URL: https://esimgo.in/esim-unlimited/
Source: eSIM Go (esimgo.in)
Author: Nadezhda Semenova, entrepreneur, co-founder of the Trippy travel service, https://esimgo.in/author/
Updated: 12 Oct 2026

# Unlimited data eSIM for travel: what "unlimited" really means

An unlimited data SIM has a daily high-speed limit. In our catalogue on 12 Oct 2026 that limit is 3 GB a day for most plans and 5 GB a day for Thailand, the United States and Europe. Past it, speed drops, usually to 1 Mbps, until the next day.

## Short answer: unlimited means a daily high-speed limit

On a travel eSIM, unlimited means full speed up to a daily limit, then a slower connection. Most of our unlimited plans drop to 1 Mbps after 3 GB a day. Thailand, [the United States](/esim-united-states/) and our Europe-wide plan allow 5 GB a day first. Jio, Airtel and Vi set different rules on their roaming packs.

## The daily limits on our unlimited plans

Most of our unlimited plans give 3 GB a day at full speed, then 1 Mbps. We counted 756 unlimited packages on our country pages on 12 Oct 2026 (our count; regional plans not included). 716 slow to 1 Mbps after 3 GB a day, and 24 slow to 1 Mbps after 5 GB a day.

The 24 packages with a 5 GB daily limit are in Thailand, Spain, Italy and the United States, and our Europe-wide plan uses the same limit. Eleven packages, in the UAE and the US Virgin Islands, give 3 GB a day and then slower speeds, with no speed stated. In Guam, four slow to 1 Mbps after 2 GB a day, and one does not state its limit.

| Plan | Full speed per day | After the limit | Full speed over 5 days (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand, 5 days: ≈ ₹1,436 (12 Oct rate), charged US$14.99 by card | 5 GB | 1 Mbps | up to 25 GB |
| Europe, 5 days: ≈ ₹1,867 (12 Oct rate), charged US$19.49 by card | 5 GB | 1 Mbps | up to 25 GB |
| Vietnam, 5 days: ≈ ₹1,771 (12 Oct rate), charged US$18.49 by card | 3 GB | 1 Mbps | up to 15 GB |

Source: our catalogue, 12 Oct 2026. The 5-day total is the daily limit times 5; the limit resets daily, so a light day cannot be saved for a heavy one. Your card is charged in US dollars. Your bank converts the amount at its own rate and may add a foreign-transaction (forex markup) fee. [How card payments work](/how-to-pay/).

Hotspot use draws on the same data allowance, and our plan details do not state a hotspot rule. The [hotspot guide](/help/esim-hotspot/) shows how fast sharing uses each daily limit.

## What Jio, Airtel and Vi mean by unlimited abroad

On Indian roaming packs the word "unlimited" means three different things. Jio's US pack gives a fixed 12 GB at high speed. Airtel's ₹2,999 postpaid pack is listed as unlimited but slows to 80 kbps after 10 GB. Vi's Ultra pack prints data as "FREE" only in its 40-country UL zone. We read each document on 12 Oct 2026.

| Operator and pack | What the document says |
|---|---|
| Jio, US, Mexico and Canada pack, ₹1,555 for 15 days | 12 GB high-speed data, then up to 64 kbps. Source: [Jio IR plans](https://www.jio.com/selfcare/plans/mobility/prepaid-plans-list/?category=International%20Roaming&categoryId=SW50ZXJuYXRpb25hbCBSb2FtaW5n) |
| Airtel postpaid, ₹2,999 for 10 days (all circles except Maharashtra) | Listed as unlimited: 10 GB high-speed, then 80 kbps. Source: [Airtel T&C](https://assets.airtel.in/static-assets/online-recharge-ui/assets/pdf/tnc.pdf), §7.1.1 |
| Vi prepaid Ultra, ₹3,495 for 7 days | Data printed as "FREE" in the 40-country UL zone; 2 GB and 200 min in the non-UL zone. Source: [Vi prepaid terms](https://www.myvi.in/content/dam/vodafoneideadigital/ir/Vi_VF_Prepaid_TnC.pdf) |

Vi's non-UL zone includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, China and South Korea, where Ultra packs give 2 to 5 GB. Vi's country list is an image that we transcribed by hand, so confirm your country in the Vi app. More on [Jio](/roaming/jio/), [Airtel](/roaming/airtel/) and [Vi](/roaming/vi/) roaming.

