Whether you travel a little or a lot, having an internet connection is pretty vital for exploring and staying in touch with your loved ones. That is where eSIMs come in – digital SIM cards that can be used alongside your physical SIM.
Whatever your travel plans, you will want an eSIM that is easy to set up and use. And bonus points if it gives you access to high-speed internet, with wide coverage, for affordable prices.
For me, I hate downloading new eSIMs for every destination I travel to, and I find most data plans to be restrictive and not fit for purpose.
The Roamless eSIM is different – they offer fixed data plans and pay-as-you-go options in over 200 countries, just one global eSIM to download, and the ability to make international calls. In this Roamless review, I’ll tell you why it has become one of my go-to eSIMs, no matter where I am travelling!
TL;DR
I want my travels to be as faff-free as possible, and thanks to Roamless’ eSIM, I can achieve just that. With just one single eSIM download and pay-as-you-go data that can be used in 200+ countries, I can travel freely without sourcing a new eSIM and data plan for every stop I make. I love being able to make international calls where necessary, using their in-app calling feature. Pay-as-you-go data does cost more, but you can also benefit from their more affordable fixed data plans. All of which can be controlled within their easy-to-use app!
Pros
- Pay-as-you-go and fixed plans
- You only need to download one global eSIM
- In-app international call function
- Pay-as-you-go data never expires
- Coverage in 200+ countries (including Cuba)
Cons
- Pay-as-you-go data is more pricey
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What is Roamless?
Roamless is an eSIM company with a single setup global eSIM and two styles of data plans: pay-as-you-go global data and fixed destination plans.
They have coverage in over 200 countries, with zero expiry data (on pay-as-you-go), and in-app international calling. Your data can be managed easily using their phone app, with interactive breakdowns of your data usage and easy top-up functions.
They are working towards being more than just your typical eSIM provider, as they will soon be rolling out messaging and local phone numbers as part of their service – useful features that aren’t usually provided by eSIMs!
My experience
As a full-time traveller, I am always using eSIMs to stay connected. Not only for staying in touch with friends and family, but also for hotspot connection so I can work remotely, and for streaming my favourite shows.
This does mean that I have tested a lot of eSIM services. Including Roamless’ pay-as-you-go global data. I will now go into detail about my experience using the Roamless eSIM, including my thoughts on the ease-of-use, data plans on offer, internet speed and coverage, international phone calling, and the pricing.
Ease of use
The trickiest thing related to eSIMs is the setup, and thankfully, Roamless has a solution for that. You only need to download one eSIM, and then the rest can be controlled via the app. This is different from the majority of eSIM providers, which require you to download a new eSIM every time you purchase a new data plan (so, every time you visit a new destination).
Their single eSIM can be used globally with pay-as-you-go credits, or fixed data plans can be added to it. I never need to switch between eSIMs on my phone, and I just leave it running in the background, meaning it automatically connects to networks wherever I travel, as needed.
The app itself is really clean, intuitive and easy to use. I find it easy to top up my data, make international calls, and browse fixed data plans. I like how you can see where you’ve been using your pay-as-you-go data and how much you’ve been charged.
Data plans
Unlike most eSIM providers (which typically offer just fixed destination plans), Roamless offers two types of data plans:
- RoamlessFlex: A pay-as-you-go model, top up as you need, use globally, and the data never expires
- RoamlessFix: Buy a fixed data plan, with a set amount of data and time, for a specific country or region
I like the flexibility that these plans give me. RoamlessFlex (pay-as-you-go) gives ultimate flexibility and peace of mind, with zero faff. Whilst RoamlessFix allows you to save money by adding fixed data plans for specific countries and regions (they are competitively priced against all the leading eSIM providers).
With just one global eSIM, I can add pay-as-you-go credit, which works seamlessly in 200+ countries (great for country hopping), and I can also add on a fixed data plan if I know I am going to be in one destination for a while.
