Best eSIM for Singapore in 2026 — StarHub 5G Plans Compared

Summary

For a 3–5 day Singapore visit, a 3–5 GB travel eSIM on StarHub costs about US$5–9 and rides the island's fast 5G. Singtel and StarHub lead 5G deployment at Changi, Orchard Road, and Marina Bay — and unlike a Changi tourist SIM, an eSIM is live the second you land.

Singapore eSIM plans — live from our catalogue
Plan	Price	Network	Speed	After daily allowance	IP breakout
Day Pass · 500 MB/day at full speed · Flexible 1–365 days	US$2.99	Starhub	4G	512 Kbps	SG
3.0 GB · 15 days	US$2.99	M1 / SingTel	4G	—	HK
3.0 GB · 30 days	US$2.99	M1 / SingTel	4G	—	HK

Hotspot and tethering are allowed on every plan we sell. Plans are data-only unless the plan page states otherwise — only selected plans carry calls or SMS. IP breakout is where your traffic exits the network, which is not always the country you are visiting. Prices and networks are read from the same catalogue that powers our machine-readable pricing file, so this table cannot go stale against checkout.

Singapore's mobile networks in 2026

Singapore has three carriers — Singtel, StarHub, and M1 — all with strong nationwide 5G. Singtel tourist plans sell at Changi for around S$12 to S$50, and StarHub's traveler eSIM starts near S$12 for a generous local-data bundle. Because the island is compact and densely covered, any major-carrier-backed travel eSIM delivers fast, reliable service from Changi to Sentosa.

Singapore eSIM 2026: who wins on what

Five brands, the same five questions, in every country guide we publish. Coverage figures are each brand’s own published network list; price and plan figures come from esimDB, checked 20 August 2026.

Category	Winner	Runner-up	On what basis
Widest coverage	Airalo	YonoSIM	2 networks published vs 1
Cheapest per GB	Nomad	YonoSIM	$0.62/GB vs $0.66 — at 50 GB / $31 / 30 days
Widest plan range	Saily	YonoSIM & Airalo & Nomad	9 distinct data sizes vs 8
Publishes its network	YonoSIM & Airalo	—	Nomad, Saily, Holafly name no carrier

Brand	Networks in Singapore	Best $/GB	Plans	Sizes
YonoSIM	StarHub (5G)	$0.66	75	8
Airalo	Singtel + 1 more	$0.89	54	8
Nomad	Not disclosed	$0.62	32	8
Saily	Not disclosed	$1.15	33	9
Holafly	Not disclosed	—	—	—

Networks are each brand's own published figure. Prices, plan counts, and data sizes via esimDB, checked 20 August 2026. Holafly publishes neither a per-country carrier nor plans on esimDB, so it cannot be scored on price or range here. Plan range is counted in distinct data sizes, not plan count.

Which one to pick

Coverage first? Airalo publishes more networks here than we do — 2 networks published vs 1.
Cheapest data is Nomad at $0.62/GB — YonoSIM is $0.66.
Want an unusual data size? Saily offers the most granular ladder (9 distinct sizes).
Want the data back if you don’t use it? YonoSIM refunds unused data automatically after 30 days; the others require you to ask. Check each brand’s current terms before you buy.

Plan size by trip length

Trip length	Data	Typical price	Best for
1–3 days	3 GB	US$4–6	Stopover / layover
3–5 days	5 GB	US$5–9	Standard city visit
5–7 days	10 GB	US$9–13	Business + leisure
7+ days	Unlimited	US$12–18	Heavy hotspot, long stay

eSIM vs roaming vs pocket Wi-Fi for Singapore

Option	Cost (5 days)	Setup time	Coverage
eSIM (StarHub)	US$5–9	~5 min pre-install	Excellent (local carrier)
Carrier roaming (US/UK)	US$50–75	Instant	Medium (partner-dependent)
Pocket Wi-Fi	US$25–40	Airport pickup	Good (extra device to charge)

Picking the right Singapore eSIM

Stopover (1–3 days): a 3 GB plan at US$4–6 covers maps, Grab, and social between flights.

Standard city visit (3–5 days): a 5 GB StarHub-backed plan at US$5–9.

Business or long stay (7+ days): an unlimited daily-throttle plan at US$12–18 so hotspot tethering stays usable. Browse our Singapore eSIM plans for the full lineup.

FAQ

QWhich Singapore carrier has the best coverage for tourists in 2026?

ASingtel and StarHub lead 5G deployment, with fast service at Changi Airport, Orchard Road, and Marina Bay; M1 is a solid third. Singapore is compact and densely covered, so the network your eSIM lands on matters less here than almost anywhere — YonoSIM routes across StarHub.

QHow much data do I need for a Singapore trip?

ASingapore is a short-stay, high-connectivity destination. 3–5 GB (about US$2–9) easily covers a 3–5 day visit of Google Maps, Grab, dining apps, and social. Longer stays or heavy tethering suit a 10 GB+ or unlimited daily-throttle plan around US$12–18.

QIs an eSIM better than a Changi tourist SIM?

AFor most travelers, yes. A travel eSIM is live the moment you land — no queue at a Changi counter and no swapping out your home SIM. Singtel and StarHub tourist SIMs at Changi start around S$12, but you have to collect and install them on arrival.

QDo I need to register my eSIM with my passport in Singapore?

ANo — travel eSIMs from international providers like YonoSIM work without local registration. You buy online, scan the QR, and connect on arrival. Local prepaid SIMs bought in Singapore do require passport registration at the point of sale.

Bottom line

For most Singapore visitors, a 5 GB StarHub-backed travel eSIM at US$5–9 is the call. Pre-install at home, land at Changi with 5G on, skip the SIM counter, and avoid any roaming-bill surprise. Step up to unlimited for longer or hotspot-heavy stays.

Related guides

Originally published on www.yonosim.com/en/blog/best-esim-singapore-2026 · YonoSIM — You Only Need One SIM