Ranui Travelled to Australia
Seamless connection, much easier than the other eSIM I've used. Will use again next time!
United States eSIM plans
Skinny roaming in the United States: costs, data, and how to save
A plain-English guide to the Skinny Overseas Roaming Packs, what you'll pay, and a cheaper alternative if you want one
KiwiSim eSIMs from $3.90/day
Save more than $183 on a 14-day trip
What Skinny charges
Skinny Overseas Roaming Packs
$17per 24 hours
3-day pack: 500MB total. 7-day Data pack: 1GB total. 7-day Full pack: a smaller data allowance plus calls and texts — see the Skinny site for the current breakdown.
- Calls and texts
- The 7-day Full pack includes voice minutes and texts to/from the United States and NZ. The Data and 3-day packs are data-only — for voice you'd need the Full pack or PAYG rates.
- Hotspot
- Allowed on all packs, but every MB tethered counts against the pack's data allowance.
- After the allowance
- Each pack expires after its 3- or 7-day window regardless of usage. Once it ends — or once you exhaust the data allowance — you fall back to PAYG rates or need to buy another pack.
- Zone
- The United States is in Skinny’s standard roaming zone alongside Australia, the UK, and a handful of other countries.
- Activation
- Buy the pack through the Skinny app or website before you fly. The pack activates the moment you buy it (not when you land), so don't buy days in advance or you'll burn the window before you leave NZ.
Skinny runs on Spark's network in NZ and uses Spark's roaming partnerships overseas. Rather than a daily pass, Skinny sells prepaid Overseas Roaming Packs that you buy in advance — a $11 pack covering 3 days (500MB), a $17 pack covering 7 days (1GB, data-only), or a $23 pack covering 7 days (full inclusions). Each pack starts the moment you buy it, not when you arrive in the United States.
Cost over a trip
Pick a trip length, prices as at 21 May 2026
How long is your trip?
You'd save $183.40 on a 14-day trip
Skinny roaming$238.00
KiwiSim eSIM$54.60
Skinny at $17.00 a day, KiwiSim at $3.90 a day
Your United States eSIM
How long is your trip?
Our picks for a 14-day trip
Most popular
Daily Unlimited
1GB a day at full 5G speed, then unlimited at standard speed
$54.60NZD14 days × $3.90
15GB fixed data
One allowance to use across your whole trip
$40.90NZDValid 30 days
More plans
1GBValid 7 days
$4.003GBValid 15 days
$10.905GBValid 30 days
$16.0010GBValid 30 days
$29.5020GBValid 30 days
$55.9050GBValid 30 days
$134.90100GBValid 10 days
$336.50Side by side
How data is sold
KiwiSimUnlimited daily plan — pay by the number of days you need
SkinnyPre-paid packs you buy in advance: $11 for 3 days (500MB), $17 for 7 days (1GB data-only), or $23 for 7 days (full pack)
When the allowance runs out
KiwiSimContinues at reduced speed for the rest of the day — still browsable. Resets every 24h.
SkinnyPack expires after its duration regardless of usage. Unused allowance is forfeited; buy another pack to extend.
Hotspot / tethering
KiwiSimYes
SkinnyYes
Networks used in the United States
KiwiSimAT&T & T-Mobile 5G/4G
SkinnyAT&T partner network
Activation method
KiwiSimScan QR code, install in 2 minutes
SkinnyBuy the pack before you fly — it activates immediately on purchase, not on landing
Keeps your NZ number for calls/texts
KiwiSimYes — runs alongside your NZ SIM
SkinnyYes — it is your NZ SIM
Customer support
KiwiSim24/7 chat & email
SkinnyOnline chat & community forum
If you cross into another country
KiwiSimInstall a new eSIM for that country
SkinnyPack only covers the listed destination — moving outside means buying a new pack or paying PAYG rates
Skinny sells fixed-duration roaming packs rather than a true daily pass — buy in advance and the clock starts ticking immediately. KiwiSim lets you decide your dates after you land and pays for itself on most trips.
