Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the greatest match of the year: eSIM vs. physical SIM! 

In the left corner, we have the game-changer of the decade: the eSIM! In the right corner, there’s the one and only, the universal and reliable telecommunication chip: the physical SIM! 

Ok, just kidding, we just wanted some drama effect. Truth be told, we don’t think there’s any match between these two. Whether you prefer one over the other, it’s based on your personal preferences as well as your current phone compatibility.

But, let’s get to the nitty-gritty and see how the two options compare. You’ll then decide which one is better: the eSIM or the physical SIM.

🤝 Compatibility

Winner: Tie

When deciding between an eSIM and a physical SIM, you’ll have to take into consideration the compatibility capabilities of your device.

SIM: SIM cards are compatible with almost every mobile phone. Mainly, they are not compatible with certain phone models released in 2022 or after. As some manufacturers stopped producing the SIM card slot, you can’t insert it into the phone. 

eSIM: For eSIM, we’ll think in reverse. They are compatible mostly with newer devices, but not with lots of older ones, as they do not have the embedded part, but the SIM card slot. 

📏 Size

Winner: eSIM

SIM: They come in different sizes: standard, micro, and nano. You must use the appropriate size that fits your SIM card slot. Tello SIM card comes in all of those 3 sizes, so you just have to pick the right one. 

eSIM: There’s a teeny tiny thing inside your device for this embedded technology, that has just a few mm.  

🕒 Time

Winner: eSIM

SIM: In terms of time considerations, we’ll think about the shipping process, the unboxing, the insertion into the SIM tray plus the installation. As you can see, there are a few steps in the process from minutes to even days (shipping). If we’ll gather all of the processes together, we can say that it takes quite some time. 

eSIM: When talking about eSIM, you’ll see that it all becomes instant. Ok, not like right-now-instant, but any process will take a maximum of a few minutes. You’ll skip the shipping part, the unboxing one, and the installation into your device. With eSIM, you just have to pick your favorite phone plan from your favorite mobile provider A.K.A Tello. Then, you’ll need to pick the eSIM option and activate the eSIM online. And that’s it, you’re good to go in less than 10 minutes. No pressure here, no worries if it’s taking you a bit more!

🛠 Installation

Winner: eSIM

SIM: After your SIM card arrives, you’ll have to install it into your device. Just pick the correct size, open your SIM card slot, and put it right there. Then, it’s activation time!

eSIM: The manufacturers of your eSIM-compatible phone did all the installation job for you, as the eSIM it’s already embedded into your device, as per its name. So, you won’t have to install anything else, just start the activation process. 

🚀 Activation

Winner: Tie 

Whether you have a physical SIM card or an eSIM, they both need to be activated, in order to work on Tello or on any other network.

SIM: The process for the SIM card involves a code that you’ve received in the SIM card package and following a few steps on our website. 

eSIM: The difference right here is that the eSIM activation process is done with the help of a QR code. You’ll need to have 2 devices throughout the process: the phone where your eSIM is getting activated and another device, preferably a laptop or a computer where you’ll have the QR code. Also, you need a steady Wi-Fi connection in order to do this.

🌳 Environment

Winner: eSIM

SIM: Simply put, life in plastic is fantastic for this one. SIM cards are made of certain materials, including plastic, metal, and a chip and they are usually not recyclable. 

eSIM: This one ditched the plastic, so we can’t deny that eSIMs get a few more points here for being digital, and this way, environmentally friendly.

🔒 Security

Winner: eSIM

SIM: in terms of security, the physical SIM can be much more easily cloned or stolen.

eSIM: the only way someone can steal your eSIM information is if your phone would be hacked. In terms of phone loss, you can deactivate your eSIM.

📱 Phone service options

Winner: Tie

With Tello Mobile, you can pick absolutely any phