Check your own phone in ten seconds
Ignore the model name for a moment. Every eSIM-capable phone carries an EID— an identifier for the embedded SIM chip. If your phone has one, it can take an eSIM; if it doesn’t, no amount of software will add one.
- iPhone — Settings › General › About, then scroll down and look for EID. You can also try Settings › Cellular › Add eSIM.
- Android — dial *#06#and look for an EID beneath the IMEI, or open Settings › Network & internet › SIMs and look for Add eSIM.
That check beats any compatibility list, because it reads the hardware in front of you rather than what a model number usually means.
iPhone models that support eSIM
Apple has fitted an eSIM to every iPhone since 2018, so the dividing line is clean:
| Model line | Notes |
|---|---|
| iPhone XS, XS Max and XR (2018) and every iPhone since | The first generation with an eSIM alongside the physical SIM tray. |
| iPhone SE, 2nd generation (2020) and 3rd generation (2022) | Both support eSIM. The original 2016 SE does not. |
| iPhone 14 and later, bought in the United States | eSIM-only — there is no SIM tray at all, so an eSIM is the only way to add a line. |
Anything older than the XS — the iPhone X, 8, 7 and back — has no eSIM chip, and neither does the original 2016 SE.
The exception worth knowing: iPhones sold in mainland China have two physical SIM trays and no eSIM, and the Hong Kong and Macau versions of the XS Max and XR did the same. A phone bought there and carried abroad will not install one, however new it is.
Samsung Galaxy models
Samsung’s flagships have carried eSIM since the Galaxy S20, and the foldables have had it from the start. The mid-range is where it gets uneven.
| Model line | Notes |
|---|---|
| Galaxy S20, S21, S22, S23, S24 and newer | The whole flagship S line since 2020. Some US carrier variants of the S20 and S21 shipped with eSIM disabled. |
| Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold, every generation | The foldables have carried eSIM from the first models onward. |
| Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra | The last of the Note line, and the only Notes with eSIM. |
| Galaxy A-series (A54, A55 and similar) | Supported on some models in some regions. This is the part of Samsung's range where the EID check genuinely matters. |
Anything on the S10 or older, and the Note 10 and earlier, has no eSIM chip.
Google Pixel models
Pixel is the simplest range of the three: every Pixel from the 3 onward supports eSIM, a-series included, and Google has treated it as standard equipment ever since.
The one historical exception is the Pixel 3 itself — units sold in Australia, Japan and Taiwan, along with some carrier-branded units, were built without the chip. From the Pixel 4 on, there is no exception worth worrying about.
Other Android brands
| Brand | Supported | Worth checking |
|---|---|---|
| Motorola | razr foldables, plus recent edge and G-series models | Model by model rather than across the whole range. |
| Sony | Xperia flagships from roughly 2021 onward | Varies between the Japanese and international versions. |
| Oppo, Honor, Huawei, Xiaomi, Nothing | Recent flagships from each, broadly 2020 onward | The most region-dependent group: the same model number can ship with eSIM in Europe and without it elsewhere. |
We list these at the level of a model line rather than pretending to track every individual SKU, because the SKUs are exactly where the exceptions live. Run the EID check and you have a definitive answer for your handset in particular.
The two things that catch people out
1. A carrier lock.An eSIM is still a SIM. If your phone is locked to the carrier that sold it, it will refuse a travel eSIM the same way it refuses a rival’s plastic one. Unlocking is usually free once the handset is paid off, but it can take a day or two to go through — so ask before the week you fly, not at the airport.
2. The region it was sold in. The mainland China iPhones above are the best-known case, but the pattern repeats across Android: the same model number ships with eSIM in one market and without it in another. This is why the EID check is worth ten seconds even when your model is clearly on the list.
iPad, watch and laptop
Cellular iPads from the 2018 Pro onward, Apple Watch from Series 3, many Samsung Galaxy Watch and Tab models, and a growing number of Windows laptops all carry eSIM hardware. The catch is what the plan is for: our plans are data-only, which suits a tablet or laptop perfectly, while a smartwatch generally needs a carrier plan paired to your phone number instead.
If your phone can’t take an eSIM
There’s no software fix — the chip is either there or it isn’t. The realistic options are a local physical SIM bought on arrival, your own carrier’s roaming pass, or tethering from a travelling companion’s phone, which works fine and lets one eSIM cover two people.
It’s also worth checking the old handset in your drawer. A four-year-old spare that supports eSIM makes a perfectly good travel hotspot over wi-fi.
Phone checks out? Pick a destination and you’ll have the QR code in a couple of minutes — plans start at €0.84. Browse every country we cover, read how installation works before you buy, or see how it compares to roaming.