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Philippines · PH

Philippines eSIM plans

from $2.06 per GB

Stay connected for maps, taxi apps and messages across the Philippines. Compare the main networks, check coverage along your route and keep your home SIM separate for calls or SMS if needed.

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100 GB · 30 days for $205.79. Catalog checked 2026-09-10; confirm the total before paying.

  • No plastic SIM
  • Price before payment
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What is an eSIM?

A digital SIM you add to your phone over the internet. No plastic card and no visit to a shop.

Use Letisim for maps, taxis and messages while keeping your usual number.

Check my phone

Calls and texts on your home SIM follow your operator’s rates.

Your SIMCalls and texts
LetisimInternet for your trip

eSIM plans for Philippines

Compare data, duration and when validity begins. A top-up label means more data can be added to that package.

Prices checked 2026-09-10. The live catalog is authoritative at checkout.

Open all current plans

All published plans for Philippines

Published plans checked 2026-09-10. Availability and price are confirmed in the catalog at checkout.
DataValidityPricePer GB
1 GBGlobe · SMART5GReloadable7 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT FIRST CONNECTIONACTIVATE WITHIN 180 DAYS$3.40$3.40Choose plan
1 GBReloadable30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT PURCHASE$10.26$10.26Choose plan
3 GBGlobe · SMART5GReloadable15 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT FIRST CONNECTIONACTIVATE WITHIN 180 DAYS$8.80$2.94Choose plan
3 GBReloadable30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT PURCHASE$9.36$3.12Choose plan
5 GBReloadable30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT PURCHASE$14.68$2.94Choose plan
10 GBReloadable30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT PURCHASE$26.76$2.68Choose plan
20 GBReloadable30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT PURCHASE$49.36$2.47Choose plan
50 GBReloadable30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT PURCHASE$123.46$2.47Choose plan
50 GBGlobe · SMART5GReloadable180 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT FIRST CONNECTIONACTIVATE WITHIN 180 DAYS$147.20$2.95Choose plan
100 GBReloadable30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT PURCHASE$205.79$2.06Choose plan
UnlimitedGlobe · SMART5G1 dayVALIDITY STARTS AT FIRST CONNECTIONACTIVATE WITHIN 180 DAYS$6.60—Choose plan
UnlimitedGlobe · SMART5G3 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT FIRST CONNECTIONACTIVATE WITHIN 180 DAYS$19.80—Choose plan
UnlimitedGlobe · SMART5G7 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT FIRST CONNECTIONACTIVATE WITHIN 180 DAYS$46.20—Choose plan
UnlimitedGlobe · SMART5G14 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT FIRST CONNECTIONACTIVATE WITHIN 180 DAYS$92.40—Choose plan
UnlimitedGlobe · SMART5G30 daysVALIDITY STARTS AT FIRST CONNECTIONACTIVATE WITHIN 180 DAYS$198.00—Choose plan

How far will your data go?

Choose an allowance to see what it could cover. Quality, compression and background activity change actual usage.

Compare available plans

With 3 GB, approximately…

Send photos

≈ 600 photos

Example: 5 MB per photo

Upload your own videos

≈ 47 clips

Example: a 1-minute Full HD clip ≈ 63 MB

Watch video

≈ 1 hr

HD example: 3 GB per hour

At standard quality: ≈ 4 hr 17 min

Make video calls

≈ 2 hr 46 min

1:1 at 720p: ≈ 1.08 GB per hour

Each result uses the whole allowance for that one activity. The results do not add up: maps, messages and other apps share the same data.

Taking photos or recording video on your phone does not itself use mobile data. Sending, watching or backing them up over the mobile network does.

Compare 1, 3, 5, 10 and 20 GB
Alternative uses of the same allowance
DataPhotos · 5 MB1-minute clips · 63 MBHD video · 3 GB/hrStandard video · 0.7 GB/hrVideo calls · 720p
1 GB≈ 200 photos≈ 15 clips≈ 20 min≈ 1 hr 25 min≈ 55 min
3 GB≈ 600 photos≈ 47 clips≈ 1 hr≈ 4 hr 17 min≈ 2 hr 46 min
5 GB≈ 1,000 photos≈ 79 clips≈ 1 hr 40 min≈ 7 hr 8 min≈ 4 hr 37 min
10 GB≈ 2,000 photos≈ 158 clips≈ 3 hr 20 min≈ 14 hr 17 min≈ 9 hr 15 min
20 GB≈ 4,000 photos≈ 317 clips≈ 6 hr 40 min≈ 28 hr 34 min≈ 18 hr 31 min
Where these estimates come from

Planning examples, not guaranteed totals. We use 1 GB = 1,000 MB, round down complete files and minutes, and exclude overhead, retries and background traffic.

