Families can save money and use cell phone data abroad with global eSIMS
If you’re anything like us, your phone is as essential a piece of travel gear as your passport. But a sticky question comes up when traveling abroad: How in the world do you use data with your phone without it costing too much? How to use an eSIM for international travel will make exactly that difference.
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After all, our phones provide us with so many things when we travel: navigation, train schedules, translation, boarding passes, and reservation details. But if you don’t have cellular data when abroad—or worse, if you’re constantly worried about how much your phone will cost you overseas—then the logistics of travel get far more difficult than they have to.
Our family of four has been traveling the world full time since 2022. Jodie and I use our smartphones for everything when we travel, and our teen son has proven mature enough to have a phone of his own. Based on our experience, we want to show you how you can save money while using your cell phone data with an eSIM for travel abroad.
Using an eSIM for family travel is easier than you think, has a reasonable cost, and you’ll never have to worry about your phone being online when you’re out of your home country.
What this eSIM guide is and isn’t
Before we get to the good stuff on how to use an eSIM, we need to understand some parameters on what this guide is and what it is not:
What this guide is
Our perspective comes from making a don’t-have-to-dwell-on-it choice that works when using eSIMs for multiple phones across a family.
We’ll walk you through some basics of what an eSIM is, various providers who offer eSIMs, and we’ll share the provider we’ve used over our years traveling the world. Our hints and suggestions will focus on the considerations we use when visiting different countries and regions, and we’ll offer some insights based on our on-the-ground, real-world experiences and challenges using eSIMs.
What this guide isn’t
This guide is not a technical how-to walkthrough on how to install an eSIM. Every phone is different, and some processes are distinct based on country, phone model, and phone operating system.
How eSIM providers handle eSIMs, installation, activation, and management is distinct to each service, and it’s changing all the time. While others have done massive, tap-by-tap walkthroughs in blog articles and videos, those details go out of date the moment something changes—and with both phones and eSIMs, things do not, and will not, stay the same.
How to use this guide
We’re going to focus on 7 main areas of how to use an eSIM:
- The basics of eSIMs
- 3 major eSIM providers, plus others of note
- The provider we use and why
- Choosing the right eSIM for your destination(s)
- Purchase and installation
- Activation
- Ongoing eSIM use and management
Above all, we trust your ability to figure these things out for your device, phone OS, and mobile provider.
You can handle this.
Choosing and installing an eSIM can seem intimidating at first (and we’ll go into the stomach-dropping feeling that can come with the waiting… and the waiting… that can come with each installation and activation).
Today’s processes for eSIMs and phones (usually) are fairly straightforward and step-by-step. And by the time you finish this guide, you’ll have the baseline confidence and understanding you need to find the right eSIM for your trip, set it up, and not have to worry about data when you travel abroad.
Do this before diving into eSIM options
Before we go into the wonders of eSIMs, first you’ll want to know what’s relevant and best for your situation. Here are some things to do first:
- Do your plan and carrier allow you to use an eSIM? Depending on your phone and plan, eSIMs from another provider might not be an option.
- Check your carrier’s options. International plans vary in their pricing, coverage, and quality. We’re based in the USA, and while some carriers have been improving, those options focus on shorter international trips. See what your carrier offers, though. A decent plan could be a good match, especially so you don’t have to figure out an eSIM.
- Compare eSIMs, but don’t go overboard. The internet is full of incredibly detailed, technical, convoluted tests, benchmarks, and head-to-head eSIM provider matchups. Think of it this way: an eSIM is more like a latte than an espresso machine. Sure, know what’s out there, but you don’t need to check out two dozen guides, reviews, and videos for what is typically a short-term need.
- How many eSIMs can you have on one phone? This will vary by device. Most modern phones support at least 2 eSIMs. Many devices allow the simultaneous use of 2 eSIMs, and you might be able to store more.
The basics of eSIMs
Let’s start with some serious basics: SIM stands for Subscriber Identity Module. It’s essentially what connects your identity and mobile account to the device using them.
Thank goodness we don’t need physical SIMs anymore
The eSIM itself has only been available since 2017, but didn’t become widespread until 2022. Prior to that, your phone needed a physical “SIM card.” Technically, you could open a little slot on your phone and replace the physical SIM card with one that works in your destination.
The physical SIM card might come pre-installed on your phone. Often you had to figure out installing it yourself. Usually that entailed following some sketchy-sounding instructions that involved bending a paperclip so you could poke the end into a tiny hole on the side of your phone.
I can’t believe I just wrote that. It doesn’t sound any less weird now than it did then. Thank goodness we don’t need that nonsense anymore.
