How We Compare Connectivity Options

MySIM Guide compares four connectivity formats head-to-head: eSIM, physical SIM card, pocket WiFi rental, and carrier roaming. Most travel connectivity sites compare providers within one format. We compare formats against each other so travelers can decide which type of connectivity to buy before they decide which provider to buy it from.

Each format is evaluated on four axes: cost for the standard trip baseline, setup time from purchase to first data packet, median download speed in the destination country, and convenience score based on device compatibility and return requirements. Cost is the primary factor in every country comparison. The other three axes break ties and inform edge-case recommendations.

Format scores are not averages. Each format wins or loses on each axis independently. A format can win on cost and lose on convenience. We report both outcomes clearly rather than blending them into a single number that obscures the trade-offs.

Coverage quality varies significantly between formats even within the same country. An eSIM roaming on a tier-2 local carrier may deliver slower speeds than an airport SIM on the dominant carrier. We account for this by sourcing carrier-specific network data rather than using country-level averages for every format.

Speed data for each country and format comes from two sources: Ookla Speedtest public datasets and provider spec sheets. We cross-reference both. When they diverge, we use the lower figure. Using the lower number means travelers see a conservative estimate of what to expect. A pleasant surprise in the field is better than a disappointment.

Ookla's public dataset reports median download speed by country and by network operator. We use operator-level data where available to match the speed figure to the carrier an eSIM or SIM card actually runs on. Country-level averages mask large gaps between the dominant carrier and secondary carriers.

Provider spec sheets list the maximum speed their plans support. Many eSIM providers cap speeds at 20 Mbps on “standard” plans even when the underlying network supports 100 Mbps or more. We report the lower of the spec-sheet cap and the Ookla median for the relevant carrier. When a provider offers both standard and unlimited plans, we report the speed for the plan type shown in the comparison table.

Speed figures are updated quarterly from Ookla datasets. Provider spec sheets are checked each time pricing is verified. If a provider changes its speed policy between quarterly cycles, we update the speed figure at the next weekly pricing check.

Every format comparison runs on four devices covering the three major eSIM platforms. Physical SIM tests use the same devices with the physical tray. Pocket WiFi rentals are tested as a connected hotspot on each device. Devices are factory-reset between format tests so no carrier profile carries over.

Every claim on this site traces back to a named source. We do not use estimates, interpolations, or self-reported manufacturer figures without independent verification.

Each data category carries its own verification date. These dates reflect when the underlying data was last confirmed against its source, not when the page was last built.

Pricing data is updated weekly. Every Friday our editors pull current eSIM plan prices from provider checkout pages and cross-check airport SIM counter prices for any country where we have received a reader correction during the preceding week.

Speed and coverage data is updated quarterly. We refresh Ookla dataset pulls and re-run on-device tests in our primary test markets each quarter. Secondary markets where we rely on Ookla data only are refreshed when Ookla releases a new quarterly dataset.

Carrier roaming rates are re-checked quarterly from official carrier rate-card pages. Any carrier that announces a rate change outside the quarterly cycle triggers an immediate re-check across all affected country pages. We track carrier announcements via RSS and press release monitoring.

Each country page shows a “Last verified” date that reflects the most recent check of that page's pricing, not the most recent site-wide update. A page last verified in April will still show April even if other pages were refreshed in May. This means the date is meaningful and specific — not a generic site-refresh timestamp.