eSIM for travel: €4.50 instead of €40-80 in roaming
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Roaming with your own carrier outside your home zone typically runs €40-80 a week. An eSIM is the same data for 90% less: a plan you install before you leave, valid in 200+ countries — no shop, no physical card, no contract.
- 5GB for 7 days costs €4.50 with YeSIM against roughly €8 with Airalo, the other major option — use code FALLY20 for 20% off.
- Works on any modern phone and activates in 2 minutes: it arrives by email as a QR code and you install it before departure — nothing to pick up on arrival.
- Hotspot sharing is free on every YeSIM plan, and your normal number keeps working for calls and texts: the eSIM only carries data.
Common questions
Does my phone support an eSIM?
Recent models do: iPhone XS or later, Samsung Galaxy S20 and later, Google Pixel 3 and later. Open Settings, go to Cellular and look for Add eSIM — if the option exists, your phone is compatible. Nothing else is needed: no shop, no physical card, no contract.
Do I keep my own number and WhatsApp?
Yes. The eSIM is a second line used for data only, so your physical SIM stays in the phone and keeps your number for calls and SMS. WhatsApp, Telegram and the banking codes sent by SMS are tied to that number, not to the data connection, so they keep working. Turn data roaming off on the physical line and the carrier has nothing to bill you for.
When should I install it — before or after landing?
Before you fly, on your home Wi-Fi. Installing an eSIM needs an internet connection, which is exactly what you do not have while standing in an arrivals hall. The eSIM arrives by email as a QR code: scan it in Settings at home, and it activates automatically when you land in the destination country.
How much is a week in Europe, really?
Around €4.50 for 5GB over 7 days. The same week on your own carrier outside its home zone typically costs €40-80 in roaming — the same data for 90% less. For longer trips YeSIM has 10GB for 30 days at €7.00, against around €13 with Airalo.
What happens if I run out of data?
You top up directly from the app in under a minute, without changing anything on the phone: no phone shop to find, no SIM card to swap, and the line stays the same. If you are unsure how much you need, start small and top up only if you run out. There is no contract to cancel.
Can I share it with my laptop?
Yes — hotspot sharing is free on every YeSIM plan (with Airalo it depends on the plan), so one eSIM covers a phone, a laptop and a travelling companion at the same time. That is the part that changes the maths: the alternative is paying roaming on each device separately. Battery is the only real cost of using the phone as the hotspot.
Does it work outside Europe?
Yes. The same app sells plans for 200+ countries, including the US, Thailand and Japan, and regional plans that cover several countries in one purchase. Pick the plan for the country you land in; the installation is identical everywhere.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2022/612 on roaming — why roaming is free only inside the EU/EEA and billed outside it
- eSIM (Wikipedia) — how an embedded SIM is provisioned by QR code, and which phones support it