1 GB for 7 days
A long weekend- Graba SIMNTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile£2.75Live Graba SIM price
- NomadKDDI, SoftBank£2.99Graba SIM £0.24 less
Graba SIM is the lowest of the brands checked for 1 GB for 7 days.
Prices in pounds · Prices checked 12 November 2026
Japan eSIM prices compared
Japan plans from Graba SIM, Airalo, Nomad, Ubigi and Yesim in pounds, matched on data and days, with which networks each uses and how hotspot and activation work.
- 5brands, read on their own pages
- 6plan sizes matched on data and days
- £13.9920 GB for 30 days: lowest of the brands we checked that sell it
Rival prices read on each brand’s own page on 12 November 2026, in pounds. Graba SIM prices are live.
Japan eSIM prices by trip length
Each card compares plans with exactly the same data and validity, all priced in pounds. Bars show the price; the highlighted row is Graba SIM’s live price.
3 GB for 30 days
A week of maps and messages- Graba SIMNTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile£3.49Live Graba SIM price
- NomadKDDI, SoftBank£5.23Graba SIM £1.74 less
Graba SIM is the lowest of the brands checked for 3 GB for 30 days.
5 GB for 30 days
One to two weeks- Graba SIMNTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile£5.49Live Graba SIM price
- NomadKDDI, SoftBank£7.48Graba SIM £1.99 less
- Yesim£7.92Graba SIM £2.43 less
- Airalo£8.50Graba SIM £3.01 less
Graba SIM is the lowest of the brands checked for 5 GB for 30 days.
10 GB for 30 days
Two to three weeks- Graba SIMNTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile£8.99Live Graba SIM price
- Nomadsale price · KDDI, SoftBank£11.96Graba SIM £2.97 less
- UbigiKDDI, SoftBank£13.50Graba SIM £4.51 less
- Airalo£14.00Graba SIM £5.01 less
- Yesim£14.40Graba SIM £5.41 less
Graba SIM is the lowest of the brands checked for 10 GB for 30 days.
20 GB for 30 days
A month, or heavy use- Graba SIMNTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile£13.99Live Graba SIM price
- Nomadsale price · KDDI, SoftBank£17.20Graba SIM £3.21 less
- Airalo£19.50Graba SIM £5.51 less
- Yesim£22.32Graba SIM £8.33 less
Graba SIM is the lowest of the brands checked for 20 GB for 30 days.
50 GB for 30 days
Very heavy use or hotspot- NomadKDDI, SoftBank£26.17£36.82 less than Graba SIM
- UbigiKDDI, SoftBank£47.00£15.99 less than Graba SIM
- Graba SIMNTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile£62.99Live Graba SIM price
Nomad and Ubigi are lower for this size.
Where Graba SIM is lowest of the brands checked
- 1 GB for 7 days: Graba SIM £2.75, next lowest £2.99.
- 3 GB for 30 days: Graba SIM £3.49, next lowest £5.23.
- 5 GB for 30 days: Graba SIM £5.49, next lowest £7.48.
- 10 GB for 30 days: Graba SIM £8.99, next lowest £11.96.
- 20 GB for 30 days: Graba SIM £13.99, next lowest £17.20.
Where another brand is lower
- 50 GB for 30 days: Nomad £26.17, Ubigi £47.00, against Graba SIM £62.99.
Beyond the price: networks, activation and hotspot
What each brand says about the things that matter once you land, quoted from its own pages on 12 November 2026.
