Best eSIM for New Zealand in 2026: 14 Providers Ranked by 212 Traveler Reports

Best eSIM Providers for New Zealand

eSIM plans in New Zealand at a glance

How well each provider's eSIM works in New Zealand

The Vefru score is our overall rating of the provider. The percentage shows how many reviewers said their eSIM worked well in New Zealand. Since unhappy customers review more often, it is best used to compare providers with each other.

6.9Our score

Worked well in New Zealand

22 of 23 reviewers

96%

Visit website Detailed review

8.4Our score

Worked well in New Zealand

72 of 77 reviewers

94%

Visit website Detailed review

7.5Our score

Worked well in New Zealand

19 of 21 reviewers

90%

Visit website Detailed review

7.2Our score

Worked well in New Zealand

26 of 35 reviewers

74%

Visit website Detailed review

7.1Our score

Worked well in New Zealand

10 of 10 reviewers

100%

Visit website Detailed review

8.0Our score

Worked well in New Zealand

5 of 5 reviewers

100%

Visit website Detailed review

6.3Our score

Worked well in New Zealand

6 of 7 reviewers

86%

Visit website Detailed review

6.1Our score

Worked well in New Zealand

6 of 7 reviewers

86%

Visit website Detailed review

7.1Our score

Worked well in New Zealand

5 of 6 reviewers

83%

Visit website Detailed review

7.1Our score

Worked well in New Zealand

14 of 18 reviewers

78%

Visit website Detailed review

7.8Our score

Worked well in New Zealand

2 of 2 reviewers

100%

Visit website Detailed review

6.6Our score

Worked well in New Zealand

0 of 1 reviewers

0%

Visit website Detailed review

8.8Our score

Worked well in New Zealand

No traveler reports yet

Visit website Detailed review

8.1Our score

Worked well in New Zealand

No traveler reports yet

Visit website Detailed review

Compare all eSIM plans in New Zealand

How we got these numbers: we read 212 public customer reviews that mention New Zealand or a place in it, published between May 2024 and August 2026, and counted a report as "worked" when the reviewer said the eSIM connected, even with small hiccups. We treat 20 or more reports as strong evidence, 3 to 19 as limited, and fewer than 3 as too few to judge. A count like 22 of 23 means the eSIM worked well for 22 of the 23 travelers who reported from here; each provider section says what went wrong for the rest. The Vefru test score is a separate number: our own hands-on test of the provider, run outside New Zealand, so it says how the provider behaves, not how the network performs here. Local operator prices in the text were checked on 26 September 2026; provider ratings, the plan tables and the price-per-GB chart are live and update on their own.

We ranked providers by traveler reports from New Zealand first, price second and our own tests third. The Best group holds the five providers with the strongest records, plus eSIM4Travel, which is included for its price and help desk although no traveler has reported on it from New Zealand yet.

Jetpac eSIM in New Zealand: best record, some slow data

6.9 /10

Vefru score Good Score details

• Purchase process5/10
• Mobile app5/10
• eSIM installation9/10
• Customer support5/10
• Speed test8/10
• Prices5/10
• Customer feedback9.4/10
• Coverage9/10

Average of eight categories from our own paid test and customer reviews.

Jetpac is a Singapore eSIM provider with plans in 129 countries. It adds extras like in-app calls, free WhatsApp and Google Maps after your data runs out, and lounge access on delayed flights. Its website, app and support are rough, so it suits travelers who can fix small issues themselves.

Key facts

• 129 countries
• iPhone app 4.0
• Android app 4.1
• Top-ups
• Hotspot
• 3 GB/day cap

Trustpilot

4.7/53,528 reviews

Payments

Credit or debit cardApple PayGoogle Pay

Pros and cons

Pros 4 Cons 4

WhatsApp and Maps keep working without data

Unlimited hotspot

Cheap calls in the app

Free lounge if your flight is late

Slow website, confusing checkout

No top-up once your data runs out

Slow, technical support

Pricey for 3–20 GB

Jetpac eSIM in our hands

Go to Jetpac website View full review

Jetpac had the best record of any provider in our comparison: it worked well for 22 of 23 travelers who reported from New Zealand (96%), which is strong evidence. The successes include a month-long trip, two eSIMs bought for a couple and a camper van tour. As one traveler wrote on 25 Jun 2025: "I have had 5G in some very remote places on my camper van trip round New Zealand." That makes Jetpac our overall pick, with the drawbacks below.

The weaker reviews are mostly about speed and activation. Four travelers described slow data: a two-week trip in January 2026, the centres of Wellington and Nelson in December 2025, a laggy connection in May 2024, and poor reception in many areas over three weeks at the end of 2025. Several others needed help to fix an APN setting (the network name the phone connects with) or to get a replacement eSIM. Most said the help desk sorted it, though one traveler lost the first days of a trip.

Jetpac sells New Zealand packs from 2 GB to 50 GB, unlimited plans from 1 to 30 days and regional Oceania packs, and lists 5G on all of its New Zealand plans in our comparison tool. Its unlimited plans slow down after 3 GB a day. In our hands-on test, packs of 3 GB and more kept WhatsApp, Maps and Uber working after the data ran out, and voice calls are sold in the app. The app and checkout were rough and the in-app chat took minutes to answer (our Jetpac review). Price is above the market average for most plan sizes. We could not confirm which network Jetpac uses here, because two third-party sources disagree. Current packs are listed on Jetpac's website.

