How a travel eSIM works, in plain language
By Coco Lin · · updated
I get the same question every time a friend plans a trip: what actually is an eSIM, and do I need one? Here is the version I wish someone had given me before my first trip.
An eSIM is just a SIM card built into your phone
Your phone already has a small chip that can store a mobile plan without a physical card. A travel eSIM is a data plan you load onto that chip. You buy it online, you get a QR code, you scan it, and your phone now has a second line for data. Your home number stays exactly where it is.
What you need before you buy
- A phone that supports eSIM. Most iPhones from the XS onward, and most recent Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, and Motorola phones, do.
- The phone has to be carrier unlocked. If you bought it outright, it almost certainly is. If it came on a contract, check with your carrier.
- Wi-Fi to install. I always set mine up at home the night before.
How I set one up
- I buy the plan for my destination and size it to my trip. Three GB covers a week of normal use for me.
- The provider emails a QR code. I open my phone settings, add a mobile plan, and scan it.
- I label the line so I do not mix it up with my home number.
- I leave data roaming on for the travel line and off for my home line, so I never get a surprise bill.
- When I land, I switch the travel line on and I am online in under a minute.
The one setting that matters most
Turn off data roaming on your home line. This is the setting that saves you from a large bill. The travel eSIM handles all your data, and your home number is only there for the odd text.
That is the whole thing. Once you have done it once, every trip after takes about two minutes. If you want a specific plan, my country pages list what I paid and which one I would buy again.
