Complete Guide: Best eSIM For Europe In 2024

Airalo: Perfect for travelers looking for short-term and long-term options. (My pick)
Holafly: Great options, including unlimited data plans.
Nomad: Offers a variety of country and global plans, as well as unlimited data plans in some destinations.
AloSIM: Offers a few different European eSIM plans to suit different needs.

Need help finding the best eSIM? Easily compare mobile data plans on simpackers.com.

Before we dive deeper, if you’re new to eSIM, let’s see what an eSIM is.

What Is An eSIM?

eSIM is a type of SIM card that is embedded in your device.

You don’t need a physical SIM card in Europe, which makes it more convenient for people who travel frequently.

eSIMs are also becoming more common in smartphones, so if you’re looking to buy a new phone, eSIM might be an option for you.

There’s a catch! eSIMs are not yet universally supported.

So before you switch to an eSIM, make sure your device is compatible.

Read our guide to learn more about the differences between SIM cards and eSIM.

Which Devices Are Compatible With eSIM?

eSIM is currently supported on a few devices, including:

Apple iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, 11, 12, 13, and newer models.
Google Pixel 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and newer models.
Samsung Galaxy S20, S21, and newer models.
Huawei P40, and newer models.

To check if your device is compatible with eSIM, you can go to Settings and locate your International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).

This will tell you if your device supports eSIM.

Here’s how to do it add an eSIM on a Pixel device:

Go to Settings.
Go to Network and Internet
Go to SIMS
Click on Add more
Choose Download a SIM instead.
Click on next.
Scan the QR code.
Name the eSIM.
Pick the eSIM to provide data.
Make sure the roaming is on.

How To Choose The Best Europe eSIM Provider?

Now that we know what an eSIM is let’s look at how to choose the best eSIM provider for Europe.

There are a few factors to consider when choosing an eSIM provider, including:

Coverage: Make sure the eSIM provider has good coverage in the countries you travel to.
Data: How much data do you need? You’ll need a plan with more data if you’re a heavy user or if you need the Internet to work.
Speed: Not all eSIM providers offer the same speeds. If you need fast speed, make sure to choose a provider that offers them.
Price: eSIM plans can vary in price, so consider your budget when choosing a provider.

Where To Buy A Europe eSIM?

eSIMs can be bought from a variety of places, including:

eSIM providers: Many eSIM providers sell eSIMs directly from their websites. This is the most convenient option, as you can activate your eSIM immediately.
Carriers: If you’re already using a carrier, you may be able to buy an eSIM from them. It’s worth checking if your current carrier has its own eSIM plans.

So, how do you pick an eSIM provider in Europe?

Let us help! We’ll review the best eSIM for European travels below.

Airalo Europe

Airalo is the most popular eSIM store and offers eSIMs in 200+ countries at affordable prices.

I’ve been using Airalo for a while now, and you can read our complete Airalo review to learn more about this eSIM provider.

Airalo offers local, regional, and global plans.

If you’re traveling in Europe, you might be interested in the Airalo Eurolink plan.

Here’s how Airalo works:

Create an account on Airalo.
Download the app or use the desktop version.
Choose the European plan.
Install your eSIM.
Activate your eSIM.

Airalo eSIM Europe

Airalo offers the regional plan Eurolink that includes coverage in 39 European countries.

Here’s an overview of the options available in Europe:

1 GB, valid for 7 days for $5
3 GB, valid for 30 days for $13
5 GB, valid for 30 days for $20
10 GB, valid for 30 days for $37
50 GB, valid for 90 days for $100
100 GB, valid for 180 days for $185

Pros And Cons Of Using Airalo To Buy eSIM

Let’s take a look at the main pros and cons of Airalo.

Pros:

Coverage in 190+ countries.
Short-term and long-term plans available.
Affordable prices.
Offers local, regional, and global plans.
The customer support is excellent and fast.

Cons:

No unlimited data plans available.
I had a few issues in the past, but customer support always fixed the issues quickly.

Airalo Offer

Get 10% off on your first purchase on Airalo by using my Airalo referral code: ABB10.

Holafly Europe

Holafly is an eSIM provider with eSIM plans for more than 190 destinations. They offer local and regional plans, including Europe.

I tried Holafly in Europe in the past, so you can read our complete Holafly review to learn more.

