eSIM
International eSIM With Talk and Text: Where You Can Get One
Oct
Quick Answer
Most travel eSIMs are data plans, and that covers most trips. eSIM4 sells plans with minutes and texts built in for five places: the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Israel and Discover Global, our multi-country plan.
They start at $3.98 for 1GB with 10 texts and 10 minutes. Anywhere else, buy a data plan and add calls, texts and a number through the Yabb app.
With every eSIM4 plan
- Hotspot sharing
- Days start when the eSIM first connects
- Top up online if you run low
- Refund within 30 days if not installed
- Delivery by email
- No ID check
Why a data plan is usually enough
With a data plan, your phone gets a mobile connection in the country you’re visiting, and WhatsApp, FaceTime and other calling apps run over it.
Your usual number can stay on your phone too. Leave your home line on as the second line for calls and texts, turn data roaming off on it, and let the eSIM carry the data.
Check your home carrier’s roaming rates before you fly, because calls and texts on the home line follow its rules.
A data plan falls short when you need an ordinary phone call, say to a landline or a taxi firm, or when someone has to call you back. For those, a minutes-and-texts plan or a number from the Yabb app does the job.
Our guides on making phone calls with an eSIM and whether eSIMs include texts go deeper on each.
Where eSIM4 sells minutes-and-texts plans
Here’s the cheapest plan in each of the five places, with the network and the call rules.
| Destination | Network | Cheapest plan | Call rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| United StatesSee US plans | T-Mobile | $4.981GB, 3 days, 10 texts, 10 mins | Incoming calls use your minutes. No outgoing international calls. |
| United KingdomSee UK plans | EE | $3.981GB, 7 days, 10 texts, 10 mins | Minutes and texts built in. See the plan page for details. |
| NetherlandsSee Netherlands plans | KPN | $4.981GB, 7 days, 10 texts, 10 mins | Outgoing local calls and incoming international calls. |
| IsraelSee Israel plans | Annatel | $6.981GB, 7 days, 10 texts, 10 mins | Local calls only. |
| Discover GlobalSee Discover Global plans | See plan page | $13.981GB, 7 days, 10 texts, 10 mins | Comes with a +43 (Austrian) number. |
Prices in USD from the eSIM4 shop, checked 30 September.
United States
The US plans run on T-Mobile and cover the US states except Alaska, plus Puerto Rico. There are 15 of them, from $4.98 to $57.98.
Incoming calls use your minutes, and outgoing international calls aren’t allowed. A 10GB plan for 30 days with 100 texts and 200 minutes is $28.98, and 20GB for 30 days with 200 texts and 400 minutes is $45.98.
US eSIM with a phone number covers every option for a US-only trip.
United Kingdom
The UK plans use the EE network. There are 14, from $3.98 to $52.98. The 1GB plan costs $3.98 with either 3 or 7 days, so take the 7 days.
Netherlands
Six plans run on KPN, from $4.98 to $31.98. Outgoing local calls and incoming international calls are supported. You need to activate the plan within 90 days of buying it.
Israel
Six plans on the Annatel network, from $6.98 to $47.98. Calls are local only, and you need to activate within 90 days of purchase.
What the minutes and texts add
Each of these four destinations also sells an ordinary data plan. Compare the same 1GB for 7 days both ways.
| Destination | Data plan | With minutes and texts |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $2.98 | $3.98 10 texts, 10 mins |
| United States | $2.98 | $5.98 10 texts, 20 mins |
| Netherlands | $2.98 | $4.98 10 texts, 10 mins |
| Israel | $2.98 | $6.98 10 texts, 10 mins |
Prices in USD from the eSIM4 shop, checked 30 September. All rows are 1GB for 7 days.
The gap runs from one dollar in the UK to four dollars in Israel. If you’ll only use WhatsApp, the data plan wins. If you’ll take a few local calls or want texts included, the extra covers that.
Discover Global for multi-country trips
Discover Global is the plan for trips that cross borders. All six plans come with minutes and texts and a +43 (Austrian) number.
| Data | Days | Texts and minutes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1GB | 7 | 10 and 10 | $13.98 |
| 2GB | 15 | 20 and 20 | $25.98 |
| 3GB | 30 | 30 and 30 | $34.98 |
| 5GB | 60 | 50 and 50 | $50.98 |
| 10GB | 180 | 100 and 100 | $93.98 |
| 20GB | 365 | 200 and 200 | $105.98 |
Prices in USD from the eSIM4 shop, checked 30 September.
Check the country list on the plan page before you buy.
The same 1GB for 7 days without minutes and texts is $6.98, so the calling bundle roughly doubles the price at that size. There’s no global unlimited plan, and Discover Global plans have fixed data.
Everywhere else: a data plan plus the Yabb app
For any other destination, buy the eSIM4 data plan for that country and use the Yabb app for a number. Yabb sells calls, texts and virtual phone numbers, including a real US number.
Its pages on international calling and SMS messaging have the details. Yabb sets its own plans and rates, so check them before you count on it for a long call home.
The eSIM does the data and Yabb does the number. Data plans start at $2.98 for 1GB in 86 destinations. Our cheap eSIM plans page lists prices by country.
Heading to Europe? Europe eSIM with a phone number lays out that region’s options.
How to pick
- WhatsApp and FaceTime are enough: buy a data plan and keep your home line for texts.
- US trip with local calls: a US plan with minutes and texts, or any US data plan plus a Yabb number.
- Local calls in the Netherlands or Israel: the minutes-and-texts plan for that country.
- Several countries and you want a number: Discover Global, with its +43 number.
- Calling home: use Yabb. The US plans don’t allow outgoing international calls, and the Israel plans are local only.
Before you buy
Your phone needs to support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked. On iPhone, eSIM works on the XS, XS Max, XR and every later model. US models of iPhone 14 and later have no SIM tray. This guide shows how to check your iPhone.
The plan arrives by email with setup steps for iPhone and Android. There’s no ID check, and days start when the eSIM first connects to a network in the destination, so buying early costs you nothing.
You can top up online. If you haven’t installed the eSIM, you can get a refund within 30 days. Once it’s installed, it counts as used.
FAQ
Yes, for five places. eSIM4 sells plans with minutes and texts built in for the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Israel and Discover Global. They start at $3.98.
In the five places above, a minutes-and-texts plan gives you both in one purchase. Anywhere else, a data plan plus the Yabb app covers calls, texts and a number.
No. Those apps run over your data connection, so a data plan is enough. Minutes are for regular phone calls.
No. Outgoing international calls aren’t allowed on the US minutes-and-texts plans, and incoming calls use your minutes. Yabb has an international calling option.
Discover Global plans with minutes and texts come with a +43 (Austrian) number. For a number in another country, including a real US number, the Yabb app sells virtual numbers.
No. eSIM4 has no global unlimited plan. Discover Global has fixed-data plans with minutes and texts, from $13.98 for 1GB over 7 days.
Yes. Your phone must support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked. On iPhone, that means the XS, XS Max, XR or any later model.
Yes, within 30 days if the eSIM hasn’t been installed. Once it’s installed, it counts as used.
About the author
Peter Moore, eSIM Content Writer
Peter writes eSIM4’s price guides and keeps them in line with the shop as plans change.
