A UK eSIM can be a small travel-data purchase or a package that also includes ordinary calls and texts. Those are different products. This comparison first matches data-only 5 GB and 10 GB allowances for 30 days, then explains the calling and coverage questions that can matter on a trip through London, Manchester or Edinburgh.
Prices checked 19 September 2026. Horizon includes instant support; current prices and availability are on the linked plan pages.
Matched fixed-data prices
- Horizon: 5 GB / 30 days €2.46; 10 GB / 30 days €4.75.
- Nomad: 5 GB / 30 days €10.45; 10 GB / 30 days €15.25.
- Airalo: 5 GB / 30 days €12.00; 10 GB / 30 days €17.00.
- Saily: 5 GB / 30 days €11.49; 10 GB / 30 days €16.99.
Horizon has the lowest price among the fixed-data offers above for both allowances. At 10 GB / 30 days, it is €10.50 below Nomad, the next-lowest listed price, a 68.9% reduction. This is a comparison of the displayed package totals; it does not establish better signal or identical coverage.
A bigger UK allowance without changing validity
For heavier use, Horizon’s 20 GB / 30-day UK plan was €9.32. The checked data-only 20 GB / 30-day prices were €21.78 at Nomad, €27.50 at Airalo and €27.49 at Saily. Horizon was €12.46 below Nomad for this specific allowance and duration.
Choose the allowance from your likely usage. A short London break with accommodation Wi-Fi may need less than a longer stay with daily hotspot use. All of the fixed allowances are total pools until expiry; 20 GB / 30 days does not reset to 20 GB every day.
Do you need a British phone number?
Horizon’s compared plans provide travel data. Internet messaging and calling apps can use that data, but ordinary calls, SMS and a local number are separate features. If you need them for a booking or business requirement, choose a plan that explicitly includes them.
Nomad’s checked UK page offered 5 GB with 100 minutes and 100 SMS for 30 days at €11.33, and 10 GB with 200 minutes and 200 SMS at €16.55. Airalo also displayed a separate Data / Calls / Texts category. These calling products should not be presented as equivalent to the cheaper data-only rows; inspect the included number, destinations and calling conditions before buying.
London to Edinburgh, or London to Dublin?
A route through England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a UK itinerary. The Republic of Ireland is a different country, so a London → Dublin trip needs an Ireland-inclusive product or a separate purchase. Do not assume that a UK label includes Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Horizon’s Europe plan includes the UK and Ireland in its checked regional list, which makes it worth comparing for that route. A mainland European stop after London can create the same reason to choose regional coverage. Signal can still vary on rural roads and rail routes; save key travel information offline.
Help when your phone chooses the wrong SIM
Horizon’s instant support can help you select the correct mobile-data line and follow the activation steps. Install while connected to reliable internet, label the line clearly and keep your home SIM’s data roaming off unless you intend to use its roaming service. Hotspot is supported on every Horizon plan and uses the same purchased allowance. For onward travel across the Atlantic, see the USA comparison.
How Holafly’s unlimited option compares
Holafly’s UK product page published a 7-day unlimited plan at US$27.50 in its USD duration table. That is a different allowance, duration and currency from the fixed 30-day EUR offers above, so we do not calculate a percentage saving against it. Check the selected currency and trip length before checkout.
The page specifies 1 GB per day for hotspot sharing, and says network fair-use measures can temporarily reduce speed. Unlimited handset data may suit heavy phone use; it does not mean unlimited tethering or the same speed in every situation. Horizon’s fixed plans support hotspot using the purchased data pool.
Instant support with your Horizon plan
Horizon includes instant support for setup and connection questions. Use Horizon support if you need help installing the eSIM, selecting it for mobile data or understanding the plan before you travel. Keep your order details handy so the team can help with the right purchase.
Before buying, check device compatibility and that your phone is unlocked. Install with a stable internet connection, follow the plan’s activation instructions, and review the live UK plans for the current price and coverage.
How the prices were checked
This is a Horizon-authored comparison. Research date: 19 September 2026. Editorial owner: Lurian Kasumaj. Fixed-plan prices are public EUR quotes from the providers’ own product pages, with 5 GB or 10 GB total data and 30-day validity. Public sale prices are included where labelled. Account rewards, subscriptions, affiliate coupons and first-order discounts are excluded. Regional country lists can differ even when allowance and validity match.
Every provider name in the comparison links to its source. Holafly’s separately reported USD quote is left in its published currency, without an exchange-rate conversion. Prices can change after this check; the linked product page and checkout take precedence. This research compares published offers and features, not measured network performance or support response times.