Here’s how Holafly Europe works:

Pick the European plan.
You’ll receive an email with your eSIM.
Scan the QR code to activate your eSIM.

Holafly eSIM Europe

Holafly has great European eSIM plans that work in 30 countries. It’s interesting because they come with unlimited data.

Here’s an overview of the plans available in Europe:

Unlimited data, valid for 5 days for $21
Unlimited data, valid for 7 days for $29
Unlimited data, valid for 10 days for $37
Unlimited data, valid for 15 days for $51
Unlimited data, valid for 20 days for $62
Unlimited data, valid for 30 days for $75
Unlimited data, valid for 60 days for $107
Unlimited data, valid for 90 days for $139

Pros And Cons Of Using Holafly To Buy eSIM

Let’s take a look at the main pros and cons of Holafly.

Pros:

eSIMs are delivered via email immediately.
Plans available for more than 190 countries.
Supports both short-term and long-term plans.
Offers lots of options with unlimited data.
The customer support is fast (they answered me in 19 minutes).

Cons:

You get unlimited data plans in several countries and regions, which is excellent if you are a heavy user. However, some users reported that the speed could vary. This could mean you’ll get high speed first, and eventually, you’ll get a slower speed if you use too much data.
You can’t always set up a hotspot with some plans, but some of them offer it. It’s worth checking out if you’re planning on using a hotspot.

Holafly Offer

Get 5% off on your first order on Holafly with my referral code ABROKENBACKPACK.

AloSIM Europe

aloSIM is an eSIM provider offering plans in 160+ regions and countries. You’ll find different types of plans in Europe.

To learn more, you can read our complete aloSIM review.

Here’s how aloSIM works:

Pick a plan on aloSIM.
Click on the buy button.
Log in or create an account.
Choose a payment method. They accept credit cards as well as vouchers.
Complete the purchase.
Click on eSIM plan.
Click on the button to install the eSIM.
Scan the QR code. You’ll also get information below the QR code if you need help.
Set up an APN as mentioned in the installation guidelines.
Enable roaming to access the Internet.

AloSIM eSIM Europe

AloSIM offers various European plans.

Here’s an overview of the plans available in Europe:

Europe (works in 32 countries)
Mediterranean
Eastern Europe
Scandinavia
UK, Ireland, and Scotland
Western Europe

Pros And Cons Of Using aloSIM To Buy ESIM

Let’s take a look at the main pros and cons of using aloSIM to purchase an eSIM.

Pros:

Coverage in 160+ countries.
The website is easy to use.
The support team is extremely fast.
Offers affordable local and regional plans.

Cons:

Some European plans don’t offer coverage in as many countries as other eSIM providers. To counter this, we suggest you look at the different plans in Europe to find one that suits your needs.

AloSIM Offer

Get a $3 discount on your first purchase with my AloSIM promo code: ABB3. To add a coupon code, you’ll need to enter it as a voucher when choosing a payment method.

Nomad Europe

Nomad offers data plans in 100+ countries. They also have local, regional, and global plans, including a European eSIM plan.

I’ve tried Nomad in Thailand, and it worked well. Although, it’s not my favorite because they only have short-term plans (up to 30 days).

Because I’m a long-term traveler, this is an issue, but for most travelers, it might be fine!

Nomad offers fixed data plans and unlimited data plans, giving you many options to pick from.

Here’s how Nomad eSIM works:

Pick a data plan.
Install the eSIM by scanning the QR code.
Activate your plan.

Nomad eSIM Europe

Nomad also offers plans in Europe. Their plan offers coverage in 35 European countries.

Here’s an overview of the plans available:

1 GB, valid for 7 days for $9
3 GB, valid for 30 days for $17
5 GB, valid for 30 days for $18
10 GB, valid for 30 days for $26

Pros And Cons Of Using Nomad To Buy eSIM

Let’s take a look at the main pros and cons of Nomad.

Pros:

Plans available in 100+ countries.
Regional and global plans available.
The website is very modern.
Unlimited data plans in some destinations.

Cons:

All the reviews on the website are 5-star, which I find hard to believe. Nothing is perfect in this world.
Short-term plans only (up to 30 days).

Nomad Offer

There are no offers at the moment.

SimOptions Europe

SimOptions offers prepaid traditional SIM cards, and eSIM plans. They have plans everywhere around the world, including regional plans like Europe.

How SimOptions works:

Purchase a plan.
Scan the QR code to install your eSIM.