Maya Mobile eSIM in New Zealand: unlimited only, long trips

8.4 /10

Vefru score Excellent Score details

• Purchase process9/10
• Mobile app8/10
• eSIM installation9/10
• Customer support6/10
• Speed test9/10
• Prices8/10
• Customer feedback9/10
• Coverage9/10

Average of eight categories from our own paid test and customer reviews.

Maya Mobile sells one product: a global unlimited eSIM plan for 165+ countries that you install once and switch on for every trip. It was fast in our test, and it is the cheapest global unlimited plan we have compared. There are no single-country plans, and nothing shorter than 3 days.

Key facts

• 165+ countries
• iPhone app 4.5
• Android app 4.7
• Auto Top-Up
• Hotspot
• 5.5 GB/day at full speed

Trustpilot

4.5/512,788 reviews

Payments

Credit or debit cardApple PayGoogle PayPayPal

Pros and cons

Pros 4 Cons 4

Cheapest global unlimited plan

Very fast: 785 Mbps on 5G

Worked for 91% of travelers

Quick checkout, many ways to pay

No country or short plans

Pushes auto top-up hard

Clunky WhatsApp support

“Unlimited” has a hidden daily limit

Maya Mobile eSIM in our hands

Go to Maya Mobile website View full review

Maya Mobile has the largest record in our reports: it worked well for 72 of 77 travelers who reported from New Zealand (94%), which is strong evidence. It suits trips of a week or more, and trips that also take in other countries, because it sells only global unlimited plans and no New Zealand plan.

The five misses are not explained. Where a reviewer named a place, the failures sat in Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown and the North Island, while Te Aroha and a South Island trip worked. We found no review text that says whether the misses were dead zones, slow data or setup problems, so the count is the only evidence.

Maya's global plans last 3, 7, 14 or 30 days, give 5 GB a day at full speed before slowing, allow hotspot use, and a pricier version adds cruise coverage. In our test (run in Czechia) purchase and install were quick, but we had to set the APN and roaming ourselves, and the help desk took about nine minutes to reach a person who could not see the eSIM's status (our Maya Mobile review). It is the cheapest global unlimited plan in our comparison, but it sells nothing small, so a two-day stopover is poor value. We could not confirm which network Maya uses in New Zealand. Plans are listed on Maya's website.

Airalo eSIM in New Zealand: easy setup, never cheapest

7.5 /10

Vefru score Very good Score details

• Purchase process9/10
• Mobile app8/10
• eSIM installation9/10
• Customer support7/10
• Speed test7/10
• Prices5/10
• Customer feedback8.2/10
• Coverage7/10

Average of eight categories from our own paid test and customer reviews.

Airalo is an eSIM marketplace from Singapore with plans for 200+ destinations, some with calls and texts. It is easy to buy and install. But prices sit at the market median, and travelers report more failed connections than with any other provider we track.

Key facts

• 200+ destinations
• iPhone app 4.6
• Android app 4.3
• Top-ups
• Hotspot
• No cap on fixed plans

Trustpilot

4.1/545,721 reviews

Payments

Credit or debit cardApple PayGoogle PayPayPal

Pros and cons

Pros 4 Cons 4

Buy on the web, no app needed

Works right after install

Fast, no speed cap on fixed plans

Most plans with calls and texts

Average prices, not cheap

Lowest success rate we track: 72% worked

App stops when your data runs out

Clunky checkout, no QR download

Airalo eSIM in our hands

Go to Airalo website View full review

Airalo is the easy first eSIM for New Zealand: it worked well for 19 of 21 travelers who reported from here (90%), which is strong evidence. That is better than its record across all countries, which is the weakest of the 14 providers in our reports. Its New Zealand plans run on Spark, according to Airalo's own page [10].

The two misses lack detail: one was in Auckland, and the reports do not say whether the cause was signal, data or setup. One thing to know when reading older reviews: a third-party review says Airalo's New Zealand eSIM ran on One NZ (then Vodafone NZ) from 2022 to early 2024, and some pages still say so. Airalo's page now names Spark [10].

Airalo sells its Nzcom plans from 1 GB to 50 GB, unlimited plans for 3 to 30 days that slow after 3 GB a day, regional Oceania packs, and Discover+ global plans that add calls and texts through a US number. No other provider sells as many plans with calls. In our test, purchase, install and the app were among the smoothest (our Airalo review). On price it sits around the market average and was never the cheapest in a popular destination, which is its main drawback. Plans are on Airalo's website.

Nomad eSIM in New Zealand: weakest record, unreachable help desk

7.2 /10

Vefru score Very good Score details

• Purchase process8/10
• Mobile app7/10
• eSIM installation8/10
• Customer support2/10
• Speed test8/10
• Prices7/10
• Customer feedback8.6/10
• Coverage9/10

Average of eight categories from our own paid test and customer reviews.

Nomad is a US travel eSIM brand run by LotusFlare, with plans for more than 200 destinations. It has a polished native app, fast data and prices close to the market average almost everywhere. Its weak spot is support: the chat is an AI bot with no route to a human.

