If you are on a Europe trip spanning multiple countries, you know how important it is to get an unlimited eSIM in Europe and something that doesn’t drop off after 3 days.

Most unlimited eSIMs for Europe finish real quick especially if you are travelling to multiple countries and not just sticking to one destination. I found it really challenging to find something that stays true to what they claim.

This isn’t the first time I had to figure this out. I have used eSIMs on trips through Central Asia, Turkey and the Balkans and coverage and speed has always been the deciding factor over price for me.

During my recent trip to Europe, I went to several countries (crossing between borders like Italy, Austria and Germany) and I stuck to Sim Local’s Unlimited eSIM. It was the best I have used so far and the price is comparable with other providers like Saily, Airalo and Holafly.

There are two options you can choose such as Unlimited or Unlimited PRO – the difference is in what kind of traveller are you. For instance, I am a remote worker and creator so the Unlimited PRO was really useful for me as 10GB full speed per day helped me to do work and use the hotspot frequently.

Here is my experience using an eSIM for Europe that’s truly unlimited.

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📱 Get your Sim Local eSIM HERE for your next trip

💜 Tip: You get 5% off with my code THEGONEGOAT

Why “Unlimited eSIMs” usually aren’t?

which best unlimited esim is best for europe?

I will be honest, most “unlimited eSIMs” are not unlimited. A lot of the unlimited eSIMs being advertised are running on somewhat a fair usage policy that throttles you down to ridiculous dial-up speeds after you hit a certain amount of data.

So you are looking at 1GB to 5GB per day. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t work, it works but you can’t load Google maps or send voice notes or even log into Google – everything is at snail pace slow.

I have been burned like this before. I bought a 20 day “unlimited” eSIM for a trip through the Balkans a while back and by day 10 my speeds were so bad that I couldn’t even upload an Instagram story.

So when I say Sim Local’s Unlimited eSIM actually held up, I mean it kept up for full speed for what I needed as a heavy user which is using it as a hotspot for work while in mountain towns, crossing multiple countries while being able to get data for up to 10GB per day.

Most of Airalo, Saily and Holafly actually caps at 3GB per day which is crazy for what you are paying.

Unlimited vs Unlimited PRO: What’s the difference?

unlimited vs unlimited pro — my breakdown on this

So when I was on Sim Local, they had two plans and you can pick which one works for you depending on how much you use. I think it is great they have two plans for two different types of people and the way they travel.

For everyday travelers & first time eSIM users: The Unlimited plan for 30 days (with 5GB/per day) costs $60.25 and it is perfect for those who need reliable data for maps, messaging apps, translation and the occasional social media scroll. This is great for those who want a reliable and affordable unlimited Europe eSIM without bursting your budget.

For heavy data users, longer trips and family group trips: The Unlimited plan PRO for 30 days (with 10GB/per day) costs $73.75 and you can go all out on this with streaming, hotspot/tethering with your families, and crossing multiple countries with no problems. There is also a 60 day option. This 30-day plan is the one I used and I recommend it for people who are working on the go and travelling, plus longer term digital nomads or travellers. I never once had to think of data and had 5G everywhere.

One thing worth calling out on both plans: hotspot and tethering is included with no separate limit. A lot of providers either block tethering or count it against a smaller daily cap than the one they advertise. With Sim Local, if your daily allowance says 5GB or 10GB, that’s what you get to use however you want, hotspot or both.

How Sim Local’s Unlimited eSIM worked: Crossing Italy, Austria & Germany

using sim local’s unlimited esim in europe

So initially I used the 20GB Europe eSIM then I moved on to Unlimited PRO because it made more sense.

My starting point was in Italy the Dolomites where we were driving through the alps and in between I went into Innsbruck, Austria for a few days and was at the border of Germany in Munich. At every single crossing, the network switched on its own without me having to reinstall everything or manually clicking a carrier.

You should know that this unlimited eSIM covers 36 countries in Europe and I had 5G connection in major cities, train stations, mountain towns. Sometimes when crossing borders, it dropped for a bit but it quickly changed to 5G connection.

Which Unlimited eSIM for Europe Is The Best? Sim Local vs Saily vs Airalo vs Holafly

	Sim Local		Airalo	Holafly	Saily
	Unlimited Pro	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Unlimited Plan	$73.75	$60.25	$71	$73.90	$71.99
Duration	30-day plan	30-day plan	30-day plan	30-day plan	30-day plan
What You Should Know	Best for heavy users and longer trips; 10GB/day	Best for first-time users and everyday travellers; 5GB/day	Wide country coverage; 3GB/day	Expensive; 3-5GB/day	Budget trips, lighter data use; 5GB/day
Rating	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐

I haven’t used every provider on the list but here’s how they compare on the price front and what others have said about them generally.

So while Sim Local is great for first-time users and it is also incredibly versatile for solo travellers and long term travellers, let me compare it with the rest.