SimOptions eSIM Europe

SimOptions offers plans from different carriers, including O2 and Orange.

Here’s an overview of the plans available:

5 GB, valid for 30 days for $17.90
10 GB, valid for 30 days for $24.90
15 GB, valid for 14 days for $29.90
30 GB, valid for 14 days for $49.90

Pros And Cons Of Using SimOptions To Buy eSIM

Let’s take a look at the main pros and cons of SimOptions.

Pros:

Prepaid traditional SIM cards and eSIM plans available.
Offers eSIM plans from different carriers, so you have more options to choose from.

Cons:

The website is a bit more old-school but still very easy to use.

SimsOptions Offer

There are no offers at the moment.

BNESIM Europe

BNESIM is an eSIM provider that was founded in 2017. They offer plans in 200+ countries.

You’ll also find other options like international phone numbers, unlimited data packages, and monthly subscriptions.

To learn more, you can read our complete BNESIM review.

Here’s how BNESIM works:

Pick a plan.
Pay for your plan by entering your credit card information and email.
Install your eSIM by scanning the QR code.
If you’re using an Android, you’ll need to set up the APN. You’ll get all the information to set it up under the QR code.

BNESIM eSIM Europe

BNESIM offers a European plan that includes coverage in 30 European countries.

Here’s an overview of the options available in Europe:

1 GB, no expiration for $3.77
3 GB, no expiration for $10.98
5 GB, no expiration for $17.73
10 GB, no expiration for $33.95

Pros And Cons Of Using BNESIM To Buy ESIM

Let’s take a look at the main pros and cons of using BNESIM.

Pros:

Coverage in 200+ countries.
Plans without expirations are available.
Discounts on monthly data plans.
Offers local and regional plans.

Cons:

The website is a bit simple, and not the most user-friendly one. For example, it can get overwhelming when looking at the options because of the way plans are presented. Update: they are working on a new version, so we’re looking forward to seeing it!

BNESIM Offer

Get a EUR 4 discount on your first purchase over EUR 10 with my BNESIM promo code: MELISSA4OFF.

Yoho Mobile Europe

Yoho Mobile is an eSIM provider offering plans in 190+ regions and countries. They offer a regional plan that includes coverage in 29 European countries.

You can read our complete Yoho Mobile review to learn more.

Here’s how Yoho Mobile works:

Pick a plan.
Pay for your plan by entering your credit card information, name, address, and email.
Install your eSIM by scanning the QR code.
Make sure to enable roaming to access the Internet.

Yoho Mobile Europe

Yoho Mobile offers a European plan that works in 29 countries.

Here’s an overview of the options available in Europe:

1GB, valid for 7 days for $4.50
3 GB, valid for 10 days for $10.99
5 GB, valid for 15 days for $17.50
10 GB, valid for 30 days for $32.99
Unlimited, valid for 10 days for $22
Unlimited, valid for 30 days for $63

Pros And Cons Of Using Yoho Mobile To Buy An eSIM

Let’s take a look at the main pros and cons of using Yoho Mobile to purchase an eSIM.

Pros:

Coverage in 190+ countries.
Many countries and regional plans offer multiple networks, which means you’ll get access to better Internet during your travels.
Offers local and regional plans.

Cons:

The website is relatively new, so we are excited to see how this eSIM provider will evolve in time.

Yoho Mobile Offer

Get a 5% discount on your first purchase with my Yoho Mobile promo code: abrokenbackpack5. To add a coupon code, click on View Cart and paste the coupon code there.

Benefits Of Using A European eSIM For Traveling

European eSIMs offer many benefits, which is excellent news if you’re a frequent traveler.

Here are the main reasons why I love using eSIM during my travels:

You get data as soon as you arrive.
You can activate your eSIM immediately.
You can keep your usual phone number and use eSIM to get data.
You don’t need to remove your SIM card or find a store to purchase one during your travels.
You can top up easily and quickly.

Final Thoughts On eSIM Card Europe

There are many European eSIM providers out there, but not all of them offer the same coverage.

I’ve used all the eSIM cards mentioned in this post, and I can say that they’re all excellent eSIM providers with great European plans.

If you’re looking for the best European eSIM, I highly recommend Airalo or Holafly. They offer great plans at reasonable prices, and their coverage is excellent.

Want more travel tips? Read one of the following guides: