Vodafone roaming in United States: use it or get an eSIM?
Key facts
- Vodafone roaming rates in the US vary by plan and country — check your Vodafone app before deciding.
- A VoaSim eSIM for the United States costs USD 18.90 for 5 days up to USD 106.90 for 60 days, with truly unlimited data.
- Your Vodafone number keeps working for calls and SMS; just turn off data roaming on that line.
- Plan days start at the first connection in the US, so install the eSIM at home and keep the line off until you land.
- Coverage runs on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon networks; remote national parks can have no signal on any carrier.
See the exact price for your dates
You land in New York, Orlando or Los Angeles, turn your phone on and the roaming message pops up. From there you have two choices: let Vodafone roaming do its job, or install a travel eSIM and keep your Vodafone number active for calls and texts only.
This page compares both fairly. We do not quote Vodafone rates, because they depend on your plan, your country and the month you travel. We do give you the exact VoaSim price and the settings that stop accidental charges.
How Vodafone roaming in the United States works
Vodafone is not one single company with one single price list. Vodafone UK, Vodafone Germany, Vodafone Spain, Vodafone Portugal and the rest each sell their own international add-ons. Some plans include a daily data allowance abroad, some bill per day of use, some need you to switch roaming on before you leave.
Three things to confirm in the Vodafone app or on your local Vodafone site before the trip:
- Whether the United States is included in your plan's roaming zone at all.
- The daily data allowance and what happens after it runs out — many carrier passes cut speed instead of cutting you off.
- Whether the pass is charged only on days you use data, or flat for the whole trip.
If your Vodafone plan already bundles generous US data at no extra cost, use it. That is the simplest setup, and your number keeps working for SMS codes. If it bills per day or caps you at a few hundred megabytes, a US travel eSIM usually makes more sense.
VoaSim price for the United States: one table, no surprises
VoaSim charges one price per duration, the same for every destination. No GB packages, no data cap, no throttling, no hidden fair-use clause. Today's prices include the 15% promo:
| Duration | Price | Per day |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days | USD 18.90 | USD 3.78 |
| 7 days | USD 23.90 | USD 3.41 |
| 10 days | USD 30.90 | USD 3.09 |
| 15 days | USD 42.90 | USD 2.86 |
| 30 days | USD 61.90 | USD 2.06 |
| 60 days | USD 106.90 | USD 1.78 |
Trips of 1 to 4 days pay the 5-day package. A second eSIM in the same order gets 10% extra off, which is handy for couples. Maximum 90 days per eSIM. Payment is by international credit or debit card in USD through Stripe, with an invoice by email.
Run your dates in the simulator to see the exact total in about a minute.
Side-by-side: Vodafone roaming vs VoaSim eSIM
| Vodafone roaming | VoaSim eSIM | |
|---|---|---|
| Data volume | Daily or monthly allowance set by your plan | Truly unlimited, no throttling |
| Price | Varies by plan and country; check the app | Fixed: USD 18.90 (5 days) to USD 106.90 (60 days) |
| Your phone number | Stays active for calls and SMS | Stays active too — the eSIM is data only |
| Setup | Enable roaming or buy the pass before flying | Scan a QR code by email, install before you fly |
| Support | Your home carrier | Human support by email and chat |
Honest verdict: if your Vodafone tariff already includes the US with real data, stay with it. If not, the eSIM is predictable — you know the total before you board. See more options on our roaming comparison hub.
Today's prices
Today's promo prices (15% off), the same for every destination. Second eSIM in the same order: 10% extra off. Trips of 1-4 days use the 5-day package.
Steps to avoid accidental roaming charges
Most surprise bills come from one forgotten setting. Do this in order:
- Buy and install the VoaSim eSIM at home, on Wi-Fi. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
- Keep the eSIM line switched off until you land. Validity starts at the first connection to a US network, not at purchase. On Android, do not enable the eSIM's mobile data before the trip.
- On the plane or right after landing, open Settings and turn data roaming OFF on your Vodafone line.
- Turn the eSIM line on and set it as the line for mobile data.
- Leave your Vodafone line active for calls and SMS if you need bank codes — just keep its data roaming off.
WhatsApp keeps running on your own number, because it travels with your account, not with the SIM. Maps, Uber, app calls and video all run over the eSIM data. Full walkthroughs for iPhone and Android are in our setup guides.
Coverage in the United States and where signal gets thin
The VoaSim eSIM connects automatically to local US networks — AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon — on 4G and, where available, 5G. You do not pick the network manually; the phone selects the best available one.
In New York, Orlando, Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco, coverage in the big cities and tourist corridors is broad. On highways between states it holds up well. In remote national parks — deep canyons, backcountry trails, desert stretches — you can lose signal entirely, and that happens with every carrier, including Vodafone roaming. Download offline maps before you go in.
Puerto Rico works, since it runs on US networks. Cruises are a separate story: the eSIM works on land at ports, not at sea. If you ever land and see no signal, the free eSIM Rescue tool diagnoses any brand of eSIM in a few steps, and if support cannot get you connected you get a 100% refund.
Does your phone support an eSIM?
Quick check: dial *#06#. If an EID number appears alongside the IMEI, your phone handles eSIM. In practice that means iPhone XR or newer, Samsung Galaxy S20 or newer, Google Pixel 3 or newer, and most phones released from 2020 on.
Two things to watch. First, the phone must be carrier-unlocked — a handset locked to Vodafone or any other operator will refuse a third-party eSIM, and you can ask your carrier to unlock it. Second, VoaSim does not sell physical SIM cards, so an older phone without eSIM support is not covered.
About hotspot and tethering: do not plan your trip around it. Availability depends on the plan, so ask support before you rely on sharing data with a laptop or a travelling companion.
Heading to Europe on the same trip? The Europe plan covers 50 countries with one eSIM, including the UK, Switzerland and Turkey.
Why trust VoaSim?
Registered company with an invoice on every purchase, USD payment via Stripe with no hidden fees, human support and a guarantee: if the eSIM will not connect and support cannot fix it, you get 100% back.