How does an eSim card work? Is it the cheapest way to get online when travelling? What are the advantages and disadvantages? We share our experience with you in this article.
Finding a telecoms shop, dealing with the language barrier or administrative procedures, calculating the time you'll have left, comparing offers to buy a local Sim card and the right package....
Just a few years ago, having internet access when travelling could be a real headache. It was part of our routine every time we changed countries on our tour of Europe in a camper van.
How can you make the most of the internet when travelling internationally?
Since 2017 and the abolition of roaming charges on smartphones in a large part of Europe, we have to admit that it's much simpler.
But as soon as you leave the territories and countries concerned, in Europe or elsewhere in the world, and/or your mobile phone operator's package is not enough, the question of internet when travelling arises again.
When on holiday, avoid using your mobile phone outside its fixed rate (roaming charges)!
When we're out and about in our camper vans, we're always on the move, so we keep a close eye on the countries included in our packages. Because if we go over the limit, we're guaranteed to be overcharged (yes, we've been there...)!
Of course, operators (Bouygues Telecom, SFR, Orange) offer to add international options to your subscription so that you can use your package abroad. You can check these offers in your customer area. But these options are still very expensive (€29 for 10 GB at Sosh).
What is an eSim card?
An eSim is a digital (virtual) card technology installed on recent smartphones, tablets and certain connected devices (such as Apple Watches).
An eSim can be used to add extra phone lines to your phone. When travelling, you can subscribe to a mobile data package online, anywhere in the world (without needing to insert a physical SIM card).
While some French operators, such as Orange and Bouygues, offer eSim options as part of their package, these are designed more for using a second line on your phone than for using internet data abroad.
In this article, we're talking about an international provider that offers deals for travellers.
Find an eSim card for travel in France and around the world
In some destinations abroad, as well as traditional Sim cards, you can sometimes find local operators selling eSim cards with prepaid phone packages.
To find out which countries and brands are involved, see the list of eSim providers worldwide (American, British, Australian, etc.).
Holafly, eSim packages in over 160 destinations abroad
We're talking here about the operator we tested, the European (Spanish) Holafly, one of the services we found to be the easiest to use.
Where can I buy a holafly esim card?
This direct online eSim provider offers packages for 183 international destinations, some with unlimited data.
There are also eSim cards for regional areas such as Asia, North America, Reunion and the French overseas departments and territories.
eSim cards for Morocco, Mexico, the USA and many others
You'll also find this virtual system for the UK, Morocco and France.
Unlimited internet data in the USA, Africa, China and Japan
Unlimited data, for example, applies to Holafly eSim in the USA, Japan, China, Europe and most of the European countries we travelled through in our motorhome.
The list of Holafly destinations by country and continent
To give you an idea of the countries on offer, here is a non-exhaustive list of the countries covered in 2024 by the eSim Holafly service. You can find the full list here.
Europe
- Central Europe: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland
- Western Europe: Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, United Kingdom
- Northern Europe: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden
- Southern Europe: Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain
- Eastern Europe: Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine
- Micro-States: Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City
South America (Latin America)
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay.
North America
United States, Canada, Mexico
What's the best esim for the USA?
Holafly :
Pros: Simple purchase and activation, excellent coverage, unlimited data.
Disadvantages: Can be more expensive than other options.
Airalo:
Advantages: Varied plans tailored to your data needs, often cheaper.
Disadvantages: Variable coverage depending on local network partner.
GigSky :
Advantages: Very good coverage, flexible data plans.
Disadvantages: Higher cost per GB compared to others.
Truphone :
Advantages: Easy installation, good coverage.
Cons: Higher price per GB, less varied plan options.
Orange Holiday eSIM :
Pros: Solid reputation, offers call minutes in addition to data.
Cons: Best suited for short stays due to data limits.
Asia
South Korea, Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Laos.
The Caribbean
Aruba, Barbados, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, French Guiana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
How does holafly work?
To subscribe to an offer, simply log on to the site, select your destination, an eSim card offer and pay online.
Activating an eSim card on your mobile phone
You will receive a QR Code with instructions on how to install it:
Go to your smartphone settings
Click on Sim profile
Scan the QR code
Let it download
Activate the Sim profile (still in the settings)
How much does an eSim card cost?
