Frequently asked questions
How the Europe eSIM plan works before, during and after a multi-country trip — including the places it does not cover.
What is an eSIM, and why does it suit a multi-country trip?
A digital SIM built into the phone. Instead of pushing a plastic chip into a tray in every country, you install the plan once by scanning a QR code, and your usual SIM stays exactly where it is. Every border after that is the phone's problem, not yours.
Will my phone take a Europe eSIM?
Anything from roughly 2018 onward usually can — iPhone XS and later, Galaxy S20 and later, Pixel 3 and later, and most current Android phones — provided it's carrier-unlocked. Our setup guides walk through checking both in a couple of taps; do it before packing, not while boarding.
Should I install it at home or after I arrive?
Over Wi-Fi at home, a day or two before you leave. Nothing starts counting at that point: the plan begins when the eSIM first connects to a network in a covered country, so an early install costs you nothing and saves you doing it on airport Wi-Fi.
Do I keep my own number for the whole trip?
You do. The plan carries data only, so your physical SIM stays in and your number, SMS bank codes and messaging apps work exactly as before, in every country on the itinerary. The one setting to change: mobile data goes to the eSIM.
What speeds should I expect?
It runs on local partner networks: 4G/LTE in cities and along the main routes, and 5G where a network offers it. Enough for maps, video calls, and a laptop on the hotspot. In the mountains or on a remote stretch the signal thins out the same way it would on a local SIM.
Does my physical SIM have to come out?
It doesn't. Leave it in the phone for the entire trip. The eSIM installs beside it, and the only setting worth touching is pointing mobile data at the eSIM — your home SIM just sits there, off roaming, while the eSIM handles the connection.
What if the data runs out halfway through the trip?
Buy a top-up in the app. It adds straight onto the eSIM already installed — no second QR code, no reinstalling anything, just the purchase itself.
Can one plan feed all my devices over a hotspot?
Yes, tethering is included. One plan can cover a travel companion's phone, a tablet on the train and a laptop at the hotel.
Do I need a connection to install it?
For the install itself, yes — the eSIM profile has to download, which is exactly why the right moment is home Wi-Fi before departure. From then on it needs nothing: it registers on a local network by itself when you land, and again in each country after that.
Does it handle regular phone calls and texts?
No — these plans are data only. Regular calls and texts stay on your home SIM, so your number keeps working the same everywhere. Calling apps (WhatsApp, FaceTime and the like) run fine over the data itself.
When does a plan's validity clock start?
Every plan shows its own validity before you buy. The clock starts when the eSIM first connects in a covered country, not on the day you pay — so buying and installing early costs you nothing.
Which countries does it cover?
Dozens of European destinations on one plan — EU members and non-EU countries alike, with the full list printed on the home page, on the pricing page and at checkout before you pay. A handful of places in Europe are outside it — Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Moldova and the microstates among them — and this site names them rather than letting you find out on arrival.
How does payment work, and what happens if installation fails?
On the site, payment runs through Stripe's own hosted checkout page, so your card number goes to Stripe, never to us; in the app it runs through the App Store or Google Play, and goes to Apple or Google instead. If a compatible, unlocked phone still won't install or activate the eSIM, message support inside the app — we'll sort it out, refunding you if that's the fair outcome.
Is one Europe plan better than a separate eSIM per country?
For a trip that touches two or more countries, usually: one install, one balance, and no juggling profiles on a platform between trains. Bought one country at a time, the same trip means several purchases and several leftover scraps of data. The honest flip side: if the whole trip stays inside a single country, that country's own plan is often the better buy — we sell those too.