Because of this, I find their offering to be the most flexible and convenient out of all eSIM providers.
Internet speeds and coverage
Roamless have one of the largest coverage areas of all eSIM providers I’ve seen, with data in 200+ countries, including trickier places like Cuba. So far, I’ve only seen one other eSIM provider covering countries like Cuba.
Moreover, I have been able to access high-speed data in multiple locations. Including access to 5G. And because I am paying for data as I go (on RoamlessFlex) or for a fixed data plan (on RoamlessFix), I always have access to the highest speed data. So, this means zero throttling, unlike eSIMs offering ‘unlimited’ data plans.
International phone calls
Another thing that sets Roamless apart from the rest is the ability to make international phone calls from within their app. It costs a small fee, which comes out of your in-app credits. The rates start from $0.01/min, depending on the country you are calling.
This is a function I haven’t seen from any other eSIM provider. I have been able to install a few eSIMs in the past that came with a local phone number for the destination that I was in, but wow, did I receive a lot of spam. So much so, I had to delete these eSIMs from my phone. Until eSIM providers can provide a workaround for this, I much prefer using Roamless’ in-app calling feature.
Unfortunately, you can’t receive phone calls yet. But Roamless are working on a local phone number feature that may solve this problem very soon!
Pricing
Their pricing differs depending on whether you are opting for their RoamlessFlex or RoamlessFix plans. The former, RoamlessFlex, is a pay-as-you-go data plan which does incur greater costs than a fixed plan, but for that extra cost, you get flexibility and convenience. The data can be used in over 200 countries and never expires.
The cost of RoamlessFlex depends on the country you are visiting, but to give you an idea, it will cost you around $2.45/GB in most countries, including the UK, the US, and Spain. It is also super easy to track how much of your credit you are spending within their app.
RoamlessFix, on the other hand, is a fixed data offering for specific quantities of data in your destination of choice. These plans are cheaper per GB than the pay-as-you-go model, but the data has an expiry date and is limited to the destination you pay for.
I find their fixed data to be competitively priced. For example, 10GB of data in the UK (with access to 5G) costs $18.95, whilst Saily charges $19.99.
Alternatives to Roamless
There are hundreds of eSIM providers out there, but only a handful which I recommend buying from. The majority are much of a muchness, and then you have standout providers like Roamless.
Roamless is very unique in its product offering, which is a lot broader than their competitors, with in-app calling, pay-as-you-go and fixed plans, and just one global eSIM.
To get a real understanding of the top alternatives to Roamless, I have created this table with a comparison between them and two of the largest eSIM providers, Holafly and Airalo.
| Brand | Data plans | eSIM downloads | Data expiration | Phone calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roamless | Pay-as-you-go and fixed plans | One global eSIM | Purchased data never expires on pay-as-you-go | In-app from $0.01 per minute |
| Holafly | Fixed plans | New eSIM with every purchase | Purchase data lasts for fixed dates | None |
| Airalo | Fixed plans | New eSIM with every purchase | Purchase data lasts for fixed dates | None |
Roamless review verdict
When travelling, I want everything to be as convenient as possible. For example, when arriving in a new destination, the last thing I want to do is set up a new eSIM on my phone (I’ve had so much hassle doing this in the past). But with RoamlessFlex, I know that my data will kick in as soon as it connects to a local network.
Just one easy initial eSIM setup, and then I top it up with credits as necessary, within their app. It doesn’t get easier than that!
Ultimately, whether or not Roamless is the right eSIM for you depends on what you are after. But considering their broad product offering and extra services, I have to say that they are up there as one of the top eSIM providers. With the right product offering to suit most people!
Not only is their coverage great, with high speeds, but I also love that you can choose between pay-as-you-go or fixed data plans, make international calls from within the app, and hold on to your pay-as-you-go data forever, all with just one single global eSIM download.
Get 20% off your Roamless plan with code: VEGANTRAVELS
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