Getting ready for your next holiday? We bring you the best eSIM for the United Arab Emirates. With DTAC Go Inter, you’ll avoid roaming costs with 6GB of data for just $29, and you’ll be able to connect anywhere in the world thanks to its worldwide coverage. Get ready to enjoy the United Arab Emirates and all of its amazing experiences without worrying about your roaming expenses.
Located in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula, the UAE has become one of the favorite tourist destinations for people from all over the world. Its stunning architecture with iconic sights like the Burj Khalifa in Dubai or the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, and its recent cultural drive, with the inauguration of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Etihad Museum or the Sharjah Art Museum, coexist with its famous beaches, deserts, luxurious malls and tourist attractions, to create a unique experience in the Middle East.
Although the United Arab Emirates economy has been traditionally based on the oil and gas sector, the Emirati government has been betting on tourism to diversify its industry, and the investment is starting to pay off.
The United Arab Emirates offers something for every type of visitor. You can go to the UAE to unwind on its beautiful beaches, or to enjoy its museums and cultural offers, but whatever your plans are in the UAE, you should never pay for roaming costs to use your phone.
Buy the best eSIM for the United Arab Emirates and enjoy your holiday with the best prepaid plans.
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Top 5 international prepaid eSIM plans for the UAE
| Carrier | Data | Price | Price/GB | Validity | Coverage | Features |
| Go Inter by Dtac | 6GB | $29 | 4.83 $/GB | 15 days | Worldwide | Etisalat/DU 4G/LTE, Data only, Tethering allowed |
| Flexiroam | 3GB 5GB 7GB | $18 $25 $30 | 6 $/GB 5 $/GB 4.28 $/GB | 15 days 15 days 15 days | Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates | 3G/4G, Flexiroam app, Best for frequent travelers, groups, and aircrews either for work or leisure purposes. |
| Simcorner | 6GB | (54 AUD ) $36.50 | 6.16 $/GB | 15 days | 100 countries | 4G, data only, tethering allowed |
| Airalo Burj Mobile | 1GB 3GB 5GB | $8.50 $22.50 $35 | 8.50 $/GB 7.50 $/GB 7 $/GB | 7 days 30 days 30 days | United Arab Emirates | Etisalat LTE, data only, tethering allowed |
| Holafly | 6 GB | $49 | 8.16 $/GB | 15 days | United Arab Emirates | 4g/LTE Etisalat, Tethering allowed, data only |
*Data collected in 2023
Go Inter by DTAC: Worldwide coverage
The best card
DTAC Go Inter is the best eSIM plan you can buy to travel to the United Arab Emirates since it provides 6 GB of data for $29 for 15 days at an incredible price per GB of 4.83 $/GB. Using either Etisalat’s or Du’s network, you can share your data with any other device you bring with you on your trip. It is a great offer, but its most appealing feature is its coverage.
Worldwide coverage
Being a global eSIM, DTAC Go Inter provides service coverage in any other country where eSIMs are available. This means that you won’t have to change your card if you’re traveling to a different country during your 15 day holiday trip.
Flexiroam
Affordable prices
Flexiroam offers 3 eSIM cards for the Middle East with the same validity as DTAC for quite affordable prices (although more expensive than DTAC). You can choose between its 3GB, 5GB and 7GB Middle East cards for 18 usd, 25 usd and 30 usd.
With Flexiroam’s plans, you’ll get 4G connectivity and full control of your eSIMs through Flexiroam’s app.
Flexiroam describes its cards as best suited for frequent travelers, groups and aircrews.
Limited coverage
The biggest downside to Flexiroam’s eSIM plans is their coverage. While DTAC offers worldwide coverage, Flexiroam only covers a limited number of countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. You’re better off buying DTAC Go Inter if you want to travel more freely, avoiding roaming costs.
Simcorner
Higher Price
Simcorner offers a single 6GB eSIM plan for a high price of 54 AUD (36.50 usd) with a validity of 15 days. This means that its price per GB is nearly 1 usd more expensive than DTAC’s one, with the same validity and data. There’s no reason to choose Simcorner’s eSIM over DTAC Go Inter.
100 countries
Simcorner’s eSIM offers coverage in 100 countries around the globe, which is more or less the same worldwide coverage of DTAC’s Go Inter card, but as we’ve said before, for a higher price.
