Free eSIM in India — free data for first-time users, claimed in the Wanderly app.
How many days?
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Total plan price
Price per GB
$1.30
- Coverage
- Single country
- Plan type
- Data only
- Top-up
- Unavailable — buy another plan
- Activation
- On network connection
Data-only eSIM
Validity starts at the first network connection.
Top-ups unavailable. Usage tracking supported. Hotspot supported.
Calls and SMS are not included. Internet calling apps use your data.
Coverage (1 country)
India
Refund eligibility depends on the plan and its activation status. Contact Wanderly support before installing or using the eSIM.
What's Included
India eSIM plans at a glance
Wanderly lists 39 fixed-data India plans, ranging from 1GB up to 50GB over 3 to 30 days. Prices start at $3.99, and the lowest cost per gigabyte is $0.66/GB on the 50GB 3-day plan.
Unlimited day-passes are also available from $2.99 per day, billed per day rather than per gigabyte. 8 of the 43 India data-only plans can be topped up without reinstalling the eSIM.
Calls and SMS depend on the selected plan. Install using the supplied QR code and keep your home number on its own line. Activation timing varies by plan; check your selected plan's terms before purchasing or installing.
How much does an India eSIM cost?
An India eSIM from Wanderly costs $3.99 for 1GB (7 days), $7.99 for 5GB (5 days) and $18.99 for 20GB (3 days), as a one-off price with no subscription. Larger plans cost less per gigabyte: $3.99/GB at 1GB against $0.95/GB at 20GB.
Across its data-only plans, India works out at a median of $1.72 per GB, above the $1.41 median across the 181 countries in the Wanderly eSIM Price Index. 104 of them have a lower median.
| Data | Validity | Price | Per GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1GB | 7 days | $3.99 | $3.99 |
| 3GB | 15 days | $5.99 | $2.00 |
| 5GB | 5 days | $7.99 | $1.60 |
| 10GB | 3 days | $11.99 | $1.20 |
| 20GB | 3 days | $18.99 | $0.95 |
Cheapest current data-only plan at each size, as charged at checkout. Prices follow the live catalogue. Compare India with every country in the eSIM Price Index.
🇮🇳 About eSIMs in India
India has more mobile users than any country on earth, but as a tourist you cannot easily buy a local Jio or Airtel SIM without extensive KYC paperwork and an Indian address. Wanderly Indonesia bypasses that entirely — a foreign-issued eSIM roams onto Airtel or Vodafone Idea automatically and gives you working data the moment you land at Delhi or Bombay.
Data needs in India are high. You will use Google Maps constantly (traffic is intense), Uber and Ola for rides, and Google Translate for signs in Devanagari. Plan on 10–15 GB for a week; two-week travelers who visit Rajasthan and Kerala usually want 20 GB or unlimited.
Coverage is excellent in every metro (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad), on the Konkan coast, in Rajasthan and along the popular Kerala backwater routes. Trekking regions like Ladakh and remote Himachal drop signal, so download offline maps.
How to activate your eSIM in India
- 1Order before you flyBuy at home so you skip the KYC hassle of a local SIM. QR code arrives by email in under a minute.
- 2Install and labelAdd the eSIM as ‘India’ from Settings → Cellular. Keep it off until you land.
- 3Enable in IndiaAfter landing, switch cellular data to the India eSIM and turn on Data Roaming. No paperwork, no local ID.
- 4Install ride appsUber, Ola and Rapido all need working data to sign up. Do it once, then you are set for the whole trip.
India eSIM FAQ
Do I need Indian KYC or ID?
No. Wanderly eSIMs are foreign-issued and roam onto Indian networks — no Aadhaar, no passport photocopy, no local address.
Which network does it use in India?
Airtel or Vodafone Idea (Vi), depending on region. Both provide strong 4G in every major city and along the Kerala/Goa coast.
Will it work in Rajasthan (Jaisalmer, Udaipur)?
Yes — Airtel covers all of Rajasthan including the desert forts and Jaisalmer camel-safari roads.
Does it work in Kerala backwaters?
Yes, signal runs along the Alleppey and Kumarakom backwater routes. It may thin on remote canals but returns at every town.
How much data for 2 weeks in India?
20 GB is comfortable for maps, Uber/Ola, translation and social. Consider unlimited for constant Google Meet or heavy streaming.
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