  1. 5 MB is Verizon’s high-resolution photo example. Your files can be smaller after compression or much larger as originals or RAW. Check the actual file size on your phone. Verizon ↗
  2. 63 MB models a 1-minute H.264 Full HD export at 24–30 fps using YouTube’s recommended video and stereo audio bitrates. It is not a universal camera-file size or the cost of watching a clip. YouTube ↗
  3. Viewing examples use Netflix’s published rates: up to 0.7 GB/hr at Medium and up to 3 GB/hr in HD. Other apps and quality settings can differ; these are not YouTube playback rates. Netflix ↗
  4. The call example uses Zoom’s 1:1 720p bandwidth: 1.2 Mbps up and 1.2 Mbps down, together about 1.08 GB/hr. Group calls and higher resolutions can use more. Zoom ↗

Sources checked 2026-09-08

Make your data last

Maps and messages

Start with your usual usage. Download maps, your accommodation address and bookings before departure.

Social posts and photos

Allow extra data if Wi-Fi will be limited. Check whether your phone backs up photos and videos over mobile data.

Video and work

Check recent data use on your phone and the package’s hotspot rules. Budget separately for video calls and large downloads.

03 / Installation

How to install an eSIM in Philippines

Your first eSIM? Here is what to open and what to tap.

Check the exact model, regional variant and system version. If Add eSIM or EID is missing, contact support before buying. A brand name alone does not confirm compatibility.

Manufacturer’s instructions · iPhone ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · Google Pixel / Android ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · Samsung ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · Huawei ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · Honor ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · Xiaomi / Redmi ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · Motorola ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · OPPO ↗

Manufacturer’s instructions · OnePlus ↗

On iOS 26, a Turn On Travel eSIM notification may appear after arrival. Choose the travel line for data and check whether you also want to keep your home line active. If no notification appears, use the manual steps below.

Check when your package starts: at payment, installation or first connection. If it starts on installation, install nearer your trip. Installing later does not postpone a package that started at payment.

These screens show settings on the models named below. Your operator and eSIM labels will differ. Screens retain the source language; each caption translates and identifies the control to use. Tap any image for a closer look.

iPhone 17 · iOS 26 · Screen source ↗

Before your trip · install the eSIM

Use a stable Wi-Fi connection or hotspot. Your exact phone model must support eSIM and be unlocked for other operators.

  1. 01

    Open your eSIM installation

    Connect the phone you will use for your eSIM to Wi-Fi. Choose one of the two options below. If this eSIM is already installed, skip to choosing the line for mobile data.

    The app or email on this phone

    In the Letisim app, open My eSIMs, choose your purchased eSIM and tap Install. On the preparation screen, tap Copy name and install.

    Or open your eSIM email on this same phone and tap Install eSIM. If the link opens your order page first, use the installation button shown there.

    A QR code on another screen

    Open your eSIM’s QR code from the email or order on a computer, tablet or another phone. Point the camera of the phone you are installing the eSIM on at the code, then tap the installation prompt.

    Both options lead to the phone’s system setup. Continue with step 2.

    The button or camera did not open setup?

