Staying online

Getting data abroad without the roaming bill

What an eSIM is, when it saves you real money, and when you already have what you need.

Works on
eSIM-capable handsets — most flagships since 2018
What you get
Data only, not calls or texts on your number
Install
Before you fly, while you still have wifi

What an eSIM is

An eSIM is a second phone line installed as software rather than a piece of plastic. You buy a data package for the country you are visiting, install it before you leave, and switch it on when you land.

The important thing to understand up front: travel eSIMs are almost always data only. Your normal number stays on your normal SIM for calls and texts, and the eSIM carries the internet. That is usually exactly what you want — but it does mean it is not a replacement for your line.

How to set one up

  1. Check your phone supports eSIM

    Most recent flagships do; plenty of mid-range handsets still do not. Check before you buy anything, because packages are not refundable once installed.

  2. Buy and install before you fly

    Installation needs an internet connection, which is the one thing you will not have at the other end. Install on your home wifi, activate on arrival.

  3. Keep your usual SIM active for calls

    Leave the old line on for texts and calls but turn its mobile data off, or the phone will quietly roam on the expensive one.

  4. Set the eSIM as your data line

    One setting, and it is the step people forget. Check it before you leave the airport while wifi is still available.

When an eSIM is actually worth buying

This is the vertical where the honest answer is most often no. Check what you already have first.

Worth it when

  • You are travelling outside your home region, where roaming is billed per megabyte and a bad afternoon costs more than a phone.
  • You are visiting several countries on one trip and a single regional plan replaces four local SIMs.
  • You need data the moment you land — for a transfer, a booking or a map — and cannot spend an hour in an airport SIM queue.

Skip it when

  • A weekend in the EU on an EU plan. Your roaming is already included and buying data is spending money to get what you have.
  • Your carrier already includes the destination. Several now bundle a long list of countries — check the list before you buy anything.
  • A short city break where you will be on hotel and café wifi anyway, and offline maps cover the gaps.

Who to book with

Who to buy from

Buy the smallest package that covers your trip. Unused data does not refund, and topping up is easy.

  • Best for Single countries and short trips — the widest country list of any provider

    The default choice, with small cheap packages that suit a week away. Buy the smallest plan that covers your trip and top up if you run out — unused data does not refund.

    Watch out Like almost every travel eSIM, it is data-only. Your usual number will not receive calls or texts on it.

    Visit Airalo

  • Best for Heavy use — maps all day, streaming, working from a café

    Sells unlimited-data plans rather than gigabyte bundles, which removes the daily arithmetic. Worth it only if you genuinely use a lot — for a normal week of maps and messaging a small Airalo package costs far less.

    Watch out Unlimited plans frequently restrict or exclude hotspot use, which is often the exact reason people buy unlimited.

    Visit Holafly

  • Best for Multi-country trips, where one regional plan replaces four separate ones

    Strong regional bundles — one plan across Europe or Southeast Asia — which is the case where per-country eSIMs get expensive and annoying.

    Watch out Confirm your handset supports eSIM before you buy. Most flagships since 2018 do; plenty of mid-range phones still do not.

    Visit Nomad

Before you ask

Common questions

Will I keep my own phone number?

Yes. The eSIM is an additional line — your usual number stays active on your existing SIM for calls and texts. You simply route data over the eSIM.

How much data do I actually need?

Maps, messaging and the occasional search run comfortably under a gigabyte a week. Streaming and video calls are a completely different order of magnitude — if you plan to do those, buy accordingly or use wifi.

Can I use it as a hotspot?

Usually on metered plans, often not on unlimited ones. If tethering a laptop is the reason you are buying, confirm it is permitted before you pay.

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