Yesim TeamSingapore has some of the fastest mobile networks in the world. Singtel, StarHub and M1 all run dense 5G infrastructure across the island, and coverage gaps are essentially nonexistent in the city. For tourists and travellers who travel to Singapore, that means connectivity is guaranteed, the only question is how to get it without paying international roaming charges or queuing at Changi Airport and buying a SIM card or buying a prepaid SIM card in person.
A travel eSIM for Singapore solves both problems. Unlike SIM cards that require a store visit, an eSIM is a digital SIM installed instantly over Wi-Fi. You buy online before departure, scan a QR code at home to install your eSIM, and land already connected throughout your Singapore stay, with full connectivity eSIM for Singapore active from the moment you clear customs. Your Singapore eSIM for mobile data keeps you online while your home SIM stays active for calls, you don’t get a Singapore number, but two-factor authentication codes. This guide compares eSIM plans for Singapore and the best eSIM providers.
Why use an eSIM in Singapore instead of a physical SIM card
Singapore has three options for tourist connectivity: international roaming and roam charges through your home carrier, a local prepaid SIM card, and a travel eSIM. Each works, but they are not equal. Understanding your eSIM options helps you pick the right one.
- International data roaming is the most expensive. AT&T and Verizon charge $12/day. Most European carriers charge €4–€7/day. On a 7-day Singapore trip, that is $84–$168 in data charges before you account for what you actually use.
- Local prepaid SIM card in Singapore (local SIM and local SIM card options) is cheap per GB and gets you onto the Singtel or StarHub network directly. The catch: you need to visit a telco counter or 7-Eleven, show your passport, and replace your home SIM, meaning your regular number goes dark while you are in Singapore.
- Travel eSIM sits between the two. Price per GB is close to local rates, setup takes under three minutes from home, and your home SIM stays active throughout your trip. No store visit, no passport required, no SIM to lose.
For a short trip to Singapore, a weekend city break, a transit stopover, a week of conferences, a travel eSIM is the most practical option. See also Yesim vs Airalo and Yesim vs Holafly for side-by-side comparisons. For travellers staying in Singapore for a month or longer, and anyone planning extended use in Singapore, a local eSIM or Singtel/StarHub plan is worth considering for the lower long-term rates.
If you also need coverage across Southeast Asia, see the best eSIM for international travel guide, with current pricing, honest notes on what each one does well, and a clear recommendation for each type of traveller.
Best eSIM providers for Singapore: quick comparison
Singapore has some of the fastest mobile infrastructure in the world, which means the weakest eSIM providers are exposed quickly. Slow speeds that might go unnoticed in other markets are immediately obvious here, where the local baseline is 150–200 Mbps on a good 4G connection. The providers below have all been tested against that standard.
| Provider | Best plan | Price | Data | Hotspot | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yesim | Unlimited 7 days | €22 | Unlimited | Yes, no cap | Singtel/StarHub |
| Airalo | 3 GB / 30 days | $8.50 | Fixed | Yes | Singtel |
| Holafly | Unlimited 7 days | $29.90 | Unlimited | Limited (500 MB/day) | StarHub |
| Saily | 3 GB / 30 days | $6.99 | Fixed | Yes | StarHub |
| Nomad | 10 GB / 30 days | ~$18 | Fixed | Yes | Singtel |
| Singtel | 100 GB / 14 days | SGD 12 | Fixed | Yes | Singtel (native) |
| StarHub | Tourist plans | SGD 8–15 | Fixed | Yes | StarHub (native) |
Best eSIM providers for Singapore: detailed review
The quick comparison table tells you what each provider charges. This section tells you why those numbers matter differently depending on how you travel. A 7-day unlimited plan from one provider and a 7-day unlimited plan from another can look identical on paper and feel very different in practice, because network access, hotspot policy, and app quality vary.
Yesim
Yesim, a global eSIM provider, connects through Singtel and StarHub in Singapore, giving dual-network access that covers the whole island including Sentosa, Changi Airport, and public transport. Hotspot is included on all plans with no daily cap, which matters if you are sharing your connection with a travel companion or using your phone as a mobile hotspot for a laptop.
Yesim Singapore unlimited plans:
| Duration | Price | Per day |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day | €5.20 | €5.20/day |
| 7 days | €22 | €3.15/day |
| 15 days | €33 | €2.20/day |
| 30 days | €48 | €1.60/day |
Yesim Singapore prepaid plans:
| Data | Duration | Price | Per GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 30 days | €3.20 | €3.20/GB |
| 5 GB | 30 days | €9 | €1.80/GB |
| 10 GB | 30 days | €17 | €1.70/GB |
| 20 GB | 30 days | €23 | €1.15/GB |
| 30 GB | 30 days | €33 | €1.10/GB |
The 7-day unlimited at €22 is the strongest value for a standard Singapore trip. The 30-day unlimited at €48 (€1.60/day) is the best option for digital nomads or extended stays.