Key facts

• 200+ destinations
• iPhone app 4.8
• Android app 4.5
• Top-ups
• Hotspot
• 2 GB/day cap

Trustpilot

4.3/544,625 reviews

Payments

Credit or debit cardApple PayGoogle PayPayPal

Pros and cons

Pros 4 Cons 4

Quick, easy purchase

Great app with a data widget

Fast, full-speed data

Fair prices almost everywhere

Support is a bot, no human

Easy to lose the install button

App stops when your data runs out

No refund after install

Nomad eSIM in our hands

Go to Nomad website View full review

Nomad had the weakest record in the Best group: it worked well for 26 of 35 travelers who reported from New Zealand (74%). Thirty-five reports is strong evidence, so the result is reliable, and it means roughly one in four travelers did not get a working connection. Nomad suits experienced users who can fix a setup problem without a help desk.

Nine travelers reported a miss. The only one tied to a place was on the South Island, and we found no review text explaining the others, so we cannot say whether they were dead zones or setup problems. Across all countries Nomad's reliability is about average in our reports, which makes New Zealand one of its weaker countries.

Nomad's New Zealand plans run on Spark according to its own page [12]: 1 GB for 3 days, 3 to 20 GB for 30 days, and unlimited plans for 3, 5 or 10 days that slow after 2 GB a day. A trial plan is also listed (see the free data section). In our test the app was good, with a remaining-data widget no other provider had, but the help desk was a bot with no route to a person (our Nomad review). Price is within about 10% of the market at every size. Plans are on Nomad's website.

Roamless eSIM in New Zealand: clean record, no unlimited

7.1 /10

Vefru score Very good Score details

• Purchase process5/10
• Mobile app7/10
• eSIM installation7/10
• Customer support7/10
• Speed test8/10
• Prices5/10
• Customer feedback9/10
• Coverage9/10

Average of eight categories from our own paid test and customer reviews.

Roamless is a US provider built around one global eSIM for 203 destinations, paid with pay-as-you-go credit. It was fast and unthrottled in our test, and travelers report it working in 91% of cases. Its weak point is buying: the website forces you into the app, and large data amounts cost more than most rivals.

Key facts

• 203 destinations
• iPhone app 4.8
• Android app 4.1
• Pay-as-you-go
• Unlimited hotspot
• No throttling

Trustpilot

4.5/51,746 reviews

Payments

Credit or debit cardApple PayGoogle Pay

Pros and cons

Pros 4 Cons 4

One eSIM for 200+ destinations

Fast, no throttling

Worked for 91% of travelers

Free 500 MB trial

Website pushes you into the app

We had to fix the APN to get data

Credit can expire after 12 months

Pricey for 10 GB and up

Roamless eSIM in our hands

Go to Roamless website View full review

Roamless had no failures in the 10 reports from New Zealand, so it worked well for 10 of 10 travelers (100%), which is limited evidence. It suits light users and people who also travel elsewhere, because one eSIM works in many countries, and it offers a free trial.

With no misses there is nothing to explain from the reports, and we found no review text, so we cannot say where the 10 travelers used it or how fast it was. Roamless runs on Spark in New Zealand, according to its page [14], and the page says speed is never limited.

Roamless sells 30-day plans from 1 GB to 50 GB, pay-as-you-go credit and a free 500 MB trial, but no unlimited plan. In our test (run in Czechia) purchase was the weak point: Google Pay failed, the eSIM can be bought only in the app, and the preselected APN did not connect until we switched it, a fix the help desk walked us through in about half an hour (our Roamless review). It is cheap for 1 GB and dear from 10 GB up. Plans are on Roamless's website.

eSIM4Travel eSIM in New Zealand: cheapest, no reports yet

8.8 /10

Vefru score Excellent Score details

• Purchase process8/10
• eSIM installation8/10
• Customer support10/10
• Speed test8/10
• Prices10/10
• Customer feedback8.8/10
• Coverage9/10

Average of seven categories from our own paid test and customer reviews. eSIM4Travel has no app, so we do not score one.

eSIM4Travel is a US eSIM seller with plans for 158 destinations and no app. It was the cheapest provider in our price database, and its support was the best we have tested. Without an app, you cannot reach the store to top up once your data runs out.

Key facts

• 158 destinations
• No app
• Web only
• Top-ups
• Hotspot
• No throttling

Trustpilot

4.4/5202 reviews

Payments

Credit or debit cardPayPalApple Pay

Pros and cons

Pros 4 Cons 4

Cheapest provider we track

Quick, helpful human support

Fast, no throttling

Website in 41 languages

No app: out of data, you need Wi‑Fi to top up

US dollars only, no Google Pay

Unlimited slows after 3 GB a day

No refund after 10% of data used

eSIM4Travel eSIM in our hands

Go to eSIM4Travel website View full review

eSIM4Travel is in the Best group for its price and help desk, not for a New Zealand record: no traveler has reported on it from New Zealand yet, so we cannot say how it worked here. It suits travelers who want the lowest price and a human on the help desk, and who do not need an app.

Its New Zealand plans name two networks, One NZ and Spark [13]. They run from 100 MB to 50 GB over 1 to 30 days, with unlimited plans from 3 days that slow after 3 GB a day [13], and a shared Australia and New Zealand pack. Hotspot use is allowed.

