These 6 prepaid SIM cards for US tourists will take your 2026 travels to the next level

Going for one of the best prepaid SIM cards for SIM cards for U.S. travelers and tourists will ensure that your upcoming trip to the United States ends up being a memorable experience, as you won't have to worry about staying in touch with friends and family members back home. That said, it's not exactly easy to pick the right SIM card (and by extension, wireless carrier), as there is a wide range of options available out there. To ease things for you, we've shortlisted some of the finest picks in the market.

Oh, and you'll be happy to know that you don't even have to walk into a store to get a SIM card. Of course, it's still possible to do that if that's your preference but ordering a SIM card online and having it delivered to your doorstep is a cakewalk these days. This goes for both mainstream servicers like AT&T, as well as Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) such as Mint Mobile. All you'll need is a fairly recent smartphone, and you'll be ready to go in no time.

At a glance

Best overall

Arguably one of the best MVNO carriers available out there, Mint Mobile uses the network infrastructure of T-Mobile (now its parent company) to offer reliable and consistent 4G LTE and 5G coverage. This makes it a solid prepaid SIM card if you are planning to stay in the U.S. for at least three months. Our Mint Mobile review noted the service provider's strong 5G connectivity and phone compatibility, which continue to be the best you can get in the country currently.

It's worth noting that with Mint Mobile, you have to buy at least three months of service upfront. After that, the best deals are available if you sign up for either six or 12 months of service. For three months on the unlimited plan, you will have to pay $90 (before regular promotional discounts) and enjoy goodies like unlimited talk, text, and data, 20GB mobile hotspot data usage, and free calling to Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Mint Mobile has also removed data caps from its unlimited plan, making it better than ever, although speeds will be reduced if you use more than 50GB in a plan cycle. For the base 6GB plan, you'd be paying $15 each for the first three months in the form of $45 as a one-time advance payment. Calling to other international locations is available at per-minute rates but if you use an app (e.g., WhatsApp, Line) to stay in touch with your friends and family members, you'll be requiring just data. There are two other plans having 17GB and 23GB of data, and have monthly costs (again, before regular discounts) of $20 and $25, respectively.

Joining Mint Mobile is simple; you can even sign up for a trial online to get a free Mint Mobile SIM card. It's even simpler if your phone is compatible with an eSIM as you can activate the eSIM straight from your smartphone and then continue the service if you end up liking it. You can also buy a Mint Mobile SIM card from retailers such as Target, Best Buy, Walmart, or even Amazon.

Note: As part of a limited-time promotion, you can get any of Mint Mobile's plans at a discounted price of $15 per month, provided you sign up as a new customer.

Best for short stays

Ultra Mobile is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) on T-Mobile's network, which means that you'll enjoy great T-Mobile coverage, but at much lower prices. In our Ultra Mobile review, we noticed strong coverage as well as data speeds. We recommend going for the Ultra Mobile 4GB plan if you plan on visiting the U.S. for a month or less. However, if things change and you end up staying for a bit longer, you'll still be able to get some really tempting discounts by signing up for multiple months of service.

With the 4GB plan, you get a regular SIM and after 30 days, the plan's validity will end; this makes it great for users who just want simple talk and text functionality to a wide range of destinations without relying a lot on data during their stay. At a monthly cost of just $19 (before relevant taxes and fees), you'll be getting a SIM kit offering unlimited talk and text to more than 90 countries worldwide, as well as free Wi-Fi calling and 4GB high-speed 5G/4G LTE data, so you should have no issues staying connected with friends and family. The plan also offers a monthly $1.50 international calling credit and a one-time $5 international roaming credit, along with perks such as unlimited talk and text in Mexico and Canada, as well as mobile hotspot functionality. There's shared hotspot data allotment included too.

Best budget

What differentiates Lycamobile from other options listed here is the fact that it's a global MVNO, and in the U.S., it's an MVNO using T-Mobile's network. To find out if your phone is compatible, all you have to do is contact Lycamobile support and they'll help you out. Generally, majority of the unlocked GSM smartphones should work on the network without any issues.

Lycamobile offers multiple plans to choose from, although it mainly serves those who require unlimited text and talk. The plans also include international calling and texting to 100 countries, and you can benefit from these features at no extra cost. With these perks, it's difficult not to lean towards Lycamobile.

When it comes to data, you have several options, starting at a just 1GB and going up to 50GB. The cheapest 1GB plan costs just $15 per month, while the unlimited plan (highest tier) having 50GB data can be had at an effective monthly price of $21, if you pay for an entire year. Note that all of these prices are before deals and multi-month discounts. The data & bonus features that you get also vary slightly with each plan, so make sure to take the time to choose the right one for you. For example, the top-tier 50GB plan packs 5GB roaming data in Canada and Mexico, and a $15 bonus international credit.

You can easily get one of Lycamobile SIM cards. They can be purchased online on Amazon or via the carrier's official website. Alternatively, you can even buy one at pharmacies, 7-Eleven stores, and local convenience stores. If you've got questions, you can use the online store locator to locate your nearest retailer.

