eSIM compatible phones: the full 2026 list

Two reliable methods, nothing to install. The first: dial *#06# on the phone keypad. If an EID number appears (a 32-digit identifier), your phone has the eSIM module; if you only see the IMEI, it does not. This is the universal test, and it works on iPhone and Android alike.

The second: head into the settings. On iPhone, open Settings then Cellular (or Mobile Service): an "Add eSIM" option confirms compatibility. On Android, search for "SIM" in the settings: an "Add eSIM" or "Download a SIM" entry does the same job. If neither option is there, the device has no eSIM module.

One last point people forget: a compatible phone also has to be carrier-unlocked to accept an eSIM from another operator or a travel provider. On iPhone, "No SIM restrictions" under Settings, General, About confirms you are clear.

Once your device is checked, getting an eSIM takes a few minutes, in three steps. One: choose your eSIM plan. For your main line, carriers let you take an eSIM when you sign up, or swap your physical SIM for one from your account area. For a trip, you buy a prepaid eSIM online for your destination: our comparator lists the plans with the best price per GB. Two: you receive a QR code (or activate directly in the provider's app). Three: you scan the code from your phone settings, the eSIM profile downloads, and your line is live.

No waiting for the post, no fiddling with a tray: activating an eSIM is immediate, wherever you are, as long as you have wifi. If the technology is new to you, our guide on what an eSIM is explains how this virtual SIM card works, from purchase to activation.

The first benefit of an eSIM is immediacy: you move to an eSIM with no trip to a shop, no post and no handling, and it activates in a few minutes. Then comes dual SIM: your physical SIM card and an eSIM live side by side on the same handset, two numbers active at once, ideal for separating work from personal use or adding a local data plan abroad without touching your main line.

eSIM technology also brings real flexibility: a phone can store several eSIM profiles and switch between them in the settings, which is handy for travellers who chain destinations together. Impossible to lose or break, it also makes switching carrier simpler. And for frequent travellers it is the anti-roaming weapon: a local eSIM bought online often costs a fraction of out-of-plan roaming charges, as we set out destination by destination in the comparator.

Good news: every major carrier now supports eSIM. In the United States, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon all provision eSIM profiles, and iPhones sold there since the iPhone 14 have no SIM tray at all. In the UK, EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three do the same, as do the large European and Australian networks. There is no such thing as an "eSIM compatible phone for carrier X": compatibility depends on the handset, not on the network.

Two caveats all the same. A phone bought on contract and subsidised by a carrier can be locked: get it unlocked (usually free once the contract terms are met) before installing another provider's eSIM. And a handful of smaller MVNOs still do not offer eSIM at all, so if you plan to keep your home line on eSIM as well, check with your own operator first.

Yes, and you do not need a flagship. New or refurbished, the most affordable ways into eSIM are the iPhone SE 2020 and iPhone XR on the Apple side, the "a" variants of the Google Pixel, the Samsung Galaxy A55 and A56, and the Xiaomi 13 and later on Android. Refurbished is often the best move: an eSIM compatible iPhone 11 or Pixel 6a costs a fraction of its original price.

The trap to avoid on the second-hand market: units imported from mainland China (no eSIM on most iPhones) and Android regional variants that ship without it. Before you pay, ask the seller for a screenshot of the *#06# test. No EID line, no eSIM.

An eSIM compatible, carrier-unlocked phone works with every travel eSIM provider: Airalo, Holafly, Saily, Ubigi, Nomad, Yesim, voilà and the rest. There is no specific "eSIM compatible phone for Holafly": if your device passes the test above, it works everywhere.

That leaves choosing the right plan for your destination, which is exactly what the comparator does. To place the players: voilà competes on value for money with final prices shown up front, an eSIM that is simple to install with an app that is easy to use, and human customer support available 24/7; others lead on unlimited data or multi-country coverage. The overview is on our eSIM providers compared page, and the prices by destination are in the comparator.