Comparisons
In short
An eSIM is the easiest option for most travelers because it lives inside your phone and needs no extra device or charging. A pocket Wi-Fi suits a group that wants to share one connection and stays together the whole time. Hotel Wi-Fi isn’t enough on its own, because it doesn’t work outside the hotel.
Before traveling, many people consider renting a pocket Wi-Fi device or relying on hotel and café Wi-Fi. Each option has its advantages, and the choice depends on how many people are traveling, how they get around, and how much they rely on the internet outside the hotel.
A digital SIM you install on your phone with a QR code before you travel, so you’re online as soon as you land. There’s no extra device to carry, charge or return, and your original number keeps working. You can also share your internet with another device through your phone’s hotspot when needed.
A small device you rent or buy that shares one connection with several devices. It’s useful for a family or group traveling together, but it’s an extra device that needs charging every day, anyone who moves away from it loses their connection, and you may have to pick it up and return it at the airport.
Usually free, but only available inside the hotel or café, its speed varies, and it may not be safe for banking. It works as a complement, but it doesn’t cover you on the road, at the airport, or when using maps and ride apps.
| Criteria | Travel eSIM | Pocket Wi-Fi | Hotel Wi-Fi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra device | None | A device to carry and charge | None |
| Connection outside the hotel | Yes | Yes, as long as the device is with you | No |
| Activation | Before you travel, via QR | Pick up and return the device | On arrival at the hotel |
| Sharing with family | Through your phone's hotspot | Several devices on one device | Each device with a password |
| Battery | Your phone's battery only | An extra battery that needs charging | — |
| Security | Your own private connection | A connection private to the group | A shared network |
Yes. The main 22SIM Connect plans support sharing through your personal hotspot unless the plan description says otherwise; plans dedicated to specific apps don’t support it.
If family members split up during the day, an eSIM on each phone keeps everyone connected, and you can benefit from the group discount.
Public and shared networks are less secure, so it’s better to do your banking over your own eSIM connection.
In this article
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