| Brand | Networks named | When it starts | Hotspot | Unlimited data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graba SIM | NTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile, KDDI/au, SoftBank | Starts when the eSIM first connects in the destination, so you can install it at home. Each plan page states when it starts. | Hotspot works on every plan, using the plan’s data. | Fixed data only on these plans; day passes slow down after the daily allowance. |
| Airalo | Not named on the page we checked | Most packages start when the eSIM connects to a supported network in the coverage area; a few start on installation. Check the Validity Policy under Package Details. | Not stated as a general rule for fixed-data packages; on Airalo Unlimited, hotspot use counts towards the daily full-speed allowance. | Unlimited packages have a daily full-speed allowance, then slower speeds. |
| Nomad | KDDI, SoftBank | Activate within 60 days of purchase; after that the plan activates automatically and the validity starts. | Nomad says its eSIMs support hotspot and tethering, using the plan’s data allowance. | Unlimited plans keep Nomad’s own speed policies. |
| Ubigi | KDDI, SoftBank | Smartstart: the plan activates on arrival in a covered destination and the validity starts then. Plans not activated within 6 months expire. | Not stated on the plan page we checked. | Unlimited plans may have a fair use policy. |
| Yesim | Not named on the page we checked | Install it in a few steps and activate when ready. | Yesim lists hotspot mode for sharing data with other devices. | On plans with a speed limit, speed is reduced (throttled) once the limit is reached. |
| Holafly | Not named on the page we checked | The plan activates when the eSIM connects to a supported network and runs in 24-hour days from then. | Up to 1 GB a day can be shared as a hotspot. | Unlimited data only, priced by trip length; no fixed-data plans to compare like for like. |
Sources: Airalo validity help (checked 12 November 2026) · Airalo Unlimited (checked 12 November 2026) · Nomad Japan page (checked 12 November 2026) · Ubigi Japan page (checked 12 November 2026) · Yesim Japan page (checked 12 November 2026) · Holafly Japan page (checked 12 November 2026). Prices change; check before you buy.
Every price in one table
| Plan | Graba SIM | Airalo | Nomad | Ubigi | Yesim |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB for 7 days | £2.75 | – | £2.99 | – | – |
| 3 GB for 30 days | £3.49 | – | £5.23 | – | – |
| 5 GB for 30 days | £5.49 | £8.50 | £7.48 | – | £7.92 |
| 10 GB for 30 days | £8.99 | £14.00 | £11.96sale | £13.50 | £14.40 |
| 20 GB for 30 days | £13.99 | £19.50 | £17.20sale | – | £22.32 |
| 50 GB for 30 days | £62.99 | – | £26.17 | £47.00 | – |
Highlighted: the lowest price for each size among these brands. A dash means that brand doesn’t list the exact size. All prices are one-off, in pounds, for one eSIM, as shown with GBP selected on 12 November 2026.
Sources: Airalo (checked 12 November 2026) · Nomad (checked 12 November 2026) · Ubigi (checked 12 November 2026) · Yesim (checked 12 November 2026). Prices change; check before you buy.
What about Holafly?
Holafly sells unlimited data only, priced by trip length, so it has no fixed-data plan to match like for like. Its Japan page says up to 1 GB a day can be shared as a hotspot, and the plan starts when the eSIM connects to a network.
Sources: Holafly (checked 12 November 2026). Prices change; check before you buy.
Ready to choose?
An eSIM replaces the pocket Wi-Fi many visitors rent: nothing to collect, charge or post back.
Questions UK travellers ask
Which Japan eSIM costs the least?
It depends on the size. Of the 6 sizes we could match on data and days, Graba SIM was lowest of these five brands on 5; on the others, Nomad and Ubigi were lower for 50 GB for 30 days. Prices checked 12 November 2026.
Do these eSIMs allow hotspot?
Graba SIM plans do, using the plan’s data. Nomad and Yesim say theirs do. Holafly limits sharing to 1 GB a day. Ubigi’s plan page doesn’t say.
When does the plan start?
Graba SIM, Ubigi (Smartstart) and Holafly start when the eSIM connects in the destination, so you can install at home. Airalo says most packages work the same way. Nomad asks you to activate within 60 days of purchase.
Why isn’t unlimited data compared?
Unlimited plans have daily speed limits and hotspot caps, so they aren’t the same product as a fixed amount of data. We describe them instead of ranking them.
How do you check prices?
We read each brand’s own page with pounds selected on 12 November 2026, and match only plans with exactly the same data and validity. Graba SIM prices are live. Prices change, so check before you buy.
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