Verizon TravelPass costs $12 per line for every day you use your phone abroad ($6 in Mexico and Canada). A travel eSIM is a prepaid data plan you download before you go, and for a one- or two-week trip it usually costs $10 to $30 in total. So on price alone, the eSIM wins for almost any trip longer than two days.
What TravelPass does give you is your normal Verizon number, working exactly as it does at home. You don't have to give that up. Most travelers can keep the Verizon line on for texts and use an eSIM for data, without triggering a single TravelPass day.
TravelPass vs a travel eSIM at a glance
| Verizon TravelPass | Travel eSIM | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $12 per line per day ($6 in Mexico and Canada) | Usually $5 to $50 for the whole trip, depending on data and days |
| Two-week trip, one person | $168 | Roughly $15 to $30 |
| Setup | None: it starts when you use your phone abroad | About 5 minutes, before you leave |
| Your Verizon number | Works normally for calls and texts | Data only on most plans. Keep the Verizon line on for texts |
| High-speed data | 5GB per 24-hour session, then 3G speeds | Whatever you buy (1GB to unlimited) |
| Coverage | 210+ countries | Single-country, regional or global plans |
| Billing | On your Verizon bill, per day used | Paid up front, nothing on your Verizon bill |
| Best for | 1 to 3 days, or when you need native calls | 4+ days, heavy data, families |
What each one costs by trip length
TravelPass is charged per 24-hour session, so the bill grows with every day you use your phone. Verizon's International Monthly Plan is a flat $100 for a month (250 minutes, 20GB of high-speed data), which becomes cheaper than TravelPass from about the ninth day. A travel eSIM is priced by data and validity, not by day.
| Trip length | TravelPass (1 line) | Verizon $100 monthly plan | Typical travel eSIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | $36 | $100 | $5 to $10 |
| 7 days | $84 | $100 | $8 to $20 |
| 10 days | $120 | $100 | $10 to $25 |
| 14 days | $168 | $100 | $15 to $30 |
| 21 days | $252 | $100 | $20 to $40 |
| 30 days | $360 | $100 | $25 to $50 |
The gap gets bigger with every extra person. TravelPass is per line, so two people on a 10-day trip pay $240, and a family of four pays $480. Four travel eSIMs for the same trip usually come to well under $100.
Check this first: you may not need either
- Going to Mexico or Canada? On Verizon's Unlimited plans, roaming there is already included at no extra cost, so there's nothing to buy.
- On Verizon Unlimited Ultimate? It includes data, talk and text in 210+ countries (15GB of high-speed data, then 1.5 Mbps), and TravelPass can't be added to it. Many Reddit threads on this topic end with the same answer: if you're on Ultimate, you're already covered.
- On Visible? Visible+ Pro includes two Global Pass days a month, and Visible+ includes one day in Mexico and Canada.
- Traveling often? Plans like Google Fi include data abroad as part of the plan, with no day pass to trigger. Our best international phone plans ranking compares them.
When TravelPass is the better choice
- Short trips. For one or two days, $12 to $24 is close to the price of an eSIM, and there's nothing to set up.
- You need to make and take normal phone calls on your US number, all day. Work calls, a parent who only phones, a doctor's office calling back. TravelPass is the only option here where your number simply works.
- Your phone is locked or doesn't support eSIM. A travel eSIM needs an unlocked, eSIM-capable phone (see below).
- A trip where you'll only use your phone on one or two days. You're only charged for the days you use it, so a 10-day trip with two days of use costs $24.
- Your employer pays. TravelPass shows up on your Verizon bill, which is easier to expense than a separate purchase.
When a travel eSIM is the better choice
- Any trip of four days or more where you'll use data every day.
- Two or more travelers. The per-line TravelPass charge adds up fast.
- Heavy data use: maps all day, video calls, uploading photos, a hotspot for a laptop. eSIMs come in sizes up to unlimited, while TravelPass slows to 3G after 5GB each day.
- Several countries in one region. A Europe or Asia regional eSIM covers dozens of countries on one plan.
- You mostly message on WhatsApp, iMessage or FaceTime. These work over eSIM data exactly as they do at home.
The best of both: Verizon for texts, eSIM for data
Most recent phones can run two lines at once. Keep your Verizon line switched on but set the travel eSIM as your data line. According to Verizon, a TravelPass session starts when you make or receive a call, send a text or use data in a covered country.
Receiving a text isn't on that list. So with your Verizon line on and its data roaming off, you can still receive texts, including bank and two-factor codes, while all your data runs through the eSIM.
How to use a travel eSIM without triggering TravelPass
Do this at home, on Wi-Fi, a day or two before you fly. Installing the eSIM needs a connection, and switching it on usually happens when you land.
- Check your phone is unlocked and supports eSIM (see the next section).
- Buy the eSIM and install it from the provider's app or QR code. Label it "Travel" and your Verizon line "Verizon" so you can tell them apart.
- iPhone: go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data and pick the Travel line. Turn off Allow Cellular Data Switching. Then open the Verizon line and turn Data Roaming off.
