Sim Local is one of the many eSIM providers offering eSIM cards for traveling abroad. What is Sim Local like? Can you trust this provider? How does it work and what are the pros and cons of using Sim Local.
The Traveltomtom Team tested Sim Local extensively and wrote all their experiences down in this review blog.
Find out all about the advantage of using eSIMs from Sim Local as well as the disadvantages, including our opinions and recommendations.
Table of Contents
- What is an eSIM?
- Why using an eSIM?
- Is my smart phone eSIM compatible?
- Why using Sim Local?
- What eSIM plans does Sim Local offer?
As you know Traveltomtom and the entire team of bloggers have been traveling the world non-stop for many consecutive years and since the beginning of this blog we have been writing about sim cards. As of today, more than 200 sim card guides can be found on Traveltomtom!
In order to always stay in touch with family and friends, to update our social media channels with our adventures and to continue to provide the Traveltomtom travel blog with new articles, it is extremely important to us that we are always connected, wherever we are in the world.
Previously this was always a challenge. As soon as we arrived at an international airport we immediately started looking for local SIM card providers to check out their tourist sim card deals. It always took time, because on one hand you want the right deal and the best provider on the other hand, you don't want to pay too much but also want good coverage in your holiday destination.
The biggest disadvantage of physical SIM cards is that you can only buy them on arrival and often these tourist sim cards are overpriced. On top of that swapping physical sim cards is not ideal and you ultimately end up with a large stack of physical prepaid SIM cards and things can get lost along the way.
But as with almost everything, the world of SIM cards is also evolving, thankfully! And believe me when I say, that is a fantastic development, because eSIMs are there to make travel easier and getting connected is just a matter of a couple clicks nowadays.
There are multiple eSIM providers on the internet and the Traveltomtom Team have been testing, reviewing and using multiple eSIM providers like: Airalo, SimOptions, Jetpac, Nomad, Holafly, etc. for many years.
But what about Sim Local? But can we trust them? How does it work and how are the reviews?
Therefore Traveltomtom was happy to test Sim Local eSIMs for you and tried out their services recently.
There are a couple advantages as well as disadvantage about using Sim Local. Overall we have been enthusiastic about their products and services and Traveltomtom approved using eSIMs of Sim Local for traveling abroad. But not all that glitters is gold!
What is an eSIM?
eSIM is an abbreviation of 'embedded SIM' and was created to serve as a successor to the plastic SIM card used worldwide. An e-SIM essentially does the same thing but is built into your phone.
This built-in SIM card is linked to your smartphone, is safe and has room for multiple subscriptions
The eSIM is faster and more secure than a physical variant. After all, an e-SIM cannot break or get stolen. It is installed on your smartphone. Besides the fact that there are quite a few physical differences, an e-SIM does exactly the same as a physical SIM. Nothing changes in terms of functionalities, it mainly provides more convenience and we say goodbye to plastic. Save the planet one eSIM at a time.
Why using an eSIM?
You can probably imagine that the arrival of the eSIM has been an enormously positive development for us as full-time travelers. Suddenly we no longer have to keep boxes full of SIM cards or get in line at the airport to buy a local prepaid sim card. Now it is just a matter of a few clicks and we are immediately connected in a new country.
One of the biggest advantages of an eSIM is that as soon as the plane lands you are online and enjoy data on your phone.
The fact that an eSIM cannot be stolen is a huge advantage. You can take out multiple subscriptions on eSim. You always have the option of dual SIM. The eSim also takes up less space than a physical card. So an eSIM also works in a smartwatch, for example.
Is my smart phone eSIM compatible?
More and more devices are now suitable for eSIM, but beware, certainly not all of them are eSIM compatible. So be sure, check in advance whether your device is suitable before purchasing an eSIM.
Here is a list of the eSIM compatible devices for the most common brands:
- Apple iPhone - iPhone X and newer models
- Huawei - Huawei P40 and P40 Pro, Huawei Mate40 Pro
- OnePlus - OnePlus 11
- Samsung - Samsung Galaxy s20 and newer models
- Xiaomi - Xiaomi 12T Pro and newer models
On the Sim Local website you can find the detailed list all eSIM Compatible phones and handsets.
Why using Sim Local?
