How much data do you actually need?
Drag the sliders to match your real travel habits — maps, social, streaming, video calls — and we'll tell you how many GB to buy, with a built-in safety buffer so you don't run out.
Personal Hotspot (tethering). Sharing data to a laptop/tablet? Count the activities on that device (browsing, video calls, etc.) using the sliders above — tethering itself adds almost no overhead.
We recommend a 10 GB plan
For a 7-day trip at ~590 MB/day with a 30% safety buffer, a 10 GB plan should be comfortable. If you plan to stream HD video or tether a laptop, consider an unlimited plan.
Find eSIM plans for your destination
Pick your country to see live prices from 20+ providers — sort by price, data amount, duration and hotspot support.
How much data do I need in…?
Country-specific estimates with local tips on WiFi, streaming, and plan pricing.
Frequently asked questions
How many GB do I need for a 7-day Japan trip?
For a typical traveler (~1 GB/day), a 10 GB plan is a safe bet; if you'll be streaming video or using your laptop over hotspot, go unlimited. Japan has good free WiFi in cafes, convenience stores and hotels, but Google Maps and translation apps still consume data on the move — and connectivity on the Shinkansen or in rural areas makes an eSIM worth it.
Is 1 GB enough for a week abroad?
Only for very light use — mostly WiFi, with occasional maps and messaging. 1 GB works out to ~140 MB/day, which is roughly an hour of maps, an hour of messaging and a bit of browsing. It won't cover regular social media scrolling, music or any video. Most travelers are more comfortable with 5–10 GB for a week.
How much data does Google Maps use?
Turn-by-turn navigation uses only 3–8 MB/h (we use 5 MB/h as an average). A full day of walking around a city with 3–4 hours of navigation adds up to just 15–30 MB. Downloading offline maps before your trip can bring this close to zero. Maps is rarely the reason you run out of data.
Should I get an unlimited eSIM?
Unlimited plans are worth it if: your trip is 10+ days, you stream video or music daily, you work remotely via video calls/tethering, or you simply don't want to think about usage. Check the fine print — many "unlimited" plans throttle to 128–512 kbps after a daily high-speed cap (e.g. 500 MB/day or 2 GB/day). For short trips with moderate use, a capped 5–10 GB plan is usually cheaper.
How much data do Zoom / FaceTime calls use?
Roughly 200–300 MB/h per video call. Three one-hour calls a day over a 7-day trip adds ~5 GB on top of your other usage. If you're a digital nomad, factor in 10–15 GB just for work, or pick an unlimited plan that explicitly supports tethering/hotspot.
Does tethering (personal hotspot) use more data?
Tethering itself adds negligible overhead, but laptops use more data than phones for the same tasks (heavier websites, higher-res video, background sync). Count laptop activities (browsing, video calls, streaming) in the sliders above — don't treat tethering as a separate category.
How can I use less data while traveling?
Download offline maps (Google Maps, Maps.me), Spotify/Netflix playlists and your podcast queue before you leave on WiFi; disable auto-play on Instagram/TikTok; turn off background app refresh and iCloud Photo uploads over cellular; use WiFi whenever it's safely available; and turn on your phone's data-saver/low-data mode.