Before you buy
SIM card or eSIM: how they differ and which suits travelling
It's the same line delivered two different ways. What actually changes when you travel, which phones take which, and which gives you fewer problems.
Dani Requena 5 min Photo by A U R O R A F V P on Unsplash SIM card and eSIM are two formats for the same thing: the credential that identifies your line to the network. What changes isn't the connection, it's how it reaches your phone.
The two, in a table
| SIM card | eSIM | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A piece of plastic with a chip | A profile you download |
| How it reaches you | In person or by post | By QR code or link |
| When you have it | When you collect it | In minutes, from home |
| What you need | A free tray | A compatible, unlocked phone |
| Your everyday line | Comes out if there's only one tray | Stays in the phone |
| If you change phone | You move it by hand | It has to be reinstalled |
What doesn't change
Coverage and speed. Both connect to the same towers of the same operator: neither reaches further nor runs faster. Anyone saying otherwise is selling you something.
Which gives you fewer problems when travelling
The eSIM, for two specific reasons: you land with data from the first minute, and your everyday card never leaves the phone, which is the most common loss on any trip.
The card wins when your phone doesn't support eSIM, when it's locked, or on long stays where a local line works out cheaper.
How to check whether your phone supports one is in how to tell whether your phone supports eSIM.
It isn't a different kind of plan or a better technology: it's the same line delivered another way.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a SIM card and an eSIM?
The format: one is a physical card and the other a profile you download. Coverage and speed are the same.
Which is better for travelling?
The eSIM generally, because you land with data and your everyday card never leaves the phone. A card if your phone doesn't support eSIM, or on long stays.
Does an eSIM get a better signal?
No. It uses the same towers of the same operator as a physical card.
Can I have both at once?
Yes on compatible phones: a physical card and an eSIM can coexist with two active lines.
