What is an eSIM?

An eSIM lets you buy and install a mobile data plan for your destination before you travel, without a physical SIM card.

An eSIM (embedded SIM) is a digital SIM card built into a device that allows users to activate a cellular data plan without using a physical SIM card. Travelers use eSIMs to get local data rates abroad by downloading a plan via QR code.

How to activate an eSIM

  1. Purchase a plan

    Choose your destination and data plan on eSIMYat and complete checkout.

  2. Receive QR code

    A QR code is delivered instantly to your email.

  3. Install on your phone

    Go to Settings > Cellular/Mobile Data > Add eSIM and scan the QR code.

  4. Connect on arrival

    Your eSIM activates automatically when you land in your destination country.

eSIM questions travellers ask

How is an eSIM different from a physical SIM card?

The chip is already soldered into the phone, so there is nothing to post, collect or swap. You install a profile onto it instead, by scanning a QR code. Everything after that behaves like a normal SIM: the same networks, the same signal, the same settings screen.

Which phones support eSIM?

Most handsets released from 2018 onward. On Apple that is iPhone XS, XS Max and XR or newer; on Samsung, Galaxy S20 or newer; on Google, Pixel 3 or newer. 326 models across 62 brands are confirmed compatible and listed on the supported devices page. The phone must also be carrier-unlocked.

Can I keep my own phone number?

Yes. A travel eSIM carries data only and sits alongside the SIM you already use, so your usual number stays reachable for calls, SMS and WhatsApp. You switch mobile data to the travel line and leave your home line on voice.

When should I install it — before or after I land?

Install before you fly, while you still have Wi-Fi at home. Installing needs a connection; using it does not. The plan itself does not start counting down until the eSIM first connects to a network in your destination.

How much does an eSIM actually save against roaming?

It depends on your carrier, but published roaming rates commonly run $10 to $30 per day, and a travel eSIM is bought per trip rather than per day. eSIMYat plans start from $1.18. Compare the day rate your own carrier charges against the plan price for your destination before you travel — that is the only comparison that reflects your bill.

What happens when the data runs out?

You top up the same eSIM rather than buying and installing a new one, so the profile on your phone stays in place. Nothing is lost if you do not use the full allowance, and the eSIM can be topped up again on a later trip to the same destination.