BEST ESIM FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL 2026: HONEST SIM LOCAL REVIEW + DISCOUNT CODE

If you’re searching for a great eSIM before your next trip, this Sim Local review is exactly what you need! After testing Sim Local on a 40-day trip from Europe to the Caribbean, I can confidently say it’s one of the best eSIMs for international travel in 2026, and I’ll never travel without one again!

This past summer, we started planning our longest trip ever. We decided to go from Europe all the way to the Caribbean (almost 40 days of travel!). Two years ago, we took a similar trip. It was just over 20 days, and we didn’t have internet, we simply made do with Wi-Fi wherever we could.

However, we knew that this time that wouldn’t be an option since blogging has become my full-time job, and I needed stable internet most of the time. Plus, some of the Caribbean islands really couldn’t be explored without a map. So this was the perfect time to try out Sim Local’s eSIMs. Now we’re back from our super long trip (spoiler: it was amazing!), and I’m bringing you an honest review of the Sim Local products I used.

WHAT IS AN ESIM?

Firstly, if you’re unfamiliar with eSIMs and still haven’t used one, an eSIM is a digital SIM built into your phone. It replaces a physical SIM card which, in the past, you had to buy and swap out for one from the country you were visiting. It’s great because you no longer have to remove your actual SIM card, you just activate your eSIM whenever you travel. My favourite thing is that you can have multiple eSIM plans active at the same time and simply switch between them with a click or two.

WHAT IS SIM LOCAL?

Sim Local is a European company that sells travel SIM cards and eSIM plans, with a focus on helping you travel like a local anywhere in the world. Sim Local started out in Dublin, but today you can find them in over a hundred airports. Their kiosks and vending machines are located in most major cities, from London to Athens. If you prefer to buy your eSIM online before your trip, they have a really user-friendly app and website that make the process super easy!

Sim Local covers over 220+ destinations, so you’ll definitely be able to use one of their plans during your travels. Your eSIM will connect to reliable operators in whatever country you’re in, because Sim Local has partnerships with local networks (such as Lyca, Three, EE, Orange, AU).

HOW TO SET UP A A SIM LOCAL ESIM (STEP-BY-STEP!)

Installing a Sim Local eSIM plan is really easy, and trust me when I say that! I had never installed an eSIM plan myself, so this was nerve-wracking for me. I was especially nervous because we were going on a cruise that included five days crossing the Atlantic, so I had to activate it in Europe and then, only after five days of travel, try out my eSIM in the Caribbean.

Later, I realised all my fears were unnecessary. The easiest way to activate it is to download their app first. There, you can enter the country you’re visiting and they’ll show you the best plans available. After you buy the plan, all you need to do is install it and switch your SIM from your primary one to the eSIM!

Since I was nervous, I watched their tutorial video while activating it (they have one for iPhones and another for Androids) and followed it to a T. I highly recommend watching it because it takes you step-by-step, so you really can’t go wrong. It’s only a couple of minutes, and you’ll be done and using your data in no time!

WHY SIM LOCAL IS THE BEST ESIM FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

IT’S REALLY EASY TO SET UP

As I’ve already mentioned, you only need a few minutes to activate your eSIM, and literally anyone can do it, no matter how tech-savvy you are. Their app is really user-friendly, and if you combine it with the installation video, you’ll have it set up in a heartbeat. It’s also very compatible even with the newest 2025/2026 phone models, so you’ll surely be able to install it.

IT’S A GREAT DEAL FOR THE PRICE

The 20GB Global plan I used is $35 (€30), and you really get a bang for your buck with it. If you compare it to others, Holafly is currently around €150 for an unlimited plan. However, my boyfriend used Holafly before, and while he got their unlimited data plan, it definitely wasn’t unlimited. That means these 20GB from Sim Local were much cheaper, and there are no limitations on them.

On top of that, you even get calls and SMS included. If you decide to get an unlimited plan with Sim Local, you’ll be able to use up to 10 GB every day! Airalo and Saily are also more expensive on a global or monthly scale, so as far as I know, there really isn’t a better offer on the market. Sim Local offers the cheapest eSIM plans available, and they work perfectly.

