eSIM stands for “embedded SIM”, because everything you need is digitally built into your smartphone or tablet. Think of it as the evolution of the SIM card - it’s just like your old SIM, but better! Now there are no tiny holes or bits of plastic to deal with, so you never have to think about swapping out SIM cards again. Wave goodbye to the old and say hello to the future of mobile connectivity!

Ensure your phone is both network unlocked and eSIM compatible before making a purchase. All iPhones made since 2018 and most new Android models are compatible. You can check your device’s compatibility here . To find out if your phone is network unlocked follow our guide here.

You can’t make regular network calls or send SMS with your eSIM, but you can keep your existing SIM active if you still want access to these services. Just make sure you confirm any charges with your network provider before you travel. And remember, while our eSIM plans are designed just for data, you can still use messaging and voice apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, iMessage and more. These apps all work great with the data connection your eSIM from Local-eSIM provides.

Setting up your eSIM is easy, and we’ll send a step by step guide after purchase. Or, you can head to our eSIM installation guide here.

First, you need to make sure you’ve got a reliable internet connection, so make sure you’re connected to Wi-FI. Go to Settings > Mobile Data > Add Data Plan. This can vary depending on your model, so if you can’t see this option, find your steps here.

• Turn on mobile data and data roaming. 
• Scan the QR code. Open the camera and scan the code in the email you received after buying your eSIM - the easiest way to do this is by printing out your email or saving the code on your computer screen. 
• Once you’ve scanned the code you can download your eSIM straight to your mobile device. 
• Choose a name for your data plan. 
• Click on the option for “data only”. As our eSIMs are for data, you can keep your regular SIM if you want to make network calls or send SMS texts.
• Make sure you turn off data roaming on your main SIM to avoid being charged for voice and text

You can select which SIM to enable/disable in your device's mobile data settings. Switching on Data Roaming on your eSIM but switching it off on your regular SIM will ensure it uses the eSIM when traveling.

Also ensure that your Local-eSIM eSIM is set as the preferred SIM for Mobile data.

We’ll send you regular updates and you can check the data used on your eSIM in the My Account area of your Local-eSIM login.

We’ll let you know when you’re close to your limit but it’s easy to top up or buy another eSIM if you do run out - just connect to Wi-Fi first. Unlike your regular network provider, we’ll never let you go over your agreed data allowance and start charging you more. We also offer unlimited plans to give you even more freedom over your data usage.