Looking for the best eSIM for Europe? In this blog get a detailed comparison and review of the top eSIM apps & plans – and learn which is the overall eSIM winner for Europe.

As a travel photographer & content creator who’s been to 45+ countries, I SWEAR by using an eSIM – I don’t know how I traveled in the past without them! Having quick and easy access to data without facing hefty international fees is incredibly helpful for streamlining your travels and keeping you connected. As a solo traveler especially, having an eSIM can be a powerful safety tool as well. I’ve tried out many eSIM apps during my travels, and selecting the best eSIM for Europe in particular can be a bit of a challenge – do you purchase an eSIM for an individual country or a regional plan?

So in this blog, I’ll share an eSIM comparison and review of the top eSIM apps; and point you towards the best eSIM for Europe, including a discussion of how to select whether or not to use a country versus regional eSIM for your Europe trip.

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An eSIM is a virtual SIM card that enables you to connect to a mobile network without having to install a local, physical SIM card. The benefits of this is that you’re able to flip between using your phone’s native SIM card and the eSIM. Some eSIMs offer data-only plans, which means you’ll still need to use your native SIM for phone calls (and thus will be subject to international calling fees), and some offer data + calling where you can do everything from the eSIM. Most eSIMs are installed via an app, where you’ll select your data plan in GB and choose a country or region for your data usage.

eSIMs, in comparison to most cellular international plans, are much more affordable. They’re also convenient, have an easy setup, and work in most countries (depending on your eSIM app’s plans). Some eSIMs even allow you to switch between networks, increasing your speed. Tip: one thing to make sure of before purchasing an eSIM is that your phone is unlocked and able to use an eSIM; in most cases, newly purchased cell phones are locked for 60 days, but after this period are eSIM compatible.

In most cases, installing an eSIM is as easy as downloading an eSIM app, purchasing a plan, and following a few quick steps on both the app and your phone settings. The exact step-by-step process might differ between apps, but generally the process is the same; purchase an eSIM plan; install & activate the eSIM, and then select the option to have your phone use data from the eSIM instead of your native SIM card.

Selecting the best eSIM depends on a variety of factors including; which eSIM apps offer the most country-compatibility, which eSIM is the most affordable, which eSIM has the best customer service, which eSIM is easiest to use, and which eSIM has the highest amount of data available. The best eSIM may come down to your own personal preference and specific needs, which is why I’m including a comparison of the top eSIM plans.

Choosing whether to purchase a country-specific eSIM for each individual European countries you are visiting versus purchasing a regional eSIM that will work across multiple European countries depends on your budget, trip length, and preference on the amount of data. 

In general, if you are visiting less than 3 European countries and/or spending a good deal of time in at least one European country, it is most likely best to purchase an individual plan for each country, as it will be cheaper overall for more data. If, however, you plan on visiting multiple countries in Europe over a shorter period of time, a regional eSIM is best to avoid having to switch plans and get everything all setup again.

It feels like the golden age of eSIMs – there are now a great number of competing eSIM apps and navigating the plans can be confusing. In this section, I’m offering a comparison and break down of the pros and cons of the best eSIM apps, highlighting which features are best for Europe.

Airalo is the first eSIM app I ever tried (and loved!), and it remains one of the leading eSIM apps. Airalo’s app has a simple and easy-to-use interface, and offers plans in over 200+ countries (including some of the more obscure ones, which is HUGE for world travelers). There are both country-specific and regional plans, including a Europe regional plan; which makes Airalo a prominent pick as one of the best eSIMs for Europe.

It also has competitive pricing, and is available in 42 individual European countries. Airalo offers 24/7 customer support as well; which is essential when you are in different time zones and need your eSIM to work asap. To try out Airalo, use code “REBECCA3” for $3 off your first Airalo eSIM. 

HolaFly is one of those apps where once you experience HolaFly, you won’t want to return to a competing eSIM app; as HolaFly offers UNLIMITED data. Obviously, this means plans are more expensive than competing apps, but you never have to worry about topping off – from the moment you land to the moment you leave your eSIM will probably be the last thing on your mind.

I tried it out on a trip to Scandanavia and I immediately saw why people SWEAR by HolaFly – I loved that once I set it up, I pretty much never thought about it again for the rest of the trip and it was SO relieving to use data as much as I needed and not have to plan about how I’d save data.

For those planning a regional, multi-country trip, HolaFly’s regional Europe plan is easily the best eSIM for Europe as a whole. To give HolaFly a try, use code “ROAMFREEREBECCA” for 5% off any plan!

Jetpac is a newer eSIM from a Singapore-based company, but is quickly growing in popularity. Along with competitive pricing and 24/7 customer support, it’s easy to see why Jetpac is a great choice for Europe. As an added bonus, Jetpac will give you free lounge access on flight delays over an hour, as well as a free VPN trial; which is the perfect pairing with an eSIM for the ultimate security. The only downside is despite their marketing for 5G coverage, in Europe in particular, many customers have reported signal dropping down to LTE and having spotty connection in the UK and other areas of Europe. Try it here!

Saily was created by NordVPN and as such it is one of the most secure & reliable eSIMs, which is great when you are Wifi-hopping around Europe. The key feature of Saily’s security is the ability to enable features like “web protection” and “ad blockers.” Like Airalo, it offers competitive pricing and on short-term trips, edges out a win as the cheapest. Saily also offers 24/7 customer support and even offers a refund if you run into connectivity issues (some eligibility requirements). To give Saily a try, use code “ROAMET5370” for $5 off your first plan!

AloSIM is one of the newest eSIM companies but is a quick standout as the best eSIM for Europe because unlike other eSIMs, it actually offers sub-regional plans: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Mediterranean, and Scandinavia. AloSIM has a regional Europe plan as well in case you need a bit more coverage. AloSIM is great for budget travelers, as it has a variety of competitively priced plans that are a bit cheaper than its competitors. Try it here!

For those planning a regional, 3+ country trip to Europe, I’d pick HolaFly as the winner due to its set-it-and-forget-it ease of use and unlimited data. To test out HolaFly, use code “ROAMFREEREBECCA” for 5% off any data plan.

However, depending on your individual and specific preferences, you might want to explore one of the other eSIM apps discussed in this blog post – maybe you are wifi hopping and want a more secure connection to protect your data – in which case Saily is ideal (use code “ROAMET5370” for $5 off your first plan!). You really can’t go wrong, any of them are great picks for your European adventures!

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