Oslo, Norway – September 29, 2026 – Opera [NASDAQ: OPRA] is adding a travel eSIM to Opera for Android, and giving away 3GB of free data in selected markets so people can try it before paying anything. Most journeys begin in the browser, so it’s the natural place to start one abroad. Opera is the first to integrate an eSIM directly into the browser, giving users mobile connectivity in 47 destinations. The eSIM gives internet access to the whole phone, not only the browser, so travelers can keep using their apps and their browser without paying expensive roaming fees.
Free data, no commitment
Opera is giving away 3GB of free data valid for three days. The free data comes at zero commitment for Opera users, which means that they don’t need to buy an eSIM to get it. There’s no need for payment details or an email address. Users can take the free 3GB on its own, or choose a paid plan when they need more data.
“Opera has spent decades getting people online where data is expensive or hard to come by. Roaming is the same problem in a different shape: you pay a disproportionate amount for the same internet you have at home. The eSIM, alongside our data savings and VPN, makes browsing while traveling more convenient. After all, a browser is pointless without a connection – so now we provide that as well,” said Tim Lesnik, Product Manager of Opera Mobile.
What an eSIM is, and why it’s in the browser
An eSIM is a SIM card built into the phone that gets activated through software instead of a plastic card. Having one means the phone keeps working as usual the moment the plane lands. Users who are traveling abroad can send a message home, get directions to the hotel, or search in the browser for somewhere to eat.
Most travel eSIMs require downloading a provider’s app and creating an account, usually while standing in an airport with no connection. With Opera, getting an eSIM doesn’t mean installing another app, and the data plan is bought and managed directly in the Opera browser that’s already on the phone. That also puts the eSIM in front of people who would not have known about it otherwise.
That visibility matters in a category where, according to GSMA Intelligence’s Global Consumer Survey 2024, half of the consumers don’t know the technology exists, and only 19% of those who do have ever used one. For travelers, it’s a clear use case: GSMA also found that 51% of eSIM users had used one while traveling abroad for leisure or personal reasons in the previous 12 months. The addition of the eSIM makes the Opera browser a key tool when traveling abroad, alongside the VPN and data saving features.
Set up the eSIM before you travel and activate it upon arrival
The eSIM can be set up at home before travel – with a good and stable internet connection – and it only starts counting the moment users connect to the network at their travel destination. The same applies to the free 3GB: users claim it before they travel and spend it when they land. When they buy an eSIM, their plan stays valid for a year – making it easier to buy now and use later.
The eSIM itself only needs to be installed once, so travelers moving between various countries in one trip can top up with data for their next destination on the same eSIM, without setting up a new one at each stop.
One eSIM can be topped up in different countries
Once the free data is used up, users can top up the eSIM at any time without having to install or set up a new one. They choose the destination, select a data plan, complete the purchase, and the new data is added to the eSIM they already have on their phone. Since topping up requires an internet connection, it’s best done before the current plan runs out, or on a stable WiFi network.
This also means that one eSIM covers a whole trip. Someone traveling from Thailand to Malaysia and then to Singapore can top up data for each destination on the same eSIM, rather than setting up and installing a new one at every stop.
Across the 47 destinations where the eSIM can be used, it connects to 5G networks when the local networks support it, and falls back to the next best quality network available where they don’t.
The data plans come in 3, 5, and 10GB, and each is valid for 30 days after activation in the destination country. The eSIM brings plans that are around 33% cheaper on average than other major eSIM providers.* Prices vary by destination and plan size, and they are shown in the browser before purchase so there are no surprise fees. The eSIM in Opera is powered by Holiday.com.
Requirements for eSIM compatibility
In order to get the eSIM in Opera for Android, users require an eSIM-compatible phone that is not carrier-locked, and that’s running Android 10 or newer. The eSIM is only available in Opera for Android. The plans are data only and they don’t replace the user’s existing phone number.
At launch, the free 3GB offer is available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Poland. The eSIM itself can be bought worldwide.
Read more on how to set up an eSIM on Opera for Android here.
* Based on a competitor comparison with six other major eSIM providers for a 5GB data plan for 30 days in the US as of August 24, 2026.
About Opera
Opera is a user centric and innovative software company focused on enabling the best possible internet browsing experience across all devices. Hundreds of millions worldwide use Opera’s mobile and desktop browsers for their speed, security and unique features, enhanced with integrated AI that enables users to navigate and interact with the web in new transformative ways. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Oslo, Norway, Opera is listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker symbol OPRA. Download Opera products from opera.com and learn more about Opera at investor.opera.com.