Vietnam eSIM: Vinaphone or Premium (Viettel, MobiFone and Vinaphone)?

For a trip to Vietnam only, there are two country plans: Vietnam Vinaphone eSIM and Vietnam Premium eSIM. Vietnam Premium eSIM lists three networks, MobiFone, Viettel and Vinaphone, gives you 90 days from purchase to start the plan, and can be topped up on daily plans. Vietnam Vinaphone eSIM lists Vinaphone only, gives you 30 days from purchase to start, and cannot be topped up. Both are data only, both allow hotspot and both come in daily or one-allowance shapes.

Compare prices for the same data and days on the Vietnam eSIM plans page, because they change.

The two Vietnam country plans side by side

These facts come from our Vietnam destination page and the two product pages, checked on 6 November 2026. Each plan page is the final word if anything changes.

	Vietnam Vinaphone eSIM	Vietnam Premium eSIM
Networks in Vietnam	Vinaphone (3G, 4G, 5G)	MobiFone, Viettel and Vinaphone (each 4G, 5G)
Start window	Starts on first connection; use within 30 days of purchase	Starts on first connection; use within 90 days of purchase
When a daily allowance resets	Midnight GMT+7 (day 1 can be just a few hours)	Every 24 hours from activation
Top-up	Not available	Daily plans only
Internet route (IP location)	Not stated on the page	Singapore
Data roaming	Page says it works without turning on data roaming	Not stated on the page
Hotspot	Supported	Supported
Calls and SMS	Data only, none on the plan	Data only, none on the plan

Both plan pages add the usual caution: the networks are set by the mobile service and can change, and coverage depends on the network in the area, your phone and other conditions. Where a page lists 5G, read that as 5G where available and 4G otherwise.

Premium’s page says it mainly routes internet traffic through Singapore, so websites may see your connection as coming from Singapore. That does not change your phone’s GPS location or add coverage there. The Vinaphone page does not say where its traffic exits, so we cannot tell you; check the plan page before you buy if that matters to you.

Neither plan has an ID check. Your phone must support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked; the “Will my phone work?” check on each page lists models.

Which networks does each plan use?

• Vietnam Vinaphone eSIM uses Vinaphone only.
• Vietnam Premium eSIM can use MobiFone, Viettel and Vinaphone.

We do not rank the networks or say one covers an area better. The list only tells you which networks the eSIM is able to connect to. A plan that lists three networks has more to choose from; a plan that lists one connects to that one.

Daily data or one allowance

Both plans offer the same two shapes:

• Daily data: 500 MB to 3 GB a day, for 1 to 30 days. A fresh allowance arrives each day and unused daily data does not roll over.
• One allowance: 1 GB to 50 GB, for 7 to 30 days. You get a single amount of data for the whole validity period.

What happens when the data runs out is the same on both:

Shape	After the allowance
Daily	Slows to 128 kbps until the daily reset
One allowance, 1 GB and 2 GB	The connection ends
One allowance, 3 GB to 50 GB	Slows to 128 kbps

The slower speed is a fair-use limit, not more full-speed data. Our fair-use worksheet explains how to compare these limits between plans.

How much data you need depends on how you use your phone, not on the destination. Work it out with the travel eSIM data budget worksheet, then pick the shape:

• Daily suits days that look alike, and a heavy day cannot use up the next day’s data.
• One allowance suits uneven days, but check the top-up column above before you buy: on Vietnam Premium eSIM a one-allowance plan cannot be topped up, and the Vinaphone plan cannot be topped up at all, so choose enough when you buy.

The daily reset differs between the two plans

On Vietnam Vinaphone eSIM, a daily allowance resets at midnight GMT+7, and day 1 starts when the eSIM first connects in a covered country and ends at that midnight, so day 1 can be just a few hours. On Vietnam Premium eSIM, the allowance resets every 24 hours from activation. If you land late in the evening, that difference changes when your second day’s data arrives, so read the “data reset” line on the plan you choose.

Choose in four questions

1. Do you want one network or a list of three? Vinaphone alone, or MobiFone, Viettel and Vinaphone.
2. Might you need to add data mid-trip? Only Vietnam Premium eSIM, and only on daily plans. Vietnam Vinaphone eSIM cannot be topped up. See top-up or new plan for how the choice works, and the top-up page when you need it.
3. When does your trip start? Vinaphone must be started within 30 days of purchase and Premium within 90 days. The days begin when the eSIM first connects in Vietnam, not when you buy.
4. Does the IP location matter to you? Premium routes through Singapore. The Vinaphone page does not state a route.

Decision table

Your trip	Start with
Vietnam only, travelling within 30 days of buying, and no top-up needed	Vietnam Vinaphone eSIM
You want MobiFone, Viettel and Vinaphone on the list	Vietnam Premium eSIM
You want to be able to top up a daily plan during the trip	Vietnam Premium eSIM (daily plan)
You are buying more than 30 days before the plan should start	Vietnam Premium eSIM, with 90 days to start
Vietnam with Singapore, Thailand or other countries	Compare the regional plans listed on the Vietnam eSIM plans page, and read regional or country eSIM

Calls, SMS and your Malaysian number

Both Vietnam plans are data only, with no calls or SMS. If you need your Malaysian number for calls and SMS codes, keep that line on alongside the eSIM. Data-only eSIMs: calls, SMS and WhatsApp explains the setup, and keeping your Malaysian number for bank TAC covers bank codes.

Install before you fly, start when you land

Both plans start on first connection in a covered country, and each page says you can install the eSIM and turn it off while you are outside coverage. It then activates automatically when it detects a covered country. Install at home over Wi-Fi, label the line, and switch it on after landing. Follow the instructions in your delivery email and the eSIM installation guide. For the airport-to-hotel part of the trip, see the Vietnam arrival phone guide.

Common questions

Which Vietnam eSIM should I choose?

Choose Vietnam Premium eSIM if you want MobiFone, Viettel and Vinaphone on the list, 90 days to start the plan, or the option to top up a daily plan. Choose Vietnam Vinaphone eSIM if you are travelling within 30 days of buying and will not need to top up.

Which networks does a Vietnam eSIM use?

Vietnam Vinaphone eSIM uses Vinaphone. Vietnam Premium eSIM lists MobiFone, Viettel and Vinaphone. We do not rank them.

Can I top up a Vietnam eSIM?

Vietnam Premium eSIM can be topped up on daily plans; one-allowance plans cannot. Vietnam Vinaphone eSIM cannot be topped up.

What happens when I use up my daily data in Vietnam?

Your speed drops to 128 kbps until the next daily reset. On Vinaphone the reset is at midnight GMT+7; on Premium it is 24 hours after activation. Unused daily data does not roll over.

Does a Vietnam eSIM include calls or SMS?

No. Both plans are data only. Keep your own line on for calls and SMS codes.

When should I install my Vietnam eSIM?

Any time before you fly, as long as you start it within the window: 30 days from purchase for Vinaphone and 90 days for Premium. The days begin when the eSIM first connects in Vietnam.