The Complete Guide to eSIMs: How to Stay Connected While Traveling

An eSIM (embedded SIM) is basically a digital SIM card that's built into your phone. Instead of physically swapping out a plastic SIM card when you travel, you just download a data plan directly to your device. It's the same technology, just without the physical card.

Here's how it works:

1. You buy an eSIM data plan from a provider (Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, Saily,etc.)
2. They send you a QR code via email
3. You scan the QR code with your phone
4. The eSIM profile downloads to your device
5. You activate it when you land, and you're connected

That's it. No hunting for a SIM card shop, no language barriers trying to explain what you need, no risk of losing your home SIM card in a hostel in Bangkok.

The real advantages:

• Set up before you leave: You can buy and install your eSIM at home, then activate it when you land. This is ideal if you're heading somewhere new and your first move is calling an Uber to get yourself from the airport to your hotel.
• Keep your regular number: Your phone can run both your home SIM and the eSIM simultaneously, so you can still receive calls and texts on your regular number (although calls might incur roaming fees). This is a game-changer when it comes to still being able to get two-factor authentication texts.
• Switch between countries easily: Travelling through multiple countries? Just buy eSIMs for each one and switch between them in your settings. Or, some providers package countries, so as an example, you could get an Asia package that works in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, and you can use the same eSIM for your whole trip.
• No physical cards to lose: Everything is digital, stored in your phone.
• Easy to monitor and top up: Most providers have an app where you can keep an eye on your usage, and you can top it up when you're getting close to running out. This is way easier than having to get a new physical SIM when you run out, and this way you can start with a cheaper small plan and see how much you're actually using it.

The downsides:

• Your phone needs to support eSIM (more on this below)
• You need internet to buy and download the eSIM (do this before you leave or on airport WiFi)
• Some providers have confusing data limits or throttling
• Customer service can be hit or miss since everything is online.

Before you get excited, check if your phone actually supports eSIM. Most phones from 2018 onwards do, but there are exceptions.

iPhones that support eSIM:

• iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and newer
• All iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 models
• iPhone SE (2020 and newer)

Android phones that support eSIM:

• Google Pixel 3 and newer
• Samsung Galaxy S20 and newer (Note: some regional models don't support eSIM)
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and Fold series
• Motorola Razr (2019 and newer)
• Huawei P40 and newer

How to check:

• iPhone: Settings → Cellular → Add Cellular Plan. If you see this option, you have eSIM.
• Android: Settings → Network & Internet → Mobile Network. Look for "Add carrier" or "Download a SIM."

Important: If you bought your phone through a carrier in certain countries (especially in China or Hong Kong), it might not support eSIM even if the model typically does. Also, if your phone is carrier-locked, you'll need to unlock it first.

Here's where most people mess up: they pick the cheapest eSIM provider and then wonder why they have no signal the moment they leave the city. The secret to good coverage isn't just picking a good eSIM brand; it's understanding which cellular network the eSIM actually connects to in your destination country.

Let me explain how this works:

When you buy an eSIM from Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, or any other provider, you're not connecting to "Airalo's network" or "Holafly's network." Those companies don't own cell towers. Instead, they partner with local carriers in each country, and your eSIM connects to one of those local networks.

This is why I can't just tell you I always use Airalo or that I'm a die-hard supporter of Nomad. These are two of my top choices in general, but depending on what country I'm going to and where I'm going in that country, I switch it up.

Here's the process:

Step 1: Research the Cellular Networks in Your Destination

Most countries have multiple cellular carriers, and they don't all have the same coverage. One might dominate in cities, another might be better in rural areas, and sometimes one network just kind of sucks (but is usually the cheaper option for locals).

How to research:

1. Google "[country name] telecom options"
2. The AI overview will often give a good synopsis of the top companies.
3. Check travel forums (Reddit, Lonely Planet forums) for real user experiences to confirm.

Step 2: Match Your Itinerary to Network Coverage

Now that you know which networks exist and what each company is known for, think about where you're actually going. 

Questions to ask yourself:

• Am I staying in major cities, or am I going to remote areas?
• Will I be doing road trips or staying in one place?
• Do I need coverage on islands, mountains, or rural areas?
• Is speed more important than coverage, or vice versa?

One of the biggest things to consider is whether you need coverage between major destinations. Most eSims all work equally well in major hubs. Where you will really notice it is on the road between stops. So if you're doing an epic road trip around Iceland, you will want some really solid coverage, but if you're bouncing between cities in Japan, you can probably go offline for the bus rides between destinations and save a bit of money.