Best non-MVNO

AT&T remains one of the best carriers for getting a SIM card if you're visiting the U.S. The operator offers fantastic network coverage and some of the best prepaid phone plans available in the country. It also tends to have slightly better coverage in rural areas in comparison to the other carriers, so it's a great option if you plan to be on the road a lot. For $35 a month (taxes and fees extra), AT&T Prepaid offers 30GB high-speed data, which is then throttled to 1.5Mbps after you've used up all the allotment. As always, you should check your phone's compatibility with AT&T network before you sign up for it.

This plan offers texting to more than 230 countries but no mobile hotspot use. If this plan is not enough for you, you can always switch to the unlimited plan that costs $45 per month. This plan includes talk, text, and data in the United States, 10GB mobile hotspot data, as well as 25GB monthly data use in Canada. You also get video streaming at SD (480p) resolution. The highest unlimited plan is priced at $60 per month (before taxes and fees) and gives unlimited high-speed 5G with no restrictions, as well as 500 minutes of international long-distance calls to more than thirty countries, 30GB mobile hotspot data, as well as 100GB cloud storage.

Best prepaid data plan

Not only does it have some of the best cell phone plans in the United States, but T-Mobile gives solid prepaid services too, suitable for most tourists and travelers visiting the country. The T-Mobile network has vastly improved over the past few years, with the carrier's 5G network now offering some of the most well-rounded general connectivity and the fastest speeds in the business. As a result, you'll get excellent coverage when traveling in most major cities during the course of your stay.

There are three T-Mobile prepaid plans to pick from, but the ideal plan for most visitors will be T-Mobile's 15GB (Starter Monthly) prepaid plan; it has a pricing of $40 per month with autopay discounts, and before taxes and fees for one line. It offers unlimited domestic talk and text, up to 15GB high-speed data, shared mobile hotspot usage, and MLB.TV access (subject to availability), along with scam call blocking and a five-year price guarantee. If you want to add international calling, you can do so for an extra $15 per month, or if you're going to be traveling to Mexico or Canada only for a few days, you can add talking and texting to use in these two countries for an added $5 per month. While the next plan boosts the high-speed data usage to 50GB, the top-tier plan also adds 5GB dedicated mobile hotspot data usage, as well as international texting to over 215 countries around the globe.

Best data-only plan

If you don't think you'll be requiring talk time minutes during your United States visit and just data, we recommend considering a data-only plan through Cricket Wireless, an MVNO that uses the network infrastructure of AT&T, which is also its parent company. For $35, you get 20GB high-speed data for the whole month. If you need more data, you can go with the $55 plan having 100GB monthly data. Then there is the most premium $90 plan, which gives you 150GB monthly data. The two higher plans let you have double their respective data allotments, if you bundle them with a phone plan.

Again, none of these three plans have any talk time minutes, so you will have to ensure that you're fine solely by relying on messaging apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger to stay in touch with your family members or friends back home. The plans also come with text and picture messages across the U.S. and use in Mexico and Canada if you plan on visiting those countries. The plans will work well if you're planning on streaming, downloading, and doing high-speed browsing on those long road trips.

Walking into a Cricket Wireless store and purchasing a SIM card instantly is also quite possible, and the online store locator tool can help you locate your nearest store. Popular retailers such as Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart also sell Universal SIM card activation kits for Cricket Wireless. The good news is that if you do end up wanting talk time minutes, you can always switch to one of the carrier's full-fledged plans with the same SIM card.

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How to choose

Know your requirements before buying a prepaid SIM card

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Thanks to the ever-improving network infrastructure and a wide range of plans, you can't go wrong with any wireless service provider these days, be it a regular operator or an MVNO. Choosing the right prepaid SIM card will primarily depend on your use. If you'll only be staying for a few days, we recommend Ultra Mobile's 4GB plan. It packs in Wi-Fi calling, unlimited talk and text, hotspot use, and even monthly international calling credit.

Conversely, if you'll be staying for a few months, any of Mint Mobile's plans will be ideal. Owned by T-Mobile, it'll give you good network coverage and benefits such as mobile hotspot functionality, and even free calling to Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom. You can also avail a free trial, and if you like the service, sign up for multiple months for great savings.

AT&T offers excellent coverage and is perfect if you travel a lot. Although you'll be paying more, you'll get good speeds and coverage.

Should you get an international add-on with your current service provider?

Almost every mobile operator around the world has partnerships with many (if not all) of the service providers in other countries. This alternative seems better because it simplifies things a lot: you only have to deal with the existing service provider, and not the one you're unfamiliar with. You can just activate a suitable international add-on on your existing SIM card before coming to the country and even get wireless service when waiting for a connecting flight. However, note that these add-ons are often quite expensive, and network coverage might not be as good as it will be with a local carrier based and operating in the United States.

How about eSIM platforms?

If your smartphone supports eSIM functionality, you can go for one of the many eSIM apps/platforms to quickly buy and activate a wireless service plan. This will save you the hassle of ordering a physical SIM card and waiting for it to arrive so you can simply put it in your phone and start using it.

One such platform is Airalo, which lets you get an eSIM with just 1GB data and a validity of three days. T-Mobile also offers an app (available for iOS & Android) that lets you order and activate your eSIM with little to no effort.

• MVNO deals: Mint Mobile | Visible | Boost Mobile | Tello | Cricket Wireless