What is the best eSIM for the Philippines? It depends on how long you stay and where you go. For most trips, a Philippines data plan sized to your days is the simplest choice: you install it at home, it connects when you land in Manila, Cebu or anywhere else in the country, and you keep your own SIM for texts and codes. Visiting Japan, Thailand or Singapore on the same trip? One Asia eSIM covers them all. If you need a Philippine +63 number, get a local line from Globe, Smart or DITO. This guide compares the eSIMs for the Philippines you can buy today, so you can pick the right one for your trip.
Short on time? Here are three plans for three typical trips: one week, two weeks of island hopping, and a full month.
Philippines 10GB (7 days) · Philippines 20GB (15 days) · Philippines 50GB (30 days) · all data only · See all eSIMs for the Philippines
What is the best eSIM for the Philippines?
There is no single best eSIM for everyone. The right one is the plan that matches your trip. Before you buy, check these five things:
- Data and days: enough data for the whole trip, valid for all your days.
- Countries: the Philippines only, or other countries in Asia too.
- Phone number: most travel eSIMs are data only. You only get a +63 number with a local SIM or eSIM.
- Fair use and hotspot: "unlimited" plans often slow you down after a daily amount or limit hotspot sharing.
- Top-ups: can you add data to the same eSIM if you run low?
Value for money comes down to the same questions. A cheap plan that runs out halfway through your trip, or an unlimited plan that slows down when you need it, is not good value.
Quick comparison: eSIMs for the Philippines
You have four kinds of eSIMs for the Philippines to choose from. Here is how they compare.
SimOptions Philippines data plans (1 GB to 100 GB)
- Data and days: 1 GB or 3 GB for 3 days, 5 GB or 10 GB for 7 days, 20 GB for 15 days, 50 GB for 30 days, 60 GB for 90 days and 100 GB for 180 days.
- Countries: the Philippines only.
- Phone number: no. Data only.
- Speed: 4G/LTE, as listed on each plan.
- Top-ups: available on every plan.
Every plan is prepaid with no contract. You get your eSIM by email as a QR code. Once installed, it activates automatically when you arrive in the Philippines. If you don't use it within a year of buying it, it expires.
SimOptions Asia plans (the Philippines plus 25 countries)
Our Asia plans cover 26 countries, including the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. They are data only, run on 4G/LTE and can be topped up. Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos are not on the list, so check the coverage on the Asia eSIM page before you buy.
Other travel eSIMs for the Philippines
Plenty of other companies sell travel eSIMs for the Philippines. Two you'll often see, described with the facts on their own Philippines pages:
- Airalo: lists unlimited data packages for the Philippines from 3 to 30 days and names Smart as the network (Airalo: Philippines eSIM).
- Holafly: sells unlimited data plans from 1 to 90 days and names Globe as the network. Its page says there is no local phone number, hotspot sharing is limited to 1 GB per day, and a fair usage policy can slow you down for up to a day (Holafly: eSIM Philippines).
Unlimited sounds great, but read the small print. Speed limits and hotspot caps matter if you work online or share your connection with a laptop. A fixed data plan tells you exactly what you get.
A local eSIM from Globe, Smart or DITO
Is there eSIM in the Philippines? Yes. All three Philippine networks, Globe, Smart and DITO, offer eSIM, and Globe sells a Traveler eSIM for visitors in its app. A local line gives you a +63 number, but you have to register it with your passport, an address in the Philippines and a return or onward ticket. A SIM registered by a tourist is only valid for 30 days (Lawphil: Republic Act No. 11934). Our guide to eSIM providers in the Philippines covers what each network offers.
Which eSIM is best for your Philippines trip?
Start with how long you stay, then ask yourself two questions: do you need a phone number, and do you also visit other countries in Asia?
One week: Philippines 5GB or 10GB
For a few days in Manila and a weekend in Boracay or Bohol, a small plan covers maps, messages, ride-hailing apps and booking ferries. The 5 GB and 10 GB plans last 7 days. Only staying three days? The 1 GB and 3 GB plans last 3 days.
Two weeks of island hopping: Philippines 20GB
Flying from Manila to Cebu, then on to Bohol, Siargao or Palawan over two weeks? Philippines 20GB gives you 20 GB for 15 days. That is enough for maps, social media, photos and some video calls home.
A month or a long stay: Philippines 50GB, 60GB or 100GB
Staying a month, working remotely or visiting family for a season? Philippines 50GB lasts 30 days. Philippines 60GB lasts 90 days and Philippines 100GB lasts 180 days, so you don't need a new eSIM every month. All of them can be topped up.
You need calls and texts
Our Philippines plans are data only. You can still call and text over data with WhatsApp, Viber, Messenger or FaceTime, see how to make calls with a data-only eSIM. Your home SIM stays on your phone, so you still get texts and security codes from your bank. If you need a +63 number, for example for local deliveries or a long rental, get a registered line from a Philippine network as described above.
The Philippines plus Japan, Thailand or Singapore
Many trips combine the Philippines with a stopover in Tokyo, Bangkok, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. One Asia eSIM covers all of these, so you install one eSIM and it keeps working when you cross the border. Going to Vietnam too? Asia plans don't cover it, so add a separate Vietnam eSIM, see our guide to the best eSIM for Vietnam. For bigger trips around the region, see the best eSIM for Asia.
Flying on to Japan, South Korea or Thailand after the Philippines? This Asia plan gives you 20 GB for 30 days in all 26 countries it covers.
How much data do you need in the Philippines?
It depends on how you use your phone. Wi-Fi at your hotel or resort helps a lot. As a rough guide:
- 3 to 7 days: 3 GB to 10 GB for maps, messages, ride-hailing and some browsing.