Best for: Most tourists visiting Singapore for 3 to 30 days, anyone who needs hotspot without a daily cap.
Airalo
Airalo connects through Singtel in Singapore and offers the lowest entry-level pricing of any international eSIM provider. No unlimited option, but fixed-data plans are competitively priced for light users.
Airalo Singapore plans:
| Data | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $4.50 |
| 2 GB | 15 days | $6.50 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $8.50 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $11.50 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $18.00 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $26.00 |
| Unlimited | 10 days | $35.00 |
Airalo is the most recognisable global eSIM brand, with 20 million users. For a full breakdown of how it performs, see the Airalo review. The app is clean, data tracking and data usage monitoring is accurate, and support is responsive. For a short 3 to 5 day trip to Singapore with a small amount of data usage, the 3 GB plan at $8.50 is hard to beat on price.
Best for: Budget travellers, first-time eSIM users, short trips under 7 days.
Holafly
Holafly offers unlimited data on all its Singapore plans. Hotspot is capped at 500 MB per day, which limits it for laptop users but is enough for occasional tethering. Holafly’s flexibility on plan duration, you can choose any number of days from 1 to 90, is a genuine advantage for travellers who want to match their plan exactly to their trip length.
Holafly Singapore plans:
| Data | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited | 1 day | $6.90 |
| Unlimited | 3 days | $12.90 |
| Unlimited | 5 days | $20.90 |
| Unlimited | 7 days | $29.90 |
| Unlimited | 10 days | $36.90 |
| Unlimited | 30 days | $74.90 |
For a detailed breakdown, see the Holafly review. Holafly is more expensive per day than Yesim ($4.27/day for 7 days vs €3.15), and the hotspot cap makes it less useful for remote workers. For a solo tourist doing a lot of social media, navigation and streaming, it removes any data anxiety.
Best for: Tourists who want unlimited data with no tracking, flexible trip lengths.
Saily
Saily is backed by NordVPN and offers competitive fixed-data pricing for Singapore. Plans include web protection features that are useful in Singapore’s public Wi-Fi environments. Speeds up to 100 Mbps on eligible plans.
Saily Singapore plans:
| Data | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $3.99 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $6.99 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $9.99 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $15.99 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $22.99 |
The 3 GB plan at $6.99 is the cheapest option in this comparison for a 30-day period. Saily’s NordVPN-backed security makes it a good choice for travellers who regularly connect to public Wi-Fi at hawker centres and MRT stations.
Best for: Budget-conscious travellers, security-focused users, 7 to 14 day trips.
Nomad
Nomad targets the premium end of the travel eSIM market with 5G support. See the Nomad eSIM review for full plan details and pricing. and stable speeds. It connects through the Singtel network in Singapore, which has the fastest speeds on the island.
Nomad plans include data amounts up to 50 GB and support for hotspot without daily limits. The app is clean and actively maintained with good customer support.
Best for: Remote workers, digital nomads, anyone who needs reliable high-speed data for video calls and large file transfers.
Best local eSIM providers for Singapore
If you want maximum speed and the lowest possible cost per GB, local Singapore carriers are worth considering, but with one significant trade-off.
Singtel
Singtel is Singapore’s largest carrier and runs the island’s most extensive 5G network. Tourist eSIM plans are available directly from Singtel and do not require a long-term contract, but purchasing requires ID verification (passport) either online or at a Singtel store.
Singtel tourist plans:
- 100 GB 4G / 14 days + 3 GB roaming to Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand: SGD 12
- Unlimited 5G / 28 days + 5 GB regional roaming: SGD 30
- Unlimited 5G / 28 days + 10 GB regional roaming: SGD 50
The roaming benefit is a real differentiator, if your Singapore trip includes a day trip to Johor Bahru or a weekend in Bali, a Singtel plan covers you across multiple countries without buying separate eSIMs.
StarHub
StarHub offers competitive tourist plans with 5G access and strong speeds. Available from StarHub stores and online, with passport verification required.
M1
M1 is the most budget-oriented of Singapore’s three local carriers. Plans are straightforward and well-priced, particularly for longer stays. Passport required at purchase.
The key limitation of local Singapore eSIMs: All three require ID verification and are either bought in-store on arrival or through a registration process online. You cannot set up a local Singapore eSIM before you board your flight. For travellers who want to land at Changi Airport already connected, international eSIMs like Yesim and Airalo are the only option.
For more on local carrier options, see best SIM card and mobile internet in Singapore.
Best eSIM for Singapore by trip type
- Weekend trip (1–3 days): Yesim 1-day unlimited at €5.20/day or Saily 1 GB at $3.99 for 7 days. Both cover typical tourist use, maps, messaging, food delivery apps, social media, comfortably.
- Week-long visit (5–10 days): Yesim 7-day unlimited at €22 is the best overall value. Holafly 7-day unlimited at $29.90 if you prefer a single simple product. Airalo 10-day unlimited at $35 if you want the Singtel network specifically.
