Smart's Philippine Tourist eSIM costs ₱599 for 24GB of data or ₱1,599 for unlimited data. By our math, the cheaper plan works out to about ₱25 per GB, or about ₱20 a day over its 30 days. This guide compares the two Smart Tourist eSIM plans, shows how to buy one on the Smart Online Store, and walks through installing and registering it so the data starts working.
One thing to know first: as of publication, the ₱1,599 unlimited plan is listed as out of stock on Smart's online store, while the ₱599 plan can be bought there.
Smart Tourist eSIM 599 vs 1599: what each plan includes
Both plans are prepaid eSIMs (a SIM profile you download to your phone instead of inserting a plastic card). Both work on Smart's 5G, 4G/LTE, 3G and 2G networks.
| Digital Tourist eSIM 599 | Philippine Tourist eSIM P1599 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ₱599 | ₱1,599 |
| Data | 24GB for all sites and apps | Unlimited open access data |
| Calls and texts | Unlimited to all networks | Unlimited to all local networks |
| Validity | 30 days, starting when you register the SIM | 30 days (shown on Smart's product card) |
| How you get it | QR code sent to your email | Carded eSIM, shipped to a Philippine address |
| Online store status | Available | Out of stock |
The ₱599 details come from Smart's listing for the Digital Tourist eSIM 599, which says the 30-day validity starts upon SIM registration. The ₱1,599 details come from Smart's listing for the Philippine Tourist eSIM P1599. That page's text does not state the validity, but the product card image on the same page reads "valid for 30 days". Smart's product cards also show US dollar prices of $10.99 for the ₱599 plan and $29.99 for the ₱1,599 plan.
Which plan makes sense for your trip?
The numbers, by our math from Smart's listed prices:
- ₱599 plan: ₱599 ÷ 24GB = about ₱25 per GB. ₱599 ÷ 30 days = about ₱20 a day.
- ₱1,599 plan: ₱1,599 ÷ 30 days = about ₱53 a day, with no data cap stated on the listing.
- Daily budget on 24GB: 24GB ÷ 30 days = 0.8GB a day if you stay the full month.
So the ₱599 plan suits a visitor who mostly uses maps, ride-hailing, messaging and some social media, or who stays well under a month. The ₱1,599 plan is for someone who expects to use more than about 0.8GB a day, for example a remote worker using the phone as a hotspot. It costs ₱1,000 more for the same 30 days.
The practical difference is also delivery. The ₱599 plan is a digital eSIM: Smart emails the QR code, so there is nothing to ship. The ₱1,599 plan is a carded eSIM: the QR code comes on a card that Smart ships. Its listing gives delivery times of 1 to 2 business days in Metro Manila, 1 to 5 days in Luzon, and 2 to 5 days in the Visayas and Mindanao. You need to be at a Philippine address to receive it, and right now the online store has none in stock.
For a cheaper top-up of data only, Smart's store also sells a regular Prepaid Digital eSIM with Magic Data 99 at ₱88 (down from ₱99) with 2GB of data that does not expire. That is about ₱44 per GB, so the tourist plan is cheaper per GB if you will use most of the 24GB. All of these are listed on Smart's eSIM catalogue page.
Check your phone first
An eSIM only works on a phone that supports eSIM. On an iPhone, the phone must also not be locked to another carrier. Apple's guide to using eSIM while traveling says to check this in Settings > General > About: "No SIM Restrictions" next to Carrier Lock means the iPhone is unlocked.
If you are a Filipino reader comparing local eSIM options for your own phone, our guide to getting an eSIM on Globe, Smart or DITO covers the regular prepaid eSIMs and which phones support them.
Paano bumili ng eSIM sa Smart Online Store?
To buy a Smart Tourist eSIM online:
- Open the product page for the ₱599 Digital Tourist eSIM (or the ₱1,599 plan, when it is back in stock).
- Tap Buy Now and check out with an email address you can open on arrival. Smart sends the ₱599 plan's eSIM QR code to your email.
- Pay. For the ₱599 plan, Smart accepts Mastercard, Visa, Amex, JCB, Maya, GCash and QR Ph (other banks and e-wallets). The ₱1,599 listing adds cash on delivery, Home Credit and BillEase.
- Wait for the email with the eSIM QR code. Keep it somewhere you can open on a second screen or print, because you scan it with the phone that will use the eSIM.
How to install the eSIM from the QR code
Install the eSIM before you register it. The registration portal sends a one-time PIN (OTP) by text to the number you enter, so the eSIM needs to be on your phone first.
On an iPhone, per Apple's eSIM setup guide:
- Open the Camera app and scan the QR code. Tap the Cellular Plan Detected notification.
- On iOS 17.4 or later, if the QR code is in an email on the same phone, touch and hold the code, then tap Add eSIM.
- Tap Continue, then Add Cellular Plan. Enter a confirmation code only if the phone asks for one.
On a Google Pixel, Google's Pixel help page gives the path Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Add SIM > Set up an eSIM. Other Android brands use similar menus, but the names vary.
How to register the Smart Tourist eSIM
The eSIM does not work until it is registered. Smart's product pages tell buyers to register at Smart's SIM Registration Portal, and the ₱599 plan's 30 days start from that moment. Based on the portal's own screens and help text, the process runs like this:
- Enter your new Smart mobile number. The portal sends an OTP to that number by text.
- Fill in your details, including your date of birth and your address in the Philippines (house or lot number, village, city or municipality, and province).
- Choose your visa type. Visitors pick Tourist Visa.
- Upload your documents. For tourists, the portal asks for your passport, a proof of address in the Philippines and a return ticket to your own country. The upload fields take files of up to 5MB, and most accept JPG, JPEG, GIF or PNG images.
- Do the selfie check. The portal requires a liveness check or live selfie, so you need a device with a camera. The portal recommends a phone over a desktop.
- Wait for the SMS confirmation and save the Control Number the portal gives you. Smart may contact you by text or call to confirm your details.
Smart's older explainer for tourists and foreign nationals lists the same three tourist documents: passport, proof of address in the Philippines, and a return ticket or other ticket showing your departure date. Registration is required by the SIM Registration Act (Republic Act No. 11934), which the portal cites.
When an eSIM from home is the better choice
The Smart Tourist eSIM is a local Philippine number, which helps with local calls, texts and app sign-ups that need a Philippine number. If you are a Filipino travelling out of the country, it is not what you need. See our explainer on Smart Infinity Roam and when an eSIM still wins instead.
What this guide could not confirm
Smart's main website was not readable for this guide, so a few details are left out on purpose: whether Smart Stores or airport counters currently stock the ₱1,599 plan, and when the online store will restock it. Check the ₱1,599 product page before your trip, since it offers an email alert when stock returns.