In our hands-on test, which ran outside New Zealand, the help desk was one of the two best we tested, with Saily: one click from the bot to a person who solved the problem. The eSIM was bought on the website, arrived by email and worked right away from a QR code (our eSIM4Travel review). It is usually the cheapest provider in our comparison, and it was the cheapest for 2 to 5 GB plans here; Global YO and ByteSIM undercut it from 10 GB. The downsides are no app, no Google Pay, and no way to top up without Wi-Fi once the data runs out. Plans are on eSIM4Travel's website.

Other eSIM Providers for New Zealand

These eight providers have either fewer than three reports from New Zealand, a weaker record, or a finding from our tests that puts them behind the Best group. Several still have a clean record or a low price that suits some trips.

Global YO eSIM in New Zealand: cheap, small review base

8.0 /10

Vefru score Excellent Score details

• Purchase process8/10
• Mobile app8/10
• eSIM installation9/10
• Customer support5/10
• Speed test8/10
• Prices10/10
• Customer feedback8/10
• Coverage8/10

Average of eight categories from our own paid test and customer reviews.

Global YO is a US eSIM provider aimed at young travelers, with plans in 195 countries. It is the second cheapest provider in our price data, and buying and installing took minutes. Its weak spot is support: quick to answer, slow to help.

Key facts

• 195 countries
• iPhone app 4.5
• Android app 3.8
• Top-ups
• Hotspot
• Over 150 Mbps

Trustpilot

4.0/51,293 reviews

Payments

Credit or debit cardApple PayGoogle Pay

Pros and cons

Pros 4 Cons 4

Second cheapest we track

Buy and install in minutes

Apple Pay, Google Pay, social login

Hotspot and top-ups on every plan

Support is slow to actually help

App only, no buying on the web

App stops when your data runs out

Unclear refund rules

Global YO eSIM in our hands

Go to Global YO website View full review

Global YO had a clean record from a small base: it worked well for 5 of 5 travelers who reported from New Zealand (100%), which is limited evidence, and no review text tells us where they used it. It sits first in this group because the Best group is capped at six providers. It is the cheapest provider for plans of 10 GB and up in our comparison.

Global YO sells New Zealand plans from 1 GB for 3 days up to 100 GB, plus day plans with 3 GB a day, and our comparison tool lists top-ups and tethering as allowed. It sells no unlimited plan, and we could not confirm its network here. In our test it had to be bought in the app, and the help desk answered within about ten minutes with a template and took longer on the follow-up (our Global YO review), so it suits travelers who install at home and rarely need help. Plans are on Global YO's website.

Ubigi eSIM in New Zealand: good record, weak help desk

6.3 /10

Vefru score Good Score details

• Purchase process4/10
• Mobile app3/10
• eSIM installation8/10
• Customer support2/10
• Speed test9/10
• Prices7/10
• Customer feedback8.2/10
• Coverage9/10

Average of eight categories from our own paid test and customer reviews.

Ubigi is the travel eSIM brand of Paris operator Transatel, with one reusable eSIM for 200+ destinations. Data was fast in our test, and its 3 GB, 10 GB and 30-day unlimited plans are cheap. Its weak point is support: a chatbot that ends in an email ticket, with no live agent.

Key facts

• 200+ destinations
• iPhone app 4.6
• Android app 3.7
• Top-ups
• Hotspot
• 568 Mbps on 5G

Trustpilot

4.1/547,238 reviews

Payments

Credit or debit cardApple PayGoogle PayPayPal

Pros and cons

Pros 4 Cons 4

eSIM by email in a minute

Very fast: 568 Mbps on 5G

Cheap 3 GB, 10 GB and 30-day unlimited

Buy more data even with none left

No live support, only email tickets

Confusing website and app

Few plan sizes, no 20 GB

No refund after you scan the QR code

Ubigi eSIM in our hands

Go to Ubigi website View full review

Ubigi's record is good but small: it worked well for 6 of 7 travelers who reported from New Zealand (86%), which is limited evidence. The successes are pre-orders set up before leaving home, a connection described as great in Queenstown in April 2026, and 5G in March 2026 after a rough start that the help desk fixed. The weaker reviews: one traveler said a 7-day pack was nearly empty within an hour, and another could not log in to the account until a phone shop in Wellington helped.

Ubigi lists two networks, 2degrees and Spark, on its page [15]. It sells country plans of 3, 10 and 25 GB, an unlimited plan, and shared Australia and New Zealand packs. Our test found a strong network but a weak site and app and the worst help desk outcome of the 14 providers, a ticket still unanswered after a day (our Ubigi review). Its app does let you buy more data on a zero balance. Price is below the market for 3 GB and 10 GB. Plans are on Ubigi's website.

ByteSIM eSIM in New Zealand: solid record, clumsy checkout

6.1 /10

Vefru score Good Score details

• Purchase process4/10
• Mobile app4/10
• eSIM installation7/10
• Customer support2/10
• Speed test8/10
• Prices5/10
• Customer feedback9.6/10
• Coverage9/10

Average of eight categories from our own paid test and customer reviews.

ByteSIM is a Hong Kong eSIM shop with a huge catalog: daily, fixed and unlimited plans for about 200 destinations. Data was fast in our test, and travelers report it working in 88% of cases. The checkout, the app and support were the weak points.

