Roaming
Staying connected in Vietnam is easy, but roaming costs can add up quickly if you rely on your home carrier. I compared roaming plans from major providers and tested alternatives like eSIMs and local SIM cards to find the most practical and affordable ways to get online during your trip.
During our hands-on tests, Holafly excelled across the board - a fast, reliable connection that handled video calls and streaming even in remote areas, easy setup in under five minutes, and real-person support (not just AI) that's ultra-fast and knowledgeable. Holafly is a simple, reliable, well-supported eSIM - the one we'd recommend for travellers in 2026.
Many providers offer international roaming in Vietnam, but costs can easily run into hundreds of dollars if you’re not careful. In this guide, I share with you several options for using data roaming in Vietnam, including travel passes, inclusive roaming plans, and pay-per-use rates.
I also talk about more cost-effective alternatives like eSIMs, SIM cards, pocket WiFi, and free WiFi, as well as how to avoid roaming charges based on my experience, so you can stay connected with ease and avoid unexpected fees during your trip to Vietnam.
Data roaming allows you to use your regular mobile number, calls, texts, and data services while traveling outside your home country. Instead of connecting to your usual carrier’s network, your phone connects to a local Vietnamese network through agreements between mobile providers.
Once in Vietnam, you’ll usually connect to major local carriers such as Viettel, Vinaphone, and MobiFone. Your home provider may automatically connect you to one of these networks once you arrive. But do keep in mind that roaming access and speeds can vary depending on your carrier and plan.
If you’re from the EU, you may be used to roaming across European countries at no extra cost. But roaming in Vietnam is usually not free. Most travelers from the USA, Canada, the UK, and Europe need to purchase an international roaming pass, travel add-on, or pay standard roaming rates to access mobile data, calls, and texts.
Roaming in Vietnam is typically more expensive than local options because international carriers charge additional fees for using partner networks abroad. Pay-as-you-go rates can be especially costly for mobile data, which is why I choose eSIMs or local SIM cards instead.
Bun cha made me forget all about pho in Vietnam
Whether you’re planning your visit during the best time to visit Vietnam or traveling during peak tourist seasons, if you understand your options to stay online, then you can avoid overspending.
To help you estimate your mobile expenses, I compared roaming rates and travel passes for Vietnam offered by major carriers across different regions, including the USA, Canada, the UK, and Europe.
US carriers offer a combination of daily roaming passes, monthly international plans, and short-term data packages for travelers visiting Vietnam.
Verizon roaming and AT&T roaming focus more on daily passes that let you use your regular domestic allowance abroad, while T-Mobile includes international high-speed data on select premium plans alongside fixed-duration travel passes for shorter trips.
| Provider | Roaming service | Pay-as-you-go roaming |
| Verizon | $12/day TravelPass or $100/month International Monthly Plan | $2.05/MB, $1.79/minute, $0.50/text |
| AT&T | $12/day International Day Pass | $2.05/MB, $4/minute, $1/text |
| T-Mobile | $10 1-day pass, $35 10-day pass, $50 30-day pass | - |
Canadian providers offer a mix of daily roaming passes and longer Asia travel packages for travelers visiting Vietnam.
Rogers and Bell both provide 14-day and 30-day Asia passes that may be more cost-effective for extended trips, while Telus focuses more on daily roaming and shorter travel add-ons. If you travel without activating a roaming package, data charges can become extremely expensive within minutes of use.
| Provider | Roaming service | Pay-as-you-go roaming |
| Rogers | $18/day Roam Like Home, $70 Asia 14-day pass, $90 Asia 30-day pass | $15/10MB, $3/minute, $0.75/text |
| Bell | $16/day Roam Better, $75 Asia 14-day pass, $90 Asia 30-day pass | $3.50/minute, $0.99/text |
| Telus | $18/day Easy Roam, $70 Asia Easy Roam 14-day pass | $10/MB, $3.50/minute, $0.75/text |
UK carriers mainly offer roaming in Vietnam through fixed-duration travel passes and prepaid data bundles.
EE focuses on short-term daily and weekly passes, O2 sells roaming by data allowance, while Three provides multi-day Go Roam passes that may suit travelers visiting multiple countries during the same trip.
| Provider | Roaming service | Pay-as-you-go roaming |
| EE | £6 for 24-hour Zone 1 pass, £30 for 7-day Zone 1 pass | £1.80/minute, 60p/text |
| O2 | £26 for 100 MB, £45 for 500MB, £65 for 1 GB | £7.20/MB, £2/minute, 50p/text |
| Three | £12.50 3-day Go Roam pass, £30 7-day pass, £60 14-day pass | 10p/MB, 35p/minute, 15p/text |
European carriers usually offer roaming in Vietnam through international travel passes and fixed-data roaming bundles. Deutsche Telekom provides several Surf Pass options with different data allowances and validity periods, making it one of the more flexible choices for longer stays.
