Best Travel eSIM for First-Time Travellers
Before my first international trip, I spent two days researching how to get phone data abroad. Two full days. Reading Reddit threads, comparing providers, watching YouTube videos that were basically ads, and getting progressively more confused.
It shouldn't be this hard. So here's the guide I wish existed back then. Written for someone who has never dealt with SIM cards abroad, doesn't know what an eSIM is, and just wants their phone to work when they land.
First: Do You Even Need Data Abroad?
Yes. Unless you're the kind of person who prints MapQuest directions, yes.
Here's what stops working the moment your plane lands in another country (assuming you don't have international data):
- Google Maps and Apple Maps
- Uber, Grab, Bolt, and every ride-hailing app
- WhatsApp and iMessage (for messaging)
- Google Translate
- Your banking app (for checking exchange rates)
- Instagram, TikTok, and everything else you use to kill time
Your phone still works as a camera and alarm clock. That's about it.
Some people say "I'll just use Wi-Fi." This works until you're standing on a street corner in Barcelona at 11pm trying to find your Airbnb and the nearest cafe with Wi-Fi is closed. Don't rely on it.
Your Three Options
Option 1: Carrier Roaming (Don't)
This is what happens if you do nothing. Your phone connects to a local network abroad and your home carrier charges you an obscene amount for the privilege.
We're talking $5-15 per day, sometimes more. I know someone who came back from a 10-day trip to Italy with a $180 bill from Telstra. She'd only used Maps and WhatsApp.
Some carriers offer "travel packs" for $5-10/day with limited data. This is less terrible but still expensive compared to the other options.
Option 2: Local SIM Card (Old School)
This is what every travel blog recommended in 2019. Land at the airport, find the SIM card booth, buy a prepaid SIM, and pop it into your phone.
It works. But it means:
- Finding the booth (not always obvious, sometimes closed late at night)
- Waiting in line with 40 other tourists
- Handing over your passport for registration
- Removing your home SIM (which means losing your home number temporarily)
- Hoping activation doesn't take 30 minutes
And if you're visiting multiple countries, you might need a new SIM at each border.
Option 3: eSIM (What I Recommend)
An eSIM is a digital SIM that's already built into most modern phones. Instead of buying a physical card, you scan a QR code and your phone downloads a data plan. Takes about 60 seconds.
You can do it from your couch the night before your flight. When you land, your phone connects automatically. No booth, no queue, no passport handover, no losing your home SIM.
If you want the full technical explanation, I wrote a detailed guide on what eSIMs are and how they work.
Which eSIM Should You Get?
There are a lot of eSIM providers now. Here's what matters for first-time travellers:
What to Look For
Multi-country coverage. If your trip involves more than one country (even a day trip across a border), get a plan that covers all of them. Country-specific plans will leave you stranded at the border.
Enough data. 20GB is the sweet spot for a 2-week trip. That covers maps, messaging, social media, and occasional video calls. You'd have to try really hard to use more than that.
A real phone number. Most eSIM providers only give you data. No phone number. That means no calls and no SMS. This matters more than you think (restaurant bookings, hotel confirmations, emergencies).
No app required. Some providers make you download their app. Others just email you a QR code. The QR code approach is simpler.
My Pick: GOAN
I've used GOAN for my entire 8-month trip. Here's why:
- 20GB for $29 (group price, 2+ people) or $39 solo
- 105+ countries on one plan. Check the coverage map.
- Real phone number included. I can make and receive calls.
- No app. Scan QR code, done.
- Set up in under 60 seconds. There's a visual install guide if you need it.
Step-by-Step: Setting Up Your First eSIM
Don't overthink this. It's genuinely easier than it sounds.
Before Your Trip
Check your phone supports eSIM. Most phones from 2020 onward do. Use GOAN's compatibility checker if you're not sure.
Buy your plan. Go to goanesim.com and pick the plan that matches your trip. You'll get a QR code emailed to you.
Scan the QR code. On iPhone: Settings > Mobile Data > Add eSIM > Scan QR Code. On Android: Settings > Network > SIM > Add eSIM. Point your camera at the QR code.
Label it. Your phone will ask you to label the new plan. Call it "Travel" or "GOAN" so you know which is which.
Set it as your data line. Go to your SIM settings and set the eSIM as your default for mobile data. Keep your home SIM as default for calls (so people back home can still reach you).
At the Airport
Nothing. You've already done everything. Turn off airplane mode when you land and your phone will connect to the local network automatically.
This is the part that blew my mind the first time. I landed in Bangkok, turned off airplane mode, and within 10 seconds I had full 4G data. I messaged my mum, opened Maps, and ordered a Grab to my hostel. All before I left the arrivals hall.
Common First-Timer Worries
"What if it doesn't work?" In 8 months across about 15 countries, my eSIM has worked every single time. The only time I had no signal was in the middle of the Vietnamese countryside on a motorbike, and even that came back within 10 minutes.
"Will I lose my home number?" No. Your home SIM stays in your phone. The eSIM runs alongside it. Both are active at the same time. You keep your home number for calls and texts, and the eSIM handles your travel data.
"How much data do I actually need?" For a typical 2-week trip: 10-20GB is plenty. Maps use about 5-10MB per hour of navigation. WhatsApp messages are tiny. Instagram scrolling uses about 100MB per hour. Video calls use about 300MB per hour.
20GB gives you room to use your phone normally without worrying.
"Can I use it on my tablet too?" If your tablet supports eSIM (most newer iPads do), yes. Otherwise, you can use your phone as a hotspot and connect your tablet to it.
"What happens when the data runs out?" You buy another plan. Or top up if your provider offers it. With 20GB, most people don't come close to running out on a 2-week trip.
My First Trip vs Now
My first international trip was a 2-week holiday to Japan. I spent $45 on a pocket Wi-Fi rental that I had to carry, charge, and return. It was bulky, the battery died by 3pm, and I couldn't make phone calls with it.
Now I scan a QR code before I leave and my phone just works everywhere. No extra device, no rental desk, no battery anxiety.
If I could go back and give first-trip Mia one piece of advice, it would be: get an eSIM, set it up the night before, and stop worrying about connectivity. There are way more important things to stress about. Like whether you packed enough underwear.
(You didn't. You never do. Buy more at your destination.)
Quick Checklist Before Your First Trip
- Check phone compatibility
- Buy an eSIM plan (I recommend GOAN)
- Scan QR code and install eSIM profile
- Download offline Google Maps for your destination
- Set eSIM as default data line
- Set up live location sharing with someone back home
- Relax. You're prepared.
For a deeper look at how eSIMs compare to physical SIM cards (and when a physical SIM might still make sense), check out my full comparison guide.
