Our Quick Picks

If you just want the short answer:

• Best overall → Saily
• Best budget option → Airalo
• Best unlimited data → Holafly
• Best for multi-country travel → Roamless

eSIM Comparison Table

Footnote

Prices shown are indicative estimates based on ~10GB over ~30 days in major travel regions (e.g. Europe). Actual pricing varies by destination, duration, and promotions.

Which eSIM Should You Actually Choose?

Short trips (1–7 days)

👉 Airalo

• Cheapest entry point
• Easy to set up
• Perfect for maps, messaging, and bookings

⚠️ Can falls short if you use a lot of data

Longer trips / general travel

👉 Saily

• Best balance of price + reliability
• Works across most regions
• Minimal setup friction

👉 This is what we use most of the time

Heavy data use (work, hotspotting, streaming)

👉 Holafly

• Unlimited data removes the stress
• Good for video calls + constant usage

⚠️ Speeds can slow after heavy use

Flexible travel across multiple countries

👉 Roamless

• Pay-as-you-go flexibility

👉 Great if you’re moving frequently

Long-term stays (1+ month in one place)

👉 Ubigi / local eSIM

• Better long-term pricing
• More stable connections

👉 Often overlooked, but worth considering

⚖️ When eSIMs Work Well (and When They Don’t)

✅ Where eSIMs shine

• Landing in a new country → instant connection
• City travel → strong, reliable coverage
• Multi-country trips → no SIM swapping

❌ Where they fall short

Remote areas

Once you’re out of tower range, nothing works.

We’ve seen full signal disappear within minutes offshore.

Rural travel

Coverage can drop quickly outside major cities — especially depending on the network your eSIM connects to.

Heavy data use

Even “unlimited” plans often:

• throttle speeds
• prioritise local users

👉 Fine for everyday use, less so for serious work

📦 How Much Data Do You Actually Need?

Most people either massively overestimate… or run out too fast.

• Light use → 3–5GB
  (maps, messaging, email)
• Normal travel → 5–10GB
  (maps + browsing + occasional streaming)
• Work use → 20GB+
  (video calls, hotspotting, uploads)
• Heavy use → 50GB+
  (full-time mobile data)

👉 Rule of thumb:
Buy slightly more than you think you need

How eSIM Pricing Actually Works (Why It’s Confusing)

Not all eSIM pricing is directly comparable.

eSIMS and eSIM packages will vary significantly in price based on a range of factors, including:

• Which countries and regions are you traveling in
• How wide is the coverage
• Timeframe
• Data limit
• Network / Speed Limits / Throttling
• Weather hotspotting is supported
• If the eSIM also offers text and calls

It’s important to understand your requirements and then find the eSIM that best fits you.

🧭 Our Real Setup (What We Actually Use)

Right now, our setup usually looks like:

• Primary: eSIM (usually Saily)
• Backup: second eSIM or local SIM
• Heavy use: WiFi, coworking, or Starlink

It changes depending on how we’re traveling.

For Example:

• In Thailand for more than 1 month → short term eSIM for arrival + local SIM once we’re settled + airbnb WiFi
• Traveling multiple countries in Europe → international eSIM before arrival (prioritizing speed, large data limits and hotspotting support so we can work remotely
• Sailing in Greece → short-term eSIM for arrival + local SIM once we’re settled + Satelite internet on the boat

👉 There’s no perfect solution — just what works for your travel style.

🏁 Final Verdict

If you’re still unsure, keep it simple:

• Want something that just works → Saily
• Want cheapest → Airalo
• Want unlimited → Holafly
• Want flexibility → Roamless