- Types of roaming
- Singapore mobile providers that provide roaming calls and SMS
- Best Singapore mobile plan for Thailand roaming overall
- Best cheap mobile plan for data roaming in Thailand
- Best cheap mobile plan for SMS and voice roaming in Thailand
- Best mobile plan for data roaming in Thailand
- Best mobile plan for SMS roaming in Thailand
- Best mobile plan for voice roaming in Thailand
Roaming is a great way to use your Singapore mobile plan overseas. Before you roam, you’ll need either a mobile plan that supparpaorts roaming or an international roaming plan add-on.
Before we look the best Singapore mobile plans with Thailand roaming, here are some popular mobile plans that include data roaming or voice and SMS roaming, or offer it via separate add-ons.
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#1
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StarHub
Data Only Core
$5.00
Min. cost $5
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#2
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MyRepublic
4G Flex
$6.00/mth
Min. cost $6
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#3
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ZYM Mobile
Flexi Duo Data Only
$7.00
+ $3 Upfront
Min. cost $10
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#4
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Zero1
Starter Prime 4G
$7.06
Min. cost $7.06
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#5
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CMLink
200GB 4G SIM Only
$7.70
Min. cost $7.70
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#6
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VIVIFI
Roam Value 4G
$7.70
Min. cost $7.70
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Types of roaming
There are three types of global roaming: data, SMS, and call roaming.
When it comes to data roaming, you’ll sometimes find it included in Singapore mobile plans, particularly those from SIMBA and CMLink. It's a great option if you regularly cross the border for work and need a roaming data allowance each month.
Although IDD (International Direct Dial) minutes are a common inclusion in Singapore mobile plans, only a few providers allow you to use that allowance to make local calls while abroad. SMSes while roaming are a much less common inclusion. In most cases, you may have to pay extra to make or receive calls or to send SMSes. If you’re after SMS and call roaming, your best bet would be to look for add-on packs.
Mobile providers that provide roaming calls and SMS
We track 16 mobile providers in our comparison engine. Most mobile providers in Singapore offer pay-as-you-go roaming rates for incoming and outgoing calls and outgoing SMS. These rates change based on the mobile provider (like StarHub, Circles.Life and M1) and selected countries.
While most providers include free incoming SMS while roaming, unfortunately, not every provider offers both call roaming and outgoing SMS, especially as part of mobile plans. GOMO, for example, does not support either while roaming. Many telcos offer a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) system, while others offer add-on roaming packs. You’ll also find some providers, like SIMBA and StarHub, that include some roaming minutes. The only telcos we found that didn’t offer any voice or SMS roaming were GOMO, giga, Maxx, ZYM Mobile and Changi Mobile.
Best Singapore mobile plan for Thailand roaming overall
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SIMBA
Editor's Pick
SuperRoam 12 SIM Only
$12.00
Min. cost $12
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For the best Singapore SIM plan with Thailand roaming, we recommend the SIMBA SuperRoam 12 SIM Only plan. It typically costs $12 every 30 days and comes with 500GB of data, bundled for use in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Thailand.
This SIMBA mobile plan includes unlimited local outgoing calls, with 600 international direct dial (IDD) minutes. It also includes 18GB of roaming to Bangladesh, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia, China and South Korea, as well as 8GB of data available for use in over 60 countries.
Even though incoming SMSes while roaming are free, SIMBA doesn't support SMS roaming for outbound messages. Outside of the plan inclusions, SIMBA offers free calls to Singapore over VoLTE—the only catch is that for any local calls you make while overseas, the minutes you use come out of your monthly IDD allowance. If you need more IDD minutes or data, you're looking at a $5 for 500 minutes and a minimum of $4 per GB, respectively.
It used to be the case that the cheapest way to roam in Thailand would be to buy a local SIM card on arrival. Now, Singapore travellers have multiple options, including keeping their Singapore number and using their plan's included Thailand roaming data, or opting for a Thailand eSIM, which can be loaded onto your device and work alongside your existing Singapore mobile plan.
So, which is the best option for you? The answer depends. If you simply want to use data in Thailand and don't need to make calls or send SMS, using your plan's included roaming data is your best bet. If your Singapore mobile plan doesn't include any Thailand roaming data, a cheap Thailand eSIM is the second most economical solution.