Key facts

• About 200 destinations
• iPhone app 4.6
• Android app 3.8
• No top-ups
• Hotspot
• 175 Mbps on 4G

Trustpilot

4.8/54,279 reviews

Payments

Credit or debit cardApple PayGoogle PayPayPal

Pros and cons

Pros 4 Cons 4

Cheap for 3–5 GB short trips

Fast 4G, no throttling

Worked for 88% of travelers

180 days to get a refund

Checkout asks for phone and address

Clunky app, auto-activation failed

Promises 5G, gave us only 4G

Support didn't reply in our test

ByteSIM eSIM in our hands

Go to ByteSIM website View full review

ByteSIM worked well for 6 of 7 travelers who reported from New Zealand (86%), which is limited evidence. We found no review text and no place names for it, so we cannot say what the one miss was or where the successes happened.

ByteSIM has the biggest catalogue here: plans from 500 MB to 90 GB, daily plans of 1 GB a day, and unlimited plans, over 1 to 30 days. Its plan page lists Spark for the daily and total plans and One NZ for the unlimited plans, but we saw that page only as a search result and could not confirm it. Daily and total plans slow sharply after the quota. Our test found a clumsy checkout and app, no top-ups and a help desk that did not answer in 15 minutes (our ByteSIM review). It is among the cheaper providers for 2 to 10 GB here. Plans are on ByteSIM's website.

GigSky eSIM in New Zealand: dear, built for cruises

7.1 /10

Vefru score Very good Score details

• Purchase process7/10
• Mobile app6/10
• eSIM installation8/10
• Customer support9/10
• Speed test6/10
• Prices4/10
• Customer feedback8.6/10
• Coverage8/10

Average of eight categories from our own paid test and customer reviews.

GigSky is a US travel eSIM that works like its own operator, with plans for 190+ destinations plus cruise, ferry and in-flight plans. Its app stays partly online after your data runs out. But its fixed-data plans are the most expensive of the 12 providers we compared.

Key facts

• 190+ destinations
• iPhone app 4.5
• Android app 3.9
• Top-ups
• Hotspot
• 3.5 GB/day cap

Trustpilot

4.3/57,194 reviews

Payments

Credit or debit cardApple PayPayPal

Pros and cons

Pros 4 Cons 4

Buy more data even with none left

Cruise, ferry and in-flight plans

Human support answered right away

Cheap 1-day unlimited passes

Most expensive per GB we track

App required, no Google Pay

Clunky, web-like app

Less reliable than average

GigSky eSIM in our hands

Go to GigSky website View full review

GigSky worked well for 5 of 6 travelers who reported from New Zealand (83%), which is limited evidence. We found no review text or place names, so we cannot say what the one miss was. It is among the most expensive providers for every plan size in our New Zealand comparison.

GigSky sells country plans of 1, 3, 5 and 10 GB, a 1-day unlimited pass that slows after 3.5 GB, Asia Pacific packs and cruise plans, which matter if the trip includes a cruise around the coast. A third-party affiliate site reports that it uses Spark; we could not confirm that. In our test the app was needed to buy, but it kept working at zero data, so you can buy a new plan without Wi-Fi, and the help desk answered at once (our GigSky review). Plans are on GigSky's website.

Holafly eSIM in New Zealand: unlimited only, speed capped

7.1 /10

Vefru score Very good Score details

• Purchase process7/10
• Mobile app7/10
• eSIM installation9/10
• Customer support6/10
• Speed test4/10
• Prices5/10
• Customer feedback9.4/10
• Coverage9/10

Average of eight categories from our own paid test and customer reviews.

Holafly is an Irish eSIM provider built around unlimited data, with trip eSIMs for 200+ destinations. Travelers report it working more often than any other provider we track. Its weak points are speed and price: our test ran at about 30 Mbps on 5G, and its unlimited plans cost more than most.

Key facts

• 200+ destinations
• iPhone app 4.8
• Android app 4.7
• No top-ups
• Hotspot 1 GB/day
• 30 to 40 Mbps

Trustpilot

4.7/5113,513 reviews

Payments

Credit or debit cardApple PayGoogle PayPayPal

Pros and cons

Pros 4 Cons 4

Truly unlimited data

Most reliable we track: 92% worked

One-tap install, no QR code

6 months to refund an unused eSIM

Slow: about 30–40 Mbps on 5G

Pricier than other unlimited eSIMs

Saved our card without asking

No top-ups, buy a new eSIM instead

Holafly eSIM in our hands

Go to Holafly website View full review

Holafly's speed was capped from the start in our test, and its New Zealand record is below the leaders: it worked well for 14 of 18 travelers who reported from here (78%), which is limited evidence. The cap leaves enough speed for maps, messaging, browsing and streaming, but large downloads, uploads, cloud backups and laptop work run slowly. Holafly also limits hotspot use to 1 GB a day and has no top-ups, so a new eSIM is needed when the plan ends.

Three of the four misses were in North Island cities, Auckland (0 of 2) and Hamilton (0 of 1), while the two reports that named a place in the south, Central Otago and Southland, both worked. We found no review text explaining the misses. Holafly runs on Spark according to its page [11], which lists unlimited plans from 1 to 90 days; our comparison tool had no Holafly plan for New Zealand, so there is no plan table. Holafly is usually the most expensive unlimited provider in our comparison (our Holafly review). Plans are on Holafly's website.