- 1 to 2 weeks: 10 GB to 20 GB, enough for social media, photos and some video calls.
- A month or more: 50 GB or more, especially if you stream or work online.
Planning to share your connection with a laptop or a friend's phone? Hotspot (tethering) uses data fast, so go a size up. If you run low, top up the same eSIM.
Where you'll use your eSIM in the Philippines
The Philippines has more than 7,000 islands in three main groups: Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. Most trips mix a big city with a few islands, and that is where good mobile data helps most: booking ferries and island tours, finding your resort, and sharing photos. Signal depends on the local network. It can be weak or missing on small islands, in the mountains and out at sea, so download offline maps before a boat trip.
Manila
The capital sits on Manila Bay on the island of Luzon. Walk around Intramuros, the old walled city with San Agustin Church and Fort Santiago, then visit Rizal Park and the National Museum. Ride a jeepney at least once. A data connection makes it easy to call a ride and find your way in the traffic.
Cebu
Cebu, in the Central Visayas, is a main hub for flights and ferries to the other islands. In Cebu City, visit the Basilica del Santo Niño. Around the island you'll find beaches and well-known diving and snorkelling spots.
Bohol and the Chocolate Hills
Bohol is a short ferry ride from Cebu. What to do in the Chocolate Hills? Climb to the viewing deck and look out over more than a thousand cone-shaped hills, which turn brown in the dry season. Nearby, you can see tarsiers, one of the world's smallest primates, and take a cruise on the Loboc River.
Boracay
Boracay, in Western Visayas, is a small island known for White Beach and its sunsets. On the other side of the island, Bulabog Beach is the spot for kitesurfing.
Palawan: El Nido and Coron
Palawan is the place for island hopping between limestone cliffs, lagoons and quiet beaches. Tours spend most of the day at sea, where signal comes and goes, so save your tickets and maps offline.
Vigan
In the north of Luzon, Vigan has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, known for the Spanish colonial houses along Calle Crisologo.
Planning the whole trip? Our Philippines travel guide has more ideas.
Do you need a travel eSIM for the Philippines?
Check your home roaming first
If your phone plan is from the US, Canada, the UK, Australia or Europe, your carrier sets its own roaming prices in the Philippines, and they can add up fast. Check them before you go. A travel eSIM gives you data at a fixed prepaid price, while your home SIM stays on your phone. Turn off data roaming on your home line so it can't use data by mistake.
Already in the Philippines?
You can still buy an eSIM after you arrive. Install it on your hotel or café Wi-Fi and it connects right away, because you're already in the covered country.
Is your phone compatible?
Your phone must support eSIM and be unlocked. Dial *#06#: if you see an EID number, your phone supports eSIM. On iPhone, eSIM works on the iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later (Apple: Using Dual SIM with an eSIM). For Android phones, see our guide to checking eSIM compatibility. If you bought your phone from a carrier, ask it to unlock the phone before you travel.
How to set up your eSIM for the Philippines
- Buy your plan on the Philippines eSIM page. Your QR code comes by email.
- Install it at home on Wi-Fi before you fly. Step-by-step help: how to install an eSIM and Apple's guide to setting up eSIM on iPhone.
- Label the line "Philippines" or "Travel" so you can tell it apart from your home line.
- Fill in your eTravel form. Arriving travellers register for free on the official eTravel site within 72 hours before they land (eTravel: FAQs).
- When you land, the eSIM connects automatically. Choose it as your line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it. On iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data) > Cellular Data and pick the travel eSIM (Apple: Using Dual SIM with an eSIM). On a Pixel, use Settings > Network & internet > SIMs (Google: Use dual SIMs on Pixel).
- Turn off data roaming on your home line, so it can't use data abroad.
No signal after you land? Our guide on what to do when your eSIM is not activating walks you through the fixes.
FAQs
What is the best eSIM for the Philippines?
It depends on your trip. For a week, Philippines 5GB or 10GB. For two weeks of island hopping, Philippines 20GB. For a month or longer, Philippines 50GB, 60GB or 100GB. If you also visit Japan, Thailand or Singapore, an Asia plan. If you need a +63 number, a registered line from a local network.
Which eSIM is best for the Philippines and other countries in Asia?
An Asia plan covers the Philippines and 25 other countries, including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. For Vietnam, Cambodia or Laos, add a separate eSIM for that country.
Is there eSIM in the Philippines?
Yes. Globe, Smart and DITO all offer eSIM. As a visitor, you register a local eSIM with your passport and it lasts 30 days. A travel eSIM needs no registration on arrival.
Is there a Philippines eSIM with calls and data?
Our Philippines plans are data only, and so are many travel eSIMs. You can call over data with WhatsApp, Viber or Messenger. For a +63 number with calls and texts, you need a SIM or eSIM from a Philippine network.
Is there an unlimited data eSIM for the Philippines?
Some providers sell unlimited plans, usually with a fair use policy or hotspot limits. Our Philippines plans have a fixed amount of data, up to 100 GB, and you can top them up.
Does a Philippines eSIM work in Cebu, Boracay, Bohol and Palawan?
Yes, the plans cover the whole country, islands included. Signal depends on the local network and can be weak on remote islands or at sea, so download offline maps before a boat trip.
Can I top up my Philippines eSIM?
Yes. All our Philippines data plans can be topped up, so you can add data without installing a new eSIM.
When should I install my eSIM for the Philippines?
Install it at home on Wi-Fi a day or two before you fly. It connects automatically when you arrive in the Philippines. If you don't use it within a year of buying it, it expires.
Can I keep my own number and WhatsApp?
Yes. On a dual SIM phone, your home line stays on next to the travel eSIM. WhatsApp keeps your usual number and works over the eSIM's data.