On the other hand, if you'd like to be able to make calls and send SMS in Thailand, a local SIM (with international calls if you're planning on calling home) is likely more affordable than the pay-as-you-go rates or voice roaming add-ons your Singapore mobile provider offers. Local SIMs are also much more likely than eSIMs to provide call and SMS inclusions, as eSIMs are usually data-only.
Best cheap data roaming in Thailand (under $10)
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Eight
Editor's Pick
Double Eight 4G SIM Only
$8.00
Min. cost $8
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If you’re looking for a Singapore SIM plan with affordable Thailand data roaming, start your comparisons with eight’s Double Eight SIM Only mobile plan. For $8 every 30 days, you’ll get 10GB of APAC data for use in Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Australia, and Thailand on the StarHub 4G network. You’ll also get an extra 2GB of international roaming for use in over 50 countries. As an extra perk, you’ve also got 288 roaming minutes, so you can phone local numbers as well as call home over VoLTE while you’re in Thailand.
Best cheap SMS and voice roaming in Thailand
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MyRepublic
4G Vibe
$7.90/mth
Min. cost $7.90
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If you’re after a Singapore mobile provider with cheap call and SMS roaming rates to Thailand, consider MyRepublic. They’ve consistently come out on top with the cheapest roaming rates for SMS and call minutes. For incoming calls while you're in Thailand, MyRepublic charges $1.50 per minute, while outgoing calls cost $1.50 per minute plus the IDD rate of the country you're calling. For SMSes, you’re looking at $0.15 per SMS.
To keep things affordable, we’d recommend the MyRepublic 4G Vibe Plan. If you’re a new sign-up, you'll pay $7.90 a month for 300GB of full-speed local data (and unlimited speed-capped data afterwards), 150 minutes, 50 SMS, and 10GB of roaming data for use in Indonesia and Thailand, plus 100GB for Malaysia and 2GB APAC roaming data.
Best Singapore mobile plan for data roaming in Thailand (under $12)
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Eight
Fortune Eight 4G SIM Only
$11.80
Min. cost $11.80
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eight's Fortune Eight SIM Only plan is a great starting point for affordable data roaming in Thailand. For $11.80 every 30 days, you’ll get 488GB of APAC data bundled for Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Australia, and Thailand.
You’ll also get an extra 18GB (as well as an additional 8GB) of APAC roaming. On top of that, you’ll get 8GB of international roaming for use in over 50 countries. Eight also offers add-on roaming packs. Depending on the country, you can snag 1GB for as low as $3.88.
Best Singapore mobile plan for SMS roaming in Thailand
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MyRepublic
4G Vibe
$7.90/mth
Min. cost $7.90
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MyRepublic’s Thailand IDD roaming rates are among the lowest among Singapore mobile providers. Their SMS roaming rates are no exception. You’ll pay $0.15 per SMS for Zone 1 destinations (including Thailand), $0.65 for Zone 2 destinations, and $1.15 for Zone 3 destinations.
As with our previous cheap roaming pick, we recommend the MyRepublic 4G Vibe Plan. New sign-ups will pay $7.90 a month and get 300GB of full-speed local data (and unlimited slower data afterwards), 150 minutes, 50 SMS, and 10GB of roaming data for use in Indonesia and Thailand, plus 100GB for Malaysia and 2GB APAC roaming data.
Best Singapore mobile plan for voice roaming in Thailand
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SIMBA
Editor's Pick
SuperRoam 12 SIM Only
$12.00
Min. cost $12
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SIMBA is a great place to start if you’re after roaming calls in Thailand, as all SIMBA plans include free voice roaming over VoLTE. So as long as the destination you’re travelling to supports the VoLTE communication standard, you won’t have to pay any additional fees. The minutes you use, however, will be deducted from your monthly IDD allowance, unless you're calling Singapore mobile numbers, which is completely free to do. If you need more, you can purchase a Super IDD add-on. For $5, you’ll get 500 minutes across 21 destinations.
It’s also worth noting that while you can receive texts while roaming with SIMBA, you won’t be able to send them.
We’d recommend the SIMBA SuperRoam 12 SIM Only plan. It costs $12 every 30 days and comes with 500GB of data, bundled for use in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Thailand. You’ll get 600 IDD minutes, 100 local SMSes, and unlimited calls to local mobiles. When it comes to data, you’ll get a sweet 18GB of roaming data for use in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia, China and South Korea. You’ll also get a further 8GB of data to use over 60 destinations.