GoMoWorld eSIM in New Zealand: two reports, both positive

7.8 /10

Vefru score Very good Score details

• Purchase process8/10
• Mobile app8/10
• eSIM installation8/10
• Customer support6/10
• Speed test10/10
• Prices7/10
• Customer feedback7.6/10
• Coverage8/10

Average of eight categories from our own paid test and customer reviews.

GoMoWorld is the travel eSIM brand of Irish operator eir, with plans in 202 countries. Every destination has the same four euro prices, and we saw no throttling at all. The catch is that everything happens in the app, and human support works only in office hours.

Key facts

• 202 countries
• iPhone app 4.8
• Android app 4.6
• Top-ups
• Hotspot
• No throttling

Trustpilot

3.8/51,987 reviews

Payments

Credit or debit cardApple PayGoogle Pay

Pros and cons

Pros 4 Cons 4

Very fast, no throttling

Among the cheapest from 5 GB

Clean, easy app

Start the plan when you land

App only, no QR code

Human support only in office hours

App stops when your data runs out

Weaker in the US, Japan and China

GoMoWorld eSIM in our hands

Go to GoMoWorld website View full review

GoMoWorld worked well for 2 of 2 travelers who reported from New Zealand (100%), which is too few to judge. One reviewer wrote on 26 May 2025 that it "worked perfectly throughout the country" and was the cheapest with the most data.

GoMoWorld sells four New Zealand plans of 2, 9, 20 and 30 GB, lasting 7 or 30 days, with 5G and tethering, and a plan can be bought ahead and started later. The plan has to be started by hand in the app or it does nothing, which is a common cause of "not working". We could not confirm its network here. In our test it was the fastest provider with no throttling, delivered only through the app, with a help desk that answers by hand only in office hours (our GoMoWorld review). Price is below the market for larger plans. Plans are on GoMoWorld's website.

Yesim eSIM in New Zealand: one report, slow help desk

6.6 /10

Vefru score Good Score details

• Purchase process6/10
• Mobile app7/10
• eSIM installation8/10
• Customer support2/10
• Speed test8/10
• Prices5/10
• Customer feedback8.6/10
• Coverage8/10

Average of eight categories from our own paid test and customer reviews.

Yesim is a Swiss eSIM provider built around unlimited plans sold by the day, with one eSIM for 200+ destinations. Data was fast in our test. But its support was among the slowest we have tested, and its fixed-data country plans cost more than most rivals.

Key facts

• 200+ destinations
• iPhone app 4.6
• Android app 4.7
• Top-ups
• Hotspot
• Possible slowdown

Trustpilot

4.3/52,963 reviews

Payments

Credit or debit cardApple PayGoogle PayPayPal

Pros and cons

Pros 4 Cons 4

Fast data in our test

Unlimited plans by the day

Pay with PayPal, Klarna or crypto

Website in 44 languages

Among the slowest support we've tested

Pricey fixed-data country plans

No top-up once your data runs out

Signs you up for marketing emails

Yesim eSIM in our hands

Go to Yesim website View full review

Yesim has one traveler report from New Zealand and it was a miss (0 of 1), which is too few to judge. The report names no place and we found no review text, so we cannot say what went wrong.

Yesim sells one New Zealand plan family from 500 MB for a day to 30 GB for 30 days, plus unlimited plans sold by the day for 1 to 30 days, with throttling and an unpublished limit. Its plan page listed the network as "Vodafone LTE" when we checked in September 2026, which would mean One NZ, but we could not re-verify it [17]. In our test the plan started at purchase, not on first use, so it is best bought close to the trip, and the help desk was among the slowest we tested (our Yesim review). Fixed plans are dearer than the market. Plans are on Yesim's website.

Saily eSIM in New Zealand: no reports yet, higher price

8.1 /10

Vefru score Excellent Score details

• Purchase process7/10
• Mobile app9/10
• eSIM installation9/10
• Customer support10/10
• Speed test8/10
• Prices4/10
• Customer feedback9.4/10
• Coverage8/10

Average of eight categories from our own paid test and customer reviews.

Saily is the travel eSIM from the company behind NordVPN, with plans for about 200 destinations. It has the smoothest install we have tested, a polished app and a built-in VPN. But prices run above the market in most big European destinations, and traveler reports sit below average.

Key facts

• About 200 destinations
• iPhone app 4.7
• Android app 4.5
• Top-ups
• Hotspot
• 3 or 5 GB/day cap

Trustpilot

4.7/531,741 reviews

Payments

Credit or debit cardApple PayGoogle Pay

Pros and cons

Pros 4 Cons 4

Easiest install we've tested

Fast 24/7 human support

Free VPN and ad blocker

Plan starts only when you land

Pricey in big European countries

App required, no eSIM by email

Less reliable than average

App stops when your data runs out

Saily eSIM in our hands

Go to Saily website View full review

Saily has no traveler reports from New Zealand yet, so we cannot say how it worked here. It is a polished choice for a first eSIM, but its price is above the market at every plan size.

Saily sells New Zealand plans of 1 GB for 7 days and 3, 5, 10 and 20 GB for 30 days, and its page does not name a network (checked September 2026) [16]. The page gives a 180-day window to activate [16]. In our test it had the smoothest in-app install and one of the two best help desks, with eSIM4Travel (our Saily review). Plans are on Saily's website.