- Android: go to Settings > Connections (or Network & internet) > SIM manager. Set Mobile data to the Travel eSIM, and turn off roaming for the Verizon line.
- Leave Wi-Fi Calling on for the Verizon line. Calls back to the US over Wi-Fi don't need TravelPass (calls to other countries are billed at international rates).
- When you land, turn on the travel eSIM and data roaming for that line only. Many travel eSIMs need roaming on because they connect to local partner networks.
- Don't place normal calls or send SMS from the Verizon number. Use WhatsApp, FaceTime or iMessage instead.
- Check My Verizon after the first day. If a TravelPass charge appears, something on the Verizon line used data or made a call.
If you don't need texts at all, the simplest option is to turn the Verizon line off completely for the trip (on iPhone, Settings > Cellular > Verizon > Turn On This Line). Nothing on it can start a session, but you won't receive calls or texts until you turn it back on.
Will a travel eSIM work on my Verizon phone?
- Unlocked: Verizon unlocks phones automatically 60 days after purchase. A phone bought more recently than that won't accept another carrier's eSIM. Our phone unlocking guide covers each carrier's rules.
- eSIM support: iPhone XS and later, Pixel 3 and later, and most Samsung Galaxy S and Z models from the last few years support eSIM. US iPhones since the iPhone 14 are eSIM-only, so you'd use eSIM either way. What is an eSIM? explains how it works.
- Does Verizon use eSIM? Yes. Your Verizon line can be an eSIM or a physical SIM, and either way it can run alongside a travel eSIM.
- Space for two: most phones store several eSIMs but run two lines at a time. That's your Verizon line plus the travel line.
Example: 10 days in Japan
Japan is one of the most common searches for this comparison. TravelPass covers Japan at $12 a day, so 10 days of use is $120 per line, or $240 for two people.
A Japan or Asia eSIM with 10 to 20GB for the trip typically costs $15 to $30 per person, and unlimited options cost more. If you're on Unlimited Ultimate, you already have 15GB of high-speed international data for the month, so you may not need either.
Example: two weeks in Europe
Fourteen days on TravelPass is $168 per line. Verizon's $100 International Monthly Plan is cheaper, but it caps you at 250 minutes and 20GB of high-speed data.
A Europe regional eSIM covering 30 or more countries is usually $15 to $30 for 10 to 20GB, and it carries over the border when you change countries. For two travelers, that's about $300 saved compared with TravelPass.
Traveling to mainland China
TravelPass is available in China. Roaming data, whether through TravelPass or most travel eSIMs, generally routes back through a network outside mainland China, which is why travelers report Google, WhatsApp and Instagram working without a VPN.
A local Chinese SIM doesn't work that way. If you buy an eSIM for China, check the listing says it works with those apps before you go.
Neither one works on a cruise ship or a plane
About 12 miles from land, the ship's satellite network takes over. TravelPass doesn't apply there, and travel eSIMs don't either.
Verizon sells a separate Cruise Daily Pass at $20 per line per day. In port, both TravelPass and an eSIM work normally.
How to choose a travel eSIM
The brands that come up most in these comparisons are Airalo, Saily, Holafly, Ubigi and GlocalMe. They all work the same basic way. Before you buy, check these five things:
- Coverage: a single-country plan is cheapest. Get a regional plan if you're crossing borders.
- Data: 1GB a day covers maps and messaging. Plan on 2 to 3GB a day if you'll be video calling or using a hotspot. Holafly and a few others sell unlimited plans, often with hotspot limits.
- Validity: buy a plan that lasts the whole trip. A 7-day plan on a 10-day trip means a top-up abroad.
- Hotspot: some unlimited plans block it or cap it. Check if you'll connect a laptop.
- Number: most are data only. That's fine if your Verizon line stays on for texts.
Our verdict
TravelPass is a convenience product priced for short trips. For a weekend, or when your US number has to ring like normal, it's worth $12 a day.
For a week or longer, a travel eSIM does the same job for a fraction of the price, and keeping your Verizon line on for incoming texts takes care of bank codes and messages from home. If you travel abroad several times a year, the bigger saving is a plan that includes international data, whether that's Unlimited Ultimate on Verizon or a plan from our international plans ranking.
Frequently asked questions
Is Verizon TravelPass worth it? +
Is Airalo cheaper than Verizon TravelPass? +
How do I stop Verizon TravelPass from activating? +
Will I still get texts and 2FA codes with a travel eSIM? +
Can I use a travel eSIM on a Verizon phone? +
Is TravelPass or the International Monthly Plan better? +
Do I need TravelPass for Mexico or Canada? +
Does TravelPass or an eSIM work on a cruise? +
Is Holafly better than Verizon TravelPass? +
- Verizon: TravelPass and international travel
- Verizon: device unlocking policy
- ShopCellPlans: Verizon TravelPass cost and data
- ShopCellPlans: Verizon Unlimited Ultimate review
Keep reading
All guides
Jean has tested carrier plans independently since 2019, running SIMs on all three networks and paying for every line himself. He ranks carriers on the bill you actually get, taxes and fees included, not the price on the ad.