Why KiwiSim
Built in New Zealand for Kiwis heading overseas
Locally owned & operated
You're in good hands with our Kiwi team
Global 5G/4G network
Fast, reliable coverage in 200+ destinations
Simple to set up
Connected in minutes, all online
Hotspot & tethering
Share your data with a laptop, tablet or mates
Priced in NZ dollars
No USD conversion, no exchange fees, no surprises on your statement
Works with most phones
Most modern phones support eSIM. Check yours
What Kiwis say
4.6 out of 5 from 80+ reviews
Garry Travelled to Australia
Definitely my to go to eSIM😬
Euan Travelled to Australia
We travel from Perth to Melbourne by road. We had data connection everywhere you would expect like roadhouses on Nullarbor. Would be handy if there was some way to receive Message. As we found camp ground sent after hours check in info on message.
Ele Travelled to Australia
Great price and very easy setup. I will use again.
Dave Travelled to Australia
Super easy & great price!
Sandrine Travelled to Australia
First time using an esim. It was so simple to install that I thought I did something wrong 😅. And super easy to use.
sue Travelled to Australia
Was brilliant easy to use
Nic Travelled to United States
Super easy to set up! And affordable which was awesome.
Christine Travelled to Australia
Was a little nervous, as the company was new, but everything worked easily and simply, Used it for a week in the Gold Coast. Highly recommend.
KR Travelled to Indonesia
Really easy to use and no issues with connectivity. Love that its nz owned. Only gave 4 stars because I manually chose 8 days of coverage however on the last day it stopped working.
Kingsley Travelled to Australia
Did all we needed for our short trip.
Mke r Travelled to Australia
Simple, easy and chepaer than roaming packages. Highly recommend
Questions, answered
How is the daily cost for Skinny calculated?
Skinny's roaming products vary by data allowance and pack duration, so they aren't always priced as a flat daily fee. To compare like-for-like with KiwiSim's unlimited daily plan — which gives you around 1GB of data per day at top speed — we worked out what you'd actually pay Skinny to get roughly the same data each day at their published rates. That's the figure used in the chart and tables on this page.
Is a Skinny roaming pack worth it in the United States?
For trips of 3 or 7 days with light data use, the $11 or $17 packs are reasonable value. The catch is the data caps (500MB / 1GB total over the whole window) and the fact you have to commit to a fixed duration in advance. KiwiSim matches your exact trip length and gives unlimited daily data at top speed — better value on most trips longer than a couple of days.
How do I buy a Skinny roaming pack?
Add the pack via the Skinny app or website before you fly. It activates the moment you buy it (not when you land in the United States), so the clock starts immediately — don't buy weeks in advance or the window will tick away before your trip.
Can I use Skinny and KiwiSim at the same time?
Yes — keep your Skinny SIM in your phone (with data roaming off if you don't want to risk PAYG charges), and use the KiwiSim eSIM for all your data while you're in the United States. Your Skinny number stays available for calls and texts if you want.
What happens when my Skinny pack runs out mid-trip?
Once the 3- or 7-day window ends, or the data allowance is used up, you fall back to PAYG rates for any further use — or you can buy another pack through the Skinny app to extend coverage.
Does the Skinny data-only pack include calls and texts?
No. The 3-day pack and the 7-day Data pack cover data only. If you also need voice and texts, you need the 7-day Full pack ($23), which trades some data for included minutes and texts.
Will I get charged by Skinny if I install a KiwiSim eSIM?
No — KiwiSim is a separate carrier connection. Installing the eSIM has no impact on your Skinny account or balance.
Does Skinny roaming work on all phones?
Yes — Skinny roaming works on whatever phone already uses your Skinny SIM. KiwiSim requires an eSIM-compatible phone (most iPhones from XS onward, most flagship Androids from 2020 onward).