Frequently asked questions

An eSIM (embedded SIM) is a digital SIM that allows you to activate a cellular plan without having to use a physical SIM card. It is built into your device and can be programmed to connect to different mobile networks.

After purchasing an eSIM, you will receive a QR code. Go to your device settings, find the eSIM or cellular settings, and scan the QR code. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Most modern smartphones support eSIM, including iPhone XS and later, Samsung Galaxy S20 and later, Google Pixel 3 and later, and many more. Check our compatible devices page for a full list.

Yes! We offer regional and global eSIM plans that work across multiple countries. Local plans are specific to one country, while regional plans cover entire regions like Europe or Asia.

If your eSIM supports top-ups, you can purchase additional data from your account dashboard. Go to My eSIMs, select the eSIM you want to top up, and choose a top-up package.

When your data runs out, you will no longer be able to use mobile data through the eSIM. You can purchase a top-up if available, or buy a new eSIM package.

As a general rule, eSIM purchases are final. A refund is only considered when your eSIM is completely unable to connect, the issue could not be fixed after troubleshooting with our support team, and you provide proof that the service is not working (such as screenshots of the error and your settings). Refunds are never issued if your device does not support eSIM or is carrier-locked, so always check our Compatible Devices page before buying. To request a refund, open a support ticket from your account dashboard. See our Refund Policy for full details.

No, most eSIM-compatible devices support dual SIM, meaning you can use both your physical SIM and eSIM simultaneously. You can choose which one to use for data.

Yes — in almost all cases you must switch on Data Roaming for your eSIM line, otherwise it will not connect. Your eSIM uses a local partner network at your destination, which technically counts as "roaming", so the setting has to be enabled. This will NOT trigger any roaming charges — your plan is prepaid and you only use the data you bought. Turn Data Roaming on for the eSIM line once you arrive at your destination.

Open Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data), tap your eSIM line (the label you gave it when installing), then turn on Data Roaming. If you do not see the toggle, make sure the line is switched on first. Do this after you land at your destination.

Open Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs, select your eSIM, and turn on Roaming (sometimes shown as "Data roaming"). On Samsung it is usually Settings > Connections > SIM manager, or Mobile networks > Data roaming. Menu names vary by brand, but the toggle is always under the eSIM's mobile-network options.

If you keep your home SIM in the phone too, tell iOS which line to use for the internet: Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data, and choose your eSIM. To avoid accidental charges on your home plan, also turn off "Allow Cellular Data Switching". Your calls and texts can stay on your home number while data runs on the eSIM.

Open Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs (or Connections > SIM manager on Samsung). Under "Mobile data", choose your eSIM as the SIM used for data, and make sure Mobile data is turned on for that line. You can keep your physical SIM active for calls and texts while the eSIM handles data.

Delivery is instant. As soon as your payment is confirmed, your QR code and installation details are sent to your email and appear in your account dashboard. In rare cases a provider may take a few minutes; if you have not received your eSIM within 15 minutes, open a support ticket.

It depends on the plan's activation policy, which is shown on every product page. Most plans start counting validity when the eSIM first connects to a supported network at your destination. Some start at installation. Your data allowance is never consumed before the plan activates.

First check the basics: the eSIM line is turned on, Data Roaming is enabled for the eSIM line, and your eSIM is selected as the data line. Then restart your phone. If it still does not connect, try selecting a network manually in your mobile network settings and confirm the APN matches your installation instructions. If nothing works, open a support ticket with screenshots and our team will troubleshoot with you.

Most travel eSIMs are data-only and do not include a phone number. You can still call and message over the internet with WhatsApp, iMessage, FaceTime, Telegram, and similar apps. Plans that do include voice minutes or SMS clearly show the included amounts on the product page.

In most cases yes, you can share your eSIM data with other devices through your phone's personal hotspot. A small number of plans restrict tethering; when that is the case, it is noted on the product page.

