Best eSIM for Europe in 2024 | Complete Guide

Are you planning your trip to Europe and looking for the best eSIM to stay connected and avoid high roaming charges? This is a complete guide with everything you need to know about using an eSIM when traveling to Europe and a comparison of the best Europe eSIMs in 2024.

Don't waste money on high roaming charges, read my recommendations below and order an eSIM for Europe on the internet and be online as soon as the plane lands.

Find out how eSIMs work, when and where to order an eSIM for Europe, up to date prices as per November 2024, FAQ about using eSIMs, more info about network coverage and 4G/5G data speed and more.

Table of Contents

Since 2012 I am already traveling the world full time and throughout the years I turned my passion for traveling into a lifestyle and became a full time nomadic travel blogger. That is why I constantly get to a different country and pretty much every week I need to look for a new sim card to stay connected.

In the past I used to buy a local prepaid sim card on arrival in every country, but nowadays I mostly use eSIMs to stay connected when traveling abroad.

Some links in this guide about the best eSIMs for Europe are affiliate links. If you buy any product after clicking on an affiliate link I will earn a small commission. Don't worry this is at absolutely no extra cost to you!

My recommendation

Before giving you my Europe eSIM recommendation read the following carefully:

Make sure your phone is unlocked and eSIM compatible. If not, an eSIM won't work on your phone!

These are my favorite eSIMs for traveling to Europe in 2024.

1. Orange Holiday Europe eSIM - $55.90 USD

• 70 GB data
• unlimited calls/sms
• 5G ready
• Valid in all of Europe

Because of its exceptional value for money with only $0.8 USD per Gigabyte and unlimited calls/sms this Orange Holiday Europe is Traveltomtom's first recommendation for Europe eSIMs.

Click here to order the Orange Holiday Europe eSIM via SimOptions.

Sim Local sells the same eSIM for $53.50 USD and on top of that you can get an extra 15% discount if you used the coupon code: TRAVELTOMTOM at check out.

Including 15% discount you can buy the Orange Holiday Europe eSIM at Sim Local for $45.48 USD. Click here to order the Orange Holiday Europe eSIM via Sim Local.

2. Jetpac eSIM for Europe - $11 USD

• 10 GB data-only eSIM
• Valid in all of Europe

Is 70 GB data too much then check out this Jetpac 10 GB data-only eSIM for Europe for just $11 USD. This is a rate of only $1.1 USD per Gigabyte.

Jetpac also has a Europe eSIM with 30 GB for just $26 USD - $0.87 USD per Gigabyte!

Is Europe one of your stops on a trip around the world then you can also look into getting an eSIM for world travelers. There are a bunch of eSIMs that cover Europe, Asia, Middle East all in one eSIM.

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Comparison of the best eSIMs for Europe

Buying a sim card on arrival in Europe is very much possible and sometimes even cheaper. But it is also a hassle!

At most international airports in Europe like Rome, Amsterdam, Paris, London, Frankfurt, Madrid they sell super expensive tourist sim cards and in most cases they only have physical prepaid sim cards available.

Forget about the hassle of buying a sim card on arrival in Europe, get yourself an eSIM and be online as soon as the plane lands!

There are multiple eSIM providers that sell eSIMs for Europe. Traveltomtom recommends ordering an eSIM from one of the well-known eSIM providers like Airalo, SimOptions, Sim Local, Nomad, Holafly, Jetpac, etc. that have proven to be reliable operators.

With so many eSIM providers the competition is fierce... So before you buy your Europe eSIM first read all my tips below!

Here is a quick comparison of how much a 10 GB data eSIM for Europe cost:

1. Jetpac = $11 USD
2. Nomad = $14 USD
3. SimOptions = $22.90 USD
4. Sim Local = $35.50 USD
5. Airalo = $37 USD

SimOptions

SimOptions is a reputed eSIM provider that is very much recommended by Traveltomtom. Ordering your tourist eSIM for Europe through SimOptions is done fast and easy.

Why using SimOptions?

Traveltomtom has used SimOptions sim cards since 2018 in more than 50 countries around the world. Very reliable, never an issue and often some of the cheapest eSIM deals.

The Traveltomtom Team wrote an extensive and honest review about SimOptions eSIMs.

SimOptions is specialized in international eSIMs valid in multiple countries which makes them the perfect eSIM provider for Europe eSIMs.

SimOptions is also the only eSIM provider that sells eSIMs for Europe including calling and texting.

