Tool · Connectivity
Japan eSIM vs Pocket Wi-Fi Cost Calculator
Two ways to keep a group online in Japan: an eSIM in every phone, priced per person, or one pocket Wi-Fi router that everyone shares. Which is cheaper depends on three numbers — how long you stay, how many of you there are, and how much data you actually burn. Put yours in and we will price both sides.
Your group vs the two bills
One router is shared by the whole group; an eSIM is bought per personWorking…
The catches, both ways. An eSIM needs an eSIM-compatible, carrier-unlocked phone, and Japan travel eSIMs are data-only — no local number, no voice calls. A pocket Wi-Fi has to be picked up and returned (airport counter, hotel delivery or a return envelope), kept charged, and the group has to stay within its range — split up for an afternoon and only the person holding the router has data. Neither side hides those in the price above; they are why the cheaper answer is not always the right one.
Where to buy
Airalo — Japan eSIM plans · Klook — Japan eSIM · KKday — Japan eSIM · Klook — Japan pocket Wi-Fi rental
Booking links above are marked-up slots in this draft build; destinations are assigned in LINKS.md before launch.
The prices behind the calculator
| Data | 7 days | 15 days | 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 GB | $10.00 | $10.50 | $11.00 |
| 10 GB | $17.00 | $17.50 | $18.00 |
| 20 GB | — | $24.00 | $25.00 |
| Plan (high-speed data per day) | Per day |
|---|---|
| 1 GB/day | ¥440 |
| 3 GB/day | ¥770 |
| 5 GB/day | ¥1,100 |
| 10 GB/day | ¥1,320 |
| Infinite Unlimited (no cap) | ¥1,980 |
| docomo 5G Unlimited | ¥2,200 |
How the calculator picks: for the eSIM it takes the cheapest combination of the plans above whose validity covers the whole trip and whose data covers your estimated use (stacking the same plan twice when that is cheapest). For the router it takes the cheapest daily tier whose daily cap covers the group's combined daily use, or the unlimited plan when you out-run the 10 GB/day tier. Promotions and coupon discounts — pocket Wi-Fi rentals run them often — are not included; check the final price where you book.
Sources
- Airalo — Japan eSIM store ("Moshi Moshi" plans): plan data, validity and US-dollar prices as listed; checked 8 November 2026. Cross-checked the same day against two independent price trackers that read Airalo's own Japan page (Best eSIM Japan, checked 2026; Japan Travel Kit, checked 7 November 2026) — all figures agreed.
- NINJA WiFi (official) — daily rental rates for the SoftBank 4G capped plans, Infinite Unlimited and docomo 5G Unlimited; checked 8 November 2026. Unlimited list rate of ¥1,980/day cross-checked against Tokyo Cheapo's pocket Wi-Fi comparison (October 2026).
- Planning exchange rate: ¥160 = $1, used only to compare a yen price with a dollar price. It is a rounded planning figure, not a quoted rate; your card's rate will differ slightly.