Other EU providers typically rely on country-specific roaming add-ons and international travel packages.
| Provider | Roaming service | Pay-as-you-go pricing |
| Deutsche Telekom | €4.16 for 1 GB 31-day Surf Pass S, €20.96 for 6 GB Surf Pass M, €37.77 for 18GB Surf Pass L, €41.97 for 40 GB Surf Pass | €13.72/MB, €2.51/minute, €0.41/text plus €0.41/day |
Make sure to bend your knees sideways at Hanoi Train Street
After several trips to Vietnam, I found eSIMs to be the most affordable, convenient, and reliable option for mobile internet. I can set everything up before I even go to the airport and activate my eSIM as soon as my plane lands.
Also, because of the straightforward per-day or per-GB pricing, I don’t have to worry about uncontrollable fees. Here are some of the best eSIMs in Vietnam that I’ve tried:
Holafly offers unlimited data plans with flexible usage periods from 1 to 90 days, so you can choose a plan based on the exact length of your trip to Vietnam. Prices start at USD $3.90 and can go as low as $1.55 per day for longer trips.
From Hanoi to Sapa, I stayed connected with reliable 4G and 5G speeds through the Vinaphone network. Holafly also offers 24/7 customer support, so I could contact them right away whenever I encountered issues. Plus, the Holafly Always On feature gives users 1 GB of data every month at no extra cost.
If you’re looking for flexibility, Airalo offers both per-GB and unlimited data plans, with prices starting at $4 for 1 GB, valid for three days. Although speeds only go up to 4G, I like the flexibility and the reliable connection through the Vinaphone network. Plans range from 3 to 30 days, but you can easily top up whenever needed.
What I like about Airalo, aside from its 24/7 multilingual customer support, is that the app is available in more than 50 languages, which makes it easy for travelers from almost anywhere to set up their plan.
Like Airalo, Jetpac offers both per-GB and unlimited data plans, with options lasting 1 to 30 days. Prices start at $4 for 1 GB, valid for four days. What I like about Jetpac is that even after your data runs out, you still get free access to Google Maps, WhatsApp, and Grab, which helps a lot when you’re in Vietnam.
Jetpac also offers lounge access as an add-on, which is useful for frequent travelers. On top of that, it includes unlimited hotspot sharing, depending on your plan, and international voice packs for calls, including to local landlines.
Sleeper bus to go from Hanoi to Sapa
Roaming charges in Vietnam can get expensive fast, especially if you rely on your home carrier for data, calls, and texts. During my trip, I looked for cheaper and more practical ways to stay connected without worrying about surprise charges.
Luckily, Vietnam has several good options, whether you want instant setup, affordable local data, or internet access for multiple devices. Here’s what I found most useful during my trip.
eSIMs ended up being the easiest option for me because I could activate everything before arriving in Vietnam without changing my physical SIM card.
Prices start at around $4 for short plans, while providers like Holafly offer unlimited data, and Airalo gives more flexible per-GB plans. I liked how convenient eSIMs felt, especially when I moved between cities and needed reliable data right away.
Local Vietnam SIM cards are probably the cheapest option if you want affordable mobile data in Vietnam. Prices usually start at around 50,000 VND (about $1.60), and the main providers are MobiFone, Viettel, and Vinaphone.
I noticed these SIM cards are easy to find at airports, convenience stores, and mobile shops, so they work well if you don’t mind setting everything up after arrival. Most providers also require your passport for registration, so make sure to keep it with you when you buy and activate your SIM card.
Pocket WiFi in Vietnam works well if you travel with friends, family, or multiple devices. Instead of buying separate data plans, you can connect everything through one portable hotspot.
Providers like Wifio charge around €2.25 per day, while others like MioWiFi cost about $8 per day. I think a pocket WiFi makes the most sense for group trips or for people who work remotely while traveling.
I found free WiFi almost everywhere in Vietnam, especially in cafes, hotels, restaurants, and airports. It definitely helped me save mobile data during the trip.
That said, speeds and reliability depended on the location, and I avoided using public WiFi for anything sensitive like banking or personal accounts. For quick browsing, messaging, or checking directions, though, it worked fine.
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A reliable eSIM provider for budget travelers
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The best global eSIM provider
From $2.3/week
A reliable eSIM provider for budget travelers
From $2.4/week
Our mission is simple: to make sure you never have to ask, “What’s the WiFi password?” again. All our tips come straight from personal experience — because we’d never recommend something we haven’t put to the test ourselves.
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