SimOptions has 9 different eSIMs for Europe:

• 5 GB data-only for 15 days = $12.90 USD
• 10 GB data (5G ready) + $2 calling credit for 30 days = $22.90 USD
• 20 GB data + unlimited calls for 15 days = $23.90 USD
• 12 GB data + 30 minutes international + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $29.90 USD
• 30 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $44.90 USD
• 30 GB data + 120 minutes international + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $49.90 USD
• 60 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $51.90 USD
• 70 GB data (5G ready) + 120 minutes international + unlimited calls/text for 28 days = $55.90 USD
• 50 GB data-only for 60 days = $59.90 USD

Click here to order an SimOptions eSIMs for traveling in Europe.

Of the above 9 eSIMs for Europe 7 of them including unlimited calling in all of Europe.

A big difference between the Bouygues Telecom and the Orange eSIMs is the coverage of Switzerland:

• Switzerland is NOT included in the O2 and Bouygues Telecom eSIMs
• Switzerland is included in the Orange eSIMs

Norway, Iceland and the UK are included in all of the above eSIMs.

The O2 Go Card eSIM and the Orange Holiday Europe 50GB eSIM are 5G ready, all other eSIMs for Europe that you can buy via SimOptions do not support 5G. Another reason why the Orange Holiday Europe eSIM is rated as the best eSIM for traveling to Europe in 2024.

The validity of these eSIMs is 1 year. The SimOptions eSIMs will activate automatically when they reach any of the countries included in the eSIM coverage. For more info check the SimOptions website.

Jetpac

Traveltomtom started recommending Jetpac eSIMs after they were tested extensively by the Traveltomtom Team and since there have only been positive reviews and recommendation about their product and costumer service Jetpac eSIMs for Europe got Traveltomtom's approval.

Jetpac offers its eSIM costumers extra services like free VPN and free lounge access.

The Traveltomtom Team wrote an extensive and honest review about Jetpac eSIMs.

Here are the Jetpac Europe eSIM plans for 2024:

• 1 GB data for 4 days = $1 USD
• 3 GB data for 7 days = $5 USD
• 5 GB data for 30 days = $7 USD
• 10 GB data for 30 days = $11 USD
• 15 GB data for 30 days = $17 USD
• 20 GB data for 30 days = $19 USD
• 30 GB data for 30 days = $26 USD
• 40 GB data for 30 days = $39 USD

Click here for more info or to order the Jetpac Europe eSIM.

The Jetpac eSIM plans for Europe with 30 GB data for just $26 USD makes it one of the best value eSIMs for Europe with a rate of only $0.87 USD per Gigabyte.

Jetpac has more amazing Europe eSIM plans like 10 GB data for just $11 USD! Most of the Jetpac eSIM plans have rates around the $1 USD per Gigabyte.

The Jetpac Europe eSIMs are data-only and incoming and outgoing calls and sms are not supported. These eSIMs do not come with a phone number. According to the Jetpac website their Europe eSIMs are not yet 5G ready, max data speed is 4G/LTE.

However, when the Traveltomtom Team tested the Jetpac eSIM in Europe it constantly showed a 5G connection in Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Croatia, etc.

The Jetpac Europe eSIMs are NOT valid in countries like: Albania, Belarus, Cyprus, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine.

You can instal your Jetpac eSIM before your trip to Europe, but it only activates from the moment it connects to a supported network in Europe or one of the other supported countries. That moment your days also start counting. The Jetpac eSIMs have to be installed within 1 year.

An extra advantage of Jetpac eSIMs is that they provide a free VPN as well as free lounge access if your flight is delayed. However, you will have to register your flight before you travel and in case of a delayed or canceled flight a LoungeKey voucher will automatically be provided. This is a complimentary service that no other eSIM provider offers. For more info check the Jetpac website.

Airalo

Airalo is the market leader in eSIMs and obviously a very reliable eSIM provider. I can totally recommend using Airalo for ordering an eSIM.

Why using Airalo? Traveltomtom has used Airalo uncountable times in more than 50 countries around the world since 2020. With all those Airalo eSIMs I never faced a major issue, very smooth ordering process, scanning the QR code and done. Always getting connected instantly on arrival in my destination. Their costumer service has amazing reviews and they have a live chat to solve any issues instantly.

As much as I have faith in Airalo and as much as I love their eSIMs, I unfortunately can't recommend Airalo eSIMs for traveling to Europe.

Why? Airalo Europe eSIMs are simply too expensive compared to Jetpac and SimOptions!

