As a backpacker, sailor, businessman, digital nomad, or all former combined, you have come across some impracticalities while traveling. Every time you find yourself in a new country where you will reside for the length of your legal visa, you need to be reachable. Hence you have to research how.
Whether this is upfront or upon arrival, you need to know where the ATM is, the grocery store, maybe a computer store, to repair your laptop or God forbid you even have to buy a new one to continue your work-related obligations. Or maybe you want to wager your online bingo bonuses. That way, you can relax just for a little while in between stressing about beating deadlines. It always helps in my case. Whether it is a free spin on the roulette, a good old blackjack game, or as complicated as a Texas Holdem poker game. The latter mostly takes place when all research is finished.
All fun aside, it can form a proper challenge to stay connected to the internet. Chances are that moving from one continent to another, you will experience a digital black hole. To break free from this nothingness and to recover from your internet withdrawal symptoms, it’s strongly advised to buy heaps of sim cards. If you have studied all the different data plans, on the condition that they do come in an understandable language, you hopefully made a good choice.
So, let’s check out if these international sim cards are a solution to that issue.
International Sim Card
Contrary to regular sim cards, international ones are supposed to work internationally.
By passing land borders the sim card will automatically connect to the existing network and charge a local fee instead of roaming fees, due to which you will save considerable amounts of cash.
Some cards have better coverage than others. Some are supposed to be worldwide and others will only work in specific countries.
Important to know before you decide to make use of the international sim card, it is of uttermost importance that you check if your phone fulfills these requirements:
- GSM-compatible; global system for mobile communications
- Secondly, the phone needs to be unlocked; in other words, it can’t be tied to one provider
- By using the newest eSIM cards, which are completely digital, you just get the app, download the package you need via a QR code and start using your data.
You do need a mobile that has eSIM technology.
Furthermore, think about why exactly this card would benefit you. Are you traveling around the world continuously? Or are you regularly making business trips? Are you only going to use it once? Would you prefer to call, SMS, or use data?
All these characteristics will determine which international sim card will meet your requirements.
Once you check these and the answer is positive, you can opt for one of these international sim cards mentioned below.
A comparison of providers
After having dived deep into this matter, and compared all the different data-only options based on extensive research, we believe the following 3 options are the best.
GigSky for the Data Budget Traveler
Budget
It doesn’t get much cheaper than GigSky if you’re looking for a low-cost data solution.
Keep in mind that GigSky only provides worldwide data coverage and does not support voice or text.
Having said that, there are a few compelling reasons to select GigSky. In terms of eSIM provider pricing, GigSky outperforms the competition.
Coverage
You can get data service in 113 countries if your phone is eSIM compliant.
This is a feature only available on the latest phones. Curious if your phone has it. check here. Choose between a global option and specialized regional packages in North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, or the Middle East and Africa.
Sim Card
You can also get an actual SIM card from GigSky if you need one.
Users appreciate the variety of plan options, which include daily, 15-day, and 30-day plans. For a basic, pay-as-you-go, data-only SIM card, this could be a great alternative.
Three mobile
Budget
Custom-made for UK residents with an option to roam around Europe and around the world. For the Europe package, you pay 2 pounds a day and for the around the world 5 pounds a day. So, if you were to use it these days it gets quite expensive up to 155 pounds a month. If you only activate it when necessary then it’s a good option of course. But we all want to be connected continuously, don’t we?
Though we mention it is pricey it is still one of the cheaper providers.
Coverage
It currently covers 71 countries, including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Singapore, and the majority of European countries, with unlimited data coverage. But then again if you won’t be streaming and uploading continuously is unlimited data essential?
Sim card
Standard physical and digital SIMs are available.
Keepgo
Budget
For 50 EUR you can buy 15 GB
For 90 EUR, 50GB
For 140 EUR, 100 GB.
If your data is finished you will be automatically disconnected. Another great feature is that data will never expire. Yup, you heard that right, lifelong data.
Coverage
Keepgo covers a little more than 100 countries, which is fewer than some of the others on this list.
However, it has some of the most competitive pricing per gigabyte of data in the United States and Europe.
Sim Card
Besides providing physical sim cards and eSIMs with unrestricted worldwide 4G broadband, you can also opt for a hotspot device. That enables 15 devices to connect to the internet simultaneously.
Conclusion
All of these options are quite appealing, just remember you do not need these cards when you only travel once a year to the same destination. In that case, it is always better to buy the local sim card and top it up once a year. This ensures you have the most economical prices.