Just like in the old days at the airports, when we still wanted to buy local physical tourist SIM cards the choice is plenty. In fact, when buying an eSIM there is even more providers to choose from. There are uncountable eSIM providers and the search for eSIMs can be quite complicated and overwhelming.
Where do you start? We all want value for money and be connected as good as we can.
On their website Sim Local claims to be the global leader in travel SIM card and eSIMs. They provide global travelers with their services so you can stay connected and avoid expensive roaming charges. That's something we like to hear!
Sim Local started off selling tourist sim cards at airports. All around the world at international airports you can find Sim Local stores selling physical prepaid sim cards. Recently Sim Local also started selling eSIMs via their website.
In Traveltomtom's sim card guides from London Heathrow, Athens Airport, Brussels Airport, Newark Airport New Jersey, etc. you will find Traveltomtom's reviews about the Sim Local shops.
The Sim Local is a reputed eSIM provider and the Traveltomtom Team has tested Sim Local eSIMs several times around the world.
Sim Local sells their eSIMs directly to you. You become a Sim Local costumer. No intervention from third parties and therefore no unnecessary surcharges. Wherever you are in the world, with Sim Local you connect to a local network.
But most important of all, Sim Local have simplified the eSIM business, so that everyone can use it without any questions or hesitations. With Sim Local you get connected fast. You travel global, but you pay local.
Another why Traveltomtom recommends Sim Local is that you do NOT need to download the Sim Local app for buying an eSIM. You can also check out as a guest, get your eSIM send to your email and that is it. No need to create a profile, login, etc.
Order an eSIM, check out, pay directly and you do what you gotta do with a Sim Local eSIM.
Some links in this Sim Local Review are affiliate links. If you buy any product after clicking on an affiliate link Traveltomtom will earn a small commission. Don't worry this is at absolutely no extra cost to you!
What eSIM plans does Sim Local offer?
Sim Local has divided their eSIM plans into 3 different categories: Local, Regional and Global eSIMs.
Local eSIM plans
On the Sim Local website you can find local eSIMs for more than 100 countries. Too many to list them all here. But the main tourist destinations in the world are covered. You will find eSIMs for every country in Europe as well as for most countries in North, South and Central America, Asia, Oceania and some eSIMs for African countries.
Check out the Sim Local website if you're going somewhere and see if they have an eSIM for your holiday destination. The opportunities seem endless. However, compared to other eSIM providers Sim Local does NOT cover every country in the world.
Sim Local offers eSIMs with both data and local calls and texts, but they also offer a lot of data-only eSIMs.
Click here for more details or to order a Sim Local local eSIM plan.
Regional eSIM plans
All the Sim Local regional eSIMs are from Orange and are just for Europe. But Sim Local also has regional plans for Latin America as well as for South America. Sounds similar but keep in mind that Central America is also part of Latin America.
Here is Sim Local definitely differs from other eSIM providers as the product offers are very limited. Sim Local has no regional plans for North America, South America, Middle East, Southeast Asia, etc.
I am sure this will improve in the future and something that Sim Local is working on, but other eSIM providers are a step ahead of Sim Local when it comes to regional eSIM plans.
Sim Local offers three types of regional eSIMs:
Holiday Zen 12 GB data for Europe
This eSIM plan offers 12 GB data for 14 days and can be used in 36 countries across Europe. It comes with unlimited calls and texts within Europe. In addition to that you also receive 30 international minutes and 200 international texts. All this for a price of $22 USD.
Holiday EU 30 GB data for Europe
This eSIM plan offers 30 GB data for 14 days and can be used in 36 countries across Europe. It comes with unlimited calls and texts within Europe. In addition to that you also receive 120 international minutes and 1,000 international texts. All this for a price of $44 USD.
Holiday EU 50 GB data for Europe
This eSIM plan offers 50 GB data for 14 days and can be used in 42 countries across Europe. It comes with unlimited calls and texts within Europe. In addition to that you also receive 120 international minutes and 1,000 international texts. All this for a price of $59 USD.
The Holiday Europe eSIM is rated as the best eSIM card in Europe, and Sim Local offers it for the cheapest price available on the internet. Most other eSIM providers sell this Orange Holiday Europe eSIM for $59.90 USD.
On top of that remember that Traveltomtom readers get an extra 15% discount with the coupon code: TRAVELTOMTOM.
