What is an eSIM?
An eSIM is a SIM card built into your phone: instead of inserting a chip, you download a carrier profile with a QR code or an app. When you travel, it gets you online as soon as you land, and your usual SIM stays on for calls and texts.
Prices checked on October 21, 2026
Models with eSIM
490
in our database, from their spec sheets
A week abroad
from $8.00
depending on the destination, 6 GB of data
Destinations compared
64
8 providers, prices checked daily
How an eSIM works
From purchase to arrival, in four steps.
- 1
You buy it online
From a travel eSIM provider or your carrier: you get a QR code or an install link.
- 2
You install it
Your phone downloads the carrier profile: on iPhone in Settings › Cellular, on Android in the mobile network settings.
- 3
You pick the lines
Your usual SIM keeps calls and texts; the travel eSIM takes mobile data.
- 4
The plan starts
When you install it or when you first connect in the country, depending on the provider: 7 of the 8 providers we compare wait until you arrive.
What an eSIM changes when you travel
- 1
No shop to find
You buy and install the eSIM before you leave: you are online as soon as you land, for the taxi, the map or the first message.
- 2
You stay reachable
Your SIM stays in the phone: you get calls and texts on your number, at your carrier’s rates, and WhatsApp keeps it.
- 3
Several eSIMs in one phone
A phone keeps several eSIM profiles, one per trip or per country, and you switch between them in the settings.
- 4
The limits
You need a compatible, unlocked phone; most travel eSIMs are data only, without a local number.
The best eSIMs for a week in Thailand
Today’s podium for an everyday trip (6 GB); every destination is compared the same way.
1Ubigi
Unlimited · 7 days
- 25 GB at full speed, then reduced speed
- AIS · True
- Hotspot allowed
$22.00$3.14 per day
2Jetpac
10 GB · 7 days
- AIS
- Hotspot allowed
$9.50$0.95 per GB
3Nomad
50 GB · 10 days
- True
- Hotspot allowed
$15.00$0.30 per GB
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The most popular destinations
For each country, today’s podium and every plan we compare.
Your questions
Answered from our data.
Does my phone support eSIM?
On iPhone, Settings › General › About shows an “EID” when eSIM is available; on Android, dialling *#06# usually shows it. Our database lists 490 models with eSIM.
How much is a travel eSIM?
For a week of everyday use (6 GB), from $8.00 depending on the destination, at prices checked on October 21, 2026.
Can I keep my number with an eSIM?
Yes: your carrier’s SIM stays on next to the travel eSIM, for calls and texts, at its rates.
Does WhatsApp work with a travel eSIM?
Yes: WhatsApp stays linked to your usual number, even when data goes through the travel eSIM.
Can an eSIM be used on two phones?
No: an eSIM profile installs on one phone; to change phones, you usually need a new profile from the provider.
How do I install an eSIM?
Buy it, then scan the QR code you get by email: Settings › Cellular › Add eSIM on iPhone, Settings › Connections › SIM manager on Samsung. Then pick it for mobile data.
When should I install my travel eSIM?
At home, on Wi-Fi, a few days before you leave: with 7 of the 8 providers we compare, the plan only starts when you first connect at your destination.
How much data do I need for a week?
For everyday use (maps, messages, social media), plan on 6 GB; our calculator fine-tunes it to your habits.
Does an eSIM work in several countries?
Yes, with a regional eSIM (Europe, Asia…): one plan covers several countries, and our region pages compare them.