{"id":6745,"date":"2026-08-03T15:43:45","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T13:43:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/?p=188704"},"modified":"2026-08-03T15:43:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T13:43:45","slug":"need-an-esim-for-roaming-solved-compare-these-choices-for-south-africa-and-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/need-an-esim-for-roaming-solved-compare-these-choices-for-south-africa-and-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"Need an eSIM for Roaming? Solved: Compare these Choices for South Africa and Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/need-an-esim-for-roaming-solved-compare-these-choices-for-south-africa-and-africa\/#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><svg class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<p>We all know just how expensive an overseas roaming package can be \u2013 in the early days it was only call based and resulted in some clients having to literally \u2018sell the farm\u2019 in order to pay their bill after taking calls from Ma, Pa, Kinders en Die Baas.<\/p>\n<p>With regards to data, if you do not buy a specific travel bundle and rely on default pay-as-you-use rates, you face a massive risk of \u201cbill shock.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Local_Provider_Examples\"><\/span><strong>Local Provider Examples:<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Vodacom offer a Standard Out-of-Bundle Rate: ~R0.75 to R5.00 per MB (which equates to an expensive R750 to R5,000 per GB) depending on the specific UK partner network you connect to.<\/li>\n<li>Vodacom also offer Travel Data Bundles: 1 GB (Valid 7 days): R99; 5 GB (Valid 7 days): R349; All-For-You Bundles (Data + Voice):1 GB + 100 Mins (Valid 7 days): R199; 5 GB + 200 Mins (Valid 7 days): R549<\/li>\n<li>MTN has standard out-of-bundle rates starting around R0.99 per MB (~R1,000 per GB) on preferred partner networks like Vodafone UK.<\/li>\n<li>MTN have recently introduced highly competitive international travel eSIM add-ons. The MTN Travel eSIM (Powered by KnowRoaming) lets you buy destination-specific data directly through your MTN profile before flying: 1 GB (Valid 7 days) for ~$4.10 USD (approx. R75). They offer larger custom bundles scaling up to 20GB.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote readability=\"7\">\n<p>MTN and Vodacom offer data-per-gigabyte eSIMs, but they require strict identity verification (RICA) under local laws.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The Savvy International Traveller will buy an eSIM with unlimited data before arriving in <a href=\"https:\/\/mayamobile.pxf.io\/PzWane\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South Africa<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>International eSIM providers offer a mix of both unlimited and fixed-data packages for South Africa depending on your trip duration and data needs. These packages are offered in a variety of \u2018flavours\u2019 \u2013 from 1 to 3 to 7 to 10 to 30 days duration.<\/p>\n<blockquote readability=\"3.6992481203008\">\n<p>As far as we can see the <a href=\"https:\/\/maya.net\/plans\/africa?im_ref=WgKU-GwhpxyZU2NXPByWMyMfUkuSGu0PtS6YW00&amp;sharedid=&amp;irpid=2439168&amp;irgwc=1&amp;afsrc=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em><strong>Maya Mobile eSIM offers the most bang for your buck<\/strong><\/em><\/a> from $1.67 per day (depending on the duration selected).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Most_Affordable_eSIM\"><\/span><strong>Most Affordable eSIM:<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/maya.net\/plans\/africa?im_ref=WgKU-GwhpxyZU2NXPByWMyMfUkuSGu0PtS6YW00&amp;sharedid=&amp;irpid=2439168&amp;irgwc=1&amp;afsrc=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Maya<\/a> offers four one-time packages, all covering 165+ countries with unlimited data: 3-day at USD $9.99 ($3.33 per day), 7-day at USD $19.99 ($2.86 per day), 14-day at USD $27.99 ($2.00 per day), and 30-day at USD $49.99 ($1.67 per day). All plans include hotspot, 5G where available, and zero throttling.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"eSIM_Pricing_Comparisons\"><\/span><strong>eSIM Pricing Comparisons:<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"8\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Provider\"><\/span><strong>Provider<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<\/th>\n<th>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Data_Allowance\"><\/span><strong>Data Allowance<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<\/th>\n<th>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Validity_Period\"><\/span><strong>Validity Period<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<\/th>\n<th>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Price_USD\"><\/span><strong>Price (USD)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<\/th>\n<th>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Local_Network_Features\"><\/span><strong>Local Network \/ Features<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody readability=\"7.6635514018692\">\n<tr readability=\"4\">\n<td><strong>Holafly<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Unlimited Data<\/td>\n<td>1 Day (Custom options available)<\/td>\n<td>From $9.50<\/td>\n<td>Includes 1GB monthly backup data<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr readability=\"2\">\n<td><strong>Airalo<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Unlimited Data<\/td>\n<td>3 Days<\/td>\n<td>$20.50<\/td>\n<td>Uses Vodacom \/ Cell C networks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Airalo<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Unlimited Data<\/td>\n<td>7 Days<\/td>\n<td>$39.50<\/td>\n<td>High-speed local access<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr readability=\"2\">\n<td><strong>Airalo<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Unlimited Data<\/td>\n<td>30 Days<\/td>\n<td>$99.00<\/td>\n<td>Best for heavy internet users<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr readability=\"1.4489795918367\">\n<td>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Maya_Mobile\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maya.net\/plans\/africa?im_ref=WgKU-GwhpxyZU2NXPByWMyMfUkuSGu0PtS6YW00&amp;sharedid=&amp;irpid=2439168&amp;irgwc=1&amp;afsrc=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Maya