When looking for an eSIM for Europe, Sim Local is definitely recommended by Traveltomtom.
Click here for more details or to order a Sim Local regional eSIM plan.
Global eSIM plans
Sim Local offers two types of global eSIMs. A warning in advance. These are only available in a data-only version. Calling and texting is not included in these eSIM plans.
Global 1 GB data for 3 days
This is a short term plan. It offers 1 GB of data for 3 days only and can be used in 99 countries across the world. This one is available for $12.50 USD. It is of course amazing that is it is valid in more than 150 countries, but how many countries can you visit in 3 days?
Also there are many more eSIM plans on the internet that give you 1 GB data in more than 100 countries for just $1 USD.
All in all, this Sim Local Global plan is NOT recommended by Traveltomtom.
Orange Holiday World up to 10 GB data for 14 days
This plan offers up to 10 GB of data for 14 days and can be used in 149 countries across the world. This plan is available for $35.50 USD.
The Orange Holiday World is a renowned international eSIM that is widely available on the internet. It has a great worldwide coverage, I mean 150 countries, is pretty much everywhere in the world.
Traveltomtom has been recommending the Orange Holiday World eSIM for a long time. The downside of this eSIM is that it is only valid for 14 days. Same question here arises... how many countries can you travel in 14 days?
Anyway... good thing about Sim Local is that they offer the Orange Holiday World eSIM cheaper than other eSIM providers. Most other eSIM providers sell the Orange Holiday World eSIM for $39.90 USD and at Sim Local it is only $35.50.
If you use the TRAVELTOMTOM discount code at check out you get another 15% discount.
Click here for more details or to order a Sim Local Global eSIM plan.
Traveltomtom wrote many sim card articles like best international sim card for traveling the world and more than 200 local prepaid sim card guides from all over the world for you to get an idea what would be the best way to save on high data roaming charges.
How much data do you need?
Really cool feature on the Sim Local website is the data roaming calculator. In a couple quick steps this tool will estimate approximately how much data you will use while traveling. You should try it out.
It has a really simple set up and you choose different categories of data usage.
We tried it ourselves and we think the tool is very conservative.
In reality there is for example already a huge difference if you scroll on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok. The sim Local data usage calculator speaks just about social media.
Scrolling 30 minutes on Instagram reels can easily already consume 1 GB data, while 30 minutes on Facebook is not even 30% of that usage.
Therefore when using the tool keep in mind it is just an estimate and we think that in reality you will use much more Gigabytes then the Sim Local data roaming calculator will predict.
Sim Local eSIM setup
Setting up your eSIM is a piece of cake, you easily walk through the installation and before you know it you have already installed your Sim Local eSIM and have it working on your phone. The process is made as simple as possible.
The only thing that is really important when installing your eSIM is that you are connected to the internet. Without a data connection you can't instal an eSIM. So make sure you have a stable WiFi connection before starting the eSIM set up.
It all starts with selecting the right plan for your travels at the Sim Local website or app, whether it's a local, regional or global eSIM plan. Once you have found your perfect plan, you just select it.
In the next window you get an order summary with an overview of your order. It's the last time you can double check your order, so make sure you have the right eSIM plan.
If it's all according to plan, confirm your device is eSIM compatible and proceed. You now continue to payment.
If you have a discount code, now is the time to use it! Remember that Traveltomtom readers get an extra 15% off when using the coupon code: TRAVELTOMTOM.
Sim Local wants to make sure your eSIM is working properly and they divided the eSIM set up into 2 steps: activate your plan and instal your plan.
Some eSIM operators don't have this extra activation step, they automatically activate your eSIM upon purchasing. There are some pros and cons about this. Activating it yourself gives you at least the reassurance that the eSIM is activated 100%, no doubts anymore.
Activate your eSIM
Once you have paid for your eSIM, you immediately receive a confirmation email from Sim Local.
The first email you receive is the order confirmation. This email also includes a link to activate your plan.
Activating your plan is the next easy thing to do. Just click on the link in the email. You once again get to see your plan details and then just click on 'Activate Plan'. Sometimes it takes a couple minutes to activate your plan, but usually within 1-2 minutes you will see it is activated.
