eSIM Services for Travel: A Selection and Payment with Virtual Cards

In the past, roaming was the standard way to stay connected while traveling—and it was expensive. Since 2020, eSIM services (Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, Saily) have made getting a local SIM while traveling trivial. Here are some details.

What is eSIM

An electronic SIM card activated via QR code, without physical insertion. Modern smartphones (iPhone XS+, many Android flagships from 2020+) support it.

You can keep multiple eSIMs on one phone simultaneously—for example, your home number and a local travel plan. Calls and SMS come to both, internet goes through the active one.

Airalo

The most popular. Pricing depends on country and volume: typically $5–10 for 1 GB for a week, $15–25 for 5 GB for a month. Coverage in 200+ countries.

Pros: clear pricing, app with management and top-ups, can buy in advance and activate when needed.

Cons: in some countries speed is not the best, occasional activation delays.

Holafly

Strong point: unlimited data in most destinations. $19 per week unlimited in Europe, $39 per month in the USA.

Pros: no need to count gigabytes. Good for heavy users (video streaming, constant navigation).

Cons: more expensive than Airalo for light users. Sometimes unlimited with speed throttling priority after a large volume.

Nomad

Slightly cheaper than Airalo. A good choice for regular travelers.

Saily

A new player from NordVPN. Prices comparable to Airalo, but sometimes more advantageous on long-term packages.

Local eSIM Directly from Operator

The cheapest option is a local operator. For example, in Thailand True Move, in Turkey Vodafone TR, in Japan IIJmio, in Georgia Magti or Beeline. Their eSIM/SIM costs less than international providers.

Downside: often you need to visit the operator's office with a passport for activation. eSIM from local operators via the internet is not always available to non-residents.

What to Consider

Regional coverage. If you plan to visit multiple countries, a regional plan (Europe, Asia, MENA, etc.) is more cost-effective than buying for each country separately.

Hotspot/Tethering. Some eSIM plans prohibit sharing internet from the phone to other devices. If you plan to work from a laptop via eSIM, check this.

Activation in advance. Buy eSIM before the trip, activate upon arrival. Many services give a week to activate after purchase.

Backup channel. If eSIM does not activate at the right moment (it happens), have a backup: home SIM with roaming enabled for the first day, or Wi-Fi at a café/airport.

Payment

All major services accept virtual cards. Apple Pay/Google Pay are also standard. Subscriptions are usually one-time (for a specific package), not recurring—so you can safely use a virtual card with a small limit.