Check your own phone first, because the model list has exceptions
The fastest check takes under a minute and beats any compatibility list, because it accounts for your specific variant and carrier.
On an iPhone, open Settings, then General, then About, and scroll to find an
entry reading "Available SIM" or "Digital SIM". If it is there, the phone takes
an eSIM. You can also dial *#06# and look for an EID number, which only eSIM
capable phones have.
On Android, open Settings and search for "SIM". If you see an option to add an
eSIM or a downloaded SIM, the phone supports it. Dialling *#06# works here
too, and an EID means eSIM hardware is present.
Every iPhone from the XS onward takes an eSIM
Apple added eSIM with the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR in 2018, and every model since supports it. That covers the iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 families, plus the SE from the second generation onward.
Two exceptions matter. iPhones sold in mainland China use two physical SIM slots and have no eSIM. US models from the iPhone 14 onward went the other way and dropped the physical tray entirely, so they are eSIM only.
Most flagship Android phones since 2020 take one
Google Pixel supports eSIM from the Pixel 3 onward, with the caveat that some early carrier specific variants were restricted. Samsung supports it on the Galaxy S20 series onward, on the Z Flip and Z Fold line, and on the Note 20.
Beyond those, support is common on recent Motorola Razr, Huawei P40, Oppo Find X3 and Sony Xperia models. Mid range and budget Android phones are the weak spot, and this is where checking your own handset matters more than reading a list.
A supported phone can still refuse an eSIM
Two things stop a compatible phone from taking a travel eSIM.
The first is carrier locking. A phone bought on contract and not yet unlocked will refuse a profile from another network, and the error message rarely says so. Ask your carrier to unlock it before you travel.
The second is a regional variant. The same model number can ship with different
hardware in different markets, which is why the China iPhone exception exists.
The *#06# check tells you what your actual handset does.
Install the profile at home, not at the airport
Installing an eSIM profile needs a working internet connection, which is the one thing you do not have when you land. Download the app, claim the trial and install the profile on your home wifi, then leave the line switched off until you arrive.
Our installation guide walks through the steps on both iPhone and Android.
Most phones hold several eSIM profiles but run one or two at once
Modern iPhones store eight or more profiles and run two at a time. Android handsets vary more, and many store several while running one alongside a physical SIM.
This matters if you want to keep your home number reachable while a travel eSIM carries data. Check how many lines your phone runs at once before you rely on that working.
Then check the trial, not just the phone
A compatible phone is the first requirement, not the only one. Trials are also limited by country, by account age and sometimes by a card on file.
The comparison table lists what each provider requires, with the date each figure was last checked.