How to choose a travel eSIM, and how to compare any provider
There are dozens of travel eSIM brands, and most of them look the same on a price list. The differences that decide whether you land connected are further down the page. This is the checklist we would use ourselves, and it works for comparing any provider, including us.
The seven things to compare
| What to check | Why it matters | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Networks in your destination | Coverage outside cities depends on the carrier | The plan or destination page |
| Where your data exits | Sets the country websites and banking apps think you are in | Plan details, often listed as breakout or IP |
| When the validity clock starts | Decides whether installing early costs you days | Plan terms |
| Unlimited plan speed limits | "Unlimited" usually means full speed up to a daily amount, then slower | Plan details, often listed as fair usage |
| Top ups | Saves buying and installing a second eSIM if you run low | Account or plan page |
| Refunds | Protects you if your phone turns out not to support eSIM | Terms |
| Support | Decides how long you are stuck at the airport | Contact page and reviews |
1. Networks, not just countries
A plan that "covers Japan" can mean one network or several. Look for the carrier names and whether they are 4G or 5G. Every RoamMore destination page lists the networks and the speed for each plan, for example our Japan eSIM page.
If your trip goes beyond the big cities, a plan that can use more than one network in the country usually holds signal better, because your phone picks whichever is stronger where you are.
2. Where your data comes out
Most travel eSIMs route your data through a hub in another country before it reaches the internet. That hub decides which country websites think you are in, which affects banking app checks, search results and streaming. It is not good or bad, but you should know it before you buy. Our guide on where your eSIM's internet comes out explains it in full.
3. When the clock starts
Some plans start counting days when you install them. Others start on first connection in your destination. The second kind lets you install at home on wifi, days ahead, without losing anything. Almost every RoamMore plan starts on first connection; the few very small trial plans that start on install say so on the plan.
4. What unlimited really means
Unlimited travel plans give you a set amount of full speed data each day, then slow down until the day resets. The slower speed matters: enough for messages and maps at one end, painful for video calls at the other. On RoamMore plans it ranges from 128 kbps to 1 Mbps depending on the plan, and it is listed with each plan. On Endless, never under 384 kbps, and 1 Mbps at 1GB a day in 136 of 218 destinations. See our unlimited travel eSIM, Endless.
5. Top ups
If you run low mid trip, topping up the same eSIM is far easier than buying and installing a new one on hotel wifi. Check whether top ups exist and where you buy them before you choose.
6. Refunds
Look for a clear answer to two questions: can you get your money back if you have not installed the eSIM yet, and what if your phone turns out not to support eSIM? RoamMore gives a full refund in both cases within 30 days of purchase.
7. Support you can actually reach
When an eSIM will not connect, you are usually standing in an arrivals hall. A same day reply from a real person is worth more than a cheaper plan with a ticket queue. Test it before you need it: send a pre sale question and see how long the answer takes.
Then compare price
Once the plans you are looking at match on the seven points above, compare price for the data you actually need. Our cost and data guide shows how to work out the right amount for your trip. For reference, a plan with 1GB or more starts from US$3.60 for Japan and US$3.40 for Europe (updated 27 Sep 2026).
Before any of this: check your phone
None of the above matters if your phone cannot use an eSIM or is locked to your carrier. Our guide on whether your phone supports eSIM takes a minute.
Which iPhone, Galaxy and Pixel models can use a travel eSIM
A travel eSIM works on most iPhones from the XS, XS Max and XR on, most Samsung Galaxy S series phones from the S20 on, and Google Pixel 3a and later. So an iPhone 11, a Galaxy S21 and a Pixel 6a all qualify, and an iPhone X does not. The makers publish the lists:
- iPhone: Apple lists iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later.
- Samsung Galaxy: Samsung's US list covers the Galaxy S20 to S26 series, the Note 20 series, Z Fold2 and later, Z Flip 5G and later, and select A series models such as the A54 5G.
- Google Pixel: Google says a Pixel 3a or later can use a physical SIM and an eSIM together.
A model name is a guide, not proof. The same model can ship without eSIM in some countries, and Apple's page lists exceptions for iPhones sold in China mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. If your phone came from overseas, dial *#06# and look for an EID before you buy.
Does your phone need to be carrier unlocked?
Yes, a travel eSIM only works on a carrier unlocked phone, because it is another carrier's plan and a locked phone accepts plans only from the carrier that locked it. Apple says so directly: to use an iPhone with another carrier abroad, it cannot be locked to a carrier. The same holds for Android.
Locks are most common on phones bought on a contract or payment plan. A locked phone still shows an EID, so the lock is easy to miss until a travel eSIM is refused.
- iPhone: open Settings > General > About and find Carrier Lock (Network Provider Lock or Service Provider Lock in some regions). The same Apple page says an unlocked iPhone shows No SIM restrictions.
- Android: the menu varies by brand and carrier, so ask your carrier or check your account with them.
Only the carrier that locked the phone can remove the lock, and it can take a few days. No eSIM seller can work around it, so sort this out before you compare plans.