    You can add the eSIM by scanning its QR code in Settings. Follow the path below, choose the QR scanner and use the code for your own purchase. If the QR is on this same phone, see the options without a second screen below the guide.

    iPhone: Settings → Mobile Service / Cellular → Add eSIM → Use QR Code → Scan QR Code → Continue

    Google Pixel / Android: Settings → Network and Internet → SIMs → Add SIM → Set up an eSIM → scan your QR → Set up

    Samsung: Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM → Scan QR code → Add → Next

    Huawei: Settings → Mobile network → SIM management → SIM 2 → Add eSIM → Add eSIM → Scan code → Add this eSIM

    Honor: Settings → Mobile network → SIM management → Add eSIM → Add eSIM or transfer from your device → Set up an eSIM → Set up

    Xiaomi / Redmi: Settings → Mobile networks → Use eSIM → Manage eSIM → Add eSIM → Add eSIM → scan your QR → confirm download

    Motorola: Settings → Network & Internet → SIMs & mobile network → Download new SIM → Set up an eSIM → scan your QR → Set up

    OPPO: Settings → Mobile network → SIM & eSIM settings → Add eSIM → Set up an eSIM → scan your QR → Set up

    OnePlus: Settings → Mobile network → eSIM → Add eSIM → Add eSIM → Next → scan your QR → Set up

    Tap Add eSIM to add your travel eSIM.Enlarge screen ↗
    Tap Add eSIM to add your travel eSIM. Screen source ↗
  2. 02

    Confirm installation on your phone

    The install button or your QR code opens the phone’s system setup. Confirm that you want to add the eSIM, then stay connected to Wi-Fi until the profile finishes downloading. If the phone first asks how to add an eSIM, use your QR code. You do not need to transfer your home SIM from another phone.

    Continue / Add / Install / Set up → wait for the eSIM to download

    For the QR option: Choose Use QR Code to install using your QR code.Enlarge screen ↗
    For the QR option: Choose Use QR Code to install using your QR code. Screen source ↗
    After scanning, tap Continue to confirm installation of your eSIM.Enlarge screen ↗
    After scanning, tap Continue to confirm installation of your eSIM. Screen source ↗
  3. 03

    Give the new line a clear name

    For example, “Letisim Philippines”, so you can distinguish it from your home SIM. This is a label on your phone; it does not change the number or plan.

    iPhone: Settings → Cellular / Mobile Service → new eSIM → Cellular Plan Label → Custom

    Google Pixel / Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → new eSIM → Edit name

    Samsung: Settings → Connections → SIM manager → new eSIM → Name

    Huawei: SIM management → SIM 2 → your eSIM → Card name. You can keep the existing label if no rename option is shown.

    Honor: SIM management → SIM 2 → eSIM name. Rename it if your MagicOS version offers this option.

    Xiaomi / Redmi: Manage eSIM → your plan → Change nickname, if available.

    Motorola: Open the new eSIM in SIM settings and use the edit-name option if available.

    OPPO: Open the installed profile in eSIM settings and change its label if your ColorOS version allows it.

    OnePlus: Open the installed eSIM and edit its name if the option is available.

    Line name: Letisim Philippines
    Open the new eSIM to edit its name. The example label may differ from yours.Enlarge screen ↗
    Open the new eSIM to edit its name. The example label may differ from yours. Screen source ↗

Installation adds the eSIM to your phone. Choose it for mobile data at your destination. Package validity still follows its own start rule.

At your destination · turn on data

  1. 04

    Choose the eSIM for mobile data

    Turn on the new line and select it for mobile data. You can keep your home SIM for calls and texts at its usual rates. Turn off automatic mobile-data switching between SIMs.

    iPhone: Settings → Cellular / Mobile Service → Cellular Data → Letisim. Turn off “Allow Cellular Data Switching”.

    Google Pixel / Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Mobile data → Letisim

    Samsung: Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Mobile data → Letisim

    Huawei: In SIM management, enable the travel eSIM and select it as the default mobile-data SIM. Adding it may disable a physical SIM in slot 2.

    Honor: In SIM management, enable the eSIM and choose it for mobile data. Check which physical SIM remains active.

    Xiaomi / Redmi: Enable the travel plan in Manage eSIM, then select it for mobile data. Some models use eSIM instead of physical SIM 2.

    Motorola: Network & internet → SIM settings: enable the travel eSIM and select it for mobile data.

    OPPO: Enable the profile in Mobile network → eSIM, then select it for mobile data. The eSIM may occupy the SIM 2 position.

    OnePlus: In Mobile network, enable the travel eSIM and choose it for mobile data. Turn off automatic switching to the other SIM.

