eSIM Europe
Europe eSIM With a Phone Number: Your Options
Oct
Quick Answer
Europe eSIM plans from eSIM4 are data plans, so they come without a phone number. The Europe plan covers 42 countries and starts at $1.98. The EU + UK plan starts at $2.98 for 1GB.
You have four ways to get a number. Keep your home number and use WhatsApp over data. Add a virtual number from the Yabb app. Buy a UK or Netherlands plan with minutes and texts. Or pick Discover Global with a +43 number.
The UK and Netherlands plans are sold for those countries. Check the plan page before you count on them anywhere else.
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
Europe and EU + UK plans are data plans
eSIM4 sells two regional plans for Europe trips. The Europe plan covers 42 countries. The EU + UK plan is a separate, cheaper plan. Both come without minutes or texts.
That suits most trips, since maps, messaging apps and booking apps all run on data.
| Plan | Europe (42 countries) | EU + UK |
|---|---|---|
| 1GB, 7 days | $3.98 | $2.98 |
| 3GB, 30 days | $9.98 | $7.98 |
| 5GB, 30 days | $17.98 | $12.98 |
| 10GB, 30 days | $29.98 | $22.98 |
| Unlimited, 7 days | $25.98 | $21.98 |
Prices in USD from the eSIM4 shop, checked 30 September.
Europe also has smaller and larger sizes, from 500MB for 3 days at $1.98 up to 100GB for 180 days at $196.98. Unlimited plans run from 3 to 30 days.
Unlimited means 3GB at full speed per 24 hours, then about 1 Mbps until midnight local time. That handles messages, maps and browsing. It’s too slow for video calls or streaming. The full wording is in the terms and conditions.
Check the country list on each plan page to see which one covers your route. If your route stays within the EU and the UK, the EU + UK plan costs less.
Your options for a phone number
Here are the five routes side by side. The sections below cover each one.
| Option | Best for | From |
|---|---|---|
| Data plan plus your home number | Several countries, WhatsApp and FaceTime | $2.98 |
| Data plan plus a Yabb number | Calls and texts through a virtual number | $2.98 plus Yabb |
| UK plan with minutes and texts | A trip to the UK | $3.98 |
| Netherlands plan with minutes and texts | A trip to the Netherlands | $4.98 |
| Discover Global with minutes and texts | Several countries, +43 number | $13.98 |
Prices in USD from the eSIM4 shop, checked 30 September. Yabb prices are set by Yabb.
Keep your home number and use WhatsApp
Your phone keeps its home SIM alongside the eSIM. Friends and family still reach you on your usual number, and the eSIM carries the data.
WhatsApp, FaceTime and other messaging apps work over data with the number you already use.
Set the eSIM as your cellular data line. Turn data roaming off on your home line so it doesn’t run up roaming charges. If the setup email tells you to switch roaming on for the eSIM line, do that.
Regular calls and texts to your home number still go through your home carrier, so check its roaming rates before you leave. Our guide on whether an eSIM gives you a phone number covers the basics.
Add a virtual number with the Yabb app
For calls and texts on a separate number, you can buy calls, texts and a virtual number in the Yabb app. It’s a separate purchase from your eSIM.
This pairs with any Europe or EU + UK data plan. You pay eSIM4 for the eSIM and Yabb for the number, so you size each one separately.
It also helps when you’d rather not hand your home number to a hotel or a booking site. Yabb has pages for international calling and SMS messaging too.
For the wider picture, see can you make phone calls with an eSIM.
UK plans with minutes and texts
eSIM4 sells 14 UK plans with minutes and texts built in, on the EE network. They run from 3 to 30 days.
The 1GB, 7-day UK plan is $2.98 as a data plan and $3.98 with 10 texts and 10 minutes, so the extra cost is one dollar.
| Data and days | Texts | Minutes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1GB, 7 days | 10 | 10 | $3.98 |
| 2GB, 15 days | 20 | 20 | $6.98 |
| 5GB, 30 days | 50 | 50 | $13.98 |
| 10GB, 30 days | 100 | 100 | $21.98 |
| 50GB, 30 days | 500 | 500 | $52.98 |
Prices in USD from the eSIM4 shop, checked 30 September. Five of the 14 UK plans shown.