Yes. Plans marked as unlimited are subject to the provider's Fair Usage Policy. Typically you get a daily amount of full-speed data, after which speeds are reduced until the next day. The exact policy is shown on the product page.

We accept major credit and debit cards, PayPal, and express wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay where available. You can also pay using your eSIM.site wallet credit or a gift card. Prices can be displayed in multiple currencies at checkout.

No. You can buy as a guest and receive your eSIM by email. Creating a free account (or claiming your guest order later with the same email) unlocks usage tracking, top-ups, loyalty rewards, and support tickets.

Yes. The easiest way is an eSIM.site gift card, which the recipient can redeem for any plan on the site. Gift cards are delivered by email with a personal message on the date you choose.

A few destinations legally require identity verification before an eSIM can be activated, and we occasionally verify identity to protect customers against payment fraud. When verification is needed, you will be guided through a secure upload. Your documents are handled according to our Privacy Policy and kept only as long as required.

Work through these in order and test after each one: 1) make sure you are inside a country covered by your plan; 2) wait up to 15 minutes after landing for the first connection; 3) check the eSIM line is turned on; 4) turn Data Roaming ON for the eSIM line (this is required and does not cause extra charges); 5) turn Airplane Mode on for 30 seconds, then off; 6) turn off automatic network selection and pick a network listed on your plan page, trying each in turn; 7) restart your phone. If it still shows No Service, open a support ticket with screenshots of these settings.

Signal bars mean the eSIM found a network but data is not flowing. Check that the eSIM is selected as your mobile data line, Data Roaming is on for that line, and on iPhone that Allow Cellular Data Switching is off. Turn off any VPN and switch Wi-Fi off while testing. Confirm the plan still has data and validity left under My eSIMs. Then try a different network manually from the list on your plan page. If you typed an APN yourself, delete it so the phone goes back to automatic.

The first connection (the network handshake) usually takes 3 to 15 minutes after you land or after you turn the line on at your destination, and occasionally up to an hour on the very first use. Keep the line on with Data Roaming enabled and give it that time before troubleshooting. If nothing happens after that, toggle Airplane Mode on and off and restart your phone.

If you installed the eSIM before your trip, Activating is normal: the eSIM is installed and finishes activating when it reaches a covered network at your destination. Keep the line on and do not delete or reinstall it. If you are already at your destination and it has been stuck for more than 15 minutes, turn Data Roaming on for the eSIM line, toggle Airplane Mode, and restart the phone.

Almost always this means the eSIM is already installed on your phone from the first scan. Open Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Service) and look for an extra line named Travel, Secondary or Personal; if it is there, just turn it on, select it for mobile data and enable Data Roaming. Other causes are a VPN running during installation, weak Wi-Fi, too many eSIMs stored on the phone, or an outdated system. Each code installs once on one phone, and an eSIM that was deleted cannot be added again with the same code.

Your phone is carrier-locked, so it refuses eSIMs from other networks. On iPhone check Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock: it must say No SIM restrictions. Only your carrier can unlock the phone, and eSIM may stay disabled for a few days after unlocking. Check your device on our Compatible Devices page before buying, because purchases for locked phones are not refundable.

You have three options. Open the installation email on the phone that will use the eSIM and tap the Install on iPhone or Install on Android button (also available under My eSIMs). Or show the QR code on another screen such as a laptop and scan it with your phone in good light. Or enter the details manually: on iPhone go to Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM > Enter Details Manually and type the SM-DP+ address and activation code from the email, leaving the confirmation code blank; on Android choose Enter code manually when adding the SIM.

No. Our plans configure the APN automatically, so leave the APN field alone. A manually typed APN is a common cause of signal without internet; if you entered one, delete it so the phone returns to automatic. In the rare case the APN field is empty and the eSIM still has no internet after the usual checks, open a support ticket and we will send you the exact value for your plan.

