Why use an eSIM for travel?

The pitch is simple: an eSIM usually beats both carrier roaming and buying a local SIM on arrival. Here's where each option lands.

Versus carrier roaming

Roaming from your home carrier is the most convenient and often the most expensive route. Daily roaming fees add up fast on a two-week trip. A prepaid travel eSIM is typically a fraction of the cost, and you know the price up front with no bill-shock.

Versus a local SIM on arrival

A local SIM can be cheap, but it means finding a shop, showing ID, swapping your card and losing your home number for the trip. An eSIM installs before you leave and keeps your home line active alongside it.

Where eSIMs shine

Short trips, multi-country routes and anyone who wants data working the moment they land. Regional plans (all of Europe or Asia on one eSIM) remove the hassle of buying a new plan at each border.

The trade-offs

Most travel eSIMs are data-only, so you won't get a local phone number. Coverage depends on which networks the provider partners with in each country. And you need an eSIM-capable, unlocked phone. For most travellers those are easy to live with.

Browse today's best-value eSIM plans, ranked by cost per GB.