Providers travelers report from New Zealand that we have not tested

Simify appears in the reviews we read but not in our traveler-report table, and we have not tested it, so it gets no count, no ranking and no link. Most reviewers describe a quick install and helpful chat support. The problems they report: no signal on the South Island west coast between Hokitika and Punakaiki and around Springfield and Sheffield, a connection routed through Singapore with poor speeds, unexpected charges from a home operator after a wrong activation step, and one traveler whose data did not work at all in April 2026. A third-party affiliate site reports that it uses Spark and One NZ; we could not confirm that.

Best eSIM Plans for New Zealand

Price per GB in New Zealand by eSIM Provider

How much does each provider charge per GB in New Zealand? The chart below compares plans of 1 to 10 GB that last 6 to 14 days, the usual range for a one- or two-week trip. Provider websites show only their own plans, so this side-by-side view is one you would otherwise have to calculate yourself. A shorter bar means a lower price per GB.

In our comparison tool, eSIM4Travel was the cheapest for plans of 2 to 5 GB here, and Global YO and ByteSIM were the cheapest from 10 GB. Saily and GigSky sat among the dearest for most sizes, Jetpac and Airalo mostly in the upper half, and Roamless was cheap for small plans but dear from 10 GB. For the size itself, our guides on how much data a trip needs and what 5 GB is enough for help.

Unlimited plans for New Zealand are sold by Airalo, ByteSIM, eSIM4Travel, Jetpac, Nomad, Ubigi and Yesim, by GigSky as a 1-day pass and by Maya Mobile as a global plan. Holafly sells only unlimited plans, listed on its own page. Most slow down after a daily allowance, so the unlimited table shows the plan but not the speed rule; the comparison table in this article gives each provider's rule.

If the trip also covers Australia, see our Australia eSIM guide and the New Zealand and Australia plans compared. Jetpac, Ubigi and eSIM4Travel all sell shared packs for both countries.

Best eSIM for Auckland, Queenstown and the South Island

Only one place has a provider with three or more reports: Maya Mobile in Auckland. Everywhere else the country pick, Jetpac, applies. Jetpac has one report each from Wellington and Nelson and none from Auckland or Queenstown.

Best eSIM for Auckland

Maya Mobile is the pick for Auckland only because it is the one provider with three reports there: it worked for 2 of 3 travelers. That is a thin record, and the other Auckland reports are worse: Holafly worked for 0 of 2 and Airalo for 0 of 1, while Nomad's single report worked. The reports do not say whether the misses were no signal or slow data, and none mention the airport. Jetpac has no Auckland reports, so the country pick is untested there.

Best eSIM for Queenstown

No provider has three reports from Queenstown, so the country pick applies. Four travelers reported: Maya Mobile worked for 1 of 2, Nomad for 1 of 1 and Ubigi for 1 of 1. The Ubigi traveler wrote on 29 Apr 2026 that "the connection was great in Queenstown". Travel sites report operator stores at Queenstown airport, which helps if an eSIM fails on arrival.

For the rest of the South Island, two reports (Maya Mobile 1 of 1, Nomad 0 of 1) are too few to judge, and no traveler has reported from Fiordland yet. A seller of One NZ-only eSIMs names Fiordland including the Milford Sound road, parts of the Catlins, the Haast Pass and the Great Walks as places without coverage [18], and the regulator records weaker rural than urban coverage [1].

Local SIM Cards and Operator eSIMs in New Zealand

A local SIM or operator eSIM beats a travel eSIM in three cases: you need a New Zealand number, you want voice that can reach 111 (the emergency number), or you stay a month or more and use a lot of data. For a trip on data alone, a travel eSIM is simpler because you can install it before you fly. Prices below are as of September 2026.

• One NZ Travel SIM or eSIM. NZ$29 for 30 days, NZ$49 for 60 days, and NZ$69 and NZ$99 for 90 days [4] [5]. A third-party price list gives the data as about 2 GB, 10 GB, 40 GB and 100 GB, with unlimited calls and texts to New Zealand and Australia on the top three. You must top up with NZ$30, 50, 70 or 100 before you can buy a plan, plans do not renew, the eSIM needs Wi-Fi to activate, and physical SIMs are sold only in stores, including airport stores [4] [5].
• 2degrees Unlimited Travel SIM. NZ$35 for 7 days, NZ$60 for 14 days and NZ$95 for 30 days, sold through its partner PMG NZ [8] [9]. It includes unlimited data and calls and texts to New Zealand and Australia under a fair-use policy, works in New Zealand only, and must be activated while you are in the country [8] [9]. A SIM or eSIM can be posted free, or bought at select airports and 2degrees stores [8] [9].
• Spark Travel Packs. eSIM data-only packs of 15, 30 or 90 days are sold online, and the 90-day all-inclusive pack on a physical SIM is sold in stores only; carrier-locked phones cannot use it [7]. Spark's price cards did not load when we checked in September 2026, so we do not quote prices.

New Zealand has no prepaid SIM registration rule: third-party sources, including a 2013 GSMA policy paper, report that the government weighed mandating it and decided against it. We found no regulator page to cite, and shops sometimes ask for a passport anyway. Two third-party sources report that airside and duty-free counters sell tourist packs without the 15% GST that arrivals-hall counters charge, so the same pack can cost less after customs than before.

One eSIM seller states that data-only eSIMs cannot call 111 [18], and One NZ warns that a phone bought outside New Zealand may not be able to call it at all [3]. Only a local SIM gives you a New Zealand number and voice that can reach 111.

