Many new smartphones no longer support physical SIM cards. Instead, eSIMs (embedded SIMs) are now built into the phone’s hardware and activated remotely.
You can’t remove an eSIM or switch it between phones, but it still offers several money-saving benefits.
Here are five ways an eSIM can help you save money on cell phone service:
Avoid Upfront SIM Card/Activation Charges
Support Multiple Lines on One Phone
Get Local Plan Prices for International Travel
Easily Switch Providers and Claim New-Customer Deals
Take Advantage of Free Phone Plan Trials
In this article, I’ll take a closer look at each of these ways that you can lower your cell phone bill by switching to an eSIM. You can also use the links above to jump ahead.
1. Avoid Upfront SIM Card/Activation Charges
When you switch phone plans or upgrade your device, you’ll activate service with either a physical SIM card or an eSIM. If your phone supports eSIM, switching to an eSIM is easy and free — and it could save you money.
Unlike a physical SIM card, which often includes a purchase and shipping fee, an eSIM can usually be activated online for free and without waiting for anything to arrive in the mail. You also won’t need to buy a replacement physical SIM when you upgrade phones or switch plans in the future.
Activating service online can help you avoid in-store fees, too. At the time of writing, a physical SIM card for Connect by T-Mobile costs $10, and in-store activation costs another $10. By comparison, you can activate an eSIM online for free — saving $20 upfront.
Screenshot from T-Mobile
That may not sound like a huge savings, but it can add up if you regularly switch wireless providers to take advantage of better deals or use different plans when traveling internationally.
2. Support Multiple Lines on One Phone
If you have more than one cell phone number or plan for work, different coverage zones, etc., an eSIM will let you access both lines/plans from the same phone. Before you buy a second phone for your other line, check to see if your current phone supports dual SIM/eSIM support.
Most of the recent smartphones on the market now utilize eSIMs and can support more than one active line. With this feature, you can receive calls/texts from both numbers on the same phone or bounce between plans for coverage and data usage.
Supporting multiple lines also makes it easy to test out a more affordable service provider before canceling your current plan, purchase a cheaper international plan while traveling and more. We’ll take a closer look at these tips in the following sections.
3. Get Local Plan Prices for International Travel
International travelers will likely see the most savings from using an eSIM. Staying connected internationally can get very expensive, very quickly. However, travel eSIM plans are completely changing the game.
As long as your phone is unlocked with dual eSIM support, you can activate a second line with a local phone plan from the country you’re visiting. These prepaid plans often range from 7-30+ days, and they’re very affordable.
Team Clark member Laura recently tested travel eSIM plans on two international trips:
“I haven’t paid more than $10 for either eSIM, and both worked well for me,” says Laura. “Compare that to $10/day for international service from some carriers and it’s a no-brainer!”
You can read more about Laura’s experience and learn how to buy a travel eSIM plan here.
To compare, AT&T and Verizon offer international add-ons starting at $12/day, which adds up to $84 for one week of coverage.
Alternatively, at the time of writing, Airalo offered an eSIM plan with 7 days of unlimited data for $27 with coverage in 41 European countries. You’ll likely find even cheaper plan prices from local service providers after landing.
U.S. based plans that include international roaming range from $65-$100/month. Depending on how frequently you travel, these plans may be worth the price. However, if you can get by with a cheaper plan throughout most of the year, buying an occasional travel eSIM plan will quickly pay for itself.
4. Easily Switch Providers and Claim New-Customer Deals
If you’re willing to switch cell phone service providers to save money, an eSIM can help ease the process. With an eSIM, you can activate a new plan almost instantly. Online activation may also waive additional in-store activation fees, which can range up to $35 per line depending on the carrier.
Plus, if your phone supports multiple eSIMs, you can test out any potential new carriers before canceling your current plan. To do this, I usually recommend buying the cheapest plan available for the first month to see if it’ll work for you. For example, Tello Mobile (Review) offers a $10/month plan with 2GB of data, which is perfect for a test run.
Alternatively, many providers offer discounted plans and exclusive deals to new customers switching to their network, which is a great way to save on cell phone service.
Here are a few long-running new customer offers from affordable providers:
US Mobile (Review): Get three months of Unlimited Starter for $15/month for your first three months with an upfront payment (70GB high-speed data).
Boost Mobile (Review): Get an unlimited plan for $10/month for your first three months (30GB of premium data).
Total Wireless (Review): Get Total Max 5G BYO for $20/month (unlimited 5G Ultra Wideband)
For more options, check out our full list of the best cell phone plan deals available now.
If you decide to change to a more affordable cell phone plan, follow this guide to switching phone carriers.
5. Take Advantage of Free Phone Plan Trials
In addition to discounted plans and deals, you may be able to get free cell phone service with an eSIM through new customer trials.
Here are a few providers that offer free trial plans with an unlocked, eSIM-compatible phone:
Final Thoughts
Using an eSIM makes it easier to switch carriers or add a second line, which is excellent for grabbing the latest cell phone plan deals and/or traveling.
If you’re using one of the latest smartphones, you’re likely already using an eSIM. Even if you’re still using a physical SIM card, understanding your phone’s eSIM capabilities can help you save money on your cell phone bill. This is especially true if you opt for a travel eSIM plan instead of paying for international roaming data.
To learn more, including how eSIM works, which phones and networks support eSIM, how to convert to an eSIM and more, check out these five things to know.
The post eSIM Savings: 5 Ways To Lower Your Phone Bill With an eSIM appeared first on Clark Howard.