Best eSIM for Guatemala in 2026
Guatemala splits between our two picks, and neither is the cheapest plan on the market. Up to 5 GB, eSimania is the better of the two: about $6.54 for 1 GB over a full seven days, and $25.19 for 5 GB over 30 days. From 10 GB up the order flips and Jetpac wins, at about $38.00 for 10 GB and $59.99 for 20 GB against $43.22 and $83.33. The plan that beats both is Airalo's local Tikal Mobile, cheaper at every size, and we name it without linking to it. On coverage there is an honest gap worth knowing about: SIT, the Guatemalan regulator, administers spectrum and the operator registry, and we found no national coverage measurement from it of the kind Chile or Croatia publish. So we are not going to quote you one. Prices verified August 16, 2026; speeds are carrier-dependent and never guaranteed.
Most Guatemala trips are shaped the same way: a few days in Antigua, a boat week around Lake Atitlan, maybe a volcano hike, and a long transfer north to Tikal. That means a lot of shuttle bookings, a lot of maps, and long stretches where your phone is the only thing telling you where you are. The good news is that this is a competitive little market. The awkward news is that the cheapest plan in it is not one we get paid for, so below you will find the whole table, including the column we lose.
Our Guatemala picks
Better of our picks up to 5 GB: eSimania Guatemala eSIM
Data-only Guatemala eSIM, 1 GB to 20 GB, 7 to 30 days
1 GB about $7 / 5 GB about $25
Guatemala splits neatly between our two picks, so we will tell you which wins where instead of pretending one is best at everything. Up to 5 GB, eSimania is the better of the two: its smallest plan runs a full week where the alternatives run three or four days, and at 5 GB it comes in below the other plan we route to on the same 30-day window. Six Guatemala-only plans are sold. What it is not is the cheapest thing on the market: Airalo's local Tikal Mobile plan is cheaper than both of our picks at every size, and we say so in the table below rather than bury it. Data-only with instant QR delivery. Prices checked on eSIMDB on August 16, 2026 against the Guatemala plan codes; speeds are carrier-dependent and never guaranteed.
Pros
- A full 7-day window on the 1 GB plan, against 3 or 4 days elsewhere
- Cheaper than the other plan we route to at 1 GB, 3 GB and 5 GB
- Every plan from 3 GB up runs 15 or 30 days
Cons
- Airalo's local plan is cheaper at every size, which we state plainly
- Falls behind our other pick at 10 GB and 20 GB
- No unlimited option, and the marketplace does not name the carrier
Best for: Antigua, Lake Atitlan and a week of maps, shuttle bookings and photos.
Better of our picks at 10 GB and up: Jetpac Guatemala eSIM
Data-only eSIM, Guatemala and multi-country plans
10 GB about $38 / 20 GB about $60
Above 5 GB the order flips. Jetpac is the cheaper of our two picks at 10 GB and clearly cheaper at 20 GB, both on a 30-day window, and it also sells multi-country plans that include Guatemala, which is the sensible buy if you are crossing into Belize or Mexico on the same trip. It comes with free airport lounge access if your flight is delayed 60 minutes or more. It is not the cheapest large plan available in Guatemala either, and the table below shows who is. Speeds are carrier-dependent and never guaranteed. Prices checked on eSIMDB on August 16, 2026.
Pros
- The cheaper of our picks at 10 GB and 20 GB on a 30-day window
- Multi-country plans cover a Guatemala, Belize and Mexico run on one install
- Free airport lounge access on a 60-plus minute delay
Cons
- More expensive than eSimania at 1 GB, 3 GB and 5 GB
- The 1 GB plan runs only 4 days
- Data-only, no calls or SMS
Best for: Longer stays, remote work weeks, or a Guatemala plus Belize or Mexico route.
Guatemala eSIM prices we checked
Real prices captured August 16, 2026 from eSIMDB, comparing eSimania's six Guatemala-only plans (plan codes carry the GT prefix, for example GT 5.12GB for 30 days) against Jetpac's Guatemala plans and Airalo's local plan, Tikal Mobile. Validity is listed with every price, because a cheaper plan that expires in three days is often not the cheaper plan. Confirm before buying, since prices move.
