22 travel eSIM companies, each in its own words from its own website, read on 20 October 2026. No score and no rank.
Which eSIM is best if my phone is locked to a carrier?
None of them, on their own terms: 22 of the 37 travel eSIM companies we read say the phone must be unlocked, including Airalo, Airhub, aloSIM, BNESIM, Breeze, ByteSIM, Firsty, Flexiroam, GigSky, Global YO, HelloRoam, Keepgo and 10 more below. A phone locked to one carrier will not take another company's eSIM, so ask your carrier to remove the lock before you buy.
Airalo
Best for
Any traveller, with business plans for teams
Phone requirement
The device must support eSIM, be unlocked and not jailbroken or rooted.
Airhub
Best for
Frequent travellers, digital nomads and international students
Phone requirement
Device must be eSIM-capable (iPhone XS and newer, Pixel 3 and newer, Galaxy S20 and newer) and unlocked.
aloSIM
Best for
Light users through to remote workers who hotspot
Phone requirement
The device must be eSIM-compatible and unlocked.
BNESIM
Best for
Travellers, business people and remote workers
Phone requirement
The device must be eSIM-capable and unlocked.
Breeze
Best for
Short trips away from home
Phone requirement
The phone must be eSIM-compatible and network-unlocked (iPhone XS+, Galaxy S20+, Pixel 3+).
ByteSIM
Best for
Heavy users and flexible travel
Phone requirement
The phone must be eSIM-capable and carrier-unlocked.
Firsty
Best for
Long-term travellers, nomads, remote workers and expats
Phone requirement
The phone must be unlocked and eSIM-compatible.
Flexiroam
Best for
Flexible, spontaneous trips for people and businesses
Phone requirement
The device must be unlocked and compatible.
GigSky
Best for
Multi-country trips, business travel, extended stays and cruises
Phone requirement
The phone must be unlocked.
Global YO
Best for
Quick getaways to long adventures
Phone requirement
The phone must be unlocked and eSIM-capable.
HelloRoam
Best for
Travellers, digital nomads and business professionals
Phone requirement
The phone must be unlocked and eSIM-compatible.
Keepgo
Best for
Tourism and business, on any device
Phone requirement
'No Passport or ID card is needed.' Devices must be eSIM-compatible and unlocked.
KnowRoaming
Best for
Frequent travellers and round-the-world trips
Phone requirement
The phone must be eSIM-compatible and carrier-unlocked.
Maya Mobile
Best for
Weekend breaks to month-long trips and cruises
Phone requirement
Phone must be network-unlocked and eSIM-compatible (iPhone 11 and newer, Android 10 or later).
Roamify
Phone requirement
An unlocked eSIM-compatible device is needed.
Saily
Best for
Tourists, business travellers and frequent travellers
Phone requirement
An unlocked eSIM-compatible device is required.
SimOptions
Best for
City breaks and backpackers
Phone requirement
The customer must check the device is eSIM compatible and unlocked.
Stork Mobile
Best for
Travellers who keep and reuse one eSIM
Phone requirement
An unlocked eSIM device is needed.
Surfroam
Best for
Frequent travellers and remote workers
Phone requirement
Needs an unlocked eSIM-compatible device (iPhone XR and later, modern Android).
Telcomia
Best for
Travellers who want safety features
Phone requirement
The device must be eSIM compatible and carrier unlocked.
Truely
Best for
Streamers and digital nomads who want unlimited data
Phone requirement
Buyers register on the website or app and must confirm the device is eSIM compatible and network-unlocked.
Ubigi
Best for
Frequent and business travellers, remote workers and students
Phone requirement
The device must be eSIM compatible and unlocked.
Where each line comes from
Every line links back to the page it was read from, read on 20 October 2026.
The device must support eSIM, be unlocked and not jailbroken or rooted.
Does Airhub work on a locked phone?
Device must be eSIM-capable (iPhone XS and newer, Pixel 3 and newer, Galaxy S20 and newer) and unlocked.
Does aloSIM work on a locked phone?
The device must be eSIM-compatible and unlocked.
Does BNESIM work on a locked phone?
The device must be eSIM-capable and unlocked.
Does Breeze work on a locked phone?
The phone must be eSIM-compatible and network-unlocked (iPhone XS+, Galaxy S20+, Pixel 3+).
Does ByteSIM work on a locked phone?
The phone must be eSIM-capable and carrier-unlocked.
Does Firsty work on a locked phone?
The phone must be unlocked and eSIM-compatible.
Does Flexiroam work on a locked phone?
The device must be unlocked and compatible.
Does GigSky work on a locked phone?
The phone must be unlocked.
Does Global YO work on a locked phone?
The phone must be unlocked and eSIM-capable.
How were these companies chosen?
They are the companies, of the 37 travel eSIM companies Uncompromised Travel read, whose own websites state this. Each card quotes the company's own line.
Why is a company I know not on this page?
Its own website did not state this when it was read. Leaving a company off is not a claim that it does not offer it: check its site.
Built to answer SIM-0168 from the Uncompromised Travel eSIM table. What is shown: what each company's own website says, read on 20 October 2026. Companies whose websites say nothing on this are not listed. No score and no rank. No company paid to be on this page. How this site earns · How we work.
Richard Jasinski · Uncompromised Travel · written from Valencia · first published 3 November 2026 · updated 3 November 2026
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