Best eSIM for Dubai: The 6 best options

If you’ve landed here, you’re looking for the best eSIM for Dubai. You’ve booked your flight, packed your bags and are ready to enjoy the luxury and experiences this city of the Middle East can offer.

Dubai is an Emirate city of the United Arab Emirates. It is best known for its incredible and modern skyline, with the Burj Khalifa reigning over the city, its luxurious shops and its artificial islands with its aquatic parks.

Get ready to enjoy luxury-filled attractions, shop in the Dubai Mall or, if you’re feeling adventurous, surf the dunes in its surrounding deserts.

Travel to Dubai without wasting your money on roaming costs. We’ve prepared a list of the 6 best eSIM options for Dubai in 2023.

Top 6 eSIM options for Dubai and the UAE

Here you’ll find a chart with what we consider the top 6 eSIM plans to travel to the UAE.

Data collected on 2023

Go Inter by Dtac: Great price per GB and amazing coverage

Why is Go Inter by Dtac our top choice? Let’s see its benefits.

Go Inter offers an amazing price per GB of 4.83 $/GB. With 6GB of data for 29 usd with a validity of 15 days, you won’t really need anything else if you’re planning a trip to Dubai.

However, where it outshines the competition is in its coverage. With worldwide coverage, you can visit any other country that supports eSIM and continue avoiding roaming costs.

If by any chance you end up doing some stopovers during your flight, you’ll have eSIM coverage in whatever country you’re stuck. That’s reassuring!

Flexiroam, multiple plans to choose from

Flexiroam’s Middle East eSIMs come as close contenders for the number 1 place in our chart. With over 10 plans to choose from, you can surely find one that suits your needs. With a lower price per GB with their 7GB and 10GB plans, its only downside is that it is just a regional plan.

Covering Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, it falls shorter than Dtac’s Go Inter with its worldwide coverage.

As they state on their website, it is recommended for frequent travelers, group travelers, and aircrews, either for work or leisure purposes.

Mogo limited data for longer stays

Mogo offers limited data eSIMs with a higher price per GB. With its most expensive being the 500 MB for $5 plan, and the cheapest being the 10GB for $59.50 plan, the catch is the validity. It’s hard to make 10GB last for 90 days.

Mogo offers 2G connection after data cap, so you won’t be fully disconnected (although you may feel so because of the speed).

Simcorner: 1 eSIM for 100 countries

Simcorner offers 1 eSIM plan: 6GB for 54 Australian dollars (around 37 usd). This means a price per GB of around $6.16. In exchange, it covers around 100 countries, so you can check if your destination is covered in this plan.

Holafly: 1 eSIM, double the price.

Holafly offers 6GB of data (like Dtac) for almost double the price. Besides, Holafly’s plan is limited to the United Arab Emirates.

Airalo Burj Mobile: Highest price per GB for limited data

Now we’re at the bottom of our list. Airalo Burj Mobile offers 3 plans of 1, 3 and 5GB for a price of $8.50 to $35. With its lowest price per GB being 7$, you’ll be paying a high price for very limited data.

Network coverage in Dubai and the UAE

Only 2 network carriers service the United Arab Emirates: Etisalat and Du. While you won’t have to worry about network connections if you’re just traveling to Dubai, you might end up moving around different parts of the country, so making sure you have a stable internet connection should be a priority.

In this link, you’ll find a map with network coverage for both carriers in the UAE.

Devices that support eSIM

The downside of eSIM technology is that many phones aren’t capable of using this type of cards. Before buying one, check with the manufacturer of your mobile phone, eSIM seller, or your primary SIM carrier if your phone is eSIM compatible.

Broadly speaking, Apple devices such as iPhone XR or iPhone 11 (and newer Apple phones) support eSIM cards. Samsung devices after the release of the Galaxy S20 in 2020, and Google Phones such as the Google Pixel 2 and Google Pixel 2XL support eSIMs. Other phone brands such as Huaweii, Sony Xperia or Oppo also offer this technology in some of their devices.

The best advice we can give you is that you check with the eSIM carrier. Make sure that you’ll be able to install their eSIM, since some eSIMs can only be used on certain devices.

eSIM activation in Dubai

Activating an eSIM once you’ve reached Dubai is easy. Once you’ve chosen your preferred carrier, purchase it and you’ll receive an email with a QR code and a detailed guide on how to activate your eSIM card depending on your device. The entire process usually takes a few seconds depending on the quality of the WI-FI you’re connected to (Please don’t connect using your home carrier roaming service or you’ll end up getting expensive extra charges on your phone bill.)

 After your eSIM has been activated, disconnect data roaming services for your primary SIM carrier, and connect them for your new eSIM. Switch off the “Allow data switching” option if your phone has it.

That’s it. You can now enjoy your prepaid data without worrying about roaming costs.

FAQ about esim in Dubaii

Why use a global eSIM to travel to Dubai?

While local SIMs or eSIM providers might be cheaper than global eSIMs, the possibility of using it in different countries outweighs their cost. The comfort of not worrying about roaming costs while moving through different territories is well worth the extra dollars.

Is eSIM available in Dubai?        

Yes, eSIMs are available in the United Arab Emirates and, therefore, in Dubai.

When should I purchase the eSIM data package? Before departure or after landing?

We recommend that you purchase an eSIM data package before departure. Otherwise you might end up using your home carrier data abroad and getting billed with expensive roaming costs.

Can I use WhatsApp in the UAE?

The government of the UAE has limited the option of making calls or video calls with WhatsApp, but you will still be able to use its texting feature or share images, video and audio messages.