Mobile Networks in New Zealand

New Zealand has three national mobile networks, One NZ, Spark and 2degrees, and the regulator counts mobile virtual operators (brands that rent the big three) at 3.2% of the market in June 2025 [1]. For a touring visitor, Spark has the strongest coverage evidence: Opensignal's October 2025 report gave it the top coverage scores, while One NZ won download speed and 5G availability, and the umlaut 2026 benchmark named One NZ the best network overall. 2degrees won upload speed in Opensignal's report but had the lowest coverage scores.

Each operator publishes its own claim. One NZ says its network reaches over 99% of the population and about 60% of the land area [2], and Spark says its 4G and 5G reach 99% of New Zealanders [6]. Those are population figures, so the gaps sit in the empty land between towns.

Which provider rides which network, as far as the research could confirm:

• Spark, named on the provider's own page: Airalo [10], Holafly [11], Nomad [12] and Roamless [14].
• Two networks named: eSIM4Travel lists One NZ and Spark [13], and Ubigi lists 2degrees and Spark [15].
• Reported only: GigSky on Spark, from a third-party site; ByteSIM on Spark for daily and total plans and One NZ for unlimited plans, from a page we saw only as a search result; and Yesim, whose plan page listed "Vodafone LTE", which would mean One NZ, though we could not re-verify it [17].
• Not confirmed: Jetpac (two third-party sources disagree), Maya Mobile, Global YO and GoMoWorld. Saily's page names no network (checked September 2026) [16].

For a Spark-only eSIM the coverage evidence is the strongest, but travelers report that all three networks lose signal between smaller South Island towns and on trails. How an eSIM with two networks picks between them is covered in our guide to eSIMs with several networks.

All three networks had switched off 3G by 31 March 2026 [1] [6], so a phone without VoLTE has no fallback for voice calls. A satellite service that reaches phones outside tower coverage launched in December 2024 [1]; we could not confirm that any travel eSIM includes it.

How to Set Up an eSIM for New Zealand

An eSIM for New Zealand can be installed before you fly, and almost every plan starts only when the phone first connects to a New Zealand network. The exceptions are Yesim, whose plan started at purchase in our test, GoMoWorld, which needs a manual start, and some Airalo packages that start at install.

1. Check that your phone can use an eSIM and is not carrier-locked; a locked phone is the usual reason an install fails, and Spark states that its own travel pack cannot be installed on one [7]. Our first eSIM guide covers the check.
2. Buy the plan and install it at home on Wi-Fi, following the guide for iPhone or Samsung.
3. Check the activation window, because an unused eSIM expires: 90 days for eSIM4Travel [13], 180 days for Saily [16] and six months for Ubigi [15] (as of September 2026).
4. On landing, switch on the eSIM line, set it for mobile data and turn data roaming on for it. Keep your home SIM on for calls.
5. If there is no data, check the APN setting, which Jetpac travelers fixed with help from the help desk, then restart the phone. The eSIM troubleshooting guide lists the other causes.
6. Keep Wi-Fi in reach for top-ups. Most provider apps stop working at zero data; GigSky and Ubigi are the exceptions, and Holafly has no top-ups at all.

Calls and SMS in New Zealand

Almost every New Zealand eSIM is data only, so calls and texts go through WhatsApp or another app. New Zealand's calling code is +64 for anyone dialling in. We found no travel eSIM in our research that includes a New Zealand number.

A few providers add voice. Airalo's Discover+ plans cover New Zealand and add calls and texts through a US number, Jetpac sells voice packs in its app, and Roamless and Global YO offer in-app calling over data. For a New Zealand number, and for voice that can reach 111, a local SIM is the alternative: 2degrees includes calls and texts to New Zealand and Australia in its Unlimited Travel SIM [8], and a third-party price list says One NZ's larger visitor plans include them. A phone also needs VoLTE for voice on all three networks.

Free eSIM Data for New Zealand

Roamless lists a free New Zealand eSIM with a 500 MB trial, and the trial period runs 30 days from activation [14]. Nomad lists a 1 GB, 3-day trial plan for New Zealand in our comparison tool, which our provider review describes as free. A trial is enough to check signal and setup before paying, not to cover a trip. The free eSIM guide lists the other offers we track.

Summary: the best eSIM for New Zealand

Based on 212 traveler reports and our tests, Jetpac is the overall pick: it worked well for 22 of 23 travelers (96%), and its weaker reviews describe slow data and activation trouble. Maya Mobile had the largest sample, 72 of 77 (94%), and suits long or multi-country trips, with unlimited plans only. Airalo, 19 of 21 (90%), is the easy first eSIM but is never the cheapest.

Nomad, 26 of 35 (74%), had the weakest record of the Best group and a help desk we could not reach. Roamless, 10 of 10, suits light users with its free trial but sells no unlimited plan. eSIM4Travel is usually the cheapest and had one of the two best help desks in our test, but no traveler has reported on it from New Zealand yet and it has no app. Spark won the coverage tests and most travel eSIMs ride it, so the best eSIM for New Zealand depends on your route as much as on the provider; the matrix above shows the record behind each pick.

Compare All eSIM Plans for New Zealand

Every New Zealand plan from the 14 providers in this article, in one comparison with live prices.