It is important to find the best prepaid SIM card for USA travel with data to ensure you do not get stuck with a hefty bill when you get home. When it comes to finding the best prepaid SIM card for USA travel, there are a few things to consider.
At A Glance: SIM Cards for Traveling to USA
| Product | Brand | Name | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Mint Mobile | Mint Mobile Wireless Plan | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Google Fi SIM Card Kit | Check Price on Amazon | |
 | Cricket | Cricket BYOD 2.0 Wireless 3-in-1 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | T-Mobile | T-Mobile Prepaid Complete | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Verizon Postpaid | Verizon Wireless 4G LTE SIM Card | Check Price on Amazon |
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Firstly, you need to make sure your phone is unlocked. If you’ve purchased a mobile phone or data plan, then chances are your phone might be locked to a specific carrier. You need to ensure that before you travel overseas, you unlock your phone if you want to use a prepaid SIM card abroad.
In order to unlock your phone, contact your mobile phone carrier and ask what is required. If your contract has expired, then they are typically required to unlock your phone at no extra cost.
If you’re still under contract, then there might be a fee associated with unlocking your phone, however, that might still save you money in the long run – particularly, if you’re going to be in the USA for a while and using roaming.
Another thing to consider is whether it makes more sense to buy a local SIM when you land rather than a prepaid card before your departure. Unlike many places in the world, there does not seem to be many airports in the USA where you can buy local SIM cards.
This means something as simple as calling a Uber to get to your hotel will require you to have pre-purchased a SIM card.
With that in mind, here are my top five picks for the best prepaid SIM cards for USA travel:
Best SIM Cards for Traveling to USA
Google Fi is an excellent choice for travelers to the USA. It offers a flexible data plan that allows you to pay only for the data you use, and it also offers international coverage in over 200 countries. Additionally, it has a “bill protection” feature that ensures you never pay more than $60 for data, no matter how much you use.
The Google Fi unlimited plan is also a great option for travelers. For $50/month, you get unlimited talk and text, plus access to Google’s Pixel Pass if you have a Pixel phone. This is more expensive than the average prepaid unlimited plan, but it’s still a great deal for those who need a lot of data.
Google Fi also offers great international coverage. You get unlimited texts in Google Fi’s international coverage areas, but there is an extra small per minute charge for voice calls. The data rates stay exactly the same, making it a great deal for casual travelers.
Something to be aware of though, Google Fi does in fact throttle data after 15 GB. This means that once you’ve used a certain amount of data, your speeds could slow down dramatically. This is still a great deal, as long as you don’t use too much data.
Overall, Google Fi is an excellent choice for travelers to the USA. It offers flexible data plans, unlimited talk and text, international coverage, and data throttling after 15 GB of used data. It’s a great option for those who need a lot of data, and it’s also a great deal for those who don’t use much data.
Pros:
- Google Fi offers flexible data plans with a flat rate per line for unlimited talk and text, and a fee per GB for data.
- Google Fi offers international coverage in over 200 countries, but voice calls are charged an extra fee per minute.
- Google Fi’s unlimited plan costs more than the average prepaid unlimited monthly plan, but gets you access to Google’s Pixel Pass (if you have a Pixel phone).
Cons:
- Data throttling after 15 GB of used data can be a downside for heavy data users.
- Other carriers offer better international rates for die-hard globetrotters.
2. Cricket BYOD
Cricket comes up as our number one choice on our countdown. This is one of the best prepaid sim card USA that comes in three different cutout sizes — you have options for Standard, Micro, and Nano SIM sizes. The only thing that’s required for this SIM to work is a GSM compatible smartphone that isn’t locked to another carrier. With Cricket International, you get international calling to 35 countries with your own personal phone number.
The nice thing about this choice from Cricket is that there are no annual contracts, no monthly taxes, and no activation fees. On top of that, you’re getting this SIM card from a carrier that offers nationwide 4G LTE coverage.
You can reload your SIM with data whenever you need it as well — there’s no expiry date on it, so you can save it for your next trip across the US!
Pros:
- The Cricket Wireless Complete Starter Pack is a 3-in-1 SIM card that fits all sizes of phones.
- Users can keep their current phone number or choose a new one.
- Cricket offers nationwide 4G LTE coverage and no annual contracts.
Cons:
- Customers have reported difficulty in receiving refunds for returned items.
- Some customers have reported difficulty in contacting customer support.
3. Mint Mobile Prepaid SIM Card
Mint offers one of the best prepaid sim card USA and is available with three different mobile data allocations: 2 GB of 4G LTE data, 5 GB, and 10 GB.
Besides mobile data, all three versions of Mint Mobile’s SIM card also come with unlimited talk and text to take care of all your communications needs. Mint Mobile gives its customers a 7-day money-back guarantee, so you can get your money back in case the SIM card doesn’t work for you.
4. T-Mobile Prepaid SIM Card
T-Mobile’s prepaid SIM cards are great cheaper alternatives, and gives you unlimited high-speed data, calls, and text messages on T-Mobile’s network. The data is actually 4G LTE, too! T-Mobile gives you a decent amount of high-speed data with your phone, but will slow you down when you use too much.
The SIM card is meant for cell phones only, which means it won’t work on mobile WiFi Hotspots or Pocket WiFi. Your smartphone needs to support GSM networks, as T-Mobile is not a CDMA carrier.
The SIM card is a Nano-SIM, so you must make sure that your phone supports that size. Just keep in mind that it may take T-Mobile up to 24 hours to activate it, so don’t buy it at the very last minute.
5. Verizon Prepaid SIM Kit
You know already heard some excellent things about Verizon’s nationwide 4G LTE coverage. They have some excellent data speeds, or option to use wi fi internet connection, and especially in rural areas, which is great for traveling across the US. That said, you’ll definitely want to pick up a Verizon Prepaid SIM Kit for your US travels.
You’ll enjoy unlimited talk and text on their network, but will have to pick up a prepaid plan specifically for 4G LTE data use. It’s a triple-cut SIM, so you have Standard, Micro, and Nano size options. The other thing you’ll need is an unlocked device compatible with the frequency bands that Verizon operates off of, and then you’re good to go!