They’re sold for trips to the UK. If your trip covers several countries, use one of the other options.
If the exact phone number matters to you, ask eSIM4 support before you buy.
Netherlands plans with minutes and texts
eSIM4 sells 6 Netherlands plans with minutes and texts, on the KPN network. They support outgoing local calls and incoming international calls.
You must activate within 90 days of buying. The 1GB, 7-day plan is $2.98 as a data plan and $4.98 with 10 texts and 10 minutes.
| Data and days | Texts | Minutes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1GB, 7 days | 10 | 10 | $4.98 |
| 2GB, 15 days | 20 | 20 | $7.98 |
| 3GB, 30 days | 30 | 30 | $8.98 |
| 5GB, 30 days | 50 | 50 | $12.98 |
| 10GB, 30 days | 100 | 100 | $21.98 |
| 20GB, 30 days | 200 | 200 | $31.98 |
Prices in USD from the eSIM4 shop, checked 30 September.
They’re sold for trips to the Netherlands, so they suit a stay based there. People abroad can call you and you can call local businesses.
Discover Global with a +43 number
For a trip that crosses several countries, Discover Global has 6 plans with minutes and texts. They come with a +43 (Austrian) number.
They cost more per GB than the regional plans above, because you’re paying for the number and for a plan that isn’t tied to one country.
| Data and days | Texts | Minutes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1GB, 7 days | 10 | 10 | $13.98 |
| 2GB, 15 days | 20 | 20 | $25.98 |
| 3GB, 30 days | 30 | 30 | $34.98 |
| 5GB, 60 days | 50 | 50 | $50.98 |
| 10GB, 180 days | 100 | 100 | $93.98 |
| 20GB, 365 days | 200 | 200 | $105.98 |
Prices in USD from the eSIM4 shop, checked 30 September.
Check the country list on the plan page before you buy, to confirm every stop on your route is covered.
Discover Global also has plans without minutes, starting at $1.98 for 300MB over 3 days. For many Europe trips, the regional plans are cheaper.
How to choose
- Mostly messaging apps: a Europe or EU + UK data plan and your home number.
- Several countries, calls needed: a Europe or EU + UK data plan plus a Yabb number, or Discover Global with a +43 number.
- Only the UK: a UK plan with minutes and texts, from $3.98.
- Only the Netherlands: a Netherlands plan with minutes and texts, from $4.98.
Whichever you pick, your phone needs to support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked. Days start when the eSIM first connects to a network, so you can install it before you fly. It arrives by email with setup steps for iPhone and Android.
Our Europe setup guide walks through installing it. To compare plans, see best eSIM for Europe. For how coverage works, read how eSIM works in Europe.
FAQ
The Europe and EU + UK plans come without a number. For calls and texts, use your home number over WhatsApp, add a virtual number from the Yabb app, or pick a plan with minutes and texts.
The UK (14 plans, EE network), the Netherlands (6 plans, KPN network) and Discover Global (6 plans). The UK starts at $3.98, the Netherlands at $4.98 and Discover Global at $13.98.
They’re sold for the UK and the Netherlands. Don’t count on them elsewhere. For a multi-country trip, use a Europe or EU + UK data plan, or Discover Global.
The Discover Global plans with minutes and texts come with a +43 (Austrian) number. Check the country list on the plan page to confirm your route is covered.
Yes. WhatsApp and other messaging apps run over data, so people can reach you on your usual number. Set the eSIM as your data line.
The EU + UK plan starts at $2.98 for 1GB over 7 days. The Europe plan starts at $1.98 for 500MB over 3 days.
Unlimited plans give 3GB at full speed per 24 hours, then about 1 Mbps until midnight local time. That’s fine for messages and maps, but too slow for video calls.
You can get a refund 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.