Here are the Airalo eSIM plans for Europe:

• 1 GB data for 7 days = $5 USD
• 3 GB data for 30 days = $13 USD
• 5 GB data for 30 days = $20 USD
• 10 GB data for 30 days = $37 USD
• 50 GB data for 90 days = $100 USD
• 100 GB data for 180 days = $185 USD

Click here to order an eSIM for Europe from Airalo.

The best value Europe eSIM plan from Airalo gives you 100 GB data for $185 USD, which comes down to $1.85 USD per Gigabyte. Super expensive of course.

Negative for sure are the prices! For example an Airalo Europe 10 GB eSIM is $37 USD, a Jetpac 10 GB eSIM is only $11 USD!

The Airalo eSIMs for Europe are called Eurolink and they support 5G, although not in every country. 5G is available in: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK. In all other countries the max data speed is 4G/LTE.

Positive about the Airalo eSIMs for Europe what differentiate them from other eSIMs is that the Eurolink eSIMs are also valid in Albania, Serbia, Montenergo, Ukraine, Turkey.

Also for travelers that go on a big trip to Europe Airalo eSIMs could be a solution. Airalo has eSIMs for Europe valid for 3 months as well as 6 months.

All the Airalo eSIMs are data-only sim cards without a phone number, so any phone/sms service is NOT supported. An Airalo eSIM has to be installed within 1 month and after activation the credit validity starts when it connects the first time to a supported network. For more info check out the Airalo website.

Sim Local

For those who traveled to Europe before they have probably met Sim Local at one of the international Airports in Europe. There are loads of Sim Local stores around Europe for those who like to buy a sim card on arrival.

Fact is that the eSIM plans you can buy on the Sim Local website are more affordable than in their sim card shops at airports.

The Traveltomtom Team wrote a extensive review about Sim Local, honest, to the point and all pros and cons.

Traveltomtom rates Sim Local as a reliable eSIM provider. They only offer Orange eSIMs for Europe, but slightly cheaper than SimOptions. Plus Traveltomtom readers can now use a discount code for all Sim Local eSIMs.

Here are the Sim Local eSIM plans for Europe:

• 12 GB data for 14 days = $21.5 USD
• 30 GB data for 14 days = $43 USD
• 70 GB data for 30 days = $53.50 USD

Click here to order an eSIM from Sim Local.

Traveltomtom readers get an extra 15% off on all eSIMs from Sim Local. That means that you can get the most recommended eSIM for Europe: Orange Holiday eSIM with 70 GB data now for $53.5 USD * 0.85 = for $45.48 USD!

Nomad

Nomad is another reputed eSIM provider that offers eSIM solutions for all over the world. Their plans are very competitive, but reviews about Nomad have also been mixed. The Traveltomtom Team reported some issues with the costumer service as well as the installing of Nomad eSIMs. Therefore it is not Traveltomtom's first recommended eSIM for traveling to Europe in 2024.

Here are the Nomad eSIM plans for Europe for 2024:

• 1 GB data for 7 days = $5 USD
• 3 GB data for 30 days = $12 USD
• 5 GB data for 30 days = $14 USD
• 10 GB data for 30 days = $14 USD
• 20 GB data for 30 days = $22 USD

Click here to order an eSIM for Europe from Nomad.

The Nomad website is a little less user friendly for finding the best eSIM for your trip to Europe. Depending on your device you can't see all eSIM plans in one overview, you have to click a little here and there, especially on desktop.

The best value eSIM for Europe from Nomad is the one with 20 GB data for $22 USD, which comes down to $1.1 USD per Gigabyte.

This makes Nomad eSIMs for Europe more expensive than Jetpac and SimOptions.

The Nomad eSIMs are from 1GLOBAL and they are data-only. Incoming and outgoing calls and sms are NOT supported. The Nomad eSIMs for Europe support 5G in every country. Iceland, Norway, Switzerland are included in the Nomad Europe eSIM plans.

Holafly

Holafly is another well-known eSIM provider and they only only offer eSIMs with unlimited data. However, there is a catch and that is a so-called FUP (Fair Use Policy).

More about it later, but it could mean that you suddenly have a very slow data connection for a whole day until the data speed restores.