Advantages of eSIMs
For example, on a podcast around 2021, the guest, who led tours throughout Europe, talked about how he traveled with a small binder of SIM cards. Whenever he crossed into another country, he’d open his SIM slot and swap in the card for that country.
Now, I have no doubt he just uses eSIMs.
The eSIM makes it so you don’t have to worry about keeping safe a bunch of identity-encoded pieces of plastic and metal that are about the size of an adult’s pinky nail. You can buy eSIMs as you need them, not have to worry about throwing anything away, and get exactly what you need, wherever you are and for the right number of days you’re traveling.
Most modern phones support multiple eSIMs
Not only can you use eSIMs instead of physical SIM cards. The technology has always had support for multiple eSIMs. That use has only grown. New phones from about 2022 onward have been phasing out physical SIMs entirely, and now only use eSIMs.
Some phones offer dual-use eSIMs too. For example, you might use one eSIM for voice calls and texts, and another for your cell data.
Sounds outlandish?
It’s not. In fact, it’s exactly what we’ve been doing for years now. We keep a US-based mobile plan for all our voice and text needs, but we don’t use it for data. Instead, we use an eSIM based on whatever country or region we are traveling to.
3 major eSIM providers, plus others of note
After eSIMs became more widespread as of 2022, the eSIM market got increasingly crowded. If you’re been learning about eSIMs, odds are you’re familiar with any of these 3:
Founded in 2023 by the folks behind NordVPN.
Based in Switzerland and founded in 2019.
Those are the 3 we’re most familiar with. Airalo is typically the best known.
All 3 offer various eSIMs in over 200 countries. Each has a track record and broad availability. None is necessarily better than the other. All of them offer various specials and discount codes, and pricing is usually pretty similar among the three. Specific eSIM data plans by country vary by provider.
They’re not the only players. For example, in 2026, Roamless is a name I’m seeing a lot (and as of this writing, they’ve been showing up in my ad feed constantly). Here are a few other eSIM providers out there:
The provider we use and why
We’ve been using Airalo eSIMs since 2022. Because we’ve been happy with Airalo and haven’t found a reason to change. As we try other providers, we’ll share our experiences.
We travel as a family of four. Jodie and I use Apple iPhones. Our teen son now has an iPhone as well, but he doesn’t currently have a phone plan. He typically uses Wi-Fi, and we get him an eSIM data package wherever we travel.
What’s made Airalo our eSIM of choice?
- Clear and simple options
- Range of prices, starting at US$4
- Amount of data, with commonly available options such as 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, and unlimited
- How many days, usually 7 days, 15 days, or 30 days
- Country-specific and regional options are available
- Affordable, even for multiple eSIMs across multiple phones
- Consistent ease of setup
- Reliable connections and speeds
Setting up eSIM for kids’ phone abroad is no different from setting one up for an adult’s phone. If anything, we sometimes set up our son with a lower amount of data. It depends on the trip and circumstances.
Install eSIM provider apps
Once you know which eSIM provider(s) you plan to use, your next step of how to use an eSIM is to download that provider’s free app onto your phone. You can have multiple eSIM apps on your phone. We currently just have the Airalo app, since that’s all we currently use.
Choose the right eSIM for your destination(s)
Using Airalo as an example, here’s how we decide which eSIM to buy:
- How long will we be at a destination?
- Will we be visiting other destinations in the same region?
- What’s our best estimate for how often we’ll be at our accommodation on Wi-Fi, and out and about on data?
What we choose might differ from what matches your travels. There’s no one-size answer, only what best fits any given trip. For example, here are three scenarios from our own travels:
Japan
We stayed 88 days, and often would be at our home in Osaka and using Wi-Fi. However, during excursions into the city or overnight trips to places such as Kyoto and Nara, we’d be sightseeing and would be on data.
We chose Airalo’s 5GB/30-day eSIM for Japan. Near the end of the 30 days, Airalo notified us that the eSIM was expiring. A quick purchase of a top-up eSIM refreshed the time and data.
Southeast Asia
During 2022 and 2023, we traveled around various parts of Southeast Asia. With fewer nights overall in one country, country-specific eSIMs made less sense.
However, Airalo’s Regional Asia eSIM covers 18 countries. It gave us seamless options when we were traveling through Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Often we go with 5GB eSIMs. For this period, since we would be out and about more, we chose 10GB. The higher amount of data meant we could focus on planning without having to worry about data usage. And if we ran low? We could always top up with more data, right from the app on our phones.
Finland and Baltic Europe
The Europe Regional eSIM covers 42 countries (including the UK). For our 2026 “Baltic Summer” tour of Europe, we did a mix and match.
During our month in Helsinki, we used Airalo’s 30-day, 5GB Finland eSIM. After Finland, though, we’d be traveling for about 3 weeks through Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.