    Choose your travel eSIM for Mobile data. Keep your home SIM for calls.Enlarge screen ↗
    Choose your travel eSIM for Mobile data. Keep your home SIM for calls. Screen source ↗
  2. 05

    Check roaming in your package guide

    If your eSIM instructions require data roaming, enable it for the Letisim line. Keep data roaming off on your home SIM. If an APN is specified, use the exact value in your own package’s guide.

    iPhone: Settings → Cellular / Mobile Service → Letisim → Data Roaming (sometimes under Cellular Data Options)

    Google Pixel / Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Letisim → Roaming

    Samsung: First select Letisim for mobile data, then Settings → Connections → Mobile networks → Data roaming

    Huawei: Open Mobile network → Mobile data and check data roaming for the travel SIM. Follow the settings in your package guide.

    Honor: In the mobile-network settings, open the travel SIM’s data settings and enable roaming only if your package requires it.

    Xiaomi / Redmi: In Mobile networks, open the travel SIM’s data-roaming settings. Use the roaming and APN values from your package guide.

    Motorola: Open the travel eSIM’s network settings and check Roaming against your package instructions.

    OPPO: Open the travel SIM’s mobile-network settings and enable data roaming if required by your package.

    OnePlus: Open the travel SIM’s settings and check Data roaming against the instructions for your own package.

    Open Data roaming or Roaming for the travel line. Enable it only if your package instructions require it.Enlarge screen ↗
    Open Data roaming or Roaming for the travel line. Enable it only if your package instructions require it. Screen source ↗
  3. 06

    Check your connection

    Turn off Wi-Fi and open a map or website. If it loads, mobile data is working. If it does not, turn airplane mode on for about 30 seconds, turn it off and wait for a connection. Recheck the selected line and package settings.

    Wi-Fi off → website loads → you are connected

    Turn Wi-Fi off using this switch, then open a website or map to check mobile data.Enlarge screen ↗
    Turn Wi-Fi off using this switch, then open a website or map to check mobile data. Screen source ↗
No second screen for your QR code?

If the scanner has a gallery button, save the QR from your order and choose that image. If your order includes manual installation details, choose Enter details manually and copy the fields exactly. The available methods depend on your phone and eSIM. If neither is available, contact support; do not scan a sample code from this guide or delete an installed eSIM.

Menu names can differ by phone model and system version.

04 / Operators

Mobile operators in Philippines

Compare network coverage separately from speed. A national result does not predict reception inside your hotel or along a mountain road.

The nationwide mobile networks in the Philippines are Globe, Smart and DITO, as reflected by regulator and market sources. Brands and sub-brands may exist within those networks, but they are not separate national networks.

Globe

Globe’s network page is the official place to review current service and 5G-related information. For a trip, it is still worth checking the exact hotel, airport or transfer areas you will use most. [1] [2] [5]

Check coverage ↗

Smart

Smart’s 5G page lets you check whether an area has Smart 5G coverage. That is useful for planning, but it does not replace a real-world check at the places you will actually spend time. [1] [3] [5]

Check coverage ↗

DITO

DITO provides a coverage checker on its network page. It helps confirm where service is available before you rely on it for navigation, messaging or ride-hailing. [1] [4] [5]

Check coverage ↗
Dated network measurements
OperatorCoverage Experience / 10Download · MbpsStudy date
Globe7.2—2024-04[5]
Smart7.1—2024-04[5]
DITO3.3—2024-04[5]

Coverage Experience is a score, not a percentage of territory. These dated averages are not promised speeds for your connection.

The network in your chosen package is what matters. This country comparison does not mean every plan includes every operator. 5G depends on the package, phone and local coverage.

05 / Coverage

Coverage across Philippines

Check the addresses and roads you will actually use. Save maps and booking details before leaving Wi-Fi.

🇵🇭 Philippines
  1. Manila and Metro Manila
  2. Boracay
  3. El Nido and northern Palawan
  4. Metro Cebu

Manila and Metro Manila

For airport transfers, hotels and city transport, a data eSIM is most useful when it is ready before arrival. Save offline maps as well, because the places you move through most often are the ones where quick access to directions matters most. [6] [8] [10]

Boracay

Island travel works better when you have your hotel pin, booking details and transfer contacts saved in advance. On boat days and beach transfers, offline maps reduce dependence on a live signal for every step. [6] [10]

