No more roaming traps: the digital eSIM card is so easy to use when traveling

The suitcases are almost packed, the anticipation of a well-deserved break is growing – but one question often remains unanswered: How do I stay online abroad without falling into an expensive roaming trap? The constant search for free Wi-Fi or the cumbersome purchase of a local SIM card at the airport is part of the unpleasant vacation preparations for many. The stress-free solution to this problem is to use an eSIM on vacation.

With an eSIM, you can secure cheap data volume for the duration of your trip and are ready to go from the moment you arrive. Instead of paying high roaming charges with your home provider, you simply activate a pre-purchased data package and can navigate, share photos or search for restaurants straight away. Using an eSIM on vacation is not only much cheaper, but also unbeatably practical.

What is an eSIM and how does it work?

An eSIM, short for “embedded SIM”, is a digital SIM card that is permanently installed in modern devices such as smartphones, tablets, smartwatches or laptops.

Activating and using an eSIM is a straightforward process:

• Signing a contract: As usual, you sign a mobile phone contract with a provider that supports eSIMs.
• Receive activation profile: Instead of a physical SIM card, you will receive an activation profile from your provider, usually in the form of a QR code.
• Download profile: In the settings of your device, scan the QR code with your camera. The device then connects to the Internet and securely downloads the eSIM profile.
• Use: After successful activation, your device is connected to the mobile network and you can make calls, send text messages and use mobile data as usual.

A major advantage is that you can save several eSIM profiles from different providers on one device and use them as required.wischen diesen wechseln können. Dies ist besonders praktisch für die Verwendung lokaler Datentarife im Ausland, um hohe Roaming-Gebühren zu vermeiden.

Advantages and disadvantages of the eSIMat a glance

Advantages	Disadvantages
Flexibility: Quick and easy switching between different mobile phone providers and tariffs without having to swap a physical card.	Compatibility: Older device models often do not support eSIM technology.
Time saving: No waiting time for a SIM card to be sent by post; the profile can be activated online immediately.	Provider dependency: Not all mobile phone providers offer eSIM options for all their tariffs yet.
Dual SIM use: Enables the simple use of two phone numbers on one device, even on smartphones without two physical SIM card slots.	Changing devices: Depending on the provider, changing an eSIM to a new device can be a little more complicated than simply inserting a physical card.
Space saving and design: Since no SIM card slot is required, devices can be built more compactly and better protected against water and dust.	Troubleshooting: In the event of network problems, the SIM card cannot simply be inserted into another device to isolate the source of the fault.
Security: An eSIM cannot simply be removed if the device is stolen.
Sustainability: No plastic is required for production and no packaging is needed to ship the SIM card.

How does an eSIM work on vacation – a step-by-step guide

Using an eSIM on vacation is easier than you think and a clever way to avoid expensive roaming charges.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how it works:

Step 1: Check the compatibility of your device

Before you start, you need to make sure that your smartphone or tablet supports eSIM technology.

• Here’s how: Most modern smartphones in recent years are eSIM-enabled.
  Apple: iPhone XS, XR or newer
  Google: Pixel 3 or newer
  Samsung: Galaxy S20 or newer, as well as many models from the Fold and Flip series
• If in doubt: A quick Google search with your device name and the addition “eSIM-enabled” will give you an immediate answer. You can also search for an option such as “Add eSIM” or “Add mobile plan” in your phone’s settings under “Mobile data” or “Connections”.

Step 2: Choose an eSIM provider and buy a tariff

There are numerous international providers that specialize in eSIMs for travellers. These are often significantly cheaper than the roaming options from your home provider.

• Some well-known international providers:
  • Airalo
  • Holafly
  • GigSky
  • Saily

• Tariff selection:
  • Destination: Search for a tariff for your specific country (e.g. “eSIM USA”) or an entire region (e.g. “eSIM Europe” or “eSIM Asia”).
  • Data volume: Estimate your consumption. A few gigabytes are often enough for navigation and occasional surfing (e.g. 3 GB for a week). If you stream a lot or are active on social media, choose more.
  • Validity: Make sure that the validity period of the package (e.g. 7 days, 15 days, 30 days) matches the duration of your trip.

The purchase is made directly on the provider’s website or in the app. You pay online and receive all the necessary information immediately.

Step 3: Install the eSIM on your smartphone

This is the crucial step and is best done while you still have a stable internet connection (so ideally at home before you leave).

The QR code method (most common):

• You will receive an email with a QR code after purchase.
• Open the settings on your smartphone.
• Navigate to “Mobile data” > “Add eSIM” (or a similar name).
• Select the option to use a QR code and scan it with your phone camera.
• Follow the instructions on the screen. Your phone will now download the digital SIM profile.

Step 4: Activate the eSIM on arrival in your vacation destination

Once you have landed, activation is very simple.

Deactivate data roaming for your main SIM: Go to the settings of your home SIM card and make sure that “Data roaming” is switched off to avoid costs. You can leave your main SIM active to receive calls and text messages (find out about any charges for incoming calls).

Activate the vacation eSIM: Go to the settings for mobile data. Select your newly installed vacation eSIM for the use of “Mobile data”.

Activate the “Data roaming” option for the vacation eSIM (yes, it must be on here!). This is necessary so that the eSIM can connect to the local partner network, but does not incur any additional costs as it is included in the purchased package.

