When traveling abroad, having communication on your smartphone is essential. Many people purchase local SIM cards or eSIMs for this purpose. This time, I will introduce the differences between a SIM card and an eSIM.
SIM Card vs eSIM
An eSIM is a digital SIM embedded in your device, allowing you to switch carriers without a physical SIM card, while a traditional SIM card is a removable chip that stores your mobile number and carrier information.
| Feature | SIM Card | eSIM |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Form | Removable plastic card | Embedded, non-removable chip |
| Installation | Inserted into a SIM tray | Downloaded and Activated Digitally |
| Switching Carriers | Requires physical swap | Can be reprogrammed remotely |
| Device Compatibility | Most mobile devices | Supported by newer devices |
| Storage | Contacts, text messages, network info | Same as SIM, but stored digitally |
| Convenience | Less convenient for frequent changes | Highly convenient for frequent changes |
| Device | Almost all the smartphone devices | See below |
When using an eSIM, there’s no need to swap SIM cards, so you won’t risk losing your home country SIM while traveling, nor will you need to switch SIMs upon returning home. Recently, many eSIMs have become easier to set up, making eSIMs a recommended option for those with devices that support them.
eSIM Compatible Devices
iPhone
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 Mini
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Mini
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone SE (2020)
iPhone SE (2022)
Google Pixel
Google Pixel 7 Pro
Google Pixel 7a
Google Pixel 7
Google Pixel 6 Pro
Google Pixel 6
Google Pixel 5a (5G)
Google Pixel 5
Google Pixel 4a (5G)
Google Pixel 4a
Google Pixel 4
Google Pixel 4 XL