Planning an international trip and wondering whether to use an eSIM or pick up a local SIM card at the airport? Here's an honest comparison to help you decide.
Convenience
eSIM wins. Buy online before you travel, receive a QR code by email, scan it at home, and you're connected the moment you land. No queues at the airport SIM kiosk. No hunting for a phone shop in an unfamiliar city. No scissors to resize your card.
Cost
eSIM wins. Local SIM cards often come with activation fees, tourist markups at airport kiosks, and hidden costs. eSIM plans are transparent — what you see is what you pay. Plans from InstantESIMs start at $2.
Coverage
Roughly equal. Both eSIMs and physical SIMs connect to local networks. InstantESIMs partners with leading network operators in each country to provide reliable 4G/5G coverage.
Flexibility
eSIM wins. Travelling through multiple countries? Buy a separate plan for each destination without swapping cards. Some eSIMs even cover multiple countries in a single plan.
Device compatibility
Physical SIM has the edge here. Older phones that don't support eSIM will need a physical card. However, most phones released after 2018 are eSIM compatible.
Keeping your home number
eSIM wins. With a physical SIM you often have to remove your home SIM, losing access to calls and messages. With an eSIM your home SIM stays in the phone — you just use the eSIM for data.
