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As a general rule, if you’ve purchased a smartphone released within the past five years, it likely has an eSIM option. Kudos to you if you have a smartphone older than the iPhone XR, though it’s probably past time at least to switch out the battery, and you’ll definitely need to get a newer model phone to access eSIM capabilities. Most Android phones support eSIMs these days, though some budget models may still use physical SIM cards. Some smartphones, like the iPhone 17 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) and the Google Pixel 10 (8/10, WIRED Recommends), even have two eSIMs built in so you can operate d

Most international eSIM data plans are prepaid, so the amount of data you should purchase depends on how much you expect to use your smartphone while traveling and which apps you plan to use the most. Airalo is just one of the eSIM options you can purchase online to avoid wandering around your first day in a new country trying to buy a physical SIM card. AloSIM, Saily, Airhub, and Ubigi are a few other popular choices for travelers. Want to video chat with loved ones and share jealousy-inducing video clips? You’ll likely want to opt for a larger data package, and even that may quickly run out.