How it works
Land with data. Skip the roaming bill.
Buy a travel data plan before you fly, install it in minutes by scanning a QR code, and keep your main number active the whole time. Here is exactly what happens, step by step.
- Keep your main number
- iPhone & Android
- Install before you travel
From booking to browsing
Do the first three at home on Wi-Fi. The last one takes a few seconds when you land.
Choose a destination
Pick the country or region you are travelling to, then the data plan that fits your trip. Country plans suit a single destination; regional plans suit an itinerary that crosses borders.
Before you fly
Buy your plan
Sign in or create your Esender account and check out securely. Your eSIM and its install details appear in your account straight after purchase.
Before you fly
Install by QR on Wi-Fi
Connect to Wi-Fi, open your install guide and scan the QR code from your phone’s eSIM settings. Downloading the profile needs an internet connection, so do this at home rather than at the airport.
At home, on Wi-Fi
Turn on the travel line
When you land, choose the Esender travel line for mobile data and switch on data roaming for that line only. Leave your main number switched on for calls and texts, with its own roaming off.
When you arrive
Scan a code. That’s the SIM swap.
An eSIM is a digital SIM built into your phone. Instead of posting you a piece of plastic, we deliver a profile you add by scanning a QR code — so your travel line sits alongside your main number, with no tray, no pin and no tiny card to lose.
- Added in your phone’s own mobile data settings, next to your existing SIM
- You choose which line carries data and which one keeps your number
- Nothing to collect at an airport kiosk and nothing to post back
Install your eSIM
Step 3 of 4
What you need
Two things about your phone decide whether a travel eSIM will work for you.
A phone that supports eSIM
Most recent iPhones and many recent Android phones support eSIM, but not every model or regional version does. You can check in your phone’s own settings in under a minute.
A carrier-unlocked phone
A phone bought on a contract or from a carrier may be locked to that network, which stops it using another provider’s line. If you are not sure, ask your home carrier to confirm before you buy.
When to install, and when to switch on
Installing the eSIM and using it are two different moments. Getting them in the right order is the one thing worth planning.
Install at home, on Wi-Fi
Downloading the eSIM profile needs an internet connection, and you may not have one the moment you land. Do it before you leave, while you are on reliable Wi-Fi.
Leave the travel line off until you arrive
After installing, keep the travel line switched off for mobile data. Check your plan details for when its validity period starts.
Switch it on when you land
Select the Esender line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for that eSIM only. Your main number stays switched on for calls and texts.
Mobile data
Two lines, one phone
Before you travel
Do I lose my normal phone number?
No. The travel eSIM is added alongside your existing SIM, so your usual number stays in the phone and stays reachable. You choose which line carries mobile data.
What about my home carrier’s roaming charges?
Roaming is set per line. Turn roaming on for the Esender travel line so it can connect abroad, and leave roaming off on your home line if you want to avoid charges from your own carrier.
Can I install the eSIM after I land?
Installing needs an internet connection, so you would need Wi-Fi at the airport or your hotel. It is far easier to install at home before you travel and simply switch the line on when you arrive.
Does my phone need to be unlocked?
Yes. A carrier-locked phone can only use lines from the carrier it is locked to. If your phone came on a contract or from a carrier, ask them to confirm it is unlocked before you buy.
Where do I find my install details again?
They stay in your Esender account with the rest of your eSIMs, so you can reopen the install guide whenever you need it.
Still have a question?
The help centre covers installing, getting online abroad, data usage and billing — or send us a request and a person on our team will reply.
Ready to pick a destination?
Browse country and regional data plans, and see the price before you check out.
Browse the eSIM store