Landing in a new country and hunting for a SIM card kiosk — or worse, paying your home carrier's roaming rates — is one of travel's small but avoidable frustrations. An eSIM solves this before you even leave home.
An eSIM is a digital SIM card built directly into modern phones. Instead of swapping a physical card, you install a data plan electronically — often before you've even boarded your flight — and it activates automatically once you land. No kiosk, no queue, no guessing whether the shop near your hotel actually sells the right SIM.
eSIM vs. physical SIM vs. roaming
- Roaming through your home carrier is the simplest option but usually the most expensive by a wide margin, especially outside your carrier's included zones.
- A local physical SIM is often cheap once you have it, but requires finding a shop, sometimes an ID or passport, and juggling a second physical card.
- An eSIM gives you local-style pricing without leaving your hotel room, and most plans can be installed before you travel and simply switched on when you land.
Why Saily is our pick
Saily is built by the same team behind NordVPN, which matters for two reasons: they're not new to building reliable travel-tech infrastructure, and the product is designed with the same security-first mindset — useful given how often travelers connect to unfamiliar networks in the first place.
Saily
Saily covers 200+ destinations with straightforward, transparent data plans. Setup happens entirely in-app — pick your destination, choose a plan, install before you fly, and activate on arrival. Your existing number and home SIM stay untouched, so you don't lose calls or texts from home.
Get Saily's eSIM Plans →Setting up an eSIM before your trip
- Confirm your phone supports eSIM — most phones from the last several years do, but it's worth a quick check in your settings.
- Install the eSIM profile for your destination while you still have home WiFi or data — some steps need an internet connection to complete.
- Leave it inactive until you land, then switch it on — most plans start their validity window from first use, not from installation.
Pairing an eSIM with a VPN
An eSIM and a VPN solve different problems: the eSIM gets you online, the VPN secures what you do once you're connected. Using Saily alongside NordVPN covers both sides — worth considering together rather than picking just one. If public WiFi security specifically is your main concern, see our guide to VPNs for airport and hotel WiFi.
Frequently asked questions
What is an eSIM and how does it work for travelers?
An eSIM is a digital SIM card built into your phone that can be activated remotely, letting you add a local data plan in a new country without swapping a physical SIM card.
Do I need a VPN if I'm using a travel eSIM?
Yes — an eSIM gets you connected to the internet, while a VPN encrypts that connection. They solve different problems and work well used together.