Devices and compatibility
The short answer for most phones: iPhone XR or newer, Pixel 3 or newer, Galaxy S20 or newer. The longer answer (carrier locks, mainland-China iPhones, the *#06# trick) lives in the full compatibility guide.
Pricing and plans
eSIM almost always beats carrier roaming on cost; sometimes loses to a local SIM on long stays. The full cost comparison with real numbers is in our eSIM vs physical SIM vs roaming guide.
Setup and activation
Two minutes once you have the QR code, with one big gotcha (install at home, activate when you land). The full walkthrough for iPhone, Pixel, and Samsung is in our setup guide.
Coverage and networks
Coverage piggybacks on a local carrier's network in each destination. For the major countries we track, our destination pages list the carriers each provider uses, along with live pricing.
Features, dual SIM, and what eSIM does not do
Travel eSIMs are data-only, almost always. Your home line stays alive on the other slot for SMS and calls. Here is what that means in practice.
Troubleshooting
Most issues fall into one of these patterns. If a fix below does not work, the setup guide walks through the install order, which solves most activation problems by itself.
Tell us your trip. We will surface the right plan from the providers we track, with the methodology behind the recommendation.