The eSim like Holafly is not necessarily the cheapest solution for having internet on your mobile phone when travelling.
This will depend on your destination and how long you stay (the longer you stay, the more attractive the eSim card offers, especially those with unlimited data).
Which eSim prepaid card should I choose in Georgia?
To take our example, for 30 days (1 month), an eSIM card in Georgia with Internet data only, costs 35 GEL (around 12 euros) for 20 GB, to which must be added the derisory price of the Sim card. On Holafly, you pay 69 euros for just 12 gigabytes.
eSim card or local Sim card in Turkey?
In Turkey, on the other hand, you can get 25 GB of internet + 200 minutes of calls/1000 text messages for 250 TL (around 12 euros), plus a Sim card for 400 TL (around 20 euros).
Holafly offers eSim cards with unlimited internet data for Turkey for 69 euros.
While this is still more expensive than prepaid Sim cards in Turkey, you don't have to go through all the local formalities (passport, registration) and Internet data is unlimited.
A 90GB offer in Turkey will cost you around €80 in a physical shop. If you have the time to visit Turkey and have some knowledge of Turkish, then you can give it a go.
But as you'll have realised, we'd advise you to opt for the eSim package to save time.
Which internet package for a Tour of Europe in a motorhome?
If you're planning to travel around Europe in a camper van, there's an unlimited offer in 32 European countries for 3 months at €99 that we think is particularly interesting.
With our 5% discount code PERIPLETIES5, which you can use on the Holafly website, the eSim Europe card will set you back €94 for 90 days, or €31.35 per month for a data package with unlimited internet data.
How can you avoid being overcharged when travelling?
Beware of roaming charges! We talked at length about our Sosh phone out-of-rate in our article on how to get internet in a motorhome or van.
Make sure you deactivate data roaming on your initial SIM profile when you're abroad, to avoid the risk of out-of-pocket charges.
You can also connect to a wifi (with a VPN to secure your data) to make the purchase.
How do I deactivate mobile data on my phone abroad?
To avoid being billed by your operator when you're travelling with your smartphone, here's how to do it on Android with a Google Pixel:
Go to the ‘Network and Internet’ tab, then ‘Mobile Data’.
Deactivate ‘Roaming’ (connect to data roaming services)
If you don't want to exceed the mobile data threshold included in your package or eSim :
Go to the ‘Warning and data limit’ tab
Activate the warning
Define a warning threshold
Activate the limit
Choosing a local Sim card or a physical eSim?
While, as explained above, you can often find cheaper rates with local Sim cards, you do need to take the time to compare offers and take the necessary steps.
With eSim cards, Internet access is just a few clicks away.
By default, Holafly uses the best network available where you are. In general, the connection is therefore optimal, depending of course on the country's network coverage (H+, Edge, 3G, 4g, 5G) and your location (town or country).
Keeping your mobile phone number when travelling
Of course, Holafly eSim cards only contain data with internet data.
But nowadays, most private individuals, hotels and campsites communicate easily via instant messaging services such as Whatsapp, Signal or Telegram.
Communicating with WhatsApp when travelling
The advantage of eSim is that you keep your own number (your eSim uses your cellular data) to communicate in and from your holiday destination.
You'll also keep your WhatsApp number to call and send messages to friends and family when you're away, just as if you were in France.
Can I make calls with Holafly?
As you will have realised, you won't be able to make direct phone calls using your smartphone's ‘phone’ function, but you will be able to use your internet connection to make voice or video calls using a variety of tools (WhatsApp, Facetime, messaging services, etc.).
‘Why isn't my eSim working?’
Having encountered a problem with our eSim card in Georgia, we were able to try out the Holfaly customer service, which can be contacted 24 hours a day by email help@holafly.com or (even more convenient!) by opening a WhatsApp chat.
A few guided operations and adjustments made remotely confirmed that the problem was with our eSim card. A new QR code was sent to us free of charge.
Which smartphones are compatible with eSim cards?
One of the main drawbacks of the eSim card is the compatibility of devices with this technology.
