Local SIM vs eSIM?

[Jack_Berrito]

Trying to sort my data routine before the next trip. Usually I just grab a local PAYG SIM at the airport once I land. But the faff of finding a shop, queuing, and swapping physical cards when you just want to get going is getting old.

Recently, I’ve started landing with a backup eSIM already installed (Eterna in my case, just to cover the immediate gap), and then checking local SIM prices at the terminal. If the local rates are reasonable, I buy one. If it's a rip-off, I stick with the eSIM. The problem is it’s a bit of a gamble. If the backup runs dry before I’ve sorted a proper local plan, I’m basically forced to pay whatever the airport counter charges.

Has anyone got a sensible workflow for this? Is there a practical way to check local SIM prices versus eSIM options before you even board?

[craig1912]

Perhaps say where you are going and who your current provider is otherwise nobody can give an answer. Although a little strange to come on a car forum to ask??

[MrBen.911]

I've used both, really depends where you are.

For example in Australia, it was much better coverage and pricing on a local SIM (I bought Telstra as it has best coverage when driving in rural areas), whereas in SE Asia, an eSIM from the likes of Nomad or Airalo worked out similar cost to a local SIM and has the advantage of being ready to use on landing.

Where are you going?

[alangla]

craig1912 said:

Perhaps say where you are going and who your current provider is otherwise nobody can give an answer. Although a little strange to come on a car forum to ask??

In the pantheon of odd questions that have appeared on here this is pretty vanilla and it’s in the right part of the forum.

OP, who’s your UK provider, are you just looking for data abroad or do you want a local phone number as well? My travel insurer has been handing out free eSIMs loaded with 1GB of data for your destination country and I’ve found it works pretty well, that’s on an iPhone that can only take one physical SIM

[//j17]

Assuming you're going beyind your home network's raming zone - do you need data, or data and a local telephone number?

eSIMS generally only give you data (and are really expensive if you want a telephone number too) and I've always found them perfectly good - if all you need is data. I grab one with as much data as I'm expecting to use and set it up before taking off so it kicks in as soon as I land and switch out of flight mode. Not happened yet to easy enough to top up the eSIM or swap to a different one if you end up needing a different data plan.

Could I save money getting a local PAYG physical SIM? Maybe.
Do I have better things to do with my time/jet lagged brain walking out of the baggage hall somewhere half a day away where I can at best barely read the language and speak the lingo? Deffinetly.

[numtumfutunch]

//j17 said:

Assuming you're going beyind your home network's raming zone - do you need data, or data and a local telephone number?

eSIMS generally only give you data (and are really expensive if you want a telephone number too) and I've always found them perfectly good - if all you need is data. I grab one with as much data as I'm expecting to use and set it up before taking off so it kicks in as soon as I land and switch out of flight mode. Not happened yet to easy enough to top up the eSIM or swap to a different one if you end up needing a different data plan.

Could I save money getting a local PAYG physical SIM? Maybe.
Do I have better things to do with my time/jet lagged brain walking out of the baggage hall somewhere half a day away where I can at best barely read the language and speak the lingo? Deffinetly.

This

eSIM all the way for me

Set it up before you go, activate when you land and its all good

FFIW Nomad are my go-to

[//j17]

numtumfutunch said:

eSIM all the way for me

Set it up before you go, activate when you land and its all good

FFIW Nomad are my go-to

Guessing most/all support this too but I've used Saily eSIMs for Japan and you can actually activate it before you fly and it only comes to life when there's a compatible network available so you literally land, get the "You may now use yourphone" announcement, switch your phone out of flight mode, and 'ping' you're connected.

[havoc]

//j17 said:

numtumfutunch said:

eSIM all the way for me

Set it up before you go, activate when you land and its all good

FFIW Nomad are my go-to

Guessing most/all support this too but I've used Saily eSIMs for Japan and you can actually activate it before you fly and it only comes to life when there's a compatible network available so you literally land, get the "You may now use yourphone" announcement, switch your phone out of flight mode, and 'ping' you're connected.

Used Saily twice - first time painless, second time had real issues with the service just disappearing for a couple of days and nothing I did to the phone could get it back, so 95% sure it was them or the local network), and Alosim once (also painless for me, but my wife didn't get around to activating it in the UK, didn't tell me until we were on the plane, and it was then a PITA trying to sort it out once abroad).


