Let's face it, our phones are our most important asset these days and definitely our most important travel gadget. After our passport, the phone is the first thing we pack when we travel.
At Traveltomtom we know better than anyone that eSIMs are the easiest choice when travelling abroad. The market has exploded and it can be extremely difficult to find the best eSIM provider, the choice is plenty and the immense range of eSIM providers and plans can be very overwhelming.
At Traveltomtom we are always looking for the best eSIMs and we test various eSIM providers on a regular basis. For this review blog we have used and tested SimOptions extensively ourselves. This post will include everything you need to know about SimOptions. We will share our experiences and honest opinion about their eSIM cards and services.
Who is SimOptions?
What makes SimOptions so unique? It is more than just a provider of eSIMs, it also sells regular physical SIM card provider. SimOptions basically is a marketplace for prepaid sim cards whether you are looking for an eSIM or physical sim card.
They have been working hard to become one of the best possible eSIM and international prepaid sim cards options and offer some of the most competitive rates in the industry.
SimOptions knows that it is important to stay connected to the internet and have data on your phone when traveling abroad, now more than ever before. They offer the solutions to always stay online on WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and all other (social) networks.
SimOptions wants to save you from the annoying hassle of arriving in a foreign country and not being connected to the internet, or having to endlessly look around for a suitable tourist sim card. SimOptions makes it very easy for you by providing you with numerous physical sim cards and eSIM card plans and packages for competitive prices and they cover pretty much every country in the world.
Because SimOptions is not just an eSIM provider but a marketplace for eSIM, they work very closely with the most well-known mobile network operators all around the world. By operating like this, they can provide you with the most competitive prices, plans, packages and the best coverage.
Traditional physical SIM cards
Even though the world of eSIMs is rapidly emerging and developing, traditional physical SIM cards should not be underestimated and still form the larger market.
Just like with the eSIM, you can also order a regular physical SIM card very quickly and easily online via SimOptions. Simply choose your destination, select the SIM card that best fits your needs and receive your SIM card by mail.
The physical SIM cards offered by SimOptions are plug and play. Just slide them in your phone and start using the data, calls and SMS.
Click here to check out all the physical prepaid sim card of SimOptions.
Except for Africa and South America, SimOptions delivers to every other continent and almost every country. Delivery times can differ depending on the country. Delivery costs vary greatly. The high delivery costs of regular SIM cards can be a deal breaker!
In addition to delivery of physical SIM cards SimOptions says they also offer pick up locations at multiple airports. As their website doesn't give an overview of these pick up locations, I contacted them through their live chat.
Turns out, they only have one pick up location worldwide. This location is Paris CDG Airport, located between terminal 2C and 2E, Gare TGV, Level 4. It's located opposite the Sheraton Hotel. The shop is called Consigne Bagages.
The information on the SimOptions website about pick up locations is somewhat misleading. If you want a regular SIM card, (expensive) delivery is the only option.
On the contrary, SimOptions is the only international sim card provider that actually offers physical prepaid sim cards as well. All other eSIM providers like Sim Local, Airalo, Jetpac, Holafly, Nomad, etc. only offer eSIMs.
What is an eSIM?
An eSIM is a digital SIM card. So, instead of physically inserting a SIM card in your phone, with an eSIM you simply scan a QR code and install a sim card on your phone. No more worrying about loosing your main SIM card. No more purchasing local SIM cards upon arrival and storing them once you leave the country.
An eSIM you can purchase before you travel to your destination and you are up and running in no-time. You are pretty much online as soon as the plane lands.
eSIM compatible phones
Mind you that eSIMs only work in eSIM compatible phones. Most of the newer phones of the major brands like iPhone, Samsung and Huawei are eSIM enabled. Some phones even go as far as totally removing the traditional SIM card slot and are eSIM only, like the iPhone 14 and 15 models from the USA.
Before ordering an eSIM just keep in mind that certainly not all phones are eSIM compatible yet. So be sure to always check in advance whether your device is suitable.
Below a list of the eSIM compatible devices for the most common brands:
- Apple iPhone – iPhone SE and newer models
- Samsung – Galaxy S20 and newer models, Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip
- Huawei – Mate 40 Pro, P40 Pro and P40
- OnePlus – One Plus 11
- Pixel – Google Pixel 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7
Please check out the SimOptions website for a full and detailed list of all eSIM Compatible phones and handsets.
