For a traveller with an unlocked, eSIM-capable phone, the eSIM is the easier choice: install it at home over Wi-Fi and there is no card to swap on arrival. Our Global eSIM covers 165+ countries on one plan, priced by trip length from USD 9.99.
Landing and then queuing for a card to swap is a rough way to start a trip.
Choose an eSIM over a prepaid SIM if your phone is unlocked
Pick the eSIM if your phone is unlocked and supports eSIM. Pick a prepaid SIM if you need a traditional local number or your phone has no eSIM. Our Global eSIM is installed once and stays on the phone, so each trip needs only a new plan.
Your phone must be unlocked by your home carrier. Check our compatibility list to confirm your phone is eSIM ready.
Each eSIM installs on only one device. Most eSIM-compatible devices can also hold several eSIM data plans at the same time.
Install once. Buy a plan per trip. Pack nothing extra.
How do you set up an eSIM versus a prepaid SIM before a Europe trip?
An eSIM is a digital SIM built into the phone, so you install it over Wi-Fi at home and turn it on when you land. A prepaid SIM is a physical card you have to get and swap into the phone.
Apple publishes these steps for adding an eSIM to an iPhone (Apple Support, Set up eSIM on iPhone):
- Turn on your iPhone and set it up. When the Set Up Cellular screen appears, tap Use QR code. (Activating after setup instead: open the Camera app and scan your QR code. When the Cellular Plan Detected notification appears, tap it.)
- On iOS 17.4 or later, when your carrier sends a QR code to a default email app or browser, press and hold the code, then tap Add eSIM.
- Tap Continue at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap Add Cellular Plan.
- When prompted for a confirmation code to activate the eSIM, type in the number your carrier gave you.
Google publishes these for a Pixel (Google Pixel Phone Guidebook, Set up eSIM on Pixel):
- First confirm with your carrier that it supports eSIM.
- Open the Settings app. Then, tap Network & internet.
- Tap SIMs.
- Tap Download a new eSIM.
In the Maya Mobile app on iOS, choose the QR code method, which is marked Recommended. Scan the code with the device to install on, tap Add eSIM or Add Cellular Plan when notified, and follow the prompts. Prefer the automatic route? Go to Home, select the eSIM, choose Installation Instructions, tap Install eSIM Now, and follow the prompts.
Need the manual code? Log in, click My eSIMs, click Install eSIM under the plan, then click Manual Activation Code. Copy the code and enter it on the device when prompted. Done. You’re set before the airport.
Do you need a phone number in Europe, or just data?
You need a phone number only if you want calls or SMS on a traditional number. Our eSIM plans are data only and include no local phone number.
We currently offer only eSIM data plans, with no physical SIM cards. Used for data only, the plan saves expensive roaming fees.
For calls and messages, use apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime. If you need a traditional phone number, pick an Orange/Sim Local plan.
What does one eSIM cost for a trip across several countries?
Our unlimited plans cost USD 9.99 for 3 days, USD 19.99 for 7, USD 27.99 for 14 and USD 49.99 for 30. One plan covers every country on your route, across 165+ countries.
The 3-day plan works out to USD 3.33/day. The 7-day plan is USD 2.86/day and suits week-long trips and city breaks. The 30-day plan is USD 1.67/day.
Pick your days and go.
What happens when your days run out on a travel eSIM?
The eSIM and its setup stay on the phone, so the next trip is a new plan and nothing else. If a plan shows as expired, buy a new one in the Maya app in under a minute.
Auto Top-Up is optional and off by default. Switch it on and it buys the same plan again when the current one expires; switch it off any time from My eSIM. Nothing is charged after your plan ends unless Auto Top-Up is on.
When is a prepaid SIM or an eSIM the wrong pick for Europe?
An eSIM is the wrong pick if your phone is locked to its carrier or isn’t on our compatibility list. A device that isn’t listed will not work with our eSIM packages.
Beyond phones from Apple, Samsung and Google, the list also carries these:
- Oppo: the Find X8, Find X8 Pro, Find N2 Flip, Find X3 Pro, Find X5, Find X5 Pro, Reno 5 A, A55s 5G and Reno6 Pro 5G.
- Huawei: the P40, P40 Pro and Mate 40 Pro.
- Nokia: the G60 5G, X30 5G and XR21.
- Honor: the Honor 90 and Magic 3, 3 Pro, 3 Pro+, 4 Pro and 5 Pro.
- Xiaomi: the 12T Pro, 13, 13 Lite, 13 Pro, 14, 14 Pro and 14 Ultra.
- Microsoft: the Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2.
- Motorola: various Razr, Edge and Moto G models.
Tablets and watches count too. Compatible iPads include the iPad Pro 11-inch (1st Gen or later), iPad Air (3rd Gen or later) and iPad mini (5th Gen or later). Compatible Apple Watches include Series 3 to 10 (GPS + Cellular), Ultra 1 & 2, and SE (all generations).
With 165+ countries covered, your phone is the thing to check.
Which travel eSIM should you buy for a Europe trip across several countries?
Buy the plan that fits your route and your days. We sell one Global plan for 165+ countries at a flat price by trip length. Airalo, Holafly and Saily publish Europe plans covering 41, 33 and 35 countries, as each lists them.
