The eSIM has genuinely changed how I travel. Before it existed, arriving in a new country meant either paying extortionate roaming charges, queuing at an airport mobile phone shop to buy a local SIM, or getting by on wifi. Now I activate a data plan before my flight lands, step off the plane with a working internet connection, and never think about it again. If you are not using eSIMs yet, this guide will change that.
What Is an eSIM and How Does It Work?
An eSIM (embedded SIM) is a digital SIM card built into your phone — most smartphones made since 2019 support them, including all iPhones from the XS onward and most modern Android flagships. Instead of physically inserting a SIM card, you scan a QR code or use an app to activate a data plan, which downloads directly to your phone. You can have multiple eSIMs stored on your phone simultaneously and switch between them without touching anything physical.
For travellers, this means you can buy a local data plan for any country before you arrive, activate it when you land, and have fast, affordable local data without the roaming charges your home carrier charges. When you leave, you deactivate the eSIM (or let the data run out) and activate the next one for your next destination.
Best eSIM Providers for International Travel
Airalo — Best Overall
Airalo is the eSIM provider I use and recommend most consistently. The app is clean and easy to use, coverage spans over 200 countries, and the prices are among the best available. A 1GB data plan for Thailand costs around .50; a 3GB plan for Europe costs around . The process of purchasing and activating takes about five minutes. Customer service is responsive and the plans activate reliably.
Airalo also offers regional plans — a single eSIM covering multiple countries in Asia, Europe or the Americas — which is excellent value if you are travelling across multiple countries on one trip.
Holafly — Best for Unlimited Data
Holafly specialises in unlimited data plans, which are excellent value if you are a heavy data user. The prices are higher than Airalo for low-data plans but competitive or better for unlimited usage. Coverage and reliability are good across most destinations, and the activation process is similarly simple.
Nomad — Best for Asia
Nomad has particularly strong coverage and pricing across Southeast Asia — Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea — which makes it my preferred option for Asian travel specifically. The plans are competitively priced and the app is well-designed.
How to Activate an eSIM: Step by Step
- Check your phone is eSIM compatible (Settings > General > About > check for “eSIM” or “Digital SIM”)
- Purchase your plan in the Airalo (or equivalent) app before you travel
- In your phone settings, go to Mobile Data > Add eSIM
- Scan the QR code provided, or follow the app activation instructions
- Set the eSIM as your data line in Settings > Mobile Data
- Keep your home SIM active for calls and texts if needed
eSIM for Specific Destinations
For Southeast Asia trips covering Koh Tao, Bali or the Philippines, an Airalo Asia regional plan is the most cost-effective option — one purchase covers multiple countries. For Africa safaris (Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa), country-specific plans tend to be better value than regional ones. For Europe, a single EU-wide eSIM from Airalo or Holafly covers most countries.
Heading to Asia? Read our guides to Koh Tao, Tanjung Puting and Coron vs El Nido — all destinations where having reliable mobile data makes a significant difference.
