Travel eSIM
You buy and install it at home, so you have data the moment you land. Your own SIM stays in the phone, so you can still get texts on your usual number.
The catch: your phone must support eSIM and be unlocked. Here's how to check. Most travel eSIMs are data only, with no local phone number.
Local SIM card
Often the cheapest per GB on long stays, and it usually comes with a local number, which helps if you need to book tables or take calls from local businesses.
You need to find a shop, sometimes show your passport, and swap a tiny card at the airport. While the local SIM is in, your home SIM is out, unless your phone has two SIM slots or an eSIM.
Pocket Wi-Fi
One small device shares data with several phones and laptops, which suits families and groups.
You carry and charge another gadget, everyone has to stay near it, and many rentals must be returned before you fly home.
Your carrier's roaming pass
The simplest option: do nothing and pay your home carrier a daily fee. It costs more than the other options on all but the shortest trips, and some passes slow your data after a daily amount. See how to avoid roaming charges.
Which one to pick
- Short or medium trip, one phone: a travel eSIM.
- Long stay, need a local number: a local SIM.
- Group sharing one connection: pocket Wi-Fi, or one eSIM with a hotspot allowance.
- A day or two, and you'd rather not set anything up: your carrier's roaming pass.
Ready to compare plans? Find eSIMs for your destination.