What to look for when buying a sim card on SimOptions
Once you know where you are going, you can easily search through all continents and countries on the SimOptions website. Just search for your destination and the deals and package show immediately. Here are some tips on what to pay attention to when choosing your sim card on SimOptions.
Amount of data
It's quite logical that you want enough data to cover your entire stay. So before you purchase your sim card, think carefully about what you want to do on a daily basis at your destination and roughly how much data you need for this.
Keep in mind that 45 minutes of watching TikTok is already easily 1 GB data, watching Instagram reels can already consume 1 GB data after just 30 minutes.
Data-only or calls/sms included
Something that makes SimOptions stand out from many other eSIM providers is that SimOptions offers sim cards with calling and texting included. Not for every country, it depends on your destination. But for example for Europe, SimOptions has lots of sim cards available including calling and texting and these sim cards also come with a phone number.
Duration of sim card plan
This one is pretty important, because the intention is of course that the sim card remains valid and usable during your entire stay or trip. So if you're going away for 8 days, it might be better to buy a 10 or 15-day package rather than a 7-day package.
Please also note that most of the SimOptions sim card packages can't be extended!
Which countries is the sim card valid?
It all depends on your travels of course, but some SimOptions packages work in multiple countries and others only work in one specific country. I was looking for eSIM packages for the Netherlands. While checking my options I noticed that some packages were for the Netherlands only, while other eSIM packages were for the EU, including the Netherlands as well.
With some plans this is immediately clear because of the name of the eSIM, with other eSIMs it is less obvious. So please make sure you click through the details, here you will find exactly how many countries you can use the physical sim card or eSIM.
Price
There are a few variables that determine the price of an international sim card. The main variables that determine the price are the available amount of data, calls & SMS and the validity. The more data and the longer the validity, the more expensive a sim card usually is.
I was searching for an eSIM for the Netherlands and found that the cheapest option was only $4.50 USD, which got me 1 GB of data for 7 days. However, a more expensive option was $49.90 USD, which gives you 30 GB of data, calls & SMS and a 14 day validity in 39 countries across Europe.
There is plenty of choice when purchasing a sim card at SimOptions.
Purchase, download and installation SimOptions eSIMs
Whether you forgot to purchase an eSIM or spontaneously have a last minute trip, don't panic! SimOptions has made the ordering and installing of their eSIMs as simple as possible for you. All their eSIMs and SIM cards are plug and play. They don't have a long and annoying registration process or setup.
In fact, purchasing and installing an eSIM has been made super easy and super-fast by SimOptions. I honestly think that deciding on the right eSIM plan might be the hardest and most difficult thing to do in the whole process.
Once you have decided on which eSIM you want, simply click 'buy now' on the SimOptions website. You're directed to the next page where you're required to enter your first and last name and your e-mail address. The e-mail address is required as the eSIM will be send to your e-mail.
Then fill out the payment details and simply click 'check out' when you're done.
Just seconds after checking out your order, you already receive the confirmation email from SimOptions with a PDF file attached to the e-mail. This PDF is very important as it contains the QR code to instal your eSIM. It's also a specific guide to install the eSIM correctly.
To make it as easy as possible, simply scan the QR code in the PDF and your phone will do the rest. It might take a few minutes before the eSIM is installed.
While testing SimOptions lately it only took a few seconds and within the blink of an eye the eSIM was already installed on the phone. The PDF also includes the APN settings required. In most eSIM activations, APN settings are configured automatically.
During all our extensive tests of SimOptions eSIMs the APN settings were configured automatically.
Literally less than a minute sometimes from checking out the order on the SimOptions website to being online on our eSIM. Excellent!
Another great thing about SimOptions is that it lets you order an eSIM without creating a profile. You can check out as a guest, no need to download an app, etc.
SimOptions App
SimOptions has recently launched their brand new eSIM App. This app makes it even more simple to stay connected wherever you go. With this app you can manage multiple mobile plans.
Switching between plans has never been easier. When you download the SimOptions app you need to create an account before being able to use the app.
From the SimOptions website you can easily buy eSIM packages without creating an account, which is a major plus. However, eSIM packages purchased through their website will not be visible in their app.