Speed depends on the local network: congestion, how it prioritises visiting devices, signal strength and where you are (indoors, underground, on trains). Travel eSIM data also routes through an international gateway, so latency is a little higher than a local SIM. Try toggling Airplane Mode, manually selecting a different network from your plan page, forcing 4G/LTE if the 5G signal is weak, switching off VPN and Low Data Mode, and moving outdoors. On unlimited plans, speed is reduced after the daily full-speed allowance until the next day.

The phone could not authenticate with the network. The usual reasons are that the plan has run out of data or expired, the phone is attached to a network the plan does not support, or an APN was typed manually. Check your remaining data under My eSIMs, select a supported network manually, delete any manual APN, then reset network settings (this forgets saved Wi-Fi passwords but does not remove the eSIM) and restart.

Most plans allow hotspot; the few that do not say so on the plan page. Make sure the eSIM is your mobile data line, then restart the phone, which is often needed after adding a new eSIM. On iPhone open Settings > Personal Hotspot, turn on Allow Others to Join and, if other devices cannot see it, Maximize Compatibility. Hotspot traffic counts against your plan and is slower than on the phone itself.

Travel eSIMs are data-only with no phone number, so iMessage cannot register a number on the eSIM line. Go to Settings > Cellular and set Default Voice Line to your home SIM, then Settings > Messages > Send & Receive and keep your home number and Apple ID email ticked while unticking the eSIM. If your number shows Waiting for activation, toggle iMessage off and on; using your email address for iMessage works immediately in the meantime.

Travel eSIM traffic leaves the internet in a different country from the one you are in, so some banking, streaming and social apps detect roaming or a foreign address and block or limit access. This is the app's own rule and not something we can change. Use that one service over Wi-Fi, try the website instead of the app, or use your own VPN for that service; everything else works normally on the eSIM.

On most plans a deleted eSIM cannot be reinstalled: the activation code is single-use and the profile is permanently deactivated. A few plans allow the original QR code to be scanned once more on the same phone while the plan is still valid, so it is worth one try. If that fails, open a support ticket with your order ID and we will check what can be done. Removing the eSIM is a non-refundable situation under our refund policy, so between trips turn the line off instead of deleting it.

No. An eSIM installs on one device only and, once activated, cannot be moved to another phone; the built-in eSIM transfer features of iPhone and Android do not work for travel eSIMs. If your old phone still works you can share its data by hotspot. A QR code that was never scanned can be installed on the new phone instead.

The usage shown in your account comes from the network and updates with a delay of roughly 1 to 3 hours, so it can lag behind your phone. Your phone's counter is live but counts differently and includes hotspot use. If your phone's counter has reached the plan size, the plan is used up even if the account still shows a small amount left. The network record is the one that counts.

The usual culprits are automatic app updates, photo and cloud backups, video autoplay, hotspot use, HD streaming and, on iPhone, Wi-Fi Assist quietly using mobile data when Wi-Fi is weak. On iPhone turn on Low Data Mode for the eSIM line and turn off Wi-Fi Assist under Settings > Cellular; on Android turn on Data Saver and set the Play Store to update over Wi-Fi only. Both systems show usage per app so you can spot the heavy ones.

A single-country plan works only inside that country and stops at the border by design. A regional or global plan should reconnect automatically in the next covered country within a few minutes; if it does not, toggle Airplane Mode on and off, or turn off automatic network selection and choose a network from the plan's coverage list for the new country.

New data can take 10 to 15 minutes to reach the network. Confirm the top-up shows under My eSIMs, keep the eSIM installed and the line on, then toggle Airplane Mode and restart the phone. A deleted eSIM cannot be topped up, and on most plans an expired eSIM cannot be revived by a top-up. If the data still does not work after 30 minutes, open a support ticket with your order ID.

Include your order ID or ICCID, phone model and software version, your current city and country, exactly what the eSIM line shows (No Service, signal bars, or the error text), the steps you already tried, and screenshots of the eSIM line settings (line on, Data Roaming on, selected for mobile data), the network selection screen, the APN screen and the error state. For slow speed add a speed test result. The team replies by email, usually within 24 hours, and the same screenshots are needed if a refund is ever assessed.