An eSIM is a SIM card you do not slot into the phone; you download it. Instead of a piece of plastic you get a profile that installs from a QR code and then behaves exactly like any other SIM.
What actually happens
- You buy a plan and receive a QR code by email.
- You scan it with the phone. The phone contacts the operator server and downloads the profile.
- The profile stays in the phone as an extra line, alongside your own SIM.
- When you arrive, you switch data on for that profile and you are online.
Why that is better when travelling
- You never remove your own SIM. Your number keeps receiving calls and texts, bank codes included.
- No SIM counter. No queue at the airport, no passport, no registration.
- The price is known up front. You pay before you travel and nothing arrives afterwards.
What an eSIM is not
It is not a replacement for your number. Our plans are data only, which means they have no phone number for calls and texts. Calls through WhatsApp, Viber and similar apps work normally, because they run over the internet.
It is not endless either. A plan has an amount of data and a validity period, and the clock only starts when the profile first connects to a network in the country it was bought for.
What you need for it to work
A phone that supports eSIM and is carrier unlocked. Almost every phone newer than 2019 supports eSIM, but devices bought on an operator instalment plan are sometimes locked. You can check your model on the device checker page.