- Two weeks (10–15 days): Yesim 15-day unlimited at €33 covers the period with no tracking required. Saily 10 GB at $15.99 if your data use is predictable and light.
- Month or longer: Yesim 30-day unlimited at €48 (€1.60/day) or a local Singtel/StarHub plan if you are comfortable with in-person registration. Local plans win on price at this duration, but international eSIMs win on convenience.
How to activate an eSIM for Singapore
Travel tips: activate your eSIM at home before departure, not at Changi Airport. Airport Wi-Fi is congested, and trying to scan a QR code in a busy arrivals hall is unnecessary when the whole process takes two minutes at home.
- Purchase a Singapore eSIM plan through yesim.app or the Yesim app and receive a QR code by email or in the app, you receive a qr code within seconds.
- On iPhone: Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → Use QR Code → scan the code.
- On Android: Settings → Network & Internet → SIMs → Add eSIM → scan the code.
- Name the eSIM line (e.g., “Singapore”) and set it as the active data line to use your eSIM for Singapore connectivity.
- Turn on data roaming on the eSIM line specifically: Settings → Cellular → [eSIM line] → Data Roaming → On.
- Disable data roaming on your home SIM line to avoid unexpected home carrier charges.
- Land at Changi Airport, disable airplane mode, the eSIM is activated and connects to Singtel or StarHub automatically.
Before buying a new eSIM, confirm your phone is eSIM compatible. Check the full list of eSIM-compatible devices. For iPhone-specific setup by model, see which iPhones support eSIM.
eSIM vs physical SIM card in Singapore
For trips up to two weeks, a travel eSIM beats a local SIM on almost every dimension except per-GB cost at high data volumes. For stays over a month or trips that include regional travel to Malaysia, Indonesia or Thailand. For a comparison of connectivity options including hotel Wi-Fi, see eSIM vs hotel Wi-Fi, Singtel’s tourist plans deserve serious consideration.
| Factor | Travel eSIM | Local prepaid SIM card |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Install at home, 2 minutes | Counter or store on arrival, passport required |
| ID required | No | Yes (passport) |
| Works before landing | Yes | No |
| Keeps home number active | Yes | No, home SIM replaced |
| Price (7 days, moderate use) | €22–$30 (unlimited) | SGD 12–30 |
| Coverage | Singtel/StarHub | Singtel/StarHub/M1 (native) |
| Hotspot | Yes (Yesim, Airalo, Saily) | Yes |
| Regional roaming | Some providers | Yes (Singtel tourist plans) |
For a full technology comparison, see eSIM vs SIM.
How much data you need in Singapore and the right amount of data
Singapore is a compact, walkable city where navigation is your largest data consumer. Typical daily data use for a tourist:
| Activity | Data per day |
|---|---|
| Google Maps navigation | 100–200 MB |
| Grab (ride-hailing) | 30–50 MB |
| WhatsApp and messaging | 50–100 MB |
| Instagram and social media | 200–500 MB |
| Streaming music | 100–150 MB |
| Google Translate (camera mode) | 30–60 MB |
A 5-day Singapore trip with standard tourist use runs approximately 2–4 GB. The Yesim 5 GB prepaid at €9 covers this with buffer. For anyone who uses a lot of data, videos heavily, uses their phone as a hotspot, or stays longer, unlimited is the more practical choice.
See how long mobile data lasts for a full per-app breakdown.
Singapore mobile network coverage
All three major Singapore carriers, Singtel, StarHub and M1, provide full island coverage including:
- Changi Airport (all terminals and transit areas).
- Marina Bay, Orchard Road, Clarke Quay, Chinatown.
- Sentosa Island and Universal Studios Singapore.
- Public transport (MRT, LRT, buses).
- Indoor coverage in shopping malls and the National Library.
- Jurong, Tampines, Woodlands and other residential areas.
The Singtel network has the widest 5G footprint. StarHub and M1 are comparable in most tourist areas. International eSIMs routing through these networks deliver the same coverage with no difference in signal quality.
The bottom line
Singapore’s mobile network is world-class and every eSIM provider on this list delivers a reliable connection across the island. The decision comes down to price, SIM card or eSIM, both work in Singapore, plan length and whether you need hotspot.
For most tourists visiting Singapore, Yesim’s 7-day unlimited at €22 with no hotspot cap is the best overall option. Budget travellers on short trips get excellent value from Saily or Airalo. Holafly works well for solo visitors who want unlimited data without tracking anything. Local carriers offer the best per-GB rates for long stays, but require in-person passport verification.
An eSIM to stay connected in Singapore is the fastest setup available. Using a Singapore eSIM gives you eSIM for data as soon as you land. You prepay before departure, stay connected throughout your Singapore trip, and top up on the go if you need more data. Tourist sims from local operators require a passport and a store visit; a travel eSIM requires neither. Buy a prepaid SIM card locally if you want the cheapest long-stay option, or use eSIM technology for the fastest and most convenient setup.
Max Pankratov
Vika Laki