Here are the Holafly unlimited data eSIM plans for Europe:

• 1 day 'unlimited' data = $6 USD
• 2 days 'unlimited' data = $10 USD
• 3 days 'unlimited' data = $13 USD
• 4 days 'unlimited' data = $16 USD
• 5 days 'unlimited' data = $21 USD
• 6 days 'unlimited' data = $25 USD
• 7 days 'unlimited' data = $29 USD
• 8 days 'unlimited' data = $31 USD
• 9 days 'unlimited' data = $35 USD
• 10 days 'unlimited' data = $37 USD
• 11 days 'unlimited' data = $40 USD
• 14 days 'unlimited' data = $48 USD
• 20 days 'unlimited' data = $62 USD
• 30 days 'unlimited' data = $75 USD

As you can see the Holafly Europe eSIMs are significantly more expensive than Jetpac and SimOptions. The Holafly eSIMs for Europe are data-only and incoming and outgoing calls/sms are NOT supported. These eSIMs do also not come with a phone number.

According to the Holafly website these eSIMs are 5G ready.

You can use a hotspot on the Holafly eSIMs, but it is capped at 500 MB per day.

Why 'unlimited'? Because there is a Fair Use Policy (FUP) and Traveltomtom has had bad experiences with an FUP in the past. Suddenly your data speed is slowed down for 24 hours because you apparently used too much data. Holafly does NOT specify what the FUP is!

On their website you can read the following:

Speed reduction: if necessary. Some carriers may reserve the right to apply a Fair Use Policy.

Imagine being on a 10 hour bus or train ride and after 2 hours you will get a message from Holafly that you used too much data for the day. Then you have to wait 24 hours for the data speed to be reset to normal.

Therefore Traveltomtom's is not a fan of eSIMs with 'unlimited' data with an FUP and therefore it is not my first recommendation when looking for an eSIM for Europe.

Also, the Traveltomtom Team tested Holafly in some another countries and was pretty disappointed with the overall performance. In a certain country Holafly was using the weakest mobile data network operator in that country and while people all around constantly had a proper data connection, the Holafly eSIM did not even have signal. Even in big cities the struggle was real and we constantly had to ask for the public WiFi of the hotel or restaurant because the Holafly eSIM was super slow.

I understand it could be a different story in Europe but Traveltomtom was put off a bit by Holafly eSIMs.

What is the cheapest eSIM for Europe?

No other e-sim provider can beat the Europe eSIM deal of Jetpac for just $1 USD. You get 1 GB data valid for 4 days.

Another cheap eSIM deal for Europe is the Airalo eSIM for $5 USD that gives you 1 GB data for 7 days.

Why ordering an eSIM for traveling in Europe

eSIMs are the easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Europe in 2024 and you can arrange everything online in just a couple clicks. No more visiting a sim card shop and swapping physical sim cards. Order online, scan the QR code, follow the steps and you are connected in less than 2 minutes.

The most important reason to get an eSIM is because we would like to stay connected on our trip to Europe without wasting money on high roaming costs. Our smartphones are pretty useless without a working data connection. Think about ordering a taxi through an app, finding nearby friends, restaurants and bars. Get directions from Google Maps or simply staying in touch with family back home, check your social media apps on long bus rides or your banking apps when paying contactless.

One of the best things about arriving in Europe with an activated eSIM is that your eSIM automatically connects to a supported network on arrival and you are online as soon as the plane lands. More about when to instal your eSIM later.

There are so many reasons to stay connected when traveling to Europe, but the most important reason is that it makes your trip to Europe so much more convenient and fun!

At the same time we don't want to waste money on high roaming charges. Many mobile internet operators around the world still charge $3 USD per MB for data roaming, that means just opening the Instagram app will already cost you 20 MB * $3 USD = $60 USD! Not kidding… it still is very common in 2024.

eSIMs are the easiest way to avoid high roaming charges!

In 2023 I visited for example 34 different countries so imagine how many different prepaid and eSIMs I used throughout the year.

Helping other travelers to save money while traveling the world is one of the reasons I started this travel blog. Providing essential travel tips is what made me start writing sim card guides from every country I visited and now on Traveltomtom you can already find more than 200 sim card guides from all over the world.

Traveltomtom wrote more than 50 eSIM guides: Spain, Italy, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Switzerland, etc.

But also for USA, Canada, Mexico, China, Australia, Dubai, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Egypt and many more.

So next time you are planning your adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid sim card and eSIM advice for your holiday destination. Bookmark Traveltomtom and let me help you save money!

Overseas data roaming plans

So what about overseas data roaming plans? Well, not recommended! Why? Did you read the small letters at what data speed you can use data roaming?

Pretty much all mobile internet operators around the world limit the data speed for overseas data roaming plans, which means you end up with 3G data speed. Do you have the patience to handle 3G? It is frustrating when all around you in pretty much all of the amazing tourist destinations in Europe there is 4G/LTE and even 5G available.

