Luggage, passport, plane ticket—all checked! While you wait to board your plane, have you wondered how you can stay connected or have internet access while you are outside Canada? A reliable and fast internet connection when traveling abroad can make a huge difference in your experience, enjoyment, and safety.

The question now is, between eSIM and roaming, which is better for international travel?

Why Staying Connected Matters

Before we explore the eSIM and roaming for connectivity while traveling, let’s first discuss some advantages of having a reliable internet connection during your travel abroad:

Stay in touch with your family and friends back home

With an internet connection abroad, you can easily share your stories and photos with family and friends through social media, messaging apps, or video calls. And even if you are a thousand miles away from you, you don’t have to worry about missing out on any important events or news. When you can contact your loved ones in a jiffy, you are less likely to get homesickness during your travels.

Plan your trip itinerary better

With internet access, it is hassle-free to do research during your trip abroad. For example, you can check out which tourist destinations to visit and how to go there, look for the cheapest flights and accommodations, learn the best transportation options, and know the weather forecast. True, making your itinerary is often done before you leave; however, there can be unforeseen events that may change your plan.

Enjoy more entertainment and education

While traveling, you can make your time worthwhile by listening to your favorite songs or podcasts, streaming the latest movies, reading books, or learning new skills and languages with internet access.

Stay safe and secure

A reliable internet connection will help you deal with problems or emergencies that may arise during your trip abroad. You can contact local authorities, your embassy, your insurance company, or your bank for assistance. You can also use online security, such as VPN, to protect your personal data and online accounts from hackers and cybercriminals.

Also read: Staying Connected Anywhere: Best eSIM Plans in 2025

Understanding eSIM

An eSIM is an embedded SIM, a reprogrammable chip built into your smartphone during manufacturing. When you have an eSIM, you don’t need to buy and manage multiple SIM cards or worry about roaming fees when you travel. Instead, you can buy a prepaid eSIM plan for your destination, install it on your phone, and instantly connect to a mobile network once you land.

Also read: The Role of eSIM in Enhancing Travel Experiences for Canadians

Understanding Roaming

A roaming plan enables one to use their domestic phone plan abroad for a daily fee. The rate includes an allowance for data, calls, and texts. When you enroll in a roaming plan, you will be a guest of a foreign provider’s network, enabling you to call, text, and access data outside your provider’s coverage area.

The Battle Between eSIM and Roaming

Both eSIM and roaming plans will keep you connected when you travel. However, which one is better for you? Let's find out.

Cost

An eSIM typically comes as a prepaid plan for data, calls, and texts. Since it is prepaid, you know exactly what you are getting and how long you can use it without any unexpected charges.

With a roaming plan, you pay a daily fee to continue accessing your service provider's mobile services abroad. The price for cellular data roaming usage can range from CAD 6 to CAD 12 per day.

Convenience and Usability

If you own an eSIM-compatible device, you can buy an eSIM package for your destination, install the eSIM, and connect to a mobile network once you arrive there.

A daily roaming plan is also straightforward. Call your service provider before you go abroad and request that they switch you to an international roaming plan while you are outside of your home country. Once you arrive at your destination, turn on your data roaming and use your mobile plan as usual.

Coverage and Network Quality

When you use an eSIM for your travel, you can work with multiple networks, allowing you to switch between your preferred networks. This flexibility enables you to connect to a network with stronger signals in case one network doesn’t have good coverage where you are located.

On the other hand, if you choose international roaming, your service provider will only work with one provider in each country abroad, so you don’t have a choice as to which provider your telco will work with.

Also read: eSIM vs. Physical SIM: Which Has Better Signal Strength?

Security Considerations

With an eSIM, there’s no physical card involved. This means you can’t lose it while taking it out or swapping it on your phone. It cannot also be stolen unless it’s your device being stolen. An eSIM also has a more comprehensive identity verification process, which guarantees a lower risk of fraud.

If you prefer roaming, you have a physical SIM card. The problem is that your SIM can be lost or stolen. Once it is in the hands of criminals, they can use it for various criminal activities.

Also read: eSIM Safety: Can an eSIM Be Hacked?

Ready for Take-Off

Internet connectivity is a necessity when traveling abroad, so it is recommended that you have a good internet plan before you leave home. Both eSIM and roaming can help you stay connected when traveling outside the country. However, when you choose to use an eSIM for your international travel, it is often cheaper, easy to use, has better connectivity, and is more secure.

If you are looking for the best eSIM to use when you travel, consider RemitBee’s eSIM. Our eSIM is easy to use. Just verify that your device is eSIM compatible, choose the perfect plan for your needs, and activate it! After these three steps, you are all set to go.