Step 3: Find Out Which Network Your eSIM Provider Uses

This is the crucial step that most people skip. Once you know which network you want, you need to find an eSIM provider that actually connects to that network.

How to find this information:

Open up several of the major providers. I usually compare Airalo, Nomad, Yesim, and Holafly. Go to the options for the country you're visiting, and they will show the network they are using.

Click into a plan that sounds like the right size for you, click into Plan Details and look for a Network section.

Step 4: Compare Plans and Make Your Decision

Now you know which providers are connecting to the network you need. Sometimes there is a clear winner by now, and the decision is made for you. Other times, there are multiple providers using the network you want, so then it's time to compare prices and how much data each plan offers.

Now it's not always just picking the cheapest option. If your trip is only 10 days long, sometimes one brand will offer a cheaper 2-week option that beats out another brand offering either 7 or 30-day options.

This confused the heck out of me when I first started travelling, so if you're confused too, don't worry. Let's go over an example of how I choose an eSim (I've done this about 70 times now).

So I'm heading to Iceland for a 10-day road trip in a campervan, going all around the island. I will need data for navigating and for posting pics of all the waterfalls. I need a network that works well along the road, and I want a good price, because I'm spending a small fortune on the campervan.

Note: These are real numbers from when I first wrote this guide (July 2026). These prices change a lot, so these might not match exactly what each brand is offering now, but the process is what is important here because it works for every destination!

Step 1: Look up Iceland's telecom giants.

• Siminn: Best coverage and Iceland's largest operator. This network has the most extensive coverage around the more remote parts of Ring Road.
• Vodafone: Competitive choice that offers a slightly lower price for locals, but has more blind spots than Siminn
• Nova: The local budget option. Only really good in greater Reykjavik and other major towns. Not well-suited for a tourist on a road trip.

Step 2: Look at what eSim uses which network

• Airalo - Vodafone
• Nomad - Siminn / Vodafone Iceland
• Holafly - Nova Iceland / Siminn / Vodafone Iceland
• Yesim- Nova Iceland / Siminn / Vodafone Iceland
• Saily - Doesn't disclose

Step 3: Compare availability with my itinerary

I'm planning a full campervan trip around the whole ring road, so I'm not going to consider Airalo or Saily because I don't trust my sense of direction enough to navigate without google maps as a backup.

Step 4: Compare plans

Now that I've narrowed it down to Nomad, Holafly, and Yesim, I'm looking at 2 things: price and plan sizes. Most eSIMs are data only. Meaning you won't really have a new number to text and call from, but that's fine because who do I know in Iceland to give a ring anyway? It is generally fine to get by just using your original number with WhatsApp and getting the data from your eSIM. Because of this, there is not much difference between providers, except for price, and if they have a package that is a good size for what you're looking for.

So now I'm going to open up Nomad, Holafly, and Yesim again and browse their offers. 

• Nomad is offering 10GB for 30 days for 21 CAD or 3 GB for 30 Days for 12 CAD
• Holafly offers unlimited data for 10 days for 49 CAD
• Yesim does 7 days of unlimited data for 29 CAD or 10GB for 30 days for 20 CAD

Now, none of these is a perfect fit. They could all work, but it really depends on how you plan to use your data.

If you're mostly using Google Maps and light browsing for 10 days, then 10GB is more than enough. But if you plan to hotspot your laptop, scroll social media regularly, and stream Netflix at night, you’ll burn through that pretty quickly.

Here are some realistic usage estimates to help you decide:

• 1 hour of Google Maps navigation: ~5–10 MB
• 1 hour of streaming Netflix (standard quality on phone): ~1 GB
• 1 hour of scrolling Instagram (videos + reels): ~500–700 MB
• 1 hour of FaceTime/video calls: ~700 MB – 1 GB

What that translates to

• Light use (maps + messaging + occasional browsing): ~1 GB every 2–3 days
• Moderate use (social media + some video): ~1–2 GB per day
• Heavy use (streaming + hotspotting): ~3–5 GB per day

So realistically:

• 10GB total is fine for light users over 10 days
• Unlimited plans are safer if you don’t want to think about usage or plan to stream/hotspot

For me, I'm not planning on watching much Netflix or doing a lot of scrolling. It's going to be a lot of early nights and early starts, so 10 GB is going to be plenty. Even though Nomad is marginally more expensive, that is my pick for this trip. I usually go with Nomad as long as they are close to the most competitive price, and that's because of our last consideration: ease of use. 

