eSIM - definition

Glossary

An eSIM (embedded SIM) is a form of SIM card that is embedded directly into a device as software installed onto a eUICC chip.

eSIM is a GSMA standard that supports remote SIM provisioning. That means you can change mobile network operators and plans without the need to physically swap a SIM from the device. It helps manufacturers to reduce production costs and size of connected devices, which is particularly useful for wearables and IoT products.

For consumers, it enables easy purchase of roaming and local data plans without having to visit a carrier’s office. This makes it particularly useful when traveling, as you can purchase the eSIM in advance and activate it upon arrival with no interruption in your data connection. And in countries with stricter internet control it can often let you access restricted resources.

Popular eSIM service providers that we can recommend include:
Airalo   Saily   Yesim   Ubigi   ByteSIM

When purchasing an eSIM you should consider the differences between the available packages. Most of those only offer data connectivity with no cellular calls support, but there are exceptions.

Some offers allow accessing 5G networks, while others are limited to 4G. Additionally, if you plan on sharing your data connection with other people you are travelling with or even your laptop or tablet you have to make sure that tethering is allowed.

Available data plans come in multiple tiers for each country. They either have a certain data allowance and a validity of up to a month or offer unlimited data for a shorter period. Unlimited plans may come with a speed limitation (throttling) after a certain data usage threshold for each day. Below you can find the prices of different providers for some of the regions as of December 2024 - obviously prices change all the time so make sure you shop around to get the best deal.

Country Data Cap
Providers
Saily Yesim Airalo Ubigi ByteSIM
UK 1GB $4.49 - $5 - -
10GB $19.99 $24.20 $22.50 $10 $10
1 day unlimited - $7.70 - - $4.90
7 days unlimited - $29.70 - $22 $25.90
China 1GB $4.99 - $5 $5 -
10GB $24.99 $31.90 $28 $21 $12.90
1 day unlimited - $7.70 - $4.90 -
7 days unlimited - $37.40 $35 (10 days) - $24.90
France 1GB $3.99 - $4.50 - -
10GB $19.99 $22 $23 $7 $13.90
1 day unlimited $7.70 - $4.90 -
7 days unlimited - $30.80 - $24 $23.90
Barbados 1GB $8.99 - $8 $17 -
10GB - $72.60 - - $51.90
1 day unlimited - $14.30 - - -

Related articles:

Traveling to China? eSim is your best roaming option
Testing Airalo and Yesim travel eSIMs in London
What's an eSIM, how it works and why it's important to you

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