The table sets the published terms side by side.
| Travel eSIM | How plans are sold | Unlimited plan allowance, as published | Several countries on one trip, as published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maya Mobile | One Global eSIM for 165+ countries, unlimited data at a flat price by trip length: USD 9.99 for 3 days, USD 19.99 for 7 days, USD 27.99 for 14 days, USD 49.99 for 30 days | A daily high-speed data allowance (the Daily Quota) at up to 4G LTE or 5G where local networks offer it, reset every 24 hours; unlimited data at standard speed once the Daily Quota is used | One Global plan covers every country on the route, across 165+ countries, at the same price in every country; cruise lines are the Global + Cruise plan |
| Airalo | Per country, per region, or one global plan; priced in USD | Our unlimited data packages don’t have a fixed total data cap. However, to keep the network running fairly for everyone, when you use more than 3GB in a day, we’ll slow down (or “throttle”) your internet speed to 1 Mbps for the rest of that day. Your full high-speed connection will automatically be restored when your daily allowance next resets. Your daily allowance resets every 24 hours, counted from the time you activated your eSIM. | Regional plans: Latin America $7.00 USD; North America $5.50 USD; Europe (41 countries) one eSIM, one package; European Union and United Kingdom $4.00 USD |
| Holafly | Per country, per region (Europe, Latin America, Cruise plans), and monthly global plans: Light, 25GB of data, $ 49.90USD/month; Unlimited, $ 64.90USD/month; Ultra, $ 90.95USD/month | Unlimited data plans are subject to a fair use policy, which may temporarily reduce speed in cases of unusually high usage to maintain network quality for all users. | Regional plans: Europe (33 countries incl. UK, Ireland); Latin America (18 countries); single-country plans also sold |
| Saily | Per country and per region, plus one global plan; by the gigabyte, unlimited, or both | The Unlimited plan gives you 5 GB per day at full 4G/5G speed, then keeps you online at 1 Mbps for the rest of the day — fast enough for navigation, messaging, and standard browsing. | Regional plans cover 35 countries across Europe; 12 countries across Latin America; Global plan covers 121 countries, plus a plan per country (e.g., Mexico, Japan). |
The rival cells quote each provider’s own wording or briefly summarise it, while the Maya Mobile cells come from maya.net.
In a one-star Trustpilot review of aloSIM dated August 13, 2026, Osman D. wrote: “No Russian manuals available. I purchased aloSIM for my family while they were traveling, but none of them could set up the eSIM. As an experienced Windows and Android user, I could have probably figured it out by trial and error, but my family couldn’t. It’s way too complicated with English-only instructions. Plus, after my payment successfully processed, the app still asked me to buy the plan again. # update since you are planning to add Russian instructions, I’ll give aloSIM another try. My family is heading to Turkey at the end of August, and if everything goes well, I’ll update my review to 5 stars.”
Atlas, a globe 4.5 billion years old, gives a slow nod and points at the fix. Install before you fly, on stable Wi-Fi at home.
How Maya keeps one eSIM on your phone for every trip
The hassle of a Europe trip is getting connected again for every trip. We install one eSIM once, and it stays on your phone permanently.
It covers 165+ countries with unlimited data and a daily high-speed allowance, the Daily Quota. Pick a flat price for 3, 7, 14 or 30 days. Need more days? Buy another plan from the Maya app, with no reinstalling.
FAQ
Which phones can use a travel eSIM?
Check the full list at maya.net/esim-compatible-devices. The iPhone models listed run from the iPhone XR/XS series through the iPhone 17 series, including iPhone Air, SE 2 (2020) and SE 3 (2022). It also includes Samsung Galaxy S20 through S25 series, Z Flip and Z Fold models, and Google Pixel models from the Pixel 3 up to the Pixel 10 Pro. Smart watches, tablets and laptops sit in a separate complete list.
Why should you install an eSIM on Wi-Fi before you fly?
Installing needs an internet connection, and home Wi-Fi gives you a stable one. Then turn the eSIM on when you arrive. Your plan’s days begin counting once you switch on the Maya eSIM in phone settings. If you need your QR code or manual activation code, log in, open the related eSIM and go to the Installation tab.
What should you check before buying any SIM or eSIM for Europe?
Your phone must be unlocked by your home carrier and be on our compatibility list. A device that isn’t listed will not work with our eSIM packages, and checking falls to you before you buy; a checker is on the website. Then choose 3, 7, 14 or 30 days, all with unlimited data across 165+ countries. If you need a local European (+33 French) number with calls and SMS, Sim Local / Orange is great for that, or for large and unlimited data bundles.
How do you call and text on a data-only eSIM?
Use apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime for calls and messages.
What should you do if your eSIM will not connect when you land?
In phone settings, make sure the Maya eSIM is turned on and chosen for Cellular Data. After toggling Airplane Mode, wait up to 15 minutes for the eSIM to re-authenticate and start receiving data. Still no connection after 15 minutes? The eSIM Connection Troubleshooting Guide has more steps. If activation doesn’t complete after several minutes, confirm your device has a working internet connection and retry the installation, or contact support.
Which European countries does the Global eSIM cover?
Our universal eSIM works in 165+ countries worldwide, including major destinations across all continents. One eSIM covers them all and is installed once. A route across several European borders stays on the same plan.
Maya One Global eSIM, installed once, covers 165+ countries with unlimited data at a flat price by trip length.