And price-wise it should be a no brainer since you have seen how affordable the eSIMs for Europe are. Why would you pay $5 to $10 USD per day on an overseas data roaming plan that limits your data speed?

Uncountable times travel friends have asked me: "Tom, can I use your hotspot? My data roaming plan is so slow, it is barely working!".

Trust me, invest a couple dollars in an eSIM or an international prepaid sim card for traveling to Europe if you want a physical prepaid sim card.

Stay connected all the time instead of begging for WiFi or a hotspot from friends.

Where to buy an eSIM for Europe?

Online

You can only buy an eSIM for Europe through an eSIM provider on the internet. There are loads of eSIM providers for Europe. Traveltomtom compared multiple eSIM providers and concluded that the above mentioned ones: SimOptions, Nomad, Jetpac, Holafly, Sim Local and Airalo are the best and most reliable eSIM providers in 2024.

When buying an eSIM for Europe through one of the above recommended eSIM providers you only need your email address and the eSIM is instantly ready to use after installation. There is no ID registration needed.

On arrival in Europe

Of course you can also buy a local prepaid sim card on arrival in Europe. However, not every country offers eSIMs. There are still several countries that only give out physical prepaid sim cards for tourists.

Tourist sim cards are sold on most international airports and Traveltomtom wrote specific guides for the major airports in Europe: London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Dublin, Oslo, Athens, Prague, Budapest and many others.

Keep in mind that buying a sim card at the airport in general is much more expensive and eSIMs are mostly NOT available.

Also when buying a local prepaid sim card that does NOT automatically mean that free EU data roaming is included.

If you want an eSIM for traveling in Europe Traveltomtom recommends you to order one online rather than trying to buy one on arrival.

When to order/activate an eSIM for Europe?

You can order an eSIM for Europe pretty much any time you want. Most eSIMs have to be installed on a phone within 1 or 2 months after purchasing, some even within 1 year, so you have time.

More important therefore is when do you instal/activate the eSIM. The validity of some eSIMs start straight after the installation, other eSIMs only start their validity when they connect the first time to a supported network.

Traveltomtom advices to instal your eSIM on the day of departure to Europe or a day before.

Very important is to make sure you have a stable internet connection or you might run into issues with your eSIM. Therefore just to make sure Traveltomtom advices you to install/activate your eSIM in your home country on the day of departure.

My personal advice is to instal your tourist eSIM for Europe before you get into the plane, because then as soon as the plane lands in Europe you will be connected to the internet and you can enjoy data on your phone instantly.

How do I know all this info about eSIMs? Traveltomtom uses on average more than 30 eSIMs per year because of my nomadic lifestyle of constantly traveling the world, 365 days a year, continuous since 2012.

How to activate an eSIM

Installing and activating an eSIM is made as simple as possible. Everyone can activate an eSIM and the instructions on how to are very detailed and will be send to you instantly by email after you ordered your eSIM.

But wait, forget about the instructions, it gets even easier. Just scan the QR code!

Some eSIM providers force you to download their app and create a profile, other eSIM providers just send you a QR code.

When you order an eSIM plan for Europe you instantly receive a summary of your order including a QR-code after the payment is processed.

You will see a summary of your eSIM order including a QR code on your screen and at the same time you will also receive an email with the same QR code. The email contains instructions on how to instal and activate your Europe eSIM. Regardless where you order your eSIM, all eSIM providers send you detailed instructions.

But installing an activating an eSIM is as easy as scanning the QR code with the same phone where you want to activate the eSIM on. The QR code contains all the information about your Europe eSIM.

Once you scan the QR code you will be guided through a couple simple steps and within less than 1 minute your eSIM is successfully installed.

Very important is that you are connected to the internet when installing your eSIM otherwise you will get an error and issues can occur.

Tip: if you order an eSIM with the same phone where you want to instal the eSIM on then ask a friend or someone nearby to take a photo of the QR code and then you scan the QR code from his/her phone and start the installation.

Things to know before ordering an eSIM for Europe

Here are some general tips and answers to FAQ about using eSIMs when traveling abroad. These tips do not only apply for Europe eSIMs, but are things you have to know before buying an eSIM in general.

Make sure your phone is unlocked

To make sure you didn't miss this, let me say this again: eSIMs only work in UNLOCKED phones. If your phone is unlocked then you can use any eSIM without any problems.

If your phone is locked then ask your mobile internet provider from your home country to unlock your phone before your trip to Europe. It is likely that your mobile internet provider will charge you a fee for unlocking your smartphone.