The Nomad app is pretty seamless. It is easy to browse, install, monitor, and top up your eSIMs. I've used Nomad dozens of times and have literally never once had an issue. This is the only eSIM brand I can say that for.

Bottom Line

Nomad offers 10GB for 21CAD and connects to the two networks with the best coverage along my route. That 10GB should last me, but if I'm getting low, I can top up some more data in the app easily. Now, let's take a look at another example and see why Nomad isn't the top choice every time.

Let's go over another example where things shake out a bit differently. In this hypothetical situation, I'm planning a 2-week trip around South Korea. I'm mostly going to be in cities and taking buses between Seoul, Busan, and Gyeongju. But I'm also going to spend a few days hiking on Jeju Island.

Step 1: Research Korean Networks

• SKT (SK Telecom): Largest carrier, best overall coverage, strongest in rural areas
• KT: Second largest, excellent in cities, good in most rural areas
• LG U+: Budget option, great speeds in cities, weaker in rural/mountain areas

Step 2: Match to My Itinerary

I'm planning 2 weeks: Seoul (5 days), Busan (2 days), Gyeongju (3 days), Jeju Island (4 days).

Most of my time is in major cities, but I've also got plans to be out on the trails on Jeju Island. So I'm hoping to connect with SKT since it will be best for loading my AllTrails when I'm halfway up a volcano on Jeju. I'll consider KT as well if there is a significant price difference, but I'm going to pass on any option using only LG U+.

If I were to decide to cut my trip short and just visit Seoul for a few days, I would put LG U+ back into consideration, especially if it's the cheaper option.

Step 3: Check Which Networks eSIM Providers Use

• Airalo → KT
• Holafly → SKT + LG U
• Nomad → SKT + LG U
• Yesim → KT + SKT + LG U

Now basically everyone has me covered. The only one I'm second-guessing here is Airalo. It should have decent coverage on Jeju Island, but not the best, and without LG U+ in the cities, my speeds might be a bit lower. But personally, I don't need blazing-fast connections. I just need my maps to load and my texts to send, so I'm actually going to look at plans and prices for all of these to see if there is one that fits my 2-week plan perfectly.

Step 4: Compare Plans

After comparing a few options, these were the plans that stood out to me for a roughly 2-week trip.

Airalo has some great 15 day options that fit my timeline really well:

• 5GB: $15 CAD
• 10GB: $26 CAD
• 20GB: $40.50 CAD

Holafly is a bit pricey

• Unlimited Data (14 days) — $65 CAD

Nomad offers a few different 30-day plans:

• 5GB: $23 CAD
• 10GB: $34 CAD
• 20GB: $44 CAD
• 50GB: $53 CAD

Yesim has a better-priced unlimited plan

• Unlimited Data (15 days) $43 CAD

Based on all of this, I’m personally probably going with Airalo. I’ll likely lock in the 10GB plan for $26 CAD.

In the cities, I’m going to be on Wi-Fi most of the time anyway since basically every cafe, hotel, and Airbnb has a network available. Airalo isn’t connected to Korea’s largest carrier, but it still has decent coverage on Jeju, and I honestly don’t care if I go offline for an hour during a bus ride between Seoul and Busan.

If I were doing a longer trip, Nomad would probably be the clear winner. Their pricing gets really competitive at higher data tiers, but I don’t need to pay for a full 30-day plan when my trip is only 2 weeks.

If constant connection and zero reliance on Wi-Fi matter more to you, then Yesim is probably the best option. The timeline matches almost perfectly, and having enough data that you don’t even think about hotel Wi-Fi speeds is kind of a low-key flex.

Beware of “Unlimited” Data

One important thing to know: these “unlimited” plans usually are not truly unlimited.

Technically, they are limitless, but most providers throttle your speeds after a certain amount of daily usage. Usually, this is somewhere around 5GB per day, although it varies depending on the provider and plan.

That means your first few gigabytes are at full speed, and then your connection slows down until the daily cycle resets. So while they don’t fully cut you off, the marketing can still feel a bit misleading.

Personally, I’d rather just buy a prepaid data amount and top it up later if I somehow run out.

