How to choose an eSIM for international travel
An eSIM lets you get mobile data in another country without finding a shop or swapping a card. It is worth setting up before you fly.
Key points
- Check your phone is eSIM-compatible and unlocked.
- Install the eSIM at home on reliable Wi-Fi before you travel.
- Compare it with your carrier's roaming pass and a local SIM.
Check your phone first
Not every phone supports eSIM, and some are locked to one network. Look in your phone settings for an option to add a mobile plan, and ask your carrier if you're unsure whether the phone is unlocked.
Choose the plan that fits the trip
Think about how long you'll be away, how many countries you'll visit, and what you'll use data for. Maps and messages need little. Video calls and streaming need a lot. A small plan can cover a city break, but a long trip across several countries may need a regional plan.
Read the details
Look at coverage in the places you're going, how long the plan lasts after you activate it, whether you can share data as a hotspot, and how to reach support if it doesn't work.
Install it before you leave
Do it at home on reliable Wi-Fi. Most providers send a QR code or an app link. Keep the instructions saved offline, and leave your usual SIM in place so you can still receive texts if you need to.
Keep a backup
Download offline maps and save your booking details as screenshots in case you lose signal.
A disclosure: FastTravelers and Simless (simless.pk), a travel eSIM provider, have the same owner. Any link to Simless is a link to our own business, not an independent recommendation. Compare it with other providers before you buy. Check current terms with any provider before you buy.
eSIM, roaming or a local SIM?
- Home roaming: easiest, since nothing changes, but it can be the most expensive. Check your carrier's daily or monthly travel pass first.
- Local SIM: often the cheapest per gigabyte, but you have to find a shop, and some countries ask for ID.
- Travel eSIM: set up before you leave and ready on landing. Many are data-only, so you won't get a local phone number.
Common problems and quick fixes
- It won't connect: make sure the eSIM line is switched on and data roaming is enabled for that line only.
- I deleted it by mistake: many providers can't reissue the same eSIM. Check the policy first and don't remove it until the trip is over.
- Texts from my bank aren't arriving: keep your home SIM active for messages, with its data turned off.