If you are unable to unlock your phone you can look into getting a portable WiFi for staying connected when traveling to Europe or better… bring a second unlocked phone on your trip to Europe and use it as a portable WiFi device.

Which smartphones support eSIMs?

Another very important thing you have to check before buying an eSIM is if your smartphone supports eSIMs. If you have any of the latest smartphones then there is no need to worry, all new smartphones of the well known phone brands support eSIMs.

• Apple: all iPhones newer than the iPhone XR/XS
• Samsung: all phones newer than Samsung Galaxy S20
• Google: all phones newer than the Google Pixel 2
• Huawei: all phones newer than the Huawei P40
• Oppo: all phones newer than the Find X3
• Xiaomi: all phones newer than the Xiaomi 12T Pro

If you are not sure if your phone is eSIM compatible then simply go to Google and type in your mobile phone model in the search bar and ask if it is eSIM compatible. You will get the answer instantly.

If your phone is NOT eSIM compatible then there is no other solution and you can NOT use an eSIM for traveling to Europe.

SimOptions is the only eSIM provider that also offers international prepaid sim cards for Europe. These are pre-activated physical prepaid sim cards that will be delivered to your door step before your trip and it is plug and play when you arrive in Europe.

Airalo, Sim Local, Jetpac, Holafly and Nomad only sell eSIMs for Europe.

Can I trust these eSIM providers?

All the eSIM providers for Europe recommended in this guide are reputable eSIM providers reviewed and tested by Traveltomtom. All of them are licensed third party companies and resellers that partner or work directly with the mobile internet providers in Europe.

Traveltomtom has used Airalo and SimOptions sim cards now for more than 5 years and never really faced a major issue.

The Traveltomtom Team has extensively tested and reviewed Nomad and they have proven to be a reliable eSIM provider. However, some mixed reviews have come back from the Traveltomtom Team about connectivity and activation.

Jetpac is a fairly new eSIM provider, but Traveltomtom only received positive feedback and excellent reviews about the eSIMs and services of Jetpac.

Traveltomtom knows Sim Local from its airport kiosks all around Europe. On arrival at several international airports in Europe there are small Sim Local stores and they sell physical prepaid sim cards as well as eSIMs. The Traveltomtom Team has tested Sim Local many times in the past.

Since Traveltomtom is not a fan of eSIMs with unlimited data and an FUP I hardly use Holafly, but when I did I was not happy. So now I let the Traveltomtom Team randomly test Holafly and just like myself, mixed reviews have come back. Some positive, some negative.

Traveltomtom does NOT sell Europe eSIMs, Traveltomtom only compares and recommends you to use eSIMs for traveling to Europe.

All eSIM providers have their own Helpdesk which you can contact may you encounter any problems or in case you want to claim a refund.

Can I keep my phone number from home with a Europe eSIM?

Yes, you can and this is for many people a reason to order an eSIM to stay connected when traveling to Europe. An eSIM can be used next to your physical or eSIM from your home country at the same time. You do not need a dual-sim phone for using an eSIM.

So you can have multiple eSIMs installed on your phone? Yes, no problem at all!

For example: you can turn off the mobile data from your sim card from home but still use it for texting and calling. Your new Europe eSIM you can be used at the same time just for data to ensure you are not wasting money on high roaming costs.

This is also the trick to keep receiving sms for example for OTP (one time password) sms to login to applications.

Switching between physical and eSIMs is a matter of turning them on/off in the settings. Just always make sure your sim card from home is switched off for data roaming.

Can I make phone calls with a Europe eSIM?

Yes you can! But only with the Europe eSIMs from Bouygues Telecom and Orange. These eSIMs include unlimited calling/texting in all of Europe.

The Orange Holiday eSIMs even include international calls up to 120 minutes and 1,000 sms to any number in the world!

You can order the Bouygues Telecom and Orange Holiday Europe eSIMs via SimOptions. Sim Local also sells the Orange eSIMs.

SimOptions has 7 different Europe eSIMs that support calling and texting.

All the Europe tourist eSIMs from Jetpac, Airalo, Nomad and Holafly are data-only eSIMs and any incoming/outgoing calling/texting services are not supported.

Most hotels, restaurants, guides and tour companies in Europe have WhatsApp services, so if you have a data-only eSIM you can give them a call through WhatsApp. In Europe SMS services and texting is hardly ever used, texting in Europe goes all through WhatsApp.

Does a Europe eSIM come with a phone number?

Yes, all the eSIMs that support calling/texting they come with a phone number.

