We all love travel. Exploring new places, trying new foods and experiencing different cultures are all big parts of that. However, staying online while overseas was a pain point for us. Travel eSIMs changed all of that for us, finally bringing cellular plans into the digital age offering a super convenient solution for travelers. If you’re in the process of planning your next trip and wondering how to buy eSIM for travel, allow us to break it all down for you.

What is an eSIM and why use it?

eSIM is an abbreviation of Embedded SIM or if we want to get really technical, “Embedded Subscriber Identity Module” – Embedded SIM is probably simpler. eSIMs allow you to activate a mobile plan from a carrier without having to use a physical SIM from that carrier. Essentially, eSIMs allow you to use networks around the world provided by various apps, as long as your phone is compatible. For more information check out our What is an eSIM page.

Put simply, we think eSIMs are better than physical SIM for travel because:

• You can purchase an eSIM right from your phone.
• They are very often cheaper than roaming on your home plan.
• You can have and switch between multiple plans right from your phone.
• You don’t have to fiddle with tiny SIM cards.
• You won’t have to carry a SIM ejector tool, usually lost within minutes of opening.
• You won’t lose an eSIM in the hotel room.
• You have access to customer support online, with English speaking agents. Sometimes that support is 24/7.
• You won’t have to hand over personal details like your passport to foreign networks.

What do I need to buy an eSIM for travel?

Phone compatibility:

Firstly, you’ll need to make sure that your phone is able to make use of a travel eSIM. That means your phone is:

1. Unlocked: Not locked to a specific carrier. This way it can access foreign networks.
2. eSIM Compatible: Compatibility depends on your phone. Most newer phones are eSIM compatible, check our eSIM compatibility guide to be sure.
3. Dual SIM: Dual SIM allows you to have 2 plans active at once. We use this to have our home plan capable of receiving calls and SMS, while a travel eSIM takes care of our data needs.

Travel eSIM apps:

So, how do you buy eSIM for travel? Travel eSIMs are managed through dedicated apps that act as marketplaces allowing you to purchase, install, activate and manage your eSIM. Generally, it works like this:

1. Download a travel eSIM app: Start by downloading the provider’s app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android).
2. Create an account: Sign up and register to manage purchases and track your data usage.
3. Select your plan: Choose from various eSIM plans based on your destination, data required, and length of stay.
4. Install instantly: Once purchased, you can typically install your eSIM immediately by following step by step guidance from within the app or a number of other ways. ESIMs generally only activate once they’ve been switched on and acquire a foreign network’s signal. There are exceptions to this, however.

Note: Most eSIM apps work as above, but some like Ubigi will switch 3 and 4 so you install your eSIM first and purchase your plan afterwards.

Our top apps

We will caveat that generally, if you dive into the details, the best eSIM app depends on which country or region you’re heading to. However, these are the eSIM apps that consistently perform best in most countries we visit.

Nomad

Nomad is one of our favorite eSIM providers and we regularly choose Nomad when we’re simply traveling and not testing. Prices are lower than competitors, speeds are usually amongst the fastest and signal is generally strong thanks in part to the fact you’re usually able to switch between multiple cell networks in each country.

Airalo

Airalo is another of our favorite eSIM providers. Though it will never be the cheapest eSIM in most countries (its pricing is normally middle of the pack), you can usually expect fast speeds, strong signal and reliability across the board. Airalo also allows you to earn up to 10% in credit back on every purchase through their tiered “Airmoney” loyalty scheme.

Saily

We are excited about Saily, launched recently by the same team that brought you NordVPN. We have only been able to try Saily in one country so far, but prices are generally low, we’ve found signal to be good and speeds to be middle of the road. Watch this space.

Top factors to consider:

We rank our eSIMs on many factors that all contribute to your overall experience with a provider. However, for us, not all factors are created equal. Our top three are always:

• Signal.
• Speed.
• Price and value.

After that, in no particular order, we consider…

• App quality.
• Loyalty schemes.
• Customer support.
• Other perks and value-adds.

We would highly recommend you check out our Reviews and Buying Advice sections to learn more.

Purchasing considerations

There are many factors to consider when purchasing an eSIM for travel:

1. Location: First and foremost, consider where you’re heading and what country or countries you want your eSIM to work in. Most eSIM apps offer single country or regional plans that work in multiple countries. Generally, regional plans that work in multiple countries are going to be more expensive than single country plans, with a higher $ per GB amount. For that reason, if you do know roughly how much data you’re going to use, we always recommend purchasing a new plan for each country you head to.

2. Validity: This one is simple, the validity of each plan defines how long the data will be valid for. At lower data amounts, you’ll usually get 7 or 15 days of validity. For anything upwards of 3GB of data, you’ll likely get 30 days to use up your data.

3. Extras: Most of the top apps will give you a great deal of information about the plan you can purchase. Make sure you keep a look out for factors such as:

• How many networks you can connect to and which networks they are. This can help greatly if you find yourself with poor signal or slow speeds.
• 4G or 5G plans. 5G is of course the best band available at the moment, so keep a look out for 5G if it’s available. That too can help with slow speeds and poor signal.

4. Data amount: The amount of data you require is also going to be crucial when purchasing an eSIM so as to make sure you get the best bang for your buck. Across every eSIM app we’ve come across so far, the cost per GB of data drops the more GB of data you purchase. Allow us to demonstrate with a cost comparison from Nomad in the UK.

So how much data will you need?

This is a tricky one and will really vary from person to person, depending on what you do online. Through our own research, approximate data usage is:

AloSIM also offers their own data calculator that might be worth a look as well.

Interested in how much our top eSIM apps cost? We’ve put together this handy interactive table that runs through pricing in a number of key countries. Take a look below:

Installation and activation

So you’ve purchased your eSIM, now what? Whilst with apps like Ubigi or AloSIM, you install one eSIM and you’re all set, for most others you’ll need to install and activate a new eSIM.

When to install your eSIM:

We install our eSIMs prior to leaving the country to ensure that installation runs smoothly. You’ll also require a solid internet connection for installation, which is much easier when you’re not on the move. When exactly? Check out our eSIM travel planning timeline page for the full timeframes. Once installed, you can switch your new eSIM profile off in your settings until you travel. The exception to this is in the rare instance that your chosen plan activates on install, in which case, you’ll likely want to wait until the very last moment to install or simply install upon arrival.

How to install your eSIM:

The three main options available to install an eSIM are: 

• Direct step by step guided installation from an eSIM app.
• QR Code installation.
• Manual installation by copying and pasting information directly from the app into your settings.

We highly recommend using the direct from app installation if it’s available. This simplifies the entire process. Our comprehensive guide on eSIM Activation and Setup provides step-by-step instructions for this process.

How to activate your eSIM:

Activation is different from installation. Most travel eSIMs will only “activate” once they’ve been installed and are turned on in their relevant country. However, you may occasionally come across eSIMs that activate the moment they’re installed or only activate once you press a button.

eSIM management:

All travel eSIM apps will have a section that will allow you to track the amount of data you have remaining and the amount of days of validity left. Here’s an example of our new eSIM from Saily…

What happens if you run out of data or your eSIM validity expires? eSIM apps allow you to top-up the same eSIM profile, without having to install and activate again. You’re usually able to top-up once you tap on an expired eSIM from the My SIMs section of an app.

How to buy eSIM for travel: The conclusion

Travel eSIMs make the process of getting online very convenient thanks to their apps. By choosing the right provider and understanding how to use it, you can ensure you have constant connectivity during your travels.