In our case, we use two mobile phones on road-trips to access the best applications for travelling in motorhomes.
There's no problem using eSim on our Google Pixel 7, but the technology doesn't work on our old-generation Sony Xperia.
List of phones with eSim in 2024
Only the latest generation phones can access Holafly's eSim services (via QR code or application). Here are a few examples from the main smartphone manufacturers:
- Apple (iPhone 13, iPhone 12, iPhone 11, iPhone XS, iPhone SE, iPad Pro, Apple watch...)
- Samsung (Galaxy S22, Galaxy S21, Galaxy S20, Galaxy Z Filip, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Fold, Galaxy Watch...)
- Google Pixel (Google Pixel 6, Google Pixel 5, Google Pixel 4, Google Pixel 3...)
- Huawei (Huawei P40, Huawei Mate 40, Honor Magic 4 Pro)
- Xiaomi (Xiaomi 12T Pro)
- Motorola (Razr 2019, Razr 5G)
- Oppo (Reno 5 A, Reno 6 Pro)
- Sony ( Xperia 10..)
- Sharp (Sharp Aquos)
- Honor (Magic 4 Pro)
- Rakuten Mobile (Rakuten BIG, Mini, hand...)
- Nuu Mobile (X5)
- Planet Computers (Gemini PDA)
To find out more, you can check the list of eSim-compatible smartphones to keep up to date with updates and the latest models on the market.
The eSim when travelling, an Internet-only solution, but no calls
Unlike most local prepaid Sim cards, which include calls and text messages (with a dedicated phone number), Holafly's eSim - we repeat - only includes Internet data. As we've seen, you'll still be able to communicate via instant messaging and social networks, but you won't be able to make ‘classic’ phone calls.
How can I share my phone's Internet connection with my computer using an eSIm?
If your eSim card allows connection sharing, you can generate a WiFi network and connect several devices that will use your package. Here's an example on a Google Pixel Android phone:
Go to your phone's settings in the ‘Network and Internet’ tab.
In ‘Access point and connection sharing’ click on ‘WiFi access point’.
Configure your access point with a name and password
Activate ‘Use Wi-Fi access point’.
Connection sharing not possible with unlimited data
Not all eSim cards give access to connection sharing. This depends on agreements with local operators.
So you won't be able to generate a Wi-Fi network using connection sharing on the phone or a 4G router to connect several devices.
For example, connection sharing was not possible during our tour of Turkey in a camper van, but it was possible in Georgia, when we travelled towards the Caucasus mountains.
It is important to remember that connection sharing is not possible with a package offering unlimited data.
For certain destinations around the world, the Holafly site only offers packages with unlimited data.
Our traveller's opinion of Holafly eSim cards
Thanks to Holafly, we've discovered a really simple way of getting internet when we travel abroad to destinations that aren't covered by our packages (or where they aren't enough). It's simple, hassle-free and saves precious time!
Is Holafly reliable?
Holafly is reliable, apart from a few setbacks experienced by some users when trying to get the Sim card to work in certain destinations. Most of the time, a malfunction is due to a simple configuration formality and customer service was reactive on our side to resolve the problem in Georgia.
The main drawback for us who travel and work in our motorhome is the impossibility of sharing our connection on our computers in certain destinations, where only unlimited packages are available.
But it's true that if you're used to travelling, nowadays you can do almost everything from your smartphone connected to the internet!
How can I contact Holafly customer service?
Following the writing of our article in french, many of you commented on it, telling us that you were experiencing problems with certain eSims. It can happen, and it happened to us, so we advise you to contact Holafly support by Chat or WhatsApp. In our case, the service was responsive and responded to our request by replacing our faulty eSim card at no extra charge.
You will find on this page the different ways to contact Holafly (email, form...)
Holafly promo code 2024: 5% off eSim cards
In any case, if you're interested in eSim for your travels, don't hesitate to use our discount code PERIPLETIES5, which will save you 5% on your order.
By using this advantage code, you'll be supporting our Peripleties and enabling us to share other articles with you free of charge. So thank you in advance 😉
And to find out about other solutions for staying connected on your travels, check out our article on 9 ways to have internet in a motorhome.
See you soon!
Pauline & Simon
