Best eSIM in the Philippines: Smart vs Globe vs DITO

"Ano ang best eSIM sa Pilipinas?" Honest answer: yung may pinakamalakas na signal sa bahay at trabaho mo. An eSIM is just a digital version of your SIM. The network behind it is what you're really choosing.

So instead of crowning a winner, this page compares what Smart, Globe, DITO and GOMO offer on eSIM, using each network's own pages checked on 29 October 2026, and gives you a simple way to decide.

eSIMs.ph is an independent guide run by Dominet BV. We're not a mobile network, telco or eSIM seller, and we don't sell, activate or register SIMs. Some links on this site may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you buy through them. Telcos we mention don't pay us anything. That never changes what we write. Read our affiliate disclosure. We haven't run our own speed or coverage tests, so we make no claims about which network is fastest.

How we compared

We looked at things you can check on each network's own pages:

• whether you can convert your current SIM and keep your number
• where you can buy a new eSIM
• the starter price and freebie, as listed on 29 October 2026
• limits such as reinstalls, transfers and going back to a physical SIM
• tourist options

We didn't rank networks on speed or coverage. Those depend on your exact location, and we haven't tested them.

Side by side

As described on each network's pages on 29 October 2026:

TM, a Globe brand, didn't offer eSIM yet on 29 October 2026, according to Globe's help page.

Smart and TNT

Good for: people who want to keep their Smart or TNT number, or buy an eSIM through many channels.

• New Smart Prepaid eSIM: P99 as listed by Smart on 29 October 2026, or bundles of P399 and P599 that include load.
• Conversion: P99 for Smart Prepaid, P89 for TNT, free for Postpaid and Infinity, as listed by Smart Help on the same date.
• Smart Postpaid eSIM is for Smart's Signature and Infinity plans.
• You can buy at airport booths in Metro Manila, Clark, Mactan Cebu, Kalibo and Davao.

Full details: Smart eSIM guide.

Globe

Good for: people already on Globe who like doing everything in an app.

• New Globe Prepaid eSIM: P99 as listed by Globe on 29 October 2026. Globe's pages showed two different starter freebies that day, so check the one shown at checkout.
• Conversion: P99 for prepaid, free for postpaid.
• Globe says a prepaid eSIM QR can be reinstalled up to 5 times.
• Globe's prepaid load expires 1 year after your last reload, and the eSIM can expire 120 days after your balance hits zero, per Globe's FAQ.

Full details: Globe eSIM guide.

DITO

Good for: a second line for data, or trying DITO without visiting a store, if your phone is on DITO's list.

• New DITO Prepaid eSIM: P99 as listed by DITO on 29 October 2026, with a 15-day starter bundle.
• Not yet available, per DITO's FAQ: converting a physical SIM to eSIM, porting a number onto an eSIM, and going from eSIM back to a physical SIM.
• DITO notes that iPhones currently get 4G data only on its eSIM.

Full details: DITO eSIM guide.

GOMO

GOMO is a digital-first brand you manage in an app. Its Get GOMO SIM page offers a Local eSIM and a Roaming eSIM, and its FAQ says registration happens in the GOMO PH app with your ID and a selfie. We couldn't confirm GOMO's eSIM conversion or transfer rules on the public pages we could load, so check the GOMO PH app before you buy.

How to choose in four steps

1. Check signal where you actually are. Ask neighbours and officemates which network works in your building, or borrow a SIM for a day.
2. Decide if you're keeping your number. If yes, stick with Smart, TNT or Globe and convert. See our conversion guide.
3. Check your phone. Make sure it supports eSIM and isn't locked. See our compatible phones guide.
4. Compare current promos on the day. Starter freebies change often. Open the official pages in our sources before you pay.

Two lines, two networks

Many people use one eSIM and one physical SIM from different networks, so one line covers dead spots on the other. Smart says you can usually run only two numbers at a time. Choose which line handles mobile data, and keep your banking OTP number on the line you trust most.

What about "unlimited" eSIMs?

You'll see "unlimited" in some promos and travel eSIMs. Read the fine print. Some travel sellers slow your speed after a daily amount. For example, Airalo says its unlimited plans drop to 1 Mbps after 3GB a day. Local network promos have their own fair use rules on each network's page.

Mistakes we see people make

A few simple slips cause most eSIM headaches. All of them are easy to avoid:

• Buying a QR code from a random seller. Buy from the network's own app, store or the official stores it lists. Smart, for example, names its online store and its Lazada and Shopee stores. A QR code from a stranger may already be used, or registered to someone else.
• Registering in someone else's name. RA 11934 sets penalties for false information. Each eSIM should be registered by the person who uses it, or by a parent or guardian for a minor, as the law describes.
• Deleting the old eSIM too early. Don't delete an eSIM to "fix" a problem until the network confirms it can reissue it. Globe and Smart let you reinstall from the saved QR, but limits apply.
• Losing the QR code. Save the email and a screenshot somewhere you can reach if your phone breaks, such as a second device you own or your email account.
• Skipping the lock check. A phone bought on a postpaid plan may still be locked. Check before you pay for another network's eSIM.
• Forgetting about the line that handles data. With two lines on, the wrong one may be set for mobile data and eat your load.

Residents vs balikbayans

If you're a Filipino based abroad and home for a few weeks, you may want a local line for GCash OTPs, Grab and family. A local prepaid eSIM can be bought before you land on Smart's online store, and Filipinos register with a valid government ID under the same law. Keep your foreign number active on the other line if your bank abroad sends OTPs there, and switch its data roaming off.

Visiting the Philippines?

For tourists: local Smart and Globe eSIMs need registration with your passport, a Philippine address and an onward ticket, and tourist registrations last 30 days under RA 11934. Data-only travel eSIMs from worldwide sellers are another option. Airalo listed a Philippines eSIM on the Smart network on 29 October 2026, and Klook sells eSIMs and travel SIMs too. Our eSIM for tourists guide walks through both.

Going abroad?

This site covers eSIMs inside the Philippines. For Japan, China, Taiwan, Vietnam and other trips, plus roaming versus a travel eSIM, see our sister site TravelESIM.ph, starting with its roaming vs eSIM guide and best travel eSIM comparison.

Frequently asked questions

Which eSIM is best in the Philippines?

The one with the best signal where you live and work. If you want to keep your number, Smart, TNT and Globe offer conversion. DITO and TM didn't on 29 October 2026.

Smart or Globe eSIM, alin ang mas okay?

Pareho silang may P99 prepaid eSIM as listed on 29 October 2026, and both let you convert with the same number. Pick the one with better signal in your area.

Is DITO eSIM worth it?

It can be a cheap second line for data. But DITO didn't offer conversion, porting or a switch back to a physical SIM yet, so it's a weaker choice for the number you use for banking.

Can I have two eSIMs from different networks?

Many phones can store several eSIMs, but usually only two lines are active at once. Smart says this applies to two eSIMs or one eSIM plus one physical SIM.

Do I need to register my eSIM?

Yes. Under RA 11934, SIMs, including eSIMs from Philippine networks, only work after registration.