| Size | eSimania | Jetpac | Airalo Tikal Mobile | Better buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | about $6.54, 7 days | about $7.00, 4 days | about $5.00, 3 days | Airalo on price, eSimania on validity |
| 3 GB | about $16.92 for 15 days, $22.96 for 30 days | about $19.99, 7 days | about $13.00 for 3 days, $14.00 for 7 days | Airalo on price, eSimania on validity |
| 5 GB | about $25.19, 30 days | about $29.99, 30 days | about $22.00, 30 days | Airalo, then eSimania |
| 10 GB | about $43.22, 30 days | about $38.00, 30 days | about $35.00, 30 days | Airalo, then Jetpac |
| 20 GB | about $83.33, 30 days | about $59.99, 30 days | about $46.00, 30 days | Airalo, then Jetpac |
Honest note: Airalo's Tikal Mobile is the cheapest plan at every size here, and it also sells unlimited day passes that neither of our picks offers. We earn nothing from saying that, which is rather the point. What we can tell you usefully is where our two picks sit relative to each other, because that is the choice in front of you if you use our links: eSimania up to 5 GB, mainly on validity, and Jetpac from 10 GB up, on price. Neither names the Guatemalan carrier on the listing. Prices are quoted from eSIMDB as captured on the date above.
How much data you need in Guatemala
Coverage: what Guatemala's regulator does, and what it does not do
Telecoms in Guatemala sit under SIT, the Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones, a technical body of the Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing. SIT lists its principal functions as administering and supervising the exploitation of the radio spectrum, administering the Registro de Telecomunicaciones, settling disputes between operators over access to essential resources, drawing up and running the national numbering plan, and applying the sanctions set out in the Ley General de Telecomunicaciones. Under that law, Decreto 94-96, Chapter II, Article 23, every commercial network operator has to register with SIT before it starts operating or exercises its rights.
Read that list again and notice what is not on it. On our Chile page we could tell you that airports and seaports are covered because the regulator wrote those polygons into the 5G contest. On our Croatia page we could tell you the regulator drove 2,500 km of road and published what it found. Guatemala's framework is a registration and spectrum regime. SIT does publish a telephony statistics bulletin, but we found no national coverage measurement or coverage obligation comparable to those, and we are not going to substitute a number from an eSIM seller's blog for one. Where we cannot source it, we say so.
What that leaves you is behavioural rather than statistical, which is honestly what matters on this particular trip anyway. Download offline maps for every route before you take it, especially the long northern transfer, and treat the validity window rather than the gigabyte count as the thing to get right: a three-day plan is the classic Guatemala mistake, because the country is slow to move around and a week disappears fast. If a specific lodge or village matters, ask them directly which network works there. They will know, and no published figure will tell you better. Verified August 8, 2026.
Sources: SIT, Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones, statement of principal functions and SIT, Operadores de Red Comercial, citing Decreto 94-96 Article 23.
Frequently asked questions
Will an eSIM work in Guatemala?
Yes, if your phone is eSIM-capable and carrier-unlocked. Guatemala regulates telecoms through SIT, the Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones, and under Decreto 94-96, the Ley General de Telecomunicaciones, every commercial network operator must register with SIT before starting operations. A travel eSIM roams on a registered local network rather than giving you a Guatemalan number.
Which eSIM is cheapest for Guatemala?
Not one of ours, and we would rather you knew. On the day we checked, Airalo's local Tikal Mobile plan was cheaper than both plans we route to at every size, from 1 GB to 20 GB. We name it in text and do not link to it. Between our two, eSimania is cheaper up to 5 GB and Jetpac is cheaper at 10 GB and above.
Does Guatemala publish official mobile coverage data?
Not that we could find. SIT describes its principal functions as administering and supervising the radio spectrum, running the Registro de Telecomunicaciones, resolving operator disputes over essential resources, managing the numbering plan and applying sanctions. It publishes a telephony statistics bulletin, but we found no national coverage measurement of the kind Chile or Croatia produce.
How much eSIM data do I need in Guatemala?
For a typical week, 3 to 5 GB covers maps, shuttle and tour bookings, messaging and photos. Antigua hotels, hostels and cafes have wifi, so a light week can run on 1 to 2 GB. Allow 8 to 10 GB or more for a longer stay or remote work, and download offline maps before any long transfer, especially toward Tikal and the Peten.
Should I buy a Guatemala plan or a regional one?
Buy the single-country plan if Guatemala is the whole trip, since it is normally cheaper per gigabyte. If your route continues into Belize, Mexico or further down Central America, a multi-country plan on one install saves reinstalling at each border. Check that every country you actually stop in is on the plan list before buying.
Travelling on? Compare the best eSIM for Mexico and the best eSIM for Costa Rica, or for a wider route see the best eSIM for South America guide. There is also our full best travel eSIM guide and the Airalo review.