Mobile<\/strong><\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<\/td>\n<td><strong>Unlimited Data<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Daily Multi-Country Plan<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/maya.net\/plans\/africa?im_ref=WgKU-GwhpxyZU2NXPByWMyMfUkuSGu0PtS6YW00&amp;sharedid=&amp;irpid=2439168&amp;irgwc=1&amp;afsrc=1\">From $1.67 \/ Day<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Uncapped global travel option<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr readability=\"2\">\n<td><strong>Ubigi<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Unlimited Data<\/td>\n<td>7 Days<\/td>\n<td>$35.00<\/td>\n<td>Speed drops after initial threshold<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr readability=\"2\">\n<td><strong>Ubigi<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Fixed 1 GB<\/td>\n<td>30 Days<\/td>\n<td>$5.00<\/td>\n<td>Budget light-use alternative<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr readability=\"2\">\n<td><strong>Ubigi<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Fixed 10 GB<\/td>\n<td>7 Days<\/td>\n<td>$18.00<\/td>\n<td>Cost-effective short-term data<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Ubigi<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Fixed 10 GB<\/td>\n<td>30 Days<\/td>\n<td>$20.00<\/td>\n<td>Uses high-speed MTN 5G<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Disclosure:<\/strong> The Maya Mobile eSIM is a product selected by the <a href=\"https:\/\/mygq.co.za\/product\/maya-esim\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MyGQ Tourism Hub<\/a> as a valuable product for tourists visiting Africa. MyGQ receives a commission on every sale which is NOT added to the displayed prices.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Images\"><\/span><strong>Images:<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_188705\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-188705\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/maya.net\/plans\/africa?im_ref=WgKU-GwhpxyZU2NXPByWMyMfUkuSGu0PtS6YW00&amp;sharedid=&amp;irpid=2439168&amp;irgwc=1&amp;afsrc=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-188705 size-full lazyload\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" alt width=\"728\" height=\"90\" src=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Connect-Before-You-Land-eSIM.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Connect-Before-You-Land-eSIM.png 728w, https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Connect-Before-You-Land-eSIM-625x77.png 625w, https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Connect-Before-You-Land-eSIM-300x37.png 300w\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-188705\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Instant Activation eSIM. No Throttling, Very Affordable. Photo: Maya Mobile<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Links\"><\/span><strong>Links:<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/Need an eSIM for Roaming? Solved: Compare these Choices for South Africa and Africa\/2\/\">Boilerplate and Editor\u2019s Notes<\/a><\/strong>.<br \/><strong>More Info on <a href=\"https:\/\/mygq.co.za\/product\/maya-esim\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Need an eSIM for Roaming? Solved: Compare these Choices for South Africa and Africa<\/a> here:<\/strong><br \/><strong>X<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MyPE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/twitter.com\/MyPE<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/save-with-myprs-monthly-flat-fee\/\">CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><!-- Genesis Simple Share error: This location ( after ) has already been used. --><strong><\/p>\n<h3>Track Your Press Release HERE:<\/h3>\n<p><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"mypr-visibility-box\" readability=\"4.2608695652174\">\n<h4>Check Online Visibility<\/h4>\n<p>Verify where this release is currently indexed:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-pagination pagination\">Pages: <span class=\"post-page-numbers current\" aria-current=\"page\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Page <\/span>1<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/need-an-esim-for-roaming-solved-compare-these-choices-for-south-africa-and-africa\/2\/\" class=\"post-page-numbers\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Page <\/span>2<\/a><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/need-an-esim-for-roaming-solved-compare-these-choices-for-south-africa-and-africa\/\" target=\"_blank\">CLICK HERE to Read the Original Press Release on MyPR<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Table of Contents We all know just how expensive an overseas roaming package can be \u2013 in the early days it was only call based and resulted in some clients having to literally \u2018sell the farm\u2019 in order to pay their bill after taking calls from Ma, Pa, Kinders en Die Baas. With regards to &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","autoblue_enabled":true,"autoblue_custom_message":"","autoblue_shares":[{"did":"did:plc:revymtt5qssww7e7avbruzic","date":"2026-08-03T14:24:16+00:00","uri":"at:\/\/did:plc:revymtt5qssww7e7avbruzic\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3ms6p7lberg2t","response":"{\"uri\":\"at:\/\/did:plc:revymtt5qssww7e7avbruzic\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3ms6p7lberg2t\",\"cid\":\"bafyreibfepafjgt2fndndu76wsmretaqnztqhb4jlstwpawyq6rp3hy434\",\"commit\":{\"cid\":\"bafyreieywl7o2l3o6tkgjiqcnwhloriy2gp2kiy2mf4q4zrcsvdhync6cu\",\"rev\":\"3ms6p7lbojw2t\"},\"validationStatus\":\"valid\"}"}],"autoblue_post_url":"","autoblue_publish_document":false,"republication-tracker-tool-hide-widget":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,3],"tags":[29],"class_list":["type-post","category-featured","category-news","tag-mypr-africa","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6745","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6745"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6745\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6745"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}