Why Truecaller eSIM is Cheaper Than Global Roaming Data Packs
Travelling abroad and considering your options? Here's a direct comparison of Truecaller eSIM against your mobile carrier's international roaming add-on — including real pricing examples and how to get started.
The core difference
When you travel internationally, you have two main options for mobile data: activate an international roaming add-on through your home carrier, or buy a separate data plan from a travel eSIM provider like Truecaller. Both get you data abroad — but the experience, pricing, and flexibility are significantly different.
Carrier roaming plans connect you to partner networks at your destination and charge you through your existing monthly bill. Truecaller eSIM connects you to local networks via a dedicated digital SIM, at a flat prepaid rate with no post-trip bill.
Price comparison — real examples
Here's how carrier roaming plans compare to Truecaller eSIM for a common travel destination:
A Truecaller eSIM plan for the same destination and data volume costs significantly less than a carrier roaming add-on. The gap widens for longer trips or higher data usage, as carrier roaming plans typically charge per GB above the included amount.
Full comparison: eSIM vs Carrier roaming plan
If your destination is in our coverage list, a Truecaller eSIM will almost always be the better value option.
When carrier roaming makes more sense
Carrier roaming is worth considering in two specific scenarios: when you're travelling to a destination not yet covered by Truecaller eSIM, or when you need voice calls and SMS on your local number at your destination (eSIM plans are data-only — calls and texts still go through your primary SIM).
The main advantage of carrier roaming is broader country coverage — particularly useful for spontaneous travel to destinations not covered by Truecaller eSIM yet.
For most planned international trips to supported destinations, a Truecaller eSIM will offer better value, more transparency, and comparable data speeds at a lower price.
How a Truecaller travel eSIM works — step by step
Getting a Truecaller eSIM takes less than 10 minutes from start to connected. Here's the complete process:
Select your travel destination
Search for your destination on the Truecaller eSIM website — by city, country, or region. If you're visiting multiple countries, check whether a regional plan covers all your stops.
Select a plan
Choose the data volume and validity period that fits your trip. Plans are prepaid — you see the full cost before purchasing, and there are no charges after. If you run low, you can top up.
Confirm device compatibility
Check that your device supports eSIM before purchasing. Open your dialler and type *#06# — if an EID number appears, you're compatible. Your device must also be unlocked and not jailbroken or rooted.
Confirm your country of residence and sign in
At checkout, select your country of residence for tax calculation. Sign in with your Google or Microsoft account — this lets you manage all your plans from any device.
Make the payment
Payment is processed by Stripe. Your card details are stored and managed by Stripe only — Truecaller never sees your payment information. You'll receive an invoice to your email immediately after payment completes.
Install the eSIM and turn it on
On mobile: tap "Install eSIM" on the confirmation screen. On desktop: scan the QR code with your phone camera. Follow the on-screen prompts — installation takes about 5 minutes. Do this before you travel, while you have a reliable internet connection.
You need an internet connection to install your eSIM
You need an active internet connection to install an eSIM. Don't wait until you've landed — if you have no connection at your destination, you won't be able to install.
You're done!
Your plan activates automatically when you land and connect to a local network. Turn off airplane mode at your destination and your data starts — no further action needed.
Frequently asked questions
Look for signal bars (LTE/5G) on the top-right corner of your phone – if you can see it, then you have internet access. Moreover, you can log into your account on the Truecaller iPhone app or Website and see if the dashboard says "Active" – if yes, this means that your eSIM data plan is now in active state and your plan validity has started.
If you are having trouble with internet access on the default network provider on your eSIM, go to Settings > Mobile Service > [eSIM name] > Network Selection and select [alternate operator].
- Ensure Data Roaming is turned ON for the eSIM.
- Ensure the eSIM is selected for Cellular Data.
- Toggle Airplane Mode on and off to reset the connection.
Your eSIM could be showing "No Service" due to the following reasons:
- Data roaming not enabled:Go to Settings > Mobile Service > [eSIM name] > Turn on this line > Turn the "Data Roaming" switch on
- You are outside the coverage area:If you have purchased an eSIM plan for a specific country or region, it will work in only that location and not outside it. However, you can easily fix this by purchasing the eSIM data plan for your current location from our app or website (internet access required).
- eSIM Activation issue:Another reason could be that your eSIM is not Activated correctly yet and you need to reinstall the eSIM. You can check if the activation was done properly by checking the Truecaller iPhone app or Website's dashboard to see if it says "Active". This means the eSIM was installed correctly (but Data Roaming may not be enabled or you may be out of coverage area). If it says "Not Activated", you need go through the eSIM Activation flow once again by tapping on the Activate button or scanning the QR code.
Yes, you can uninstall and reinstall Truecaller's travel eSIM. However, you can only use one eSIM on the same device – you cannot transfer the same eSIM between different devices.
You can reinstall one eSIM on your device a maximum of five times. If you uninstall the eSIM a fifth time, it will stop working and you will lose all the travel eSIM plans you purchased for it.
Got more questions? See more FAQs here.
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