An eSIM is a SIM card that lives in software. Customers download a mobile plan to their phone in minutes, with no plastic, shipping, or store visit. For travel, fintech and telecom brands, that turns connectivity into a product you can sell online.
An eSIM (embedded SIM) is a chip built into the device that can store one or more mobile plans, called profiles. Instead of inserting a card, the user scans a QR code or taps an install button, and the operator's profile is downloaded securely over the air using the GSMA's remote SIM provisioning standards.
Most phones keep their main number on one line and add a travel data plan on another, so customers stay reachable at home while using local data abroad.
| Physical SIM | eSIM | |
|---|---|---|
| How customers get it | Store, airport kiosk or postal delivery | Online, delivered instantly by email, link or in-app |
| Time to connect | Hours to days, plus card swapping | A few minutes, before or after landing |
| Plans on one phone | One per card slot | Several profiles stored, switch in settings |
| Who can sell it | Mostly operators and their retail partners | Any brand with a website or app, through an eSIM API |
| Logistics | Inventory, packaging and shipping | None, plans are provisioned on demand |
Most travel eSIMs fall into two plan types. Both come in single-country, regional and global versions, and both can be topped up.
Customers buy a total data allowance, such as 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 20GB or 50GB, valid for 7 to 30 days. Best for short trips and light users who want a clear price.
Customers get a daily high-speed allowance, from 500MB to 10GB a day, then keep browsing at a reduced speed under a fair usage policy. Best for longer stays and heavy users.
Customers add more to the eSIM they already installed. On fixed data plans a top-up adds data and days; on unlimited daily plans it adds days.
| Speed | Works well for |
|---|---|
| 1 Mbps | Music and podcast streaming, email, messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Slack, basic browsing and social media updates |
| 2 Mbps | Everything above with faster loading, plus basic video and light work or study |
Speeds shown are best-case figures. Actual speeds vary with network conditions and are often lower at peak times or in crowded areas.
Setup takes a few minutes and works the same way for every eSIM Access plan. Share these official guides with your customers, or link to them from your own install page.
Video: How to set up eSIM on iPhone, Apple Support. Watch on YouTube
On newer phones, customers can install an eSIM by tapping a single link, with no second screen or QR code needed. This works on iPhone with iOS 17.4 or later and on Android 10 or later.
No. eSIM Access plans are data-only. Customers can still call and message over the internet with apps such as WhatsApp or FaceTime, and keep their home number active on their main SIM.
Yes. Hotspot and tethering are supported on all plans.
An eSIM that has not been activated stays valid for 180 days from purchase, so customers can buy well before their trip.
Most plans set up the access point (APN) automatically. A few destinations need a manual APN setting on some devices. See APN settings.
Top-ups are added to the eSIM already on the phone, so customers never need to reinstall. See how to top up a data plan.
eSIM moved from premium phones into the mid-range, and adoption is now accelerating fast. Figures below are from independent analysts; see sources at the end of the page.
eSIM connections worldwide in 2026, up from 1.2B in 2025
Juniper Research [1]
of global smartphone connections use eSIM by end-2026, double the 5% in 2025
GSMA Intelligence [2]
of smartphone connections forecast to be eSIM by 2030, overtaking the removable SIM
GSMA Intelligence [2]
global travel eSIM revenue in 2025, up 85% in one year
Juniper Research [3]
Why this matters for non-telecom brands: consumer awareness of eSIM reached 60% in 2025, but only 8% of eSIM-aware consumers discovered it through a mobile operator [4]. Travelers are finding eSIM through the apps and websites they already use, which is where travel, fintech and airline brands come in.
eSIM is a digital product with no inventory, which makes it a natural add-on wherever customers plan or pay for travel.
Offer data plans next to flights, hotels and activities. Customers buy connectivity at the moment they book, and you earn margin on every plan.
Add eSIM to the booking flow or loyalty program. Several airlines now sell branded eSIMs that earn miles on every purchase.
Give cardholders roaming data inside your app as a travel perk or paid feature, and keep them engaged while they spend abroad.
Extend coverage to 200+ destinations for outbound customers, or launch a standalone travel eSIM brand without building carrier integrations yourself.
Choose the integration that fits your team, from a full API to a store you can set up without writing code. Most partners integrate in days, not weeks.
Order, deliver and manage eSIMs from your own platform, with usage and top-up data for every profile.
A ready-made eSIM store that drops into your website or app. See the demo store
Your own branded eSIM app for iOS and Android.
Sell eSIMs from a Shopify store you control.
Connect Stripe and launch a branded store with payment links. No inventory, no code.
Automate eSIM orders from your existing tools without writing code.
Buy and resell eSIMs without any integration. Includes an AI assistant powered by Claude for questions about the API, plans and orders, plus wholesale prices updated daily with CSV download and price-change alerts.
Sign up free and add a starting balance from $50, by card, PayPal, Alipay+, crypto or bank wire.
Get API keys in the Developer section, embed a store, or connect Shopify or Stripe.
Choose destinations, add your markup and select currencies.
Customers pay, and the eSIM is delivered instantly with install instructions.
eSIM Access is a Redtea Mobile initiative. Redtea Mobile has specialized in eSIM since 2015.
In-house SM-DP+ platform with a data center in Europe, certified under the GSMA SAS-SM scheme, plus Apple eSIM entitlement integration. Check live uptime on our API status page.
70+ upstream MNOs and MVNOs and 5,000+ plans across 200+ destinations, with full lifecycle tracking for every eSIM. Partnerships with leading smartphone brands including Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi.
5,000+ B2B partners served, including MNOs, OTAs, fintechs, airlines and standalone eSIM brands, with 24/7 support from our team.
Create a free account to explore plans and pricing, or talk to our team about your integration.