We sell travel eSIMs, so we have an interest here. The table still shows when your [operator pack](/roaming/) is the better choice. All three packs include calls on your Indian number. Most of our plans are data-only, and none carries your Indian number.

## Unlimited or 10 GB: who needs which

Choose by daily use. Our [data guide](/how-much-data-do-i-need/) uses four profiles: 0.3 GB a day for maps and messaging, 0.8 GB for social media and photos, 1.7 GB for videos and video calls, and 3.0 GB for working on a laptop. On an average day none passes the 3 GB daily limit that most of our unlimited plans carry.

At 0.3 or 0.8 GB a day, an unlimited plan buys headroom you do not use: 5 days at 0.8 GB is 4 GB, and a 5 GB plan covers it. For 5 days in Thailand at 1.7 GB a day (8.5 GB), compare the unlimited plan at ≈ ₹1,436 (12 Oct rate) with the 10 GB, 30-day plan at ≈ ₹861 (12 Oct rate), charged US$8.99 by card; your bank may add [its own forex markup](/how-to-pay/forex-markup/). The cheaper one that covers your total wins. An unlimited data SIM with a daily limit pays off when your daily use swings or you may pass 10 GB in total. Each country page shows its limit: [Thailand](/esim-thailand/), [Europe](/esim-europe/), [Vietnam](/esim-vietnam/).

## Unlimited plans that cannot be topped up

In our catalogue on 12 Oct 2026, unlimited plans (each with a daily limit) for Turkey, Jersey, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Qatar, Taiwan and Guam cannot be recharged. When the days run out, you buy a new plan instead of extending the old one, so a plan that is too short costs you a second purchase.

Choose the length up front: your days in the country plus one spare. These plans count their days from the first connection, not from install. Follow your usage with the [check data usage guide](/help/check-data-usage/).

## FAQ

### Is there an unlimited data SIM with no speed limit?

None that we can confirm. All but one of our unlimited plans state a daily high-speed limit: 3 GB a day for most, 5 GB a day for Thailand, the United States and Europe, and 2 GB a day on four Guam plans. After it, speed drops, usually to 1 Mbps, until the next day. One Guam plan does not state its limit.

### What happens when I pass the daily limit?

Your eSIM stays connected but slows, usually to 1 Mbps. Maps, messaging and email keep working, while video streaming and large downloads become slow. The limit counts per day, so full speed returns the next day.

### Is an unlimited eSIM better than 10 GB?

Only if the unlimited plan, with its daily limit, costs about the same or you may pass 10 GB in total. At 0.8 GB a day, 5 days need 4 GB, so a sized plan is enough. Compare both prices for your dates.

### Can I use an unlimited eSIM as a hotspot?

Hotspot use draws on the same data allowance, and our plan details do not state a hotspot rule. Ask us on WhatsApp before you buy if you depend on it.

### Can I top up an unlimited plan?

Not in every country. Unlimited plans (with a daily limit) for Turkey, Jersey, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Qatar, Taiwan and Guam cannot be recharged in our catalogue, so buy the full length you need at the start.

## Sources

Checked on 12 Oct 2026 (IST).

1. [Jio IR plans](https://www.jio.com/selfcare/plans/mobility/prepaid-plans-list/?category=International%20Roaming&categoryId=SW50ZXJuYXRpb25hbCBSb2FtaW5n) — US, Mexico and Canada pack.
2. [Airtel prepaid and postpaid IR terms, dated 24 Sep 2026](https://assets.airtel.in/static-assets/online-recharge-ui/assets/pdf/tnc.pdf) — §7.1.1 postpaid packs.
3. [Vi prepaid IR terms](https://www.myvi.in/content/dam/vodafoneideadigital/ir/Vi_VF_Prepaid_TnC.pdf) — Ultra packs and UL / non-UL zones.
4. Daily limits, plan lengths and top-up flags: our catalogue on our country pages and the Europe page, 12 Oct 2026.