What this site is
SimGuide Travel is an independent reference for staying connected abroad: country guides covering local SIM cards, carrier networks, prices in local currency, and registration rules, plus comparison guides and reviews of travel eSIM providers. Everything is written to answer the question first and elaborate second. If you read only the green answer box at the top of any page, you should leave with the right decision.
The editorial rule from day one: write the page we wish had existed when we landed. We started as a spreadsheet shared between friends who kept overpaying at airport SIM counters. The spreadsheet became SimGuide in late 2024, covering 97 countries at launch, now expanded to 199+.
How guides are researched
Our research process is built to produce accurate, current information that travelers can rely on at the airport or border crossing. Here is how we build and maintain each country guide.
Primary sources only for prices
Every price in a country guide comes from the carrier official tariff page or a recorded in-person purchase. We do not copy prices from other travel blogs or aggregator feeds, which is how decade-old prices keep circulating. Each guide notes its sources and the date of last verification.
Quarterly re-verification
All country guides are re-checked on a rolling quarterly schedule. The verification date shown on each guide reflects its last sweep. If a guide is overdue, we say so rather than pretending the data is current.
Carrier registration rules cross-referenced
SIM registration laws change frequently. We cross-reference government telecom authority publications and recent traveler reports to confirm that activation requirements are accurate. When requirements are uncertain, we flag it.
Corrections ship within a week
Reader reports of outdated prices are verified against primary sources and corrected within seven days, with the verification date updated. Carriers change tourist plans constantly; readers are our best early-warning system.
TipEmail hello@simguidetravel.com with the country name and what changed. Screenshots help.
How reviews are scored
Provider reviews follow a fixed protocol: we buy plans at retail through normal checkout, test as anonymous customers across multiple countries and devices, and run side-by-side speed tests against rivals. Scores are weighted toward what actually ruins trips in practice. Activation reliability counts more than price, because a $3 saving does not matter if you are offline in an arrivals hall.
Two hard rules: scores are locked before any affiliate relationship is discussed, and providers never see drafts. If a product changes materially, we re-test and re-score. The review date tells you which version of the product was tested.
SIM Score: the 4 dimensions
Every country in our database receives a SIM Score from 0 to 100. The score is a weighted average of four dimensions.
Ease of Purchase
Passport and registration requirements, number of purchase locations, online availability. No ID needed adds a large bonus.
Value for Money
Cheapest tourist plan price relative to the global median of $15 USD. Plans under $10 receive a budget bonus.
Network Coverage
Network technology tier (5G, 4G, 3G) combined with average provider coverage and speed ratings.
Convenience
Variety of purchase location types and number of competing providers available in the country.
Full methodology: How the SIM Score is calculated
How we test eSIM providers
Testing has run continuously for 16 months, from March 2025 through June 2026. The SimGuide travel tech team uses four devices: iPhone 14, iPhone 15, iPhone 16, and Pixel 9. To date, 31 activation tests have been completed across 14 countries.
- Speed tests. Ookla Speedtest, run three times daily (morning, afternoon, evening) at each test location for the duration of the plan.
- Support tests. Three manufactured problems are submitted to each provider per test cycle: one billing question, one activation failure, and one coverage complaint. Response time, resolution accuracy, and channel availability are recorded.
- Activation counting. Binary pass or fail on first attempt. If activation requires a retry, troubleshooting step, or support contact, the provider receives a fail for that test.
- Scoring formula. Provider score = weighted average of five dimensions: Activation reliability, Network quality, Support responsiveness, Pricing value, and App experience. Weights are published on the SIM Score page.
How the money works
SimGuide Travel is funded by affiliate commissions on some eSIM links, clearly marked with a disclosure note wherever they appear. When you buy through one of those links, the provider pays us a percentage; you pay nothing extra. Three commitments keep this honest:
- Rankings are never for sale. Carriers and eSIM providers cannot pay for placement, inclusion, or favorable treatment. Several have asked. The answer is a form letter now.
- We link only what wins. Our recommended eSIM earns its slot in blind scoring first; the affiliate link is added after. If a rival outscores it at re-test, the recommendation changes. Commissions follow the rankings, not the other way around.
- Local SIMs get equal billing. The cheapest option in most of our guides is a local SIM bought in-country, which pays us nothing. We recommend it anyway, prominently, whenever it is the right call. That is the clearest signal we can offer about whose side the site is on.
What we do not do
No sponsored posts. No listicles reshuffled to match commission rates. No AI-generated country guides: every page is researched and written by a human who has either been to the country or interviewed someone who recently has. No collecting your data beyond a basic analytics count.
Field testing is led by the SimGuide travel tech team, who have completed 31 activation tests across 14 countries using iPhone 14, iPhone 15, iPhone 16, and Pixel 9 devices between March 2025 and June 2026.
Contact and corrections
Spotted an outdated price, a closed counter, or a changed registration rule? Email hello@simguidetravel.com with the country name and what changed. Screenshots help. Verified corrections ship within a week. Press and partnership inquiries go to the same address, but read the disclosure section above first. It answers most of them.