PikoeSIM
Excellent
United Arab Emirates eSIM
Plans from€0.33
100 MB 7 days
Burj Khalifa, Dubai
- 4G/5G data
- One prepaid price
- Check compatibility first
- Hotspot included
Choose your plan
Data for 7 days
Data for 15 days
Data for 30 days
Data for 60 days
Data for 180 days
Tech specs
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Country coverage | United Arab Emirates only. These offers do not extend to onward countries or separately administered areas. |
| Local networks | etisalat by e&, DU UAE |
| Network technology | Connects to 4G/5G where the network offers it. |
| Data & validity | Allowances run from 100 MB to 50 GB as a fixed total, with validity options from 7 to 180 days. Data does not reset each day. |
| Calls & SMS | Data only: no local phone number, standard calls or SMS are included. |
| Hotspot | The listed networks support hotspot. Any device you connect draws from the same data allowance. |
| Your phone | You need an eSIM-compatible phone that is network unlocked. This is an eSIM card installed as a digital profile, so confirm your exact model and regional version before you buy. |
How it works
Pick a plan, add the eSIM to your phone, then connect once you're in United Arab Emirates.
01Pick a plan
Choose data and validity that cover your trip. Save the setup instructions for offline access.
02Install before you fly
Install over Wi-Fi using your plan's instructions. Check when the plan's validity starts.
03Connect in United Arab Emirates
On arrival, turn on the eSIM and select it for mobile data. Keep data roaming off on your regular SIM.
Compare ways to get online in United Arab Emirates
Use prepaid data on the phone you already carry. This is how PikoeSIM compares with a rental router, home-carrier roaming and a physical SIM.
Swipe or scroll to compare all four options
| What matters | PikoeSIMTravel eSIM | Pocket Wi-FiRental router | RoamingYour home carrier | Local SIMPhysical SIM card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Getting connected | Download the eSIM to your phone, then follow the activation steps that come with your plan. | Book delivery or collect a rental router from the provider. | Turn on roaming and confirm your destination is covered by your home plan. | Buy a SIM card and insert it into a compatible SIM slot on your phone. |
| Extra equipment | None. You use the eSIM-compatible phone you already have. | A separate device to carry, charge and keep within range. | None. You keep using your existing phone and SIM. | A physical SIM card. You might need to remove your usual SIM to fit it. |
| Data & cost | From €0.33 for 100 MB / 7 days. You pick a fixed allowance when you order. | Rental fees and data terms vary by provider. Check delivery, loss and damage fees before booking. | Your carrier's rates apply. Some home plans already include roaming at your destination. | Prepaid prices, data allowances and validity periods differ between local operators. |
| Sharing your data | The listed networks support hotspot. Any device you connect draws from the same data allowance. | Connect phones and other devices to the router. They all need to stay inside its Wi-Fi range. | Tethering depends on your carrier and your roaming plan. | Check that the local plan allows tethering before you rely on it. |
| Calls & SMS | Data only. Make calls and send messages through internet apps. | Internet only. Regular calls and SMS still use your phone's mobile plan. | Calls and SMS are billed under your carrier's roaming terms. | A local number, calls and SMS depend on the specific plan you buy. |
| After your trip | There's nothing to send back when your trip ends. | Return the router and accessories on time. Late or missing returns can trigger extra fees. | No hardware to return afterwards. | You don't need to return any rental device. |
Frequently asked questions.
Answers to common setup and buying questions.
How do I pick the right plan?
For a trip of 1 day or one day only, 100 MB or 500 MB handles light browsing once automatic downloads are off. A holiday of 14 days or 2 weeks pushes most travellers toward 3 GB or 5 GB for 7 days, at €8.92 and €14.75. If 10 GB suits your use, the same €29.32 covers 7, 30 or 60 days. The 50 GB plan runs 180 days as one fixed total. An option of 30 days is not one month exactly, so read the day count carefully. The data plans above are affordable for short trips but are not all equally cheap per gigabyte; the best value is usually the smallest plan that covers your usage without leaving you stranded. Keep in mind that the service quality also depends on the network you connect to.
Which networks and speeds will I get?
Listed networks: etisalat by e&, DU UAE. Connects to 4G/5G where the network offers it. Speeds and signal vary with your phone, location and network conditions.
Will my phone run this eSIM?
Confirm your exact model supports eSIM and is not locked to a carrier. On iOS, open Settings, then General, then About; an unlocked iPhone shows 'No SIM Restrictions' beside Carrier Lock. On Android, the eSIM option often sits under Network & internet, then SIMs, though the path varies by brand. Regional variants differ, so use the compatibility guide to check compatible phones for your manufacturer.
When do I install and activate?
