You’re researching eSIM because you want connectivity sorted before your next trip. Smart move. But here’s what actually matters: knowing if your specific phone model supports eSIM, understanding the gaps that catch people out in the field, and having a backup plan when you’re sharing WiFi with a laptop or traveling through countries where eSIM provisioning is patchy.

We ship connectivity subscriptions to digital nomads every week: eSIM plans, physical SIM cards, and portable WiFi devices. This guide walks through which phones work with eSIM in 2024, what to check beyond the marketing specs, and when a different solution makes more sense for your actual travel pattern.

Which iPhones Support eSIM in 2024

Apple was early to eSIM. If you bought an iPhone in the last six years, you’re likely covered:

• iPhone XS, XS Max, XR (2018) — first models with eSIM support
• iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max
• iPhone 12 series (12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max)
• iPhone 13 series (13, 13 mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max)
• iPhone SE (2020 and 2022 models) — budget option with eSIM
• iPhone 14 series (US models are eSIM-only, no physical SIM slot)
• iPhone 15 series (15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max)
• iPhone 16 series (16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max)

The catch: US-sold iPhone 14, 15, and 16 models have no physical SIM tray at all. If you bought your phone in the US and travel somewhere eSIM provisioning fails (it happens; we’ve had customers stranded in smaller airports), you have zero fallback. European and Asian models still include the physical SIM slot alongside eSIM.

“So many countries we visited over the last 2 months, from Ireland to Turkey and back home again, and they were always there for us 24/7. Truly a pleasure — 150% satisfaction.”
— Sergey Kondratiev, verified ConnectPls customer

Android Phones With eSIM Support

Android eSIM rollout has been messier. Flagship models mostly support it; mid-range and budget phones often don’t. Here’s the landscape by manufacturer:

Samsung Galaxy eSIM Models

• Galaxy S20, S21, S22, S23, S24 series (including Plus and Ultra variants)
• Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold series (from Flip 3 and Fold 3 onward)
• Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra

Region matters: some Samsung models sold in China, Hong Kong, or Macao lack eSIM even if the same model number elsewhere supports it. Check your phone’s settings under Connections → SIM card manager to confirm.

Google Pixel eSIM Devices

• Pixel 3, 3 XL, 3a, 3a XL (Google’s first eSIM phones)
• Pixel 4, 4 XL, 4a, 4a 5G
• Pixel 5, 5a
• Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 6a
• Pixel 7, 7 Pro, 7a
• Pixel 8, 8 Pro, 8a
• Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro Fold

Pixels bought in mainland China or sold through certain carriers may have eSIM disabled. Australian and Japanese Pixels are generally fine.

Other Android Manufacturers

• Motorola: Razr 2019 onward, Edge+ (2020 and newer), G series flagships from 2022
• Oppo: Find X3 Pro, Find X5 series, Reno 5A (Japan), Reno 6 Pro 5G
• Huawei: P40, P40 Pro (not P40 Lite), Mate 40 Pro — but Google Services limitations make eSIM provisioning difficult
• Sony: Xperia 1 IV, 1 V, 5 IV, 5 V, 10 III, 10 IV, 10 V
• OnePlus: Very limited — some China-market models only, no global eSIM support yet
• Xiaomi: 12T Pro, 13 series, 13T Pro — availability varies heavily by region

If you’re on a mid-range Android phone, assume it doesn’t support eSIM unless you’ve verified in your phone’s settings.

How to Check if Your Phone Actually Supports eSIM

Marketing specs lie. Carrier locks and regional variants matter. Here’s how to confirm on your actual device:

iPhone: Settings → Cellular (or Mobile Data) → look for “Add eSIM” or “Add Cellular Plan”. If it’s there, you’re good.

Android: Settings → Network & Internet (or Connections) → SIM cards → look for “Add eSIM” or “Download a SIM”. Path varies by manufacturer.

If you don’t see those options, your phone either doesn’t support eSIM or it’s carrier-locked. Contact your carrier to unlock it. Many phones sold on contract in the US or Australia ship locked even if the hardware technically supports eSIM.

When eSIM Isn’t the Best Answer for Your Trip

We offer eSIM plans, so we’re not anti-eSIM. But after supporting hundreds of digital nomads, we’ve learned when it’s not the right fit:

You work from your laptop, not just your phone. eSIM connects one device. If you’re video-calling from a MacBook in a campervan crossing France and Spain, you’re either tethering (which drains your phone battery and caps speed) or you need actual WiFi. ConnectPls includes the portable WiFi device in your monthly plan. It connects up to 10 devices at once, ships in 2-3 working days across Europe, and works the moment you land. No tethering, no battery drain.

You’re traveling with a partner or family. Buying separate eSIMs for two or three phones gets expensive. A single mobile hotspot (like ConnectPls’s portable WiFi subscription) covers everyone, and you’re not troubleshooting eSIM activation in three different phone models at the airport.

You need truly unlimited data without throttling. Most eSIM providers soft-cap at 3-5GB per day or throttle after 20GB total. ConnectPls’s Plus Europe package is genuinely unlimited across 70 Group 0 countries (UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Netherlands, Nordics, Turkey, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand). No fair-usage throttling, no surprise slowdowns. That matters if you’re uploading video content, running Zoom calls all day, or streaming while working remotely.

