Every phone needs a SIM to join a mobile network. An eSIM does the same job as the plastic card, but it lives on a chip already inside your phone. You add one by scanning a QR code.
Why travellers use them
Roaming with your home carrier is often charged by the day or by the megabyte, and the bill can be a shock. A travel eSIM is bought before you go, for a set amount of data at a fixed price, and it uses local networks in the country you visit.
What you keep
Your normal SIM stays in the phone. Your number, your texts and your WhatsApp account don't change. The travel eSIM only carries your data.
What you don't get
Most travel eSIMs, ours included, are data only, with no local phone number. Calls over WhatsApp, FaceTime or Signal work fine over the data.
Before you buy
Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked. The phone check takes ten seconds.