Travel eSIM vs local SIM card: buy before you fly or when you land?
The local SIM is the traveller's classic. It is also a queue, a passport check and a plastic card you will lose. Here is how the two compare country by country.
A local prepaid SIM bought at the airport costs $20 to $60, needs your passport in most countries and takes a slot in your phone. A travel eSIM for the same country costs $4 to $25, is installed on home Wi-Fi before the flight and leaves your home SIM in place. The local SIM still wins if you are staying for months and want a local number, or if your phone cannot take an eSIM.
Side by side
| Travel eSIM | Local prepaid SIM | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you get it | Online, QR code by email in about a minute | Airport kiosk, carrier shop, convenience store in some countries |
| When it is working | Before you leave home | After the queue, activation and any registration wait |
| ID required | No | Passport in most countries; fingerprint or photo registration in some |
| Your home number | Stays in the phone for calls and WhatsApp | Comes out of the phone unless you have a dual SIM model |
| Local phone number | Only on Data + calls plans, on selected destinations | Yes, always |
| Price, 7 days of data | $6.50 to $21 depending on country | $15 to $60, airport prices highest |
| Topping up | In the app, in English, applies instantly | Scratch cards, kiosks or a carrier app in the local language |
| Several countries | Regional plans cover 14 to 34 countries | New SIM at each border |
| Refund | As set out in our Refund Policy | None |
| Validity | Starts when you connect in the country (data plans) | Starts at activation in the shop |
What buying a local SIM actually involves
The brochure version is "pick one up at the airport". The real version depends on the country.
- USA. Airport kiosks sell tourist SIMs at $40 to $60 for 30 days. No ID needed, but the stock is limited to one or two plan sizes and the kiosk may be closed when a late flight lands. The USA eSIM is $10 for 5 GB or $21 for 7 days unlimited.
- Dubai and the UAE. Passport scan is mandatory. Free SIMs handed out at immigration come with a small amount of data and expensive top ups. Our Dubai guide goes through the options; the Dubai eSIM starts at $4.50.
- Turkey. Passport registration, and foreign phones are blocked from Turkish SIMs after 120 days unless a registration tax is paid. Tourist SIM bundles run $25 to $40. Details in the Turkey guide; the Turkey eSIM is $4.50 for 1 GB or $19 for 7 days unlimited.
- Japan. Visitor SIMs are data only, bought at the airport or in electronics shops, and most are not rechargeable. $25 to $45 for 7 to 15 days. The Japan eSIM is $7.99 for 5 GB or $19.99 for 20 GB.
- Thailand. Among the cheapest local SIMs anywhere, 300 to 600 baht at the airport with passport. Cheap, and still a queue after a long flight. The Thailand eSIM is $8.49 for 5 GB or $12.99 for 7 days unlimited, ready before you board.
- India. Tourist SIMs need passport, visa copy, a photo and a local reference, and activation can take 24 hours. The India eSIM starts at $4 and works the moment you land.
Where each one wins
Travel eSIM wins when
- The trip is under a month. Prepaid eSIM plans run 1 to 30 days and cost less than a tourist bundle.
- You want to keep your number for banking codes, calls from home and WhatsApp. The home SIM never leaves the phone.
- You land late, or at a small airport, or in a country where the shop needs a visa copy and a photo.
- You are visiting more than one country.
- You would rather not hand your passport to a kiosk.
Local SIM wins when
- You are staying for months. A local contract or long prepaid SIM gives you a local number for deliveries, banking and official forms.
- You need a local number from day one and the destination is not covered by a Data + calls plan.
- Your phone has no eSIM support.
- You are in a country where local data is extraordinarily cheap and you are happy to queue: Thailand, Vietnam, India for long stays.
The number question
Most people who think they need a local number do not. Hotels, tour operators and restaurants in tourist areas use WhatsApp. Ride apps work on data. Two factor codes from your bank arrive on your home number, which still works because the home SIM stays in the phone. The cases where a local number earns its place are long stays, local job or rental applications, and countries where businesses call you back rather than message. On selected destinations, ETravelSim Data + calls plans add a number and call minutes without a trip to a shop.
Cost for a 10 day trip
| Destination | Travel eSIM | Typical airport SIM |
|---|---|---|
| USA | $27 unlimited 10 days, or $15 for 10 GB | $40 to $60 |
| Europe (multi country) | $21 unlimited 10 days | $30 to $50 per country |
| Dubai / UAE | $34.99 unlimited 10 days, or $19.99 for 10 GB | $40 to $70 |
| Turkey | $23 unlimited 10 days | $25 to $40 |
| Japan | $19.99 for 20 GB | $30 to $45 |
| Thailand | $15.99 unlimited 10 days | $10 to $20 |
ETravelSim prices in US dollars from the product pages; the product pages show your currency. Airport SIM prices are typical published ranges; shops in town are often cheaper than the airport.
Questions people ask
Is a local SIM always cheaper than an eSIM?
No. In Thailand and Vietnam local data is very cheap and the two are close. In the USA, the Gulf, Japan and Western Europe the eSIM is usually half the price of an airport SIM, and there is no queue or passport check.
Can I keep my home SIM in while using a local SIM?
Only on a dual SIM phone with a free physical slot, which most modern phones do not have (they have one slot plus eSIM). With a travel eSIM the home SIM always stays in.
Does a travel eSIM use the same network as a local SIM?
Yes. ETravelSim plans connect to the major local networks in each country, the same towers a local SIM would use. Speed and coverage are the same.
Can I get a local number with an eSIM?
On selected destinations, yes, with Data + calls plans. Elsewhere the eSIM is data only and your home number handles calls.
What if I arrive and the eSIM has not installed?
Install it on home Wi-Fi before you go, so any problem is solved with support on a good connection. If something still goes wrong on arrival, support is on WhatsApp 24/7, and refunds follow our Refund Policy.
Short version
For a trip of up to a month, install the eSIM before you fly and keep your own number. Buy a local SIM when you are staying for months, need a local number and the destination is not covered by a Data + calls plan.