Does a travel eSIM come with a phone number?
Usually not: most travel eSIMs are data only, and RoamMore sells data only, with no voice or SMS. You keep your own number by leaving your home SIM on, with its data roaming off, beside the travel eSIM.
Calls and bank SMS codes still reach your home number wherever your home carrier roams, at its roaming rates, and WhatsApp keeps your usual number over the travel data.
How many lines can be active together depends on the phone:
- iPhone: Apple describes a home line beside a travel line, and iPhone 13 and later can run two eSIMs at once.
- Android: Samsung says a Galaxy eSIM works alongside a physical SIM, and Google says Pixel 3a and later do the same, with two eSIMs at once from Pixel 7 where the carrier allows it.
If your home plan is itself an eSIM and your phone runs one eSIM at a time, your home number goes quiet while the travel eSIM is on. The settings are in keeping your home number.
The three settings to check when you land
When a travel eSIM will not connect on arrival, check three settings first: the travel line is on, mobile data points at it, and Data Roaming is on for that line. On iPhone look under Settings > Mobile Service (Cellular or Mobile Data on some iPhones). On Android the menu varies by brand.
- Turn the travel line on. On iPhone Apple calls the switch Turn On This Line.
- Point mobile data at the travel line. An iPhone uses one cellular data network at a time, so while data points at your home SIM, the travel eSIM sits idle. If Data Roaming is on for your home line, your home carrier may bill the roaming.
- Data Roaming on for the travel line, off for the home line. Apple shows it is set per line. Most travel eSIMs connect as roaming visitors, so with it off you see signal but no internet.
Apple also warns that a home line left on can still incur roaming fees. Our landing day checklist covers the rest.
When a travel eSIM beats your carrier's roaming pass
If your home plan does not already include roaming, a travel eSIM usually beats your carrier's roaming pass on any trip longer than a few days, because most passes are charged for every day you use them and the eSIM is paid for once. The pass has a real strength: there is nothing to install.
| Option | How it is priced |
|---|---|
| Carrier roaming pass | Usually per day you use it |
| Travel eSIM | Once, for a set amount of data or a set number of days |
The comparison is one sum: multiply the pass's daily price by your days away, and set it against one plan that covers the whole trip. Apple's advice is to ask your carrier about international roaming plans before you go, which gives you the first number. The plan finder on the RoamMore homepage quotes the cheapest plan that covers your whole trip, which gives you the second number. On a one day stopover, the pass can be simpler.
Why refunds stop once the eSIM is installed
Most travel eSIM refunds end at install because installing downloads the eSIM to your phone, and it usually cannot be downloaded twice, so the seller cannot take it back. EU consumer rules draw a similar line: you can cancel an online order within 14 days for any reason, but not digital content you have started downloading after agreeing to give up that right.
So the refund terms to check are the ones for an eSIM you have not installed yet, because that case is common. Across 213 RoamMore orders from June to September 2026, 13% of orders at least 30 days old were never installed.
Two habits keep your options open:
- Check your phone and your travel dates before you install, while the refund window is still open.
- Never delete an installed eSIM to start again. It usually cannot be installed again from the same QR code. With RoamMore, contact support first and a reissue can be arranged.
Prices for popular trips
Cheapest plan with 1GB or more, in US dollars from our catalogue, updated 27 Sep 2026.
Questions travellers ask
Is the cheapest travel eSIM usually the best?
Not always. Two plans with the same data can use different networks, start their clock at different times and slow down differently once the daily allowance is used. Compare those first, then price.
Should I buy a local plan or a regional plan?
For one country, a single country plan is usually cheaper per GB. For two or more countries, a regional plan saves installing several eSIMs and avoids gaps at borders.
What does "starts on first connection" mean?
The days on your plan only begin when the eSIM first connects to a network in your destination, so you can install it at home before you fly without losing any of them. Some plans elsewhere start on install instead, which is worth checking before you buy.
Does the network name really matter?
Yes. Coverage outside cities depends on the carrier, and some carriers are much stronger in rural areas than others. A provider that names the network lets you check that before you travel.
What should a refund policy cover?
At minimum, a full refund if the eSIM has not been installed yet, or if your phone turns out not to support eSIM. RoamMore offers both within 30 days of purchase.
Can an iPhone 11, Galaxy S21 or Pixel 6a use a travel eSIM?
Yes, as long as the phone is carrier unlocked. Apple lists iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later, Samsung lists the Galaxy S20 series and later, and Google lists Pixel 3a and later. Versions sold in some countries leave eSIM out, so look for an EID in your phone's settings to confirm.
Can I keep my home number for calls and bank codes while using a travel eSIM?
Yes, on most eSIM phones. RoamMore sells data only, with no voice or SMS, so leave your home SIM switched on with its data roaming off. Calls and bank codes still reach your number, and WhatsApp runs over the travel data. Calls you answer are billed at your home carrier's roaming rates.