El Nido and northern Palawan

This route often mixes town stays with island-hopping and changing pickup points. Keep maps, tour confirmations and driver messages available offline so you can switch between legs without losing your bearings. [6] [10]

Metro Cebu

Cebu is a practical base for mixed city-and-island itineraries. If you are combining ferry terminals, resort stays and short domestic connections, keep a ride app and offline navigation ready so you are not dependent on one live connection. [7] [8] [9] [10]

Philippines · eSIM

What to know before you choose

The Philippines has three nationwide mobile networks commonly identified by regulator and market sources: Globe, Smart and DITO. For travellers, that means the better choice is usually the one that fits your actual itinerary, not a generic promise about the whole country. Airport arrivals, hotel rooms, ferry terminals, mall corridors and island-transfer points can all feel very different in practice.

A data eSIM is especially useful when your trip depends on live navigation, ride-hailing and messaging. That matters in Manila and Cebu for city transport, and it matters on island trips too, where you may switch between boats, vans and beach transfers. Offline maps and saved booking details add a useful backup so you are not relying on one live connection for every step.

Useful apps and travel tools

Grab ↗

Ride-hailing, food delivery and groceries in one app. It is useful for airport pickups, city rides and quick orders in major Philippine destinations. [8]

Angkas ↗

A motorcycle taxi app used in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Cagayan de Oro. It is practical when traffic is heavy and you need a short urban hop. [9]

Google Maps ↗

Download offline areas before arrival or before island transfers. That keeps navigation available even if mobile data becomes weak for a while. [10]

Before you buy

A backup data line is useful even on a short trip

In the Philippines, travellers commonly rely on mobile data for maps, ride-hailing, hotel check-ins and messaging. Keeping your home SIM available for calls or SMS while using an eSIM for data can make the trip smoother without mixing the two jobs. [2] [3] [8] [9] [10]

Coverage pages help, but route checks help more

Operator coverage pages show where service or 5G may be available, which is a good planning step. For travellers, the more practical question is whether the connection works in the hotel, at the airport curb, at the ferry terminal and on the road between stops. [2] [3] [4] [5]

06 / FAQ

Questions about eSIM in Philippines

Which network is the safest choice for a Philippines trip?

There is no universal winner for every route. Globe, Smart and DITO are the nationwide networks, and the right fit depends on where you will spend time and which phone you use. A practical approach is to pick a plan from a network you can verify with the operator’s own coverage page and keep offline maps ready for indoor areas and transfer days. [1] [2] [3] [4] [10]

Is one eSIM enough for Manila, Cebu and island stops?

Often yes, if your main use is data for maps, taxi apps and messages. But if your itinerary includes hotel transfers, ferry legs and beach or island stops, it is smart to save offline maps and important booking details before you move between locations. That way you have live data when it is available and a backup when it is not. [6] [7] [8] [10]

Can I depend on 5G everywhere in the Philippines?

No. Operator pages can show whether an area has 5G coverage, but that is not the same as a promise that every street, room or beach will behave the same way. In practice, 5G availability is local and can vary by exact place, building materials and network load. [2] [3] [5]

Should I keep my home SIM active too?

Yes, if you want a separate line for bank SMS, family calls or account recovery while the eSIM handles travel data. Keeping both active lets you split the jobs cleanly: the eSIM does the trip data, and your regular number remains available for personal or financial messages. [8] [9] [10]

What should I prepare before Boracay or El Nido?

Save your hotel pin, transfer details, tour confirmations and driver contacts before you leave your first stop. Those trips often involve changing transport modes, so offline maps and stored confirmations are more useful than assuming you will always have a live signal at the exact moment you need it. [6] [10]

Sources and checks · Country research checked 2026-09-08
  1. NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION — SIM Registration FAQs · NTC
  2. Globe Network: Building Better Connections · Globe Telecom
  3. Smart 5G · Smart Communications
  4. DITO Network Coverage · DITO Telecommunity
  5. Philippines, April 2024, Mobile Network Experience Report · Opensignal
  6. Love the Philippines · Department of Tourism
  7. Cebu Tourism · Cebu Province Tourism
  8. Download Grab app for transport and food delivery | Grab PH · Grab
  9. Help Centre · Angkas
  10. Use Google Maps built into your car when offline · Google
  11. Letisim public catalog · Letisim