We struggled to get our purchased eSIM visible in the app. We needed to contact technical support to find out that our purchased eSIM on the website will not be visible in the app.
Only eSIMs bought through the app will be directly visible in the app as well. This is a disadvantage of the SimOptions app. As a customer, you expect that all SimOptions eSIMs will appear in the app, but that is not the case.
However, if you purchase the eSIM through their app, you get direct insight in your eSIM package, which can be very useful. Purchasing and installing an eSIM through the app is equally as easy as doing it through their website.
You search for your destination and pick the package that best fits your travels. Once you selected your package, simply click 'buy now'.
Fill out the payment details and 'check out' your order. Count till three and the purchase is done!
You now return back to the app home screen where you will see your purchased eSIM.
From here you can very easily install the eSIM to your phone. It's the same as when installing an eSIM purchased from the SimOptions website.
After installation you are able to see an overview of the details of your eSIM.
Technical Support
It is of course also important to know how easily and quickly you can get in touch with SimOptions. The SimOptions team is available through the following options: live chat, e-mail support atcontact@simoptions.com and through phone at +16465862166.
We contacted them through the live chat with a rather easy question. For some reason it took them ages to get back to us and I had to message them again because there was no response.
In the end the answer turned out to be somewhat disappointing, so our experience with the SimOptions technical support hasn't been optimal.
SimOptions pros and cons
Ordering a sim card from SimOptions offers comes with many advantages. Just like everything, SimOptions also has its good and bad qualities, so we'd like to list the most important pros and cons when it comes to SimOptions.
Pros
- SimOptions offers eSIMs as well as physical prepaid sim cards
- SimOptions shows the data speed of their package (4G/5G)
- SimOptions offers local, regional and global packages
- SimOptions eSIMs are very easy to purchase and install
- SimOptions has eSIMs for over 160 countries
- Not limited to data-only sim card, SimOptions has eSIMs and physical sim cards with calls and SMS
- Sim cards including calls/sms come with a phone number and support incoming calls/sms
- SimOptions ability to share data as hotspot is available
Cons
- SimOptions short term eSIM packages have small data plans (like all eSIM providers)
- SimOptions does not have sim cards with unlimited data
- SimOptions technical support is only available in English
- Traveltomtom experience with the technical support has been average
- SimOptions does NOT clarify on which network they operate in X country
The last one can be a hassle as Traveltomtom always recommends to check the 4G/5G network coverage maps. Unfortunately SimOptions is the only sim card provider that does not clarify the network specifications per country.
Our final thoughts on SimOptions
Is SimOptions worth it? At Traveltomtom we say YES! On the Traveltomtom scale of 'average – ok – good', SimOptions scores 'good'!
Purchasing and installing a SimOptions eSIM is super easy. You are up and running with your new eSIM in no time!
In fact, Traveltomtom has been using SimOptions now for over 6 years. The longest of all sim card providers on the market. Traveltomtom used many international prepaid sim cards from SimOptions before the days of eSIMs.
Traveltomtom has already used SimOptions in more than 50 countries around the world and one of the major reasons why Traveltomtom keeps on recommending ordering sim cards via SimOptions is that we never really experienced any major issues in all these years. The Traveltomtom Team is very satisfied with the service and the products of SimOptions.
They have a wide range of eSIM and regular SIM cards. However, the amount of eSIM packages can be a bit overwhelming. It is a pro that SimOptions has such a large selection of sim cards, but that makes it sometimes hard to make a choice.
The downside of SimOptions according to Traveltomtom is their technical support. It has not been very helpful when we needed them. Plus, their technical support is only available in English.
Another thing that can prevent travelers from choosing SimOptions is that they do not offer unlimited packages. However, Traveltomtom is NOT a fan of sim cards with unlimited data and in fact does NOT recommend sim cards with unlimited data for traveling abroad.
In terms of pricing you can compare SimOptions to other eSIM providers. Major difference between SimOptions and other eSIM providers is that SimOptions offers sim cards with calling and texting included. Most other eSIM providers only offer data-only eSIMs.
Traveltomtom recommends SimOptions specifically for sim cards for traveling to Europe.
Looking at the pros and cons and making a well-considered judgment, SimOptions is definitely one of the better sim card providers. There is always room for improvement and I am sure SimOptions is aware of that and is working hard on it to improve and enhance their products and services even more.