I think these examples showed the nuance in your choice. One option has your ideal network but only offers a 7-day or 30-day plan, and you're coming for 10. Another one offers unlimited data that you won't take advantage of.

The main thing is to look for the network first. See which providers will connect you to that network. Then compare the plans with your itinerary and think realistically about how much you will use your phone and how available free wifi will be.

You can always top up your plan with all of these brands, but buying a small plan and topping up 2 or 3 times will cost you a lot more than just getting a comprehensive plan in the first place.

But limit your search. There are a lot of brands out there, so you could spend all day researching. Generally, you can just check Airalo, Holafly, Yesim, and Nomad. Between these, you're covered and are going to get a pretty competitive rate.

Once you've bought your eSIM, here's how to actually set it up:

Before You Leave Home:

1. Buy your eSIM: Purchase from your chosen provider
2. Check your email: You'll receive a QR code and installation instructions
3. Install the eSIM (but don't activate it yet):

• iPhone: Settings → Cellular → Add Cellular Plan → Scan QR code
• Android: Settings → Network & Internet → Mobile Network → Add carrier → Scan QR code

1. Label it: Name it something clear, like "Korea eSIM," so you don't confuse it with your home SIM. This is VERY IMPORTANT if you're going to multiple destinations and getting multiple eSIMs. They can look very confusing once you have 6 just labelled Nomad.
2. Turn off the eSIM: Don't activate it until you land

When You Arrive:

1. Turn on the eSIM: Go to your cellular settings and enable the eSIM
2. Turn on data roaming: Yes, really. Even though it says "roaming," you won't be charged extra. This is just how eSIMs work.
3. Select the eSIM for cellular data: Make sure your phone is using the eSIM for data, not your home SIM
4. Test it: Open a browser and make sure you're connected

Pro tips:

• Keep your home SIM active, but turn off data for it. This way, you can still receive texts on your regular number without roaming charges
• Download offline maps before you leave. Just in case something goes wrong with activation.
• Screenshot your QR code. If you need to reinstall the eSIM, you'll have the code saved
• Buy your eSIM at least 24 hours before your trip. This gives you time to troubleshoot if there are issues

"I installed the eSIM, but I have no service"

• Make sure you turned on data roaming for the eSIM
• Restart your phone
• Make sure the eSIM is selected as your primary data line
• Check if the eSIM has actually activated (some have activation delays)

"My eSIM is super slow."

• Check if you've hit a throttling threshold (some "unlimited" plans throttle after 1-2 GB/day)
• You might be in an area with weak coverage for your network
• Try toggling airplane mode on and off to reconnect

"I accidentally deleted my eSIM."

• Contact your provider's customer service
• Most can reissue the QR code, but policies vary
• This is why you should screenshot the original QR code

"My eSIM expired before my trip ended."

• Buy a top-up from your provider (usually available in the app)
• Or buy a new eSIM from a different provider as backup

"I can receive data but can't make calls."

• Most eSIM plans are data-only
• Use WhatsApp, FaceTime, or other apps for calls
• If you need actual phone calls, you'll need a plan with voice. This is more expensive, and I've never needed it in 4 years of travel.

If you're travelling through multiple countries, you might be tempted by multi-country or regional eSIM plans. Here's when they make sense and when they don't:

When multi-country eSIMs are good:

• You're spending 2-3 days in each country (not worth buying individual eSIMs)
• You're moving between countries frequently
• The countries are in the same region (Europe, Southeast Asia)
• You don't need the absolute best coverage in each country

When are individual eSIMs better:

• You're spending a week or more in each country
• You need reliable coverage in rural or remote areas
• You're a heavy data user
• The multi-country plan is significantly more expensive

After using eSIMs across 50+ countries, here's what I actually use. 

Most of the time, it's Nomad. I don't recommend just blindly choosing Nomad every time. Use the method I explained above. Research the networks, line up which brand aligns with your itinerary, compare prices and bundle sizes, and choose the best option. BUT, if you're a lazy bugger and don't feel like doing that, Nomad is consistently one of my top picks. Their app is really easy to use, and installing the eSIM from their app is seamless. They are connecting to the best networks most of the time, and their pricing is competitive. I can't say they are the definitive winner in every case, but they are a solid option most of the time. 

For 5 USD off your next eSIM, use my promo code: RITK25. 

I hope this guide helped clear up some confusion about what the heck and eSIM is and how to choose the right one. Happy travels!

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