Install your eSIM
Once your eSIM plan is activated you receive the next email with information on how to install your eSIM.
Installing the eSIM is also very easy. In the Sim Local email you will find multiple ways to install a Sim Local eSIM. By far the easiest way of installing a Sim Local eSIM is by using the provided QR code in the email. Just scan the code and follow the instructions.
You can also choose the manual installation. This way of installing the eSIM is described in great detail in the confirmation email, but requires a bit more work than the QR code.
When choosing the manual installation you also need to manually set up the data roaming. Following the QR code installation, this is all done automatically.
For using a Sim Local eSIM card you do NOT need to download the app. You can check out as a guest and use Sim Local with any login whatsoever. This in contrast with many other eSIM operators that will require you to either download the app or create a profile.
However, using the app does make things much easier.
Sim Local app
Using a Smartroam or Orange eSIM plan? Then simply download the Sim Local app. The app lets you install these eSIM plans in just one click.
Simply log in, go to 'My eSIM', and find your eSIM plan details.
Talking about the Sim Local app, it offers more than just the easy installation of Smartroam or Orange Plans.
You don't have to, but it is recommended to downloaded the Sim Local app. You have to create an account and you can login with the same credentials. The Sim Local app is very clear and user-friendly.
The home screen shows your current plan and some featured destinations. If you click on these destinations you will see the available plans and you can purchase them from the app. The home screen also shows some FAQ and the Help and Support section.
There is also the 'My eSIM' screen. This part of the app shows your current and expired eSIMs.
If you click on your current plan, the app will show you the plan details and the remaining data, minutes and texts you have.
You can also view your account details in the app and change your password if wanted or needed.
Last but not least there is also an extended 'Help' screen in case you would run into any issues. Here you can find FAQ about eSIMs and Sim Local as well as all contact details if you can't find your answer in the FAQ.
You can also start a chat with the Sim Local assistant. This is generated by AI and not a 'live agent'. Traveltomtom is not a fan of AI generated chats with a bot, but this is the common support most eSIM providers offer. When the bot is unable to solve your problem you can always ask for a live agent to talk to, but they are NOT available 24/7.
If you have questions about using eSIMs you can also check out Traveltomtom with already more than 200 sim card blogs from pretty much every country in the world, including detailed and specific answers to FAQ about sim cards in your destination.
The Sim Local app is quite simple and super easy to use. It offers everything you look for and need when using an eSIM of Sim Local. You can buy new eSIMs, view your current ones and get help with questions, perfect.
Traveltomtom's final thoughts on Sim Local
As you know, as full-time travelers we are of course major users of eSIMs and local prepaid sim cards. It is the first thing we think about when planning a trip to a new country. Since we started using eSIMs the Traveltomtom has been testing multiple providers, mostly good, some ok, some average.
Sim Local ends up in the category: good!
Traveltomtom rates Sim Local as one of the best eSIM providers out there together with a couple other brands and Sim Locals competitors like: Airalo, Jetpac, SimOptions, etc.
The introduction of eSIMs was of course a big step forward to begin with, but Sim Local makes it all even more easy going and user friendly.
The ease and speed with which you buy, activate and install an eSIM is a pleasure. You don't want to spend hours doing this, especially when traveling. With Sim Local you can have a local eSIM at local costs in no time. What else do you want?
Another big plus is that Sim Local gives you the option to buy an eSIM without downloading the app, creating a profile, etc. Simply check out as a guest without any questions asked, just your email address to have them send you your Sim Local eSIM.
Swapping physical prepaid sim cards is definitely a thing of the past now. No more signal interruptions. Sim Local has made our traveling life a whole lot easier, less frustrating and more fun.
Is Sim Local worth it?
Yes, Traveltomtom tested, reviewed and approved using eSIMs from Sim Local! Great service, easy to use app, different types of eSIM plans.
And most important Sim Local has some competitive prices for eSIM plans!
But let's also be honest: not every plan has the best pricing available on the web! However, Traveltomtom's conclusion is that the most important eSIM plans have very competitive pricing.
And remember when buying an eSIM from Sim Local that you can use the discount code specially created for Traveltomtom readers. At check out apply the coupon code: TRAVELTOMTOM for an extra 15% off on all eSIM plans.
Before traveling always make sure you have your eSIM installed and activated!