each 24 hours you talk, text or use data; at most 10 fees per line per bill period |
| T-Mobile Experience More | Included | 5 GB high-speed, then up to 256 Kbps | Part of the plan |
| T-Mobile Experience Beyond | Included | 15 GB high-speed, then up to 256 Kbps | Part of the plan |
| T-Mobile Essentials + International Pass | $10 / $50 / $75 | 2 GB for 1 day, 15 GB for 10 days, 30 GB for 30 days | Bought before or during the trip |
Two details catch people out. AT&T adds International Day Pass to smartphones automatically when you arrive in an included destination, and texts you, so you do not have to opt in to be charged. And on both Verizon and AT&T the fee is per line: two phones on the same trip pay twice, although AT&T charges $6 rather than $12 for each extra line. The sources are Verizon’s international travel page, AT&T’s International Day Pass support article and T-Mobile’s international plans page.
Four trips, priced four ways
Travel eSIM prices are from our catalogue on 1 October 2026. Each trip uses the cheapest plan that covers the full trip length with enough data for maps, messaging, social media and some video.
| Trip | Verizon TravelPass | AT&T Day Pass | T-Mobile Essentials | Travel eSIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days in Italy, one phone | $84 | $84 | $50 (10-day pass) | $7.54 for 10 GB |
| 14 days in Japan, one phone | $168, or $100 for the monthly plan | $120 if the trip sits in one bill period | $75 (30-day pass) | $7.00 for 10 GB |
| 7 days in Spain, two phones | $168 | $126 | $100 (two passes) | $15.08 for two 10 GB plans |
| 10 days across France, Italy and Switzerland | $120 | $120 | $50 (10-day pass) | $7.54 for 10 GB, 34 countries |
The AT&T cap matters on long trips. On a 14-day trip that crosses two bill periods, you could pay up to 14 daily fees, $168, instead of $120. If you are heavy on data, a larger eSIM still costs far less: 20 GB for 30 days is $11.80 in Japan and $13.00 in Italy. For a short trip where you would rather not count gigabytes, 7 days of unlimited data in 28 European countries is $11.00. It gives 3 GB a day at up to 20 Mbps, then 1 Mbps.
See every plan for your destination: the Europe eSIM page and Japan eSIM page list all our plans with filters for data, days and unlimited, and every plan page shows its networks and hotspot terms.
What you give up with a travel eSIM
A travel eSIM is a second, data-only line. Your US line stays on the phone, so you still receive texts and verification codes on your own number. Three things work differently.
- No US number on the eSIM. The eSIMs in this comparison are data-only. Calls and texts on your own number still go through your US carrier, and its rules decide whether a call or text abroad triggers a daily fee. Messaging and calling apps work over the eSIM’s data.
- A second line to set up. You install it before you fly and pick it as the data line when you land. Our install guide shows the steps for iPhone and Android, and your phone must be eSIM-compatible and carrier-unlocked.
- Data roaming on your US line must stay off. If your phone falls back to the US line for data, the carrier’s day pass starts. Our guide to avoiding accidental roaming charges covers the four settings that decide this.
When your carrier’s plan is the better deal
A travel eSIM is not always the right buy. These are the cases where we would stay with the carrier.
| Your situation | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon Unlimited customer going to Canada or Mexico | Verizon | Verizon includes talk, text and data in Canada and Mexico on all Unlimited plans. An eSIM would be an extra cost. |
| T-Mobile Experience More customer, light user, short trip | T-Mobile | 5 GB of high-speed data is included. Buy an eSIM only if you will use more, or 256 Kbps afterwards is too slow. |
| T-Mobile Experience Beyond customer | T-Mobile, for most trips | 15 GB is included, enough for a typical two-week trip. Heavy video or hotspot use can still run past it. |
| Cruise with several sea days | Carrier cruise pass or ship Wi-Fi | Ships at sea use their own network. Travel eSIMs cover land networks in the listed countries, so they only help in port. |
| Work trip with many calls on your US number | Carrier day pass | The daily fee includes calls and texts on your own number. Wi-Fi calling is the alternative where Wi-Fi is good. |
Everyone else (Verizon and AT&T customers travelling outside North America, and T-Mobile Essentials customers anywhere) pays far less with a travel eSIM for the data, while keeping the US line for texts.
How to switch for one trip without losing your number
- Check the phone. It needs eSIM support and a carrier unlock. A phone bought from a carrier can still be locked to it, so check before you buy.
- Buy and install on Wi-Fi before you fly. The QR code arrives by email. Most of our plans start counting days on first data use in a covered country, not when installed.
- Set the eSIM as the data line. Keep your US line on for calls and texts, and switch off data roaming and cellular data switching on the US line.
- Turn on data roaming for the eSIM only when you land. The eSIM is a roaming profile, so it needs roaming on to connect.
Our dual-SIM guide walks through these settings on iPhone and Android.
Frequently asked questions
Is a travel eSIM cheaper than Verizon TravelPass?
For most trips outside North America, yes. TravelPass is $12 a day, so seven days cost $84. A 10 GB travel eSIM for Italy, Spain or Japan costs $7.00 to $7.54 and lasts 30 days. Verizon customers visiting Canada or Mexico on an Unlimited plan already have data included.
Will AT&T charge me a Day Pass if I use a travel eSIM?
Only if your AT&T line is used abroad. AT&T charges a daily fee for each 24 hours you talk, text or use data in an included destination. Texts you receive do not trigger it. Keep data roaming off on the AT&T line and let the eSIM carry the data.
Can I keep my US number while using a travel eSIM?
Yes. A dual-SIM phone keeps your US line active next to the eSIM, so you still receive calls and verification codes on your own number. Calls and texts on that line follow your carrier’s rules and can start a daily fee. The eSIM itself is data only.
Does T-Mobile include international data?
On Experience plans it does. On 1 October 2026, Experience More included 5 GB and Experience Beyond 15 GB of high-speed data in 215+ countries and destinations, then up to 256 Kbps. Essentials includes texting but no data; passes cost $10 for 1 day, $50 for 10 days and $75 for 30 days.
Is a travel eSIM worth it for Mexico or Canada?
Often not for Verizon customers, because all Verizon Unlimited plans include Canada and Mexico. Check whether your own plan includes North America before buying. If it does not, our North America plans start at $9.79 for 5 GB over 30 days across the US, Canada and Mexico.
Does a travel eSIM work on a cruise ship?
Not at sea. Ships use their own onboard or satellite network, which is not on travel eSIM country lists. In port, an eSIM that covers that country works as normal. For sea days, use ship Wi-Fi or a carrier cruise pass: AT&T charges $20 a day per line at sea.
Carrier day passes are built for convenience, not value. If your plan already includes the countries you are visiting, use it. If it does not, ten minutes of setup before you fly usually costs less than a single day of roaming.
Last reviewed 1 October 2026. Carrier prices and allowances are from Verizon’s, AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s own pages on that date and can change; your carrier’s current terms and your plan decide what you pay. Travel eSIM prices are from our catalogue on the same date; product pages are authoritative. Verizon, TravelPass, AT&T, International Day Pass and T-Mobile are trademarks of their owners; this article is independent of them.