Quick answer: where can you get a travel eSIM now?
- GetYourGuide no longer sells eSIMs. The platform removed eSIMs and SIM cards in summer 2024, effective July 31, 2024, according to industry reports (PhocusWire, Arival). In our web search on November 6, 2026, we found no eSIM listings there.
- Three ways remain: buy directly from an eSIM provider on its website or app, add a travel pass from your home carrier, or buy a local SIM card when you arrive.
- Traveling within the EU on an EU phone plan? You often need nothing extra, because "Roam like at home" applies (European Commission).
- Before you buy, check: Does your phone support eSIM? Is it carrier-unlocked? When does validity start? Do you need ID? How much data do you need?
What changed at GetYourGuide?
In summer 2024, GetYourGuide told its suppliers that several categories would leave the platform. According to PhocusWire, they were self-guided or mobile-guided audio tours, exploration games and scavenger hunts, eSIMs and SIM cards, and vehicle rentals without an associated tour, activity or driver (PhocusWire). The travel industry site Arival reported on July 2, 2024 that the removal would take effect on July 31, 2024 (Arival).
GetYourGuide told PhocusWire the move was "part of ongoing efforts to optimize our platform and offering" and that fewer than 0.5% of its supply partners were affected (PhocusWire).
And today? In a web search on November 6, 2026, we found no eSIM listings on GetYourGuide and no newer GetYourGuide statement about eSIMs. You can still book tours and tickets there, but for mobile data you need another route.
GetYourGuide and eSIMs: the facts (as of November 6, 2026)
| When | What | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Summer 2024 | GetYourGuide emails suppliers that it will remove several categories, including eSIMs and SIM cards | PhocusWire |
| July 2, 2024 | Arival reports the cuts, including SIM cards | Arival |
| July 31, 2024 | Removal date for the categories | Arival, PhocusWire |
| November 6, 2026 | Our web search finds no eSIM listings on GetYourGuide | Own check |
Where to buy a travel eSIM now: your options
Travel eSIM and alternatives: where to buy (as of November 6, 2026)
| Option | How you buy | Good fit if | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Directly from an eSIM provider | Online on the provider's website or app, then install at home | you travel abroad often or visit several countries | Usually data only; check when validity starts and which countries are covered |
| Travel pass from your home carrier | In your carrier's app or online account | you want to keep using your own number and install nothing | Prices vary by carrier and country; some passes are charged per day |
| Local SIM card | In a store or at a dealer in your destination | you stay a long time or need a local number | Often passport registration; new number; phone must be unlocked |
| Nothing extra (EU roaming) | Turn on data roaming on your EU SIM | your plan is from an EU country and you travel in the EU | Fair-use limits on unlimited or very cheap data plans; the UK is not included |
1. Directly from an eSIM provider
This is the easiest route. You buy online, install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi and are online as soon as you land. In your destination, you choose the eSIM for cellular data. Your home SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts.
Example: eSIMFOX. You buy on esimfox.com and install the eSIM by QR code (guide). According to the product pages, validity starts with the first network connection in your destination, not when you buy. No identity verification (eKYC) is required. The eSIMs are data only, without a phone number.
eSIMFOX example prices (as of November 6, 2026)
| Travel eSIM | Smallest plan | 10 GB, 30 days |
|---|---|---|
| Europe (38 countries) | 1 GB, 7 days: €1.99 | €9.99 |
| Turkey | 1 GB, 7 days: €1.99 | €9.99 |
| Thailand | 1 GB, 7 days: €1.99 | €13.99 |
| USA | 1 GB, 7 days: €2.99 | €15.99 |
Sources: eSIMFOX product pages for Europe, Turkey, Thailand and the USA, checked November 6, 2026. All countries and plans are on all eSIMs.
Whichever provider you choose, compare the price per GB, the validity, the country list and when validity starts.
2. A travel pass from your home carrier
Many carriers sell international add-ons so you can keep your own number. One example: Verizon TravelPass costs "$12/day in 210+ countries and destinations". It includes 5 GB of high-speed data, then unlimited data at 3G speeds for the rest of the TravelPass session (Verizon, as of November 6, 2026). Other carriers have their own options, so check your plan details or your carrier's app.
3. A local SIM card in your destination
A local SIM gives you a local number. You need an unlocked phone, and you can only buy it after you arrive. Many countries require you to register the SIM. Two examples:
- Thailand: Stricter rules took effect on May 16, 2026. Identity verification is done mainly by passport, and registration must be done in person at a branch or authorized dealer (Tilleke & Gibbins). True also requires a valid passport for its tourist SIM (True). More: best eSIM for Thailand.
- Vietnam: Under Decree 163/2024/ND-CP, foreigners can register with a passport that is valid for their stay in Vietnam (Can Tho city legal portal, in Vietnamese).
4. Within the EU: often nothing needed
If your phone plan is from an EU country, "Roam like at home" applies in the 27 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, and since January 1, 2026 also in Ukraine and Moldova. Calls, texts and data cost the same as at home. Your operator may set a fair-use limit if you have unlimited data or a very cheap data plan. The UK is not included, although some operators keep the benefit (European Commission). A travel eSIM there mostly makes sense if your data allowance is small. More: how much data do I need for travel in Europe?
Checklist: what to check before you buy
Before you buy a travel eSIM
| Check | What to look for | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| eSIM-compatible phone | According to Apple, iPhone XS, XS Max, XR or later; many Android phones too | Compatible devices list |
| Carrier-unlocked | A phone locked to one carrier will not work with another | iPhone: Settings > General > About; "No SIM Restrictions" must show next to Carrier Lock |
| Validity start | Does validity start when you buy or when you connect in your destination? | Provider's product page; at eSIMFOX with the first network connection in your destination |
| ID and registration | Local SIM cards often need a passport | Provider's page; no identity verification at eSIMFOX |
| Data needs | eSIMFOX suggests about 0.5 GB per day for one device as a starting point | Trip days × 0.5 GB, rounded up to the next GB |
| Countries and networks | Does the plan cover every country on your route? | Country list on the product page |
| Phone number | Travel eSIMs are usually data only | Read the product description |
Sources: Apple, eSIMFOX compatible devices, eSIMFOX Europe (data guideline), checked November 6, 2026.
Important after you buy: In your destination, turn off data roaming for your home line. Apple notes: "You might still incur roaming fees from your home eSIM." (Apple)
How to buy and install a travel eSIM
- Check that your phone supports eSIM (compatible devices) and is carrier-unlocked.
- Choose a plan by destination, trip length and how much data you need.
- Buy the eSIM a few days before your trip and install it at home over Wi-Fi (guide).
- In your destination: choose the eSIM for cellular data and turn on data roaming for it. Turn off data roaming for your home line.
- Back home: turn off the travel eSIM and switch cellular data back to your home SIM. With iOS 26 and later, your iPhone does this automatically, depending on your country or region (Apple).
If the eSIM has no data after you land, it is often a setting such as data roaming or the selected data line: why is my eSIM not working?
Sources (checked November 6, 2026)
- GetYourGuide removes eSIMs and SIM cards: PhocusWire (quotes GetYourGuide; no date on the page) and Arival, July 2, 2024.
- EU roaming, countries and fair use: European Commission.
- eSIM on iPhone, carrier lock, home-line roaming fees, iOS 26: Apple.
- Carrier travel pass example: Verizon TravelPass.
- Local SIM registration: Tilleke & Gibbins and True for Thailand, Can Tho city legal portal for Vietnam.
- eSIMFOX prices and details: Europe, Turkey, Thailand, USA.
All information checked on November 6, 2026. Prices and offers can change.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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