Sizing an eSIM for a two-week trip

How much data 14 days needs

The figures below take three levels of daily use, multiply by the number of days, and add 15 percent for app updates and photo backup — the two things travellers forget.

The plan shape that fits this length

At 14 days we would start with a daily plan, or 20GB and up, because that is where price per gigabyte and the risk of wasted data balance out. If your usage is uneven, weigh the top-up terms as well.

What people forget when sizing by days

Multiplying days by daily use gets you close, but real trips are lumpy. Day one is usually the heaviest — navigating, checking in, messaging home — while a day on a tour or a long transfer can use almost nothing.

• The first and last days run above average; keep that in mind
• Travelling as a pair on one hotspot means budgeting for two people, not one
• Turning off automatic photo backup over mobile data, and syncing on Wi-Fi instead, is the single biggest saving available