YOU’LL HAVE GOOD COVERAGE

We had excellent coverage throughout the entire trip on both the Global and Caribbean plans I used. The connection was really fast (4G, 3G) in most developed cities, and the speeds were still perfectly normal even on the smaller Caribbean islands. The only island where we had a problem, with virtually no internet, was Jamaica. However, we were there only a few days after Hurricane Melissa, which had significantly affected the island, so I’m sure that was the reason why.

YOU’LL GET EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE

Finally, Sim Local has great customer service, which you can easily contact over WhatsApp, and they’ll help you with whatever you need. I reached out to them a few times. First because I just wanted to make sure I was using my eSIM and not my regular one (I panicked!), and they helped me within 2–3 minutes. Toward the end of the trip, I had to install another plan, but I got interrupted, so it didn’t activate properly. Customer service helped me immediately, and the plan was working within minutes. I truly can’t recommend them enough for this!

MY EXPERIENCE USING SIM LOCAL

Sim Local offers a lot of different plans, from 1GB to unlimited data. Since our trip was really long, I got two different plans: one was the Global plan, which covered the US and the majority of the Caribbean, and the other was the Caribbean plan, which covered a few smaller islands that weren’t included in the Global plan. I activated it in Portugal before crossing the Atlantic on our cruise, and my first use of the eSIM was in Antigua.

Honestly, I really enjoyed using Sim Local. We had excellent coverage (4G, 3G, or LTE) throughout our trip, and I could easily use my hotspot to connect my laptop or share data with my boyfriend. Obviously, the more developed locations had better coverage, but even driving around small Caribbean islands was easy when we had internet and working Google Maps!

My favourite thing was how much work I actually managed to get done while using these plans! I had a 20GB Global plan and a 10GB Caribbean plan, and with these two I managed to publish over 20 blog posts, edit photos, stay connected with my family, and cover the trip on Instagram. It was also really nice being able to lounge on the beach and catch up on everything I’d missed. I truly appreciated using the local operators Sim Local partners with, which made every one of my tasks easy to complete, just like I do back home!

SIM LOCAL PROS AND CONS: MY HONEST TAKE

SIM LOCAL PROS:

• Cheapest pricing in the market ($35 for 20GB global is a great deal!)
• 10GB daily on unlimited plans (while others offer only 500MB–1GB)
• Partners with top local networks (we were mostly using Orange, and it was excellent!)
• Includes calls and SMS
• Excellent customer service (WhatsApp support replied within minutes which was a lifesaver!)
• 100% refund policy
• Hotspot allowed on all plans (another lifesaver for my work!)

SIM LOCAL CONS:

• Coverage may vary in very remote islands (as we experienced in Jamaica post-hurricane)
• I sometimes couldn’t see how much data I had left in the app

SIM LOCAL FAQ: COMMON QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Is Sim Local compatible with my phone?

If you have a newer phone that supports eSIMs, Sim Local will be compatible. You can always check whether your phone is unlocked. If it is, you’ll have no issues activating Sim Local. It’s even compatible with the newest 2026 phone models!

How does Sim Local’s unlimited data work?

While the plan is “unlimited,” you can’t use an unlimited amount of data per day. With Sim Local, you get 10GB per day, which is still far more than what most other eSIM companies offer.

Can I get a refund if it doesn’t work?

Yes, you can absolutely get a refund from Sim Local. Just contact them via email or WhatsApp, and they’ll issue the refund within about 5–10 days.

Does Sim Local work on cruises?

That depends on your expectations! It works perfectly while you’re in port or anywhere with strong signal. That means you can usually use it the entire time you’re docked, plus about an hour before arriving and after departing, as long as there’s coverage. It won’t work on sea days, of course, since there’s no signal for it to connect to.

IS SIM LOCAL WORTH THE MONEY AND WOULD I RECOMMEND IT?

Sim Local is very affordable for what they offer, and they’re absolutely worth the money. This trip was so much better for me simply because I had access to the internet, and I’m absolutely sure I’m never travelling without an eSIM again. I’m definitely going to continue using Sim Local, and I highly recommend you try it as well. If you’re interested in getting a Sim Local plan, you can use my code – KARLATYPES – to get an additional discount on these already more than fairly priced plans!