While we could get individual eSIMs for each country, we made a different choice. For the sake of convenience, we decided the Europe Regional eSIM was a better match in price, plus we only needed to purchase, install, and activate one eSIM instead of four.
The 30-day 5GB eSIM option gave us the right mix of time and price. Plus, if you run low on data, Airalo allows you to purchase top-up packages without having to buy, install, and activate a new eSIM. You just add more data to the current one instead.
Purchase and installation
Each app will have its own interface and process for how you browse, search for, and select eSIMs. Most typically follow a pattern along these lines:
Enter your country or region in the search box
We’re about to go from Japan to Finland, so on my phone, I’m entering “Finland” in the Airalo app’s search box.
Apps usually run a check to confirm that your phone is compatible with that area’s eSIM options. Airalo is saying that my iPhone 13 is compatible, so I can move on to browsing packages.
Browse packages
Under the Data section, you first choose Unlimited or Standard, then browse to the number of days you want data for, then choose the right package for you. For our Finland trip, for example, that’s going to be the Standard 30 days 5 GB, US$10 at the time of purchase.
Purchase
Once chosen, before you check out, check for discount codes or sales. Airalo usually has a couple of codes out there at any time. Pay for your eSIM with your preferred payment method, and once confirmed, you can move on to the fun—and slightly gut-wrenching—bit.
Installation and activation
Here’s a little secret: In our experience, we usually install the eSIM wherever we are. It doesn’t start the clock on time, as that only starts when the eSIM connects to the local network at your destination.
Plus, eSIM providers typically recommend that your device is online with a good Wi-Fi connection when you install and activate your eSIM. That’s usually not something you’ll find when your flight has landed and you’re taxiing to the arrival gate.
That’s why we suggest you buy your eSIM and install it. Then, once you arrive, you activate the eSIM and should be good to go.
For example, we bought and installed our Finland eSIMs while we were still in Japan. That took care of most of the setup work. Once we landed in Helsinki and could turn off airplane mode, our phones quickly connected to the local network. Only then did our data count and day clock start ticking.
If you would rather wait to do installation and activation once you arrive, that’s okay too. It might just take longer.
Ongoing eSIM use and management
Inside your eSIM provider’s app, there’s usually an area where you can check your eSIMs. In Airalo, that’s currently the “My eSIMs” tab, which you get to from the bottom of the app screen.
Here, you can see the status for your current eSIM, including how much data and time it has left. If you have other eSIMs from the provider, they’ll appear here too.
Other things to know about using multiple eSIMs
If you only want to use your eSIM for data, turn off cellular data switching
When we’re abroad, we don’t use the data options for our US domestic carrier. So, under the cellular data settings for our phones, we make sure we switch off “Allow Cellular Data Switching.” This is key to using international phone data without roaming charges.
If you’re okay with switching back and forth, you can leave it on. Just be aware that your home carrier might have fees or higher rates for data use abroad and/or international roaming.
Check that your “data roaming” setting is on
When you arrive in your destination country and turn on your eSIM, it usually takes a few minutes to set up. That’s normal. If you’re not getting a connection, head to your cellular settings and look for anything related to data roaming.
In our experience, that needs to be turned on in order for the eSIM to connect.
Your phone’s battery will drain faster
Don’t be surprised if you wonder what happened to your battery life when using multiple eSIMs. From our own usage experience, simultaneous eSIMs require more battery.
We’ve never identified a consistent pattern either. In our home in Osaka, some days our battery drains faster than others. In some destinations, such as Finland, we’ve seen less battery drain than in others. Sometimes it varies from day to day.
The networks your phone can access, your phone’s age and battery health, proximity to towers, you name it: Lots of factors can affect your battery usages, but the main thing to keep in mind is that when using multiple eSIMs, monitor your charge and charge up as needed.
An eSIM can connect your phone to the world for less money and less stress
Odds are, your mobile carrier’s international options are limited, overpriced, or both. If your carrier has the right options for your trip and budget, that’s awesome. But if they don’t, you aren’t stuck with crappy service or expensive rates.
You have options beyond your mobile carrier’s (probably overpriced) international plans. Instead, you can get an eSIM.
We’ve used eSIMs around the world since 2022. They’ve consistently made it easier for us to do whatever we need to do while traveling and off Wi-Fi. Plus, we can always find the right package for our trip and budget.
If you’ve found eSIMs intimidating or weren’t sure what they were or how they worked, we hope this helped. You can get the right eSIM for you and keep the connection you need so your trip goes smoothly.
Get the right eSIM for your trip
We prefer
Our family has relied on this eSIM provider since 2022
Also compare