If you're somewhere for weeks and weeks and are likely to need a dedicated phone #, then a local SIM is probably a better bet (albeit I'd not buy one from an airport - too many horror stories of being mis-sold something that dies after 24hrs), but for a holiday I'd eSIM every time - you can wifi or WhatsApp call most people nowadays.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

My phone, Samsung S26 has slots for 2 sims so I have a Lebara sim as a back up if abroad. Works great, just buy a top up on the app for the country/ies you need before you leave and swap sims in settings on the plane.

But my main everyday sim is with Sky and about 2 months ago Sky Diamond customers were given the perk of free roaming in 150 countries. So I no longer have to use the Lebara sim, apart from in Argentina which is the only country I visit that's not in the list of free roaming countries. Chile & Brazil (where I'm off to this weekend) are covered.

[Steve H]

So if you use an esim for data only, make your calls by WhatsApp etc, what happens if someone tries to call you from the UK?

Specifically in Australia if that matters.

[RizzoTheRat]

Steve H said:

So if you use an esim for data only, make your calls by WhatsApp etc, what happens if someone tries to call you from the UK?

Specifically in Australia if that matters.

You can set which SIM to use for voice, text and data separately, so I set my data to my Airalo e-sim and leave voice and text as my UK sim. Check your provider but with mine (TalkMobile) I would get charged for incoming calls, but anyone who was likely to call me on my mobile knew I was on holiday anyway.

As for cost, a tenner for 5GB for 3 weeks was plenty of data for me and cheap enough it wasn't worth looking for alternatives.

[Strangely Brown]

I bought a 1 month, unlimited data eSim from Yesim for my last US trip. Activated it as soon as I landed and it worked perfectly, switching between available networks, for the whole time I was there. Infinitely more convenient than leaving the airport and heading straight to the nearest place with a phone shop to get a local SIM.

I kept my normal SIM for all text and voice calls (which I never used) and all data went through the eSIM.

[//j17]

Steve H said:

So if you use an esim for data only, make your calls by WhatsApp etc, what happens if someone tries to call you from the UK?

Specifically in Australia if that matters.

Costs depend on where, who your mobile provider is, and what contract you have so you'd need to ask your provided to get a firm answer but recieving a call will cost somewhere between nothing and around £2-£3/minute (or part there of). Generally that's enough though as if you recognise the number as friends/family you can just decline the call and chuck them a message/call them back using data and if it's unknown, well unless you're expecting a call from an unknown number just decline.

[Nic-nfr74]

I use Airalo and we a referral code if needed - we both get £2.50 you off the first purchase and me in credit

Use NICHOL8223

I have used it all across Middle East, Asia and North America

So simple as everyone has said - I am flying to the USA on Sunday and have just ordered and installed it ready for when we land

[Griffith4ever]

Steve H said:

So if you use an esim for data only, make your calls by WhatsApp etc, what happens if someone tries to call you from the UK?

Specifically in Australia if that matters.

Your UK sim rings - pretty much all phones work anywhere - at a cost, and they cost nothing to receive SMS messages, but you'll pay to receive voice calls.

I have my main UK sim active for voice, and my second sim (physical OR Esim) active for data only. This was I receive SMS messages for 2FA. Life can get tricky fast if you travel without access to your UK SMS messages unless you are sure all your banking uses the Authenticator app or other non-SMS options for 2FA.

When I go on holiday I generally don't worry about data until I'm unpacked and relaxed. People on the Thailand reddit, for example, get in a right panic, "how can I book a Grab taxi with no data!?!?!" and the likes. Well I can't remember the last foreign airport that did not have free wifi, or didn't have a taxi rank where you go up and ask for a taxi / take a ticked. It's bks. You just don't need to be online to get to your hotel.

Once relaxed, usually at a bar with a cold one, I'll log onto their wifi and sort an Esim, or wander across to a shop and grab a physical one. YOu usually pay more for an Esim deal, but its convenient.

Thailand I wander into a 7-11 and buy a cheap sim,
India, I logged onto my hotel wifi and downloaded an Airlo Esim for 20USD for a month. (same thing can be had for a few quid of you get your guide to buy a Sim in a shop (you need an Indian address)) - but really - for the sake of a few quid.

Montenegro - got an Esim once at our villa on ther wifi.

One thing I recommend is install an app like Airlo in advance, in case the wifi is super slow when you get there.

TLDR: My "workgflow" = relax, and sort it when you have unpacked.