You move between urban and rural areas. The portable WiFi device uses Cloud SIM technology, which switches between multiple local operators automatically, plus has a backup physical SIM slot. We’ve had customers on month-long road trips through rural Portugal and Spain who lost eSIM signal but stayed connected because the device failed over to a different network. With eSIM-only, you’re stuck with one carrier’s coverage.

Solution	Best For	Limitations	Typical Cost Model
eSIM	Phone-only use, short trips, single traveler	One device; carrier lock issues; no fallback if activation fails	Pay-per-trip or top-up
Local SIM	Long stays in one country, local phone number needed	Requires unlocked phone; buying SIM on arrival; switching SIMs between countries	Prepaid per country
Home carrier roaming	Very short trips, corporate expense accounts	Expensive (often £5-15/day); throttled speeds; surprise bills	Daily roaming fee
Portable WiFi subscription (ConnectPls)	Multi-device use, families, campervans, nomads moving between countries	Carrying an extra device (though it fits in a pocket and lasts 8-12 hours)	Monthly, cancel anytime

Real-World Connectivity Across Europe, Australia, and Japan

We ship portable WiFi subscriptions and SIM cards globally, so we see what actually works across different travel patterns:

Van lifers crossing France and Spain: Motorhome broadband needs to work in remote aires and beach parking, not just city centers. The device-included model means you activate before you fly, it arrives at your home address, and you’re connected the second you park up in Bordeaux or Andalusia. Coverage spans France, Spain, and Portugal (all Group 0 unlimited countries).

Digital nomads in Japan: If you’re wondering about renting pocket WiFi in Japan, most airport rental counters lock you into daily rates that add up fast over a month. ConnectPls ships the device before you leave, billing is monthly, and Japan is a Group 1 country (4G unlimited, may slow after 5GB/day, which is plenty for work and travel).

Repeat business travel across Europe: Monthly plans without commitment beat daily roaming fees. Activate for the months you travel, pause when you don’t. No local paperwork, no hunting for the cheapest pocket WiFi rental in each city.

Erasmus students between UK, Ireland, and the continent: Your UK or EU phone might roam, but if you’re uploading coursework, video calling home, and streaming, you’ll hit fair-usage caps. A portable WiFi subscription with truly unlimited data in Group 0 countries (UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Nordics) covers your laptop, phone, and tablet without throttling.

Does Portable WiFi Work Anywhere?

Not everywhere identically. ConnectPls covers 160+ countries, but there are three tiers:

• Group 0 (70 countries): Truly unlimited 4G with no throttling. Includes most of Europe, UK, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and Turkey. This is where the device shines for heavy users.
• Group 1 (e.g. Japan, China, India, Singapore, Thailand): 4G unlimited but may slow after about 5GB per day. Still plenty for work and travel. You’d notice if you’re uploading 4K video all day.
• Group 2 (e.g. Brazil, Egypt, Morocco): 500MB per day at 4G, then 256kbps. Enough for maps, messaging, light browsing. Not video streaming.

Check the tier for your destinations before you subscribe. If you’re spending three months across France, Germany, and Portugal (all Group 0), you’re set. If you’re in Brazil, a local SIM might serve you better for that leg.

How Much Does Portable WiFi Cost Compared to eSIM?

Daily rental of pocket WiFi typically runs £8-15 per day. Fine for a week, painful for a month. That’s £240-450 for 30 days. Local SIMs are cheaper per country but require unlocked phones, in-person purchases, and swapping SIMs at every border.

ConnectPls bills monthly (not daily) and includes the device. No upfront hardware purchase, no deposit in most cases. You’re paying for flexible connectivity that works the moment you land, cancels anytime, and covers laptop, phone, and tablet from one hotspot. Delivery is included for most EU, UK, and US addresses, arriving in 2-3 working days in Europe or 4-5 in the UK.

The trade-off: there’s a £25 fee if you cancel a mobile-router subscription within the first three months (covers the cost of shipping and return logistics). After three months, cancel freely. For someone doing a two-week holiday, a short-term eSIM or daily rental might cost less. For anyone traveling a month or longer, or moving between countries regularly, monthly billing without contracts wins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use eSIM and portable WiFi at the same time?

Yes. Some digital nomads keep a local eSIM on their phone for calls and SMS (useful for two-factor authentication or local restaurant bookings), then connect their laptop and tablet to a portable WiFi device for data-heavy work. They’re not competing technologies. You can use both.

What if my phone is eSIM-compatible but carrier-locked?

Contact your original carrier and request an unlock. In the UK and EU, carriers must unlock phones once your contract ends. In the US and Australia, policies vary by carrier. Often you need to have paid off the device and completed any minimum contract term. Once unlocked, eSIM provisioning works normally.

Is portable WiFi faster than eSIM?

Not inherently. Both connect to the same 4G networks. The advantage of ConnectPls’s portable WiFi device is the Cloud SIM technology: it automatically switches between multiple local operators to find the strongest signal, and has a backup physical SIM slot. That redundancy means fewer dead zones in rural areas compared to a single-carrier eSIM, but peak speeds on a good signal are similar.