How we compare eSIMs
This page explains where our numbers come from, how we turn them into comparisons and what we earn. Current dataset: 297 plans from 5 providers in 14 markets, last captured on October 15, 2026.
1. Where prices come from
We record the listed retail price in USD of each plan, the data allowance, the validity and the exact page where we saw it. Every price on the site shows its capture date and links to its source.
Confidence "high" means the price was read on the provider's own website or official catalogue; "medium" means it came from a third-party catalogue (for example esimdb.com) because the provider's page did not show it. Temporary promo codes and first-purchase discounts are excluded.
Prices are re-captured regularly. An automated weekly job checks for changes, and any capture that fails plausibility checks (missing coverage, or a jump of more than 40% from the previous price) is quarantined instead of published. Quarantined rows are kept as evidence but never shown.
2. How plans are compared
Plans are grouped into comparable tiers: small (up to ~3 GB), mid (~5 GB), large (8–20 GB) and unlimited. Within fixed-data tiers we compare price per GB (price ÷ GB); for unlimited plans, price per day (price ÷ days), because a GB price does not exist.
For headline comparisons each provider is represented by its lowest price per GB among fixed-data plans up to 20 GB, or by its cheapest unlimited plan per day if it only sells unlimited data.
Unlimited plans often slow down after a daily allowance (commonly 1–5 GB/day). We note this where providers publish it; check the provider's fair-use terms before buying.
3. Value Score (0–100)
The Value Score in the eSIM Price Index adds three parts: data price up to 55 points (the cheapest price per GB in a market gets the full 55, others proportionally less; unlimited-only plans get 15), whether the provider offers an unlimited option (20 points) and the provider's average user rating (up to 25 points).
Rankings in our guides use the same inputs plus coverage, app and setup experience, and customer-support availability.
4. How our articles are produced
Guides, comparisons and news are drafted with the help of AI tools and an automated publishing pipeline. Drafts are built on our price dataset and on cited sources; numbers in articles must match the dataset or link to their source.
Every article shows its publication and update dates. When a price or fact changes, the page is updated rather than republished under a new URL.
5. Commercial relationships
RoamScore has commercial relationships with some of the providers it covers, including HolaSIM, and may receive a commission or other compensation when you buy through links on this site.
These relationships do not change the prices we publish: every price is recorded with its date and source so you can verify it. HolaSIM is marked wherever it appears in our price tables.
6. Corrections
If a price is out of date, the source link lets you check the current one. We correct errors on the next capture and keep the history of every price we have published.