Both the Orange Holiday and the Bouygues Telecom eSIMs come with a phone number from France that starts with +33. These eSIMs also support incoming calls/sms.

In the above Europe eSIM comparison you can find all the specifications per eSIM.

Can I use 5G on a Europe eSIM?

Yes, the most recommended eSIM for Europe is 5G ready.

The Orange Holiday Europe eSIM with 70 GB data and unlimited calls/sms in Europe supports 5G.

SimOptions has 9 different eSIMs for Europe and only 2 of them are 5G ready.

The eSIMs from Airalo are partially 5G ready. The Nomad and Holafly eSIMs fully support 5G in every country in Europe they are valid.

Sim Local only sells Orange eSims and only the Orange Holiday Europe with 70 GB data is 5G ready, all the other Orange eSIMs only support 4G/LTE.

Although Jetpac doesn't mention it on their website. The Traveltomtom Team tested their eSIMs for Europe and found out the Jetpac eSIMs also support 5G.

Are there eSIMs for Europe with unlimited data?

If a sim card with unlimited data is truly unlimited, no throttling, no data speed cap, but unlimited high speed data then: YES AMAZING!

Holafly eSIMs for Europe include unlimited data but they also have an FUP. Traveltomtom does NOT recommend these kind of eSIMs.

Always ask yourself is unlimited truly unlimited? Is there a catch? If the unlimited data is not on max data speed, then there is a so called Fair Use Policy (FUP). Which means that your data speed will be capped after you used an X amount of Gigabytes.

Holafly is an eSIM provider that sells eSIMs with unlimited data for Europe and uses this so-called Fair Use Policy. However, Holafly does NOT specify exactly what the FUP is. Which is very concerning!

Especially on long travel days you don't want anyone to tell you how much data you can use. Imagine being on a 12 hour bus ride and after a couple hours you get a message from your eSIM provider that you used too much data for the day and your data speed is capped.

Using your phone on the reduced data speed of 512 Kbps is impossible. This data speed is only good for WhatsApp and email.

Traveltomtom does NOT recommend Europe eSIMs with unlimited data plans with an FUP. On Holafly sim cards I experienced a reduce in data speed after using more than 2 GB per day. After I contacted support they explained me that I had to wait for 24 hours until my data speed was restored to normal.

Those 24 hours were a nightmare as my data speed was barely enough to use WhatsApp. Social media was not loading!

If you think you will never use more than 2 GB per day, then these Holafly eSIMs might be your favorite eSIM.

However, if you don't use so much data per day then what's the point of an eSIM with unlimited data!?

SimOptions has an eSIM with 70 GB data without any data speed reduction. Jetpac has an eSIM with 40 GB data for only $39 USD. This is for most travelers more than enough for their trip to Europe.

There are a lot of different specifications per eSIM. Another reason why I advice you to take a close look at my comparison of the best eSIMs for traveling to Europe in 2024 before choosing your favorite.

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Are eSIMs the best way to stay connected when traveling to Europe?

eSIMs are the easiest and fastest way to get data on your phone when traveling to Europe, but what is the best way?

There are 3 ways to stay connected when traveling to Europe:

• Local prepaid sim cards
• International prepaid sim cards
• eSIMs

Let's compare eSIMs, local prepaid sim cards and international prepaid sim cards, for you to find out what is your preferred way of staying connected.

Local prepaid sim cards

In general if you use a lot of data then local prepaid sim cards are a cheaper way to stay connected, depending on the length of your trip. In France you can buy a prepaid sim card with 200 GB data for around $22 USD, Italy has similar prepaid sim card plans.

However, these local prepaid sim cards are for France OR for Italy and not for all of Europe. They do include EU roaming data but it is mostly limited to around 15 GB.

OR when buying for example a prepaid sim card in the UK, EU data roaming is often NOT included. Local prepaid sim cards in Europe differ from country to country.

Also in most European countries it is still not possible to get an e-sim, mostly only physical prepaid sim cards for tourists are available.

These local prepaid sim cards for tourists can only be bought on arrival in Europe in either a phone store, at the airport or when you are adventurous in a convenience store or sim card vending machine.

The advantage of local prepaid sim cards that you buy in Europe is that they mostly come with unlimited calling and texting.

International prepaid sim cards

If your smartphone is not eSIM compatible you can order an international prepaid sim card for traveling to Europe. These are physical prepaid sim cards you order on the internet and will be delivered to your home address.

There are some great ones for traveling to Europe but unfortunately not the amazing deals like eSIMs.

