Opera Adds a Free 3 GB eSIM to Its Android Web Browser

Opera has added eSIM capabilities to its web browser on Android, and there’s a free 3 GB plan to help get you started, along with various paid plans.

“From today, you can buy a travel eSIM inside of Opera for Android and use it in 47 destinations ” Opera’s Santiago Benavides García writes. “To kickstart your traveling experience, we’re giving you 3 GB of free data valid for three days (in selected markets). The free data has zero commitment from your side: no payment details, no email address, nothing.”

Opera built data 5G-capable eSIM capabilities into its mobile web browser so users don’t need a second app. You can set up the eSIM before a trip–it works in 47 destinations–and it will activate when you land at your destination, the company says. And, yes, the Internet access works across the entire device normally, not just in Opera mobile.

The 3 GB of free data is available to users living in he United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Poland, Opera says. To claim it, install Opera mobile or update it to the latest version, tap the profile icon in the bottom right of the app, and then tap the “eSIM” button on the sheet that appears. You’ll be prompted to select a destination–Mexico, sadly, is not among them–and then it will install the eSIM. You can activate it immediately or wait until you go on a trip; you have one year to activate the connection. (Or, you can use it domestically in a supported country, too.)

The eSIM capabilities in Opera mobile are provided by Holiday.com. You can add data as you go in 3 GB, 5 GB, and 10 GB allotments, if needed, and add different data packages for different destinations. Supported destinations include Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The prices seem reasonable, though I would need to see Mexico pricing to be sure. In the U.S.(as a destination), 3 GB of data is $4.99, 5 GB is $8.99, and 10 GB is $13.99, and in each case you have 30 days to use it before it expires.

The eSIM data access in Opera mobile requires an unlocked phone running Android 10 or newer and, obviously, eSIM support. Opera has more detailed instructions on its blog and a related FAQ.