Airalo is probably the most well known eSIM in this space and their coverage is genuinely broad. But their “unlimited” regional plans for Europe tend to run on a daily throttle cap, with most people reporting dropped speeds well before the trip is over especially when crossing countries in Europe.

Holafly is the most expensive from this lot and they also have unlimited eSIM options. But their weakest point is speed consistency – it doesn’t seem to hold up as well within outside major cities in Europe.

Saily is relative new to this space and also an alternative but the app itself is clunkier when it comes to checking remaining data or switching plans mid-trip.

From a price point of view, none of these are wildly different from each other other than Holafly. What sold me on Sim Local was that it delivered the unlimited promise, no throttling and if there were any issues I could speak to a real human and not a AI chatbot.

Who is Sim Local’s Unlimited eSIM best for?

Solo travellers

If this is your first time using an eSIM or doing a Europe backpacking trip, the regular Unlimited plan (5GB/day) covers maps, messages and translation apps without you having to think about it.

Groups of Friends/Families

This is great for you if are on a budget and have WiFi mostly everywhere, and would love to just use to hotspot or tether with families. The same unlimited hotspot or Unlimited PRO makes it easy to connect multiple devices, kids tablet included off one plan instead of buying separate eSIMs for everyone.

Digital Nomads and Remote Workers

This is the group I would say benefits the most if you are looking to travel for a long time and have a lot of work to manage on the go (and also what I use). The Unlimited PRO’s 10GB/day full speed allowance actually held up really well for video calls and constant hotspot use across a month of working from different countries in Europe. It was great for me to work remotely from the Alps and not worry about connecting to cafes or somewhere with unstable WiFi.

From a Price Point of View: Europe’s Unlimited eSIM – What Do I Think?

So pricing for eSIMs shift fairly often and of course these numbers change, but as a general guide, Sim Local’s prices are reasonable compared to Airalo, Saily and Holafly for equivalent data and day length.

The PRO tier costs more than the standard Unlimited plan which makes sense given the higher daily full-speed allowance, but the gap between the two isn’t big enough to make me hesitate given how much I relied on the hotspot.

If you’re travelling light on data needs and don’t need to work so much, sticking with the regular Unlimited plan will save you a bit and still cover you comfortably.

So if your plans change, you can actually get a 100% refund back which is what I appreciated about this sim carrier. Sim Local gives you 14 days to test it out and you can request a full refund if it doesn’t work out for you.

How to Install and Activate Your Europe Unlimited eSIM

It was one of the easiest eSIM installs I did and if you are unsure, I could easily WhatsApp them and speak to a human. Here’s how it works:

Buy your plan — use this link to get a plan. Choose your data amount and duration.
Activate your new eSIM by downloading the plan or scanning the QR code
Turn on Data Roaming in your mobile settings.
That's it. You're connected.

Make sure you turn on data roaming for the eSIM and turn off for your regular sim so you don’t get hit with random charges. It is best to activate before you leave for your big Europe trip.

Coverage: Which Countries and Networks It Actually Runs On in Europe?

if you are doing a multi-country trip in europe, getting an unlimited esim plan is worth it

If you are doing a multi-country trip to Europe and not parking yourself in one place, you should know that Sim Local gives you an eSIM plan which connects you to top networks.

One of the top networks in Europe is Orange, and I found that the connection quality was pretty good even once I left bigger cities. I was getting solid signals in smaller towns in Italy and in Austria. That’s usually where cheaper eSIMS don’t really extend coverage that far, so it’s worth checking the list of 36 countries where your eSIM is covered here.

One think worth knowing is that if you happen to be in London, Madrid or Athens, they do have physical stores in this airport plus vending machines in like 100 over airports over the world so just in case you decide to get one last minute it still works!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is throttling on an eSIM?

Throttling is when a provider slows your connection down to a fraction of a normal speed once you have used your fast-speed data allowance, eventhough your plan states “unlimited”. This is the main reason why so many “unlimited eSIMs” feel unusable by the second week of the trip.

Does Sim Local’s Unlimited eSIM include hotspot and tethering?

Yes, both Unlimited and Unlimited Pro plans include hotspot and tethering with no separate cap, you can share your connection with a laptop or another device without it eating into a smaller allowance.

What happens if the eSIM doesn’t work for me?

You have 14 days from your purchase to request a full refund.

So Is Sim Local Worth It As An Unlimited eSIM in Europe?

Yes, for me as a long-term traveller and someone spending 30 days in Europe it was worth it. I think for the price point and value you’re getting Sim Local’s Unlimited eSIM felt like the right fit: there were no drop-offs at border crossings, it was “unlimited” with 5G connection, and no throttling.

I am already planning on using it for my next multi-country Europe trip. Here’s a discount using my code if you wish to get an eSIM.