If after visiting Europe you are traveling onwards in America, Asia or in Europe then check Traveltomtom's list of the best sim cards for traveling internationally in 2024.

As I mentioned before SimOptions is the only sim card provider that also sells physical prepaid sim cards for traveling to Europe.

A pre-activated physical sim card will be delivered to your door step before your trip to Europe. You put this physical sim card in your phone and as soon as the plane touches the ground in Europe and the sim card automatically connects to a supported network you are online. Plug and play!

If you look at the international prepaid sim card above you see that the physical sim card version of the Orange Holiday Europe is also a good option for traveling to Europe or what about the physical sim version of the Bouygues Telecom sim card.

A physical prepaid sim card with 30 GB data only costs $44.90 USD, which is $1.5 USD per Gigabyte.

Click here to order a physical prepaid sim card for Europe via SimOptions.

eSIMs

As explained throughout the article there are two different eSIMs for traveling in Europe:

• eSIMs that you buy on the internet through a third party
• eSIMs that you buy in Europe in a mobile internet provider store

Be aware that not in every country in Europe they provide eSIMs for tourists. For example in the UK you can only buy physical prepaid sim cards.

eSIMs vs. local prepaid sim cards

Getting an eSIM on the internet is the easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Europe, no doubt! You arrange everything online within just a couple clicks. Right here, right now and you are all set for your trip to Europe.

You arrive prepared and there is no need to visit a sim card shop on arrival in Europe. As soon as the plane lands, you are online!

But what is cheaper? An eSIM or a local prepaid sim card for tourists?

When we compare the prices for Europe eSIMs with the prices for local prepaid sim cards in Europe Traveltomtom comes to the conclusion that the local prepaid sim cards are often slightly cheaper. However, they are dedicated to one country only.

Prepaid sim cards you buy in France are for France, including some EU data roaming. Prepaid sim cards you buy in Greece are for Greece, including some EU data roaming.

Especially if you want an eSIM with a lot of data that is valid all over Europe and you don't want any EU data roaming limitations Traveltomtom recommends you to order an eSIM for Europe on the internet.

Remember that some of the eSIMs for Europe also go down to only $0.8 USD per Gigabyte.

The SimOptions eSIM plan with 70 GB data for $55.90 USD is the best value eSIM for Europe in 2024.

Local physical prepaid sim cards cost about the same price when you include the registration fee. In some countries in Europe they now offer e-sims with unlimited data. Truly unlimited, no speed caps or throttling. For example in Ireland. However, when you travel to other EU countries with this Ireland prepaid sim card you can only use around 15 GB data.

Pretty much all local prepaid sim cards in Europe have EU data roaming limitations and restrictions.

An eSIM for Europe can be bought in just 2 minutes on the internet at any time of day without any form of identification.

After a long flight you just want to get to your hotel and it is often a big task to find a place where you can buy a local prepaid sim card. With an eSIM that you order on the internet you are connected as soon as the plane lands.

Simply because of this convenience Traveltomtom recommends ordering an eSIMs for Europe.

There are many reasons why a lot of travelers simply get an eSIM for visiting Europe: faster, easier, less stress and even cheaper depending on how much data you need.

Data speed

Another difference between a local prepaid sim card and an eSIM is that eSIMs are in general through a third party, a so called MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator). These MVNO's operate on the network of one of the main mobile internet operators and basically buy bandwidth.

This may sound a little bit too technical, but what it means is that eSIMs through an MVNO are the last ones in line when the line is busy. Especially during peak times, the performance of an eSIM could be less compared to a local prepaid sim card from a mobile internet operator you bought in directly from them on arrival Europe.

Bottomline: the data speed of eSIMs can be less compared to a local prepaid Europe sim card.

In reality you won't really notice the difference much because yes, it may occur that your data speed is a little slower for a couple minutes, but it is still fast enough to roam the internet without any problems.

I am sure some of the above tips for finding the best eSIM for your trip to Europe were helpful. I hope that after reading through my comparison and all my tips and tricks it was easier to make a decision and order your preferred eSIM for Europe.

If you still have any questions about eSIMs then please leave me a comment below and I am more than happy to help you out.

Curious what the life of a full time nomadic traveler looks like? Go check out my 660K Instagram account or 1.4 Million TikTok account both called @traveltomtom. Follow along with daily updates from around the world about the good, the bad and the ugly about traveling.

Traveltomtom is on the road to 197, meaning I would like to travel to every country in the world. As of November 2024 I have visited more than 155 countries, still about 40 to go, but no rush.

Enjoy your trip to Europe!