Within a few moments, your smartphone should connect to the local network and you will have Internet access.

Comparison of eSIM providers: Holafly, GigSky, Airalo and Saily for your vacation trip

Choosing the right eSIM provider for your vacation can make the difference between carefree surfing and unexpectedly high costs. Four well-known providers on the international market are Holafly, GigSky, Airalo and Saily. They differ significantly in terms of price structure, data options and target group.

The providers at a glance

Provider	Main feature & Best choice for	Strong points	Weak points
Holafly	Carefree users and data intensive travelers	Offers almost exclusively tariffs with unlimited data volume for a fixed number of days. The focus is on simplicity: buy once, don’t think twice.	Generally more expensive than providers with limited data packages. Tethering (hotspot) is often limited to 500 MB per day. No telephony/SMS (with a few exceptions).
Airalo	Flexible and budget-conscious travelers	Very broad selection of country-specific, regional and global tariffs with small to large data packages. Considered one of the cheapest providers. Clear app.	Unlimited data tariffs are rare and often involve throttling after a daily limit. You have to keep an eye on your data consumption.
GigSky	Globetrotters and users with special needs	Extremely broad country coverage (over 190 countries), including special rates for cruises and flights. Offers both fixed data packages and day passes with unlimited data.	Can be more expensive than the competition for smaller data packages. The variety of options can be confusing for beginners.
Saily	Price hunters and safety-conscious	Often very aggressive and affordable prices, especially for entry-level packages. As a product from Nord Security (known for NordVPN), the focus is on security. Clear and simple app.	Not yet as established as the competition in all countries. Range of regional tariffs is being developed.

Breakdown by provider

1. airalo

Airalo is known for its wide range of local, regional and global eSIMs.

• Country coverage: Over 200 countries. Including all popular destinations in Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Oceania.
• Regional tariffs:
  • Eurolink: Covers approximately 39 countries in Europe, including the entire EU, Switzerland, Norway and the UK.
  • Asialink: Covers approximately 18 Asian countries (including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, China, Malaysia).
  • Latamlink (Latin America): Covers approximately 19 countries in South and Central America.
  • Hello Africa: Covers various countries in Africa.
  • Menalink (Middle East & North Africa): Bundles countries such as the UAE, Egypt, Qatar and Israel.
  • Island Hopper (Caribbean): Covers numerous Caribbean islands.
• Global tariff: Covers around 130 countries worldwide with a single package.

2. Saily

Saily, a provider from the makers of NordVPN, offers very competitive coverage.

• Country coverage: Over 200 countries.
• Regional tariffs:
  • Europe: Covers approximately 35 countries.
  • Asia and Oceania: Covers approximately 19 countries.
  • North America: USA & Canada.
  • Latin America: Covers approx. 12 countries.
  • Africa: Covers approx. 34 countries.
  • Middle East and North Africa: Covers approx. 19 countries.
  • Caribbean Islands: Covers approximately 29 countries.
• Global tariff: Covers approx. 113 countries worldwide.

3. Holafly

Holafly focuses strongly on tariffs with unlimited data volume and also offers broad coverage.

• Country coverage: Over 170 countries.
• Regional tariffs:
  • Europe: Includes over 30 countries. The Europe tariff is often the only provider to include an Austrian phone number for calls within Europe.
  • Asia: Offers a tariff for around 12 Asian countries.
  • North America: Covers the USA, Canada and Mexico in one package.
  • Latin America: Bundles the most important countries on the continent.
  • Caribbean: Offers one fare for several Caribbean countries.
• Global tariffs: Holafly also offers a worldwide fare that covers numerous countries.

4. GigSky

GigSky is one of the most established providers and has a very global presence, including some niche markets.

• Country coverage: Over 190 countries.
• Regional rates:
  • North America: USA, Canada & Mexico.
  • Europe: Comprehensive tariff for the entire continent.
  • Asia-Pacific: Large tariff for the Asia-Pacific region.
  • Latin America & Caribbean: Separate or combined tariffs available.
• Special feature: GigSky is one of the few providers to offer special rates for use on cruise ships and even during flights with selected airlines.
• Global tariff: A worldwide tariff is also available.

Experience

These 4 providers alone offer a wide range of tariff options and there are many smaller providers with further offers.

We made our choice based on the data tariffs and the duration of the package. With 20 days in Canada, for example, I got by very well with a 5GB package (duration 30 days). When we returned, I still had around 750 MB left. I had previously used the same package offer for an 8-day stay in New York. I could have used a smaller and cheaper package here. At the end of the trip, I still had over 3 GB of data left.

So far we have had experience with GigSky, Airalo and Holafly. We will definitely be testing Saily on one of our next trips. All apps were easy to install on the iPhone and Android Hany. If you take your time to go through the individual steps, you should have no problems purchasing the data plan.

On my first attempt, I only activated it on site in the hotel with WLAN. However, this was due to my uncertainty when using the eSIM on vacation. If I had taken my time and followed the steps in the instructions step by step, it would have been possible earlier. On the second trip, I knew better what I had to do and was able to activate the data plan at the airport. It’s actually child’s play!

All providers worked without any problems in our travel area and there were no connection problems.

Which provider do we prefer? To be honest, we decide according to the region and, above all, the current price. It’s worth comparing here, there are always special offers or promotional periods.