What an eSIM actually is

An eSIM is a carrier profile written onto the eUICC chip inside your phone. It does everything a SIM card does; it simply arrives as a download instead of a piece of plastic. Once the profile is on the device, the phone holds the credentials it needs to attach to a network at your destination.

What makes a travel eSIM useful is that it is a second line on the same handset. Your home SIM stays in place and keeps taking calls and texts, while the eSIM line carries data only.

The four steps from checkout to data

1. 1Choose the planPick by destination or region, then read the spec table: which networks it uses, how many days it lasts, when the clock starts, and whether hotspot sharing is allowed.
2. 2PayWe order from the supplier only after payment succeeds. Each order carries an idempotency key, so pressing the button twice or refreshing the page does not create a second order.
3. 3Install the profileScan the QR code or tap the install link in the email. This needs internet, so do it at home before the flight. Installing does not start the validity clock.
4. 4Turn it on at the destinationAfter landing, leave airplane mode, enable the eSIM line, switch roaming data on for that line, and set it as the mobile data line.

Installing on iPhone

1. Connect to Wi-Fi and open the confirmation email
2. Go to Settings, then Cellular or Mobile Data
3. Tap Add eSIM or Add Cellular Plan and scan the QR code we sent
4. Label the line something memorable, such as the destination country
5. Keep your home line as the default for calls and messages
6. Set the eSIM line for mobile data and switch off Allow Cellular Data Switching

Installing on Android

Android menus differ by manufacturer, but the route is similar. It generally lives under Settings, then Network and internet, or Connections.

When the validity clock starts

Plans fall into two families: those that start on first connection at the destination, and those that start at purchase or at system activation. Every spec table states which, because the difference moves the expiry date substantially.

• Days are counted as calendar days in the provider's time zone, not accumulated hours, unless stated otherwise
• Daily plans reset full-speed data every day; the remainder does not carry over
• Leftover data on a fixed plan disappears at expiry

Work out your expiry date

If you land and there is no data

Work through this order; most cases resolve in the first three. Do not delete the profile — once removed it cannot be reinstalled.

1. Toggle airplane mode for ten seconds to force a fresh network search
2. Check the eSIM line is enabled and that its roaming data is on
3. Set the eSIM line, not your home line, as the mobile data line
4. Select a network manually from the operators the plan lists
5. Check the APN against the order email; if none is given, leave it blank
6. Restart the phone once
7. If it still fails, contact us with the order number, handset model and a screenshot of the cellular settings

Open the APN troubleshooter

Top-ups and second profiles

Some plans accept a top-up on the existing profile, which is easier because nothing needs reinstalling. Where top-up is not supported, buy another plan and install it as a second profile on the same phone; recent iPhones store many profiles and can run two at once.

What we do not guarantee

• A speed figure, because it depends on the local network and congestion at that moment
• Coverage in remote areas, underground, or on ships and aircraft
• SMS OTP delivery on the eSIM line, since most plans are data-only
• Uninterrupted service if the destination operator suspends roaming temporarily