Install over reliable Wi-Fi and save the supplied instructions offline before you travel, since you do not want to spend the first hour of a vacation hunting for a signal. An eSIM is a virtual sim card stored on your device, so there is nothing physical to insert. Follow the activation steps that came with your purchase; installing the profile does not necessarily start the validity countdown, and the trigger depends on those instructions. On arrival, set the travel line as your mobile data line.
Can I get calls and bank codes?
No. This is a data-only eSIM with no local phone number, so ordinary calls and SMS are not part of it. Verification codes still arrive on your regular SIM, and that depends on your carrier and the sender. Check what your home carrier charges before you leave that line switched on.
Can I tether my laptop to it?
The listed networks support hotspot. Any device you connect draws from the same data allowance. A data hotspot draws every connected device from the same total, so pause system updates and photo backups before tethering on a small plan.
Does the data renew daily?
No. The figure you see is the total for the whole validity period, not a per-day amount. Both leftover data and leftover time matter, so a 180-day plan gives you more days, not unlimited data.
Does it work outside the UAE?
These offers cover the United Arab Emirates only. For an onward stop, check the country list on a separate plan instead of assuming this one carries over. The operator's name does not expand your included territory.
What if data won't connect?
Check you are inside the included country, the travel line is switched on and set for mobile data, and the plan still has data and time left. Apply any supplied roaming and APN settings to that line only, then toggle airplane mode or restart the phone. Keep the profile installed and have your device model, location and order reference ready when you ask for help.
What about my regular SIM?
Leave data roaming off on your regular SIM and disable automatic mobile-data switching. Any roaming setting your travel eSIM needs applies only to that line. Calls and SMS on the home line can still rack up carrier charges.
Can I top up or get a refund?
Read the purchase terms before counting on a top up or reusing the profile; buying another plan does not extend the old one. If 'no contract' matters, treat it as something to confirm in the terms rather than a promise. Keep your order reference and setup details ready for a refund request, since eligibility depends on the purchase conditions. These are practical recommendations, not guarantees.
Will WhatsApp and other calling apps work in the UAE?
Don't assume every voice or video app will open. TDRA states that VoIP access serving UAE users must be approved or provided in collaboration with licensed operators, so WhatsApp and similar calling features can be affected. Watching YouTube or browsing is not the same as making calls. Check the current TDRA guidance (opens in a new tab) and line up another way to reach your accommodation; buying more data does not lift app restrictions.
Using your eSIM in the United Arab Emirates
An eSIM for your United Arab Emirates itinerary
A Dubai Metro ride and an Abu Dhabi airport transfer call for different directions, so keep each route separate. Use mobile internet to pull up hotel entrances and tickets, and keep an offline copy of anything that matters. The core features are a fixed data allowance, its validity and the supported networks.
For a short arrival, 100 MB or 500 MB covers a few light online tasks once automatic downloads are off. On a city break, weigh 3 GB for 7 days at €8.92 against 5 GB for 7 days at €14.75. The 10 GB tier is listed at 7, 30 and 60 days for the same price of €29.32, so pick the validity that spans your stay. The 50 GB plan runs 180 days as one total allowance, not a monthly refill. Pricing is fixed up front, so the cheapest pick is only cheaper if it covers your trip; we make no best price claim against other sellers.
Coverage across the emirates
The catalog lists etisalat by e& and DU UAE as the operators, both with 4G/LTE and 5G where each network provides it. Signal quality depends on your phone and surroundings, and the best coverage for your trip depends on where you actually go; city strength says nothing about desert or mountain stretches. Whether internet calling apps open can also depend on local restrictions and the app itself.
Your next stop.Burj Khalifa, Dubai
Dubai: match the Metro timing to your terminal.
Dubai International Airport connects Terminals 1 and 3 to the Red Line, but the Metro does not run all night. Published hours differ by day and start later on Sundays, so check the current timetable against your landing time before a late arrival forces a taxi.
Save your hotel's entrance and the walk from the station where you get off. A room near Dubai Mall and one in Dubai Marina are different rides, so give a driver the full address rather than a landmark.
Download attraction tickets before you leave Wi-Fi. The data plan retrieves reservations but never covers Metro fares or entry fees.
Save before you goDXB terminal, hotel entrance, transport route and attraction tickets.
Abu Dhabi: sort the AUH transfer first.
Zayed International Airport sits apart from the city centre, so confirm the current transfer options for your hotel before you rely on one. Treat bus and taxi routes as separate decisions; what serves the Corniche may not reach Saadiyat Island.
If Saadiyat Island is on your list, keep the exact venue address and booking time beside your transfer details. Send the entrance pin to your driver while you still have a signal, then save the reservation offline.
Any Dubai-bound shuttle from AUH is a separate journey from heading into Abu Dhabi, so confirm its departure point and the next leg to your hotel. Don't assume one bus covers both destinations.
Save before you goAUH transfer, hotel or venue entrance, reservation and onward connection.
Choose your United Arab Emirates plan
Compare data amounts and durations to find the plan that fits your trip.
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