The problem, and the fix

Say you are flying to Europe. Your iPhone is fine at home, but once you land in Paris or Rome your US carrier either bills a daily roaming fee or drops you altogether. The old answer was a local SIM from the airport kiosk. I do not like that answer, because it costs you your own number, your iMessage and every bank text that arrives while you are away.

Any eSIM solves the data problem. Only the right one solves the number problem as well. I read through the carrier pages and the travel plans, and below is the short version for a US traveler: how it works, what it costs, and how to set it up in a few minutes.

What an eSIM is, in one paragraph

An eSIM is a SIM that lives inside the phone, so there is no plastic chip to slot in. Every iPhone since the XS has one, and so do most recent Samsung, Pixel and Motorola phones. You load a travel plan over wifi before you leave, leave your normal US SIM running for calls and texts, and point data at the travel plan when you land. No shop, no tray, no paperclip.

Why keeping your own number matters more than people expect

A data-only travel SIM gives you maps and WhatsApp, and nothing more. Your number is not reachable on it. You find that out when your bank sends a login code to your US number and it never shows up, or when a colleague rings and gets silence. If your number stays live, two-factor codes, iMessage and ordinary calls keep working. Most travel eSIMs skip this. I think it is the part that matters most, and it is what Ringo is built around.

The real cost: US carriers vs a flat plan

As of 2026 the big US carriers sell a daily pass for using your plan abroad. Verizon TravelPass and AT&T International Day Pass both come to about $12 per day. T-Mobile includes some slower international data on its higher tiers. I would run the numbers on a real trip: ten days in Europe on a $12 day pass is about $120, added to what you already pay at home. Take a two-week family trip with two phones and you pass $300 quickly.

A flat travel plan swaps the daily meter for one price covering the whole trip. For the exact figure on your route, I would open the which compares your home country and destination side by side.

Does my phone support it?

An iPhone XS, XR or anything newer has an eSIM. On iPhone, go to Settings, then Cellular, then Add eSIM. On most recent Android, go to Settings, then Network, then SIMs, then Add eSIM. Not sure about yours? Dial *#06# and look for an EID number. If one shows up, you are set.

How to set it up before you fly

  1. Buy the plan and install it over wifi at home, a day before you leave. I would always do it early, since it costs nothing and spares you a scramble at the airport.
  2. Keep your US SIM as the main line for calls and texts.
  3. On landing, switch cellular data to the travel plan. Turn data roaming off on your US line so it cannot run up a charge.
  4. Done. Your number stays reachable and your data runs on the travel plan.

Where Ringo fits

Ringo is a global plan designed so your existing number travels with you, which a data-only country SIM does not do. I write for it, so weigh that. One plan covers the whole trip, your number stays live for calls, texts and two-factor codes, and nothing gets swapped at a border. The waitlist is free. Founding members put down a small refundable deposit that turns into credit on the first bill, so it costs nothing in the end and locks in founding pricing.

Common questions

Do I need a different eSIM for each country in Europe?+
Not with a regional or global plan. I would pick one of those, because a single plan covers every border, which helps when one week takes you through France, Italy and Spain.
Will my iMessage and WhatsApp still work?+
Yes. They belong to your number and your Apple or Meta account, not to the data SIM, so they carry on as long as your number stays active.
Can I still get my bank's login codes?+
Yes, provided your home number stays active on the phone. That is why I would keep it rather than replace it.

Have a question about one particular trip? Write to me through the .