How to Stay Connected While Traveling in North America (Without Paying a Fortune)

Planning a trip to the U.S. or Canada? Whether it’s for maps, Google Maps, local dining tips, or staying in touch with family, all of it depends on a solid internet connection. And unless you love surprise roaming fees, it’s worth thinking ahead.

Roaming fees have proven to be a wallet killer. Buying local SIMs is time-consuming. There is only one traveler-tested solution: an eSIM.

Image by Pexels, Klipartz and Vecteezy

What’s an eSIM and Should You Use One?

Imagine landing in a new country and skipping the usual airport SIM card kiosk altogether and fumbling with tiny plastic cards. Built right into your phone, an eSIM means instant connectivity. It lets you download a mobile plan digitally, often in just a few taps.

As T-Mobile puts it, “An eSIM is just a SIM card gone digital, so you don’t have to wait for a physical SIM. ” It’s travel made smarter and simpler.

You can benefit from :

• No swapping SIMs or visiting local stores

• Keep your current number active

• Save on huge roaming fees

• Activate from anywhere, anytime

The Best eSIM for North America: Our Top Pick After Testing

We tested five leading eSIM providers during real travel through Toronto, Montreal, NYC, and rural Vermont. Here’s how they stacked up:

Using Yoho Mobile in the Wild

We ran a 15-day / 5GB plan through:

📍Toronto & Montreal

📍New York City

📍Vermont’s rural backroads

These were the results:

• 5G/LTE speeds in cities—great for streaming and maps

• No dropped connections during urban use

• Minor slowdowns in rural zones (normal)

• App worked smoothly for top-ups and setup

This review is based on first-hand experience by our team during real travel across North America—from city streets to rural backroads.

North America eSIM FAQs

Are eSIMs Secure?

Yes. They use the same network-level encryption as physical SIM cards. Plus, there’s less risk of losing a tiny chip when switching devices.

Why Use an eSIM When There’s Free Wifi?

Public Wi-Fi seems like a free perk, but it has drawbacks. While it might be available, it can be unreliable and slow. Worse yet, public Wi-Fi can be easy for hackers to crack, putting your information at risk. An eSIM solves these problems. With an eSIM, you get a secure and consistent connection that travels with you, whether you’re at home or abroad.

Are eSIMs Better Than Regular SIMs?

If you travel frequently, yes. You can switch countries and data plans without ever changing SIM cards. But if your phone doesn’t support eSIM, a physical SIM is still a good backup.

Are There Any Free eSIMs for North America?

Although they are not completely free, a Canada-USA eSIM starts at $7.60.

How Fast Is Yoho’s eSIM?

In cities, we saw 5G speeds consistently—enough for video, GPS, and uploads. In remote areas, it dropped to 3G briefly but was still usable for basic tasks.

Can I Use My Regular SIM + Yoho’s eSIM Together?

Absolutely. Many travelers use their physical SIM for texts and calls, and an eSIM for data. Just make sure to disable data roaming on your regular SIM to avoid surprise charges.