The Best eSIM for Europe 2026: My Real Experience Using Sim Local eSIM

I like to joke that I was a way cooler traveller when I first started. Which is funny because I was significantly less experienced than I am now. However, at that time, I had to rely on paper maps to get around; data roaming abroad was way too expensive, and eSIMs didn’t exist. Today, however, an eSIM is one of my top must-haves when travelling, especially as a female traveller. They make me feel more confident, safer, and of course, help keep me from getting too lost. But with so many companies on the market these days, who do you choose? I recently had the chance to test out an eSIM from Sim Local in Europe, and here’s my take as a solo female traveller, group trip organizer, and digital nomad.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Sim Local. However, as always, all opinions are my own. 

What Is an eSIM for Europe and Why Travellers Need One

An eSIM is an electronic sim card that you can download to your phone to give you data in different countries or regions around the world, depending on the type of eSIM you get. It’s an easy way to stay connected while travelling abroad, without having to pay the ridiculous roaming fees charged by your phone provider at home. While I joke about being a cooler traveller ten years ago when eSIMs didn’t exist, the fact is that these days, we need to be connected when we travel for a number of reasons.

• Bus/Metro/Train passes are typically digital and not printed
• Hotels no longer provide paper maps, so we rely on apps like Google Maps to navigate
• Online check-ins for hotels and flights before arrival
• QR codes at restaurants for the menus
• QR codes at museums or exhibitions to learn about certain things
• …and more

Plus, as someone who organizes group trips and travel solo, I need something to easily stay in touch with my guests or just friends and family back home. ESIMs are an easy way to do that at any time of day.

My Christmas market trip coincided with the Salzburg Krampus Run so I was able to go live on Instagram for part of it thanks to my Sim Local eSIM. 

Why Sim Local Is One of the Best eSIM Providers for Europe

When the Sim Local team reached out to me to talk about working together on my upcoming adventures around Europe, I was hesitant. I’ve tried a lot of eSIMs over the years and figured they are all the same. Was trying out a new one really worth the hassle?

Two and a half weeks and five countries later, I’m glad that I said ‘yes’.  There are four main points that, in my opinion, make Sim Local stand out as a fantastic choice for an eSIM in Europe. 

• Sim Local’s pricing was very competitive, and often cheaper than some of the other eSIM brands I have used in the past.
• Sim Local has more options for plans depending on how long you are travelling and how much data you think you will need.
• Unlimited Data fair usage policy is 10 GB per day, which is incredibly generous and more than I would need, meaning I knew I was always going to get fast speeds. 
• Another point that is more specific to my work as a digital nomad, my Sim Local eSIM lets me hotspot, which was idea for trains and even hotel stays where the wifi is spotty. I’ve gotten so many sims (eSIM and physical) that won’t allow me to hotspot in the past, so this was important for me.

 My Real Experience Using Sim Local eSIM Across Europe 

I debated a couple of different plans when choosing the best eSIM in Europe for my plans.

While I was only travelling for 18 days, I expected I would need quite a bit of data, as one of those weeks was dedicated to running a group trip, so I would need to make sure I was connected and available at all times for my guests. I also work as I travel, taking videos and photos that I can upload on social media, making sure I can check emails while out and about etc.

I ended up getting the Unlimited plan for 30 days that was valid around 30 different European countries, including the 5 I was going to, which cost $73.75 USD. Choosing a single e-SIM for the region rather than based by county made everything so much easier and stress free. I didn’t have to worry about switching over as soon as I crossed a border, I just stayed connection as I moved. 

While $75 USD for the 18 days I was travelling may seem like a lot, when you break it down, that’s about $4 USD per day for 10 GB/day. Again, as someone who was here to work and then had some solo time, that’s definitely worth the peace of mind for me. Plus, even with the exchange rate that is significantly cheaper than the $16 CAD/day my home provider would charge. 

I purchased my Sim Local eSIM before I left Canada, so it was ready to go when I landed in Paris. I set it up as soon as we landed but, it did take a good 10 minutes or so to connect. However, when it did, it worked very smoothly. 

Over the course of my trip, I only had two instances where I had issues. Once in Salzburg, where I later learned that there was an outage that impacted everyone, and then when I crossed the border by bus between Slovakia and Austria, there was about ten minutes where I lost all service. But, based on past experience, it’s pretty common for service to be great in cities and a little less reliable in the countryside. Since I was on a bus travelling between cities, it didn’t matter.

From Paris to Tallinn, Munich to Salzburg, and Vienna to Bratislava, along with a few day trips in between, my Sim Local eSIM kept me on track. I was able to use maps, message my group, upload to Instagram stories, check bus and metro schedules, book tickets for museums, and more. I had no complaints, and I would absolutely use them again. 

Having constant access to maps let me find the prettiest Christmas light displays in Paris and beyond.

Ready to Try Sim Local? 

If you are ready to check out Sim Local for your next Europe trip (or beyond, they offer eSIMs for 200+ countries) then visit their website here to get started. I also have a discount code for you to save 5% which is EATSLEEP.

The instructions are very straightforward and easy to follow. You can purchase via the link above or download the Sim Local app. Search the country or region you are travelling to and compare your options. If you are choosing an eSIM that covers a region (ie: Europe) make sure to double check that all countries you are travelling to are included (they do list them.)

I suggest purchasing your eSIM before you leave your home country, so you can set it up on arrival and be connected right away. Instructions are provided, but should you have any issues at all, there is a 24/hour online chat option for help (and some physical locations). I used this the day of the outage because I assumed it was a problem with my eSIM (which it obviously wasn’t), and they got back to me in about two hours- apologizing for the delay due to the big outage.

For those who are choosing a package with a set amount of data, you can monitor your usage and most plans will let you top up if needed. One thing to keep in mind is to make sure you don’t delete your eSIM until you are done with it; once it’s gone, it’s gone! 

As always, I suggest shopping around to ensure you get the best package and deal based on your travel needs, but absolutely make sure to check Sim Local, because I did find their pricing incredibly competitive and it was the best eSIM my Europe trip.