Selecting an e-sim for your phone as you travel the world and/or replace your Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T service in the USA is an important and confusing decision that I simplify with my review of e-sims from Flexiroam, Airalo, GigSky and Saily. To have a complete global e-sim solution, you need two providers to round out the scenarios of a full-time traveling nomad. See my solution below.
My E-Sim Solution Gets My Texts, Calls, 2FA
I have been traveling the world full-time for almost five years, and I started using e-sims the minute I left the US in 2021. Now regardless of where I am, including the United States, I use the following solution with my unlocked Pixel phone around the world. I am able to get calls, texts, 2FA texts, 6-digit codes, wifi, cell data, internet, and banking without fail as I travel the world with my e-sim solution.
In the US, I use the solution below to completely eliminate the use of Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and other large cell phone data providers. There is no need for them with this solution below. This is not a gimmick. It’s what I’ve been doing for years in both the USA and around the world.
Google Voice Delivers My Phone Line
To clarify, I parked my US phone number at Google VOICE (not Google Fi). Google Voice maintains my phone number, and through Google Voice, I make calls and get SMS texts, including my two-factor authentification texts from my banks, etc. Google Voice also picks up my voice mail.
I like Google Voice because I can use it on my phone and on my computer to make calls and send texts, and its app and browser interface have kept a history of my texts, calls and messages since I began using Google Voice. Please note that you must be physically present in the US to set up Google Voice (VPN will not help you.) Google Voice is FREE.
Google Voice vs Google Fi
I used to use Google Fi. I loved that it worked everywhere and I never had to worry about installing e-sims as I traveled across borders. But you can only use Google Fi for about 90 days outside of the US before they cut you off of their data plan. They do not cut off your phone line, phone calls, or phone SMS texts. You can maintain those for about $15 a month. T-Mobile appears to have adopted this same limitation.
Google Voice vs Tello
An alternative to Google Voice is Tello. My husband uses Tello. He pays $5 a month for Tello (Click here to save $10) to provide his phone line, text and phone calls (just like Google Voice.) But he feels more secure using Tello and paying the monthly free as he is leery of Google Voice and how much longer it will be free and available. While I don’t agree with him that Google Voice will go away, it’s always good to have a back up plan (or if you’re not in the USA to set up Google Voice), and Tello is a good plan. Tello also sells cheap data in the US, which my husband also uses while in the USA.
Buy a Global Plan then Forget About It
Although all of the providers I am reviewing have local and regional plans, I am only reviewing their global plans and coverage. I like to buy a big bucket of data as seldomly as possible so that I don’t have to worry about my e-sims, which country I’m in, how much data I’m using, and whether I’m going to run out. Therefore, I try to buy once or twice a year and then I forget about it. I use about 50G a year in cellular data. The rest of the time, I’m usually on WiFi.
Because I’m changing countries monthly if not weekly at times, I prefer Global plans. Occasionally, if I know I’ll be in a country for a certain length of time, I’ll buy a local or regional plan. But often the price difference between the local/regional and global is less than a few dollars, and it’s not work it to me to have to keep changing plans in order to keep up with my data needs.
The Real Use Testing of E-Sims Around the World
I wanted to test out the different e-sims across the world to determine which is the best overall. During this test, I was on 6 continents (missing Antartica) using my Pixel 8a with Google Voice installed. I was particularly interested in three data points:
- How easily the plan crossed borders
- What level of service the plan picked up (H+, 3G, LTE, 5g)
- Tech Support interaction
I will evaluate each e-sim to these criterium and provide summary in the chart below.
Flexiroam Review
The oldest of the four e-sims, Flexiroam has learned from its mistakes over time. I have used Flexiroam the longest. Of the 4 e-sims, it has the toughest time crossing borders. Often the APN setting gets hung up, and once I learned how to review it and fix it, I found crossings much easier. Friends who have used Flexiroam on my recommendation have complained to me about this border crossing issue as well. I do believe Flexiroam has worked on this problem and improved it greatly.
I appreciated that Tech Support could be used through WhatsApp. Despite the border crossing issue (that now seems to be abated), Flexiroam tends to quickly pick up LTE if not 5G. In addition, Flexiroam partners with Mastercard, giving additional discounts if you pay with eligible Mastercards.
One benefit of Flexiroam that no other e-sim reviewed here provides is that you can share your data with other Flexiroamers. This is not hotspoting. If I’m about to time out on my data with Flexiroam, I’ll dump a bunch to my husband, and he and I will use it up before it expries.
Sadly, Flexiroam is the most expensive and requires active researching of coupons or subscribing it to its email to get the discounts. When it’s on sale, I load up. But I often miss the sales.
To note: Flexiroam just launched a plan to use inside plane cabins and also the ability to park a phone number like Voice and Tello. I have not tried either service yet.
GigSky Review
GigSky is the only major e-sim provider for use while on a cruise ship out to sea. You can bypass using Cellular at Sea (the cruise ships’ expensive internet service) by getting a GigSky e-sim. It works while out to sea and also while on land, but not within the 3-mile nautical border between land and sea. (The hour before/after port.)
While GigSky is good for at sea, it’s terrible on land. You must make sure you’ve purchased the e-sim that matches your boat and your ports. To get Global coverage you must purchase a World Cruise e-sim or cobble together several plans based on the countries where you’ll port. So not only is its ease-of-use awful, its service on land often ranges in the H+ to 3G range.
GigSky’s saving grace is that it is good on ship and saves you tons of money versus the ship’s internet package. But as a land option, bypass it. Turn on the e-sim of anyone else and bypayss GigSky while in port. GigSky partners with Visa and gives free data every six months to eligible Visa cards.
Saily Review
Although Saily (click here for 5% off) has the fewest amount of countries on its global policy, that hasn’t hampered my use of it. I figure if I’m using Saily and I do end up in a country that it doesn’t cover with its global plan, I’ll just buy a local plan. The interface is a piece of cake. Sadly, though, although you can hotspot your data, you can’t share it like with Flexiroam. I’ve consistently had LTE to 5G with Saily, and its border crossings have gone seamlessly.
Airalo Review
Lots of people like Airalo because it consistently has good pricing, its reliable, and its interface is reasonable. Sadly, its tech support is horrendous and inacurate. I used Airalo for a few weeks and dropped it after I had trouble with the APN settings and couldn’t get Airalo to work despite an hour with tech support. I was in Europe at the time, a continent where I’ve generally had no problems with e-sims at all.
A Comparison Chart of E-Sim Flexiroam GigSky Saily Airalo
Here’s a handy chart that compares the price and features of the popular e-sims including Flexiroam, GigSky, Saily, and Airalo.
| E-sim | Price for 20 Gig Global for 1 year | Ease of Use | Coverage | Reliability | Notes |
| Flexiroam | $75* | Good | 200+ | Best | Can share data with other Flexiroamers |
| GigSky | $225 (6 months) | Poor | 200+ | Poor | Includes cruises |
| Saily | $67 | Best | 113 | Good | Has cheap regional plans |
| Airalo | $69 | Poor | 200+ | Good | Bad tech support |
*Flexiroam uses a coupon to get its pricing down competitively. This is a coupon price.
Final Recommendation of E-Sims for Full-Time Traveling Nomads
Here’s a table to compare the four e-sims, including their pricing at the time of publishing. Saily and Airalo go neck and neck in pricing. Saily bests Airalo though due to its better border crossings and consistent LTE/5G coverage. Flexiroam is always the most expensive but its couponing strategy brings the price down. Although it’s the best service, best tech support and best coverage, its the most expensive and its border crossings can be challenging. GigSky is the worst and most expensive of the bunch, but it’s the only option for cruising and wins by default.
What Do I Use?
I start with Google Voice. I have Saily as my main e-sim, and I have GigSky for cruising. When Flexiroam has a sale that competes with Saily, I grab a bucket of data. I stay away from Airalo. The combination of these three services, Google Voice and Saily or GigSky keeps me connected throughout the world.
What questions do you have?
Chris Englert, the Walking Traveler, believes walking is the platform for life. Wanderlusting since the age of 5, she’s since traveled all 50 US states and 62 countries. Chris shares her love of walking while traveling via blogs, books, and presentations. A natural storyteller, she invites you along as she explores the world, one walk at a time.
Currently, Chris and her husband, Steve, travel the world, full-time as nomads, with just their two carry-ons. They’ve been traveling since May, 2021.