An eSIM wins on speed and simplicity, a local SIM wins if you need a local phone number, and pocket Wi-Fi only makes sense for a group sharing one connection
| Travel eSIM | Local SIM | Pocket Wi-Fi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set-up | Before you fly, over Wi-Fi | On arrival, in a shop | Collect and return a device |
| Online when you land | Yes | After you find a shop | After you collect it |
| Local number | No | Yes | No |
| Extra hardware | None | None | A device to carry and charge |
| Several devices | Share by hotspot | Share by hotspot | Built for it |
| Deposit or return | No | No | Usually both |
Take an eSIM When
- You want to walk out of the airport already connected, with a taxi app and a map working
- Your trip is short, or crosses several countries
- You want your own number to keep receiving calls and codes
Take a Local SIM When
- You need a local number — for a delivery, a viewing, a landlord, a local service that texts you
- You are staying for months rather than weeks
Take Pocket Wi-Fi When
- Several people are travelling together and want one bill and one connection
- Someone in the group has a phone that cannot take an eSIM at all
A pocket Wi-Fi device is a phone in a box: it holds a SIM and shares it. That is why its coverage and speed are no better than the eSIM in your own phone would be on the same network — you are paying for the sharing and the hardware, plus a battery to keep charged and a device to hand back.