Airalo Burj Mobile
3 plans
Airalo has 3 different cards for the United Arab Emirates. It provides data packages of 1GB, 3GB and 5GB for 7 or 30 days, there’s no in-between. This means that, in addition to its higher price per GB, you’ll need to either top up your data package after a week, or stretch your data usage for a longer period.
Small plans
Airalo’s eSIM plans are basically budget plans. With very small data packages for 8.50 usd, 22.50 usd or 35 usd, they are only useful if you’re mainly staying connected via Wi-Fi, and only in the United Arab Emirates since their coverage is limited only to the UAE.
Holafly
Same data
Holafly only has 1 eSIM plan for the United Arab Emirates. It offers 6GB of data just like DTAC Go Inter, connecting to Etisalat for a data only plan covering only the UAE.
Twice as expensive
Holafly’s eSIM costs 49 usd, which is almost double the price of DTAC Go Inter with a price per GB reaching 8.16 $/GB. It is by far the most expensive eSIM on our list.
Worldwide coverage advantages
Imagine the following situation:
You’re traveling to the United Arab Emirates to spend a week or two.
After a couple of days, you want to visit another country too, maybe in the middle east, let’s say you need an eSIM for Qatar.
For your flight plan, you’ll need to do a stopover of 10 hours in another airport, let’s say, Paris… you have four choices: connecting to public (and unsafe) Wi-FI networks whenever you’re not in the United Arab Emirates, using your home carrier’s data roaming with its expensive rates, purchasing several local eSIMs to be covered in different countries, or purchasing a global eSIM plan, with which you can keep enjoying your data allowance, without being worried about roaming expenses.
The advantages are obvious, and when the price is as good as the one offered by DTAC’s Go Inter plan, the choice is quite simple.
Buying an eSIM for the United Arab Emirates
If you want to buy an eSIM plan for the United Arab Emirates, all you have to do is select the eSIM card that best suits your needs and connect to its website. Purchase it online and you’ll receive a QR code and the steps to take in order to install your eSIM profile. Scan the QR code with your phone and follow the instructions.
You can buy it from anywhere in the world, even from your own house. There’s no need to go to a local store or wait by your door until you receive a physical SIM card in the mail. Isn’t it convenient?
Compatible devices
eSIM technology is a fairly new technology. This means that, although many devices aren’t eSIM compatible, the number of mobile phones supporting eSIMs keeps increasing.
In order to know if your mobile phone is eSIM compatible, you can check with your phone’s manufacturer, your home carrier, or, and this is the best way, you can check the compatibility list of the eSIM you’re looking to buy.
In most cases, Apple phones like the iPhone 11 or newer models and Samsung mobile phones since the release, in 2020, of the Galaxy S20 support eSIMs. Google phones like the Pixel 3 XL and other phone brands like Huaweii, Oppo or Sharp (among others), also are eSIM compatible.
Network coverage in the UAE
There are mainly 2 network carriers in the United Arab Emirates: Etisalat and Du. With both of them offering nearly the same coverage, you won’t suffer any connection issues while staying in Abu-Dhabi or Dubai, but with almost 80% of the country being a desert, you might want to check the mobile network coverage in the country.
In this link, you’ll find a map of each carrier’s coverage in the United Arab Emirates.
Get the eSIM with Best Price/GB in United Arab Emirates
FAQ about UAB eSIM
Are eSIMs available in the United Arab Emirates?
Yes, eSIMs are available in the United Arab Emirates.
Which travel eSIM is the best for the United Arab Emirates?
DTAC Go Inter is the best card you can buy to travel to the UAE since it offers a good data package, an incredible price and worldwide coverage.
Should I buy a travel eSIM or a local SIM card?
If you’re visiting the United Arab Emirates on a holiday trip, we recommend that you get a travel eSIM (if your phone supports eSIMs). While local physical SIM cards usually provide a better service than global eSIM plans, the advantages of travel eSIMs, like DTAC Go Inter, hugely outweigh their disadvantages versus SIM cards. As a plus, you’ll have your eSIM plan ready as soon as you get to the UAE.
Can I use WhatsApp in the United Arab Emirates?
The UAE government has restricted WhatsApp’s (and other VoIP apps) usage only to its texting and photo-sharing function. You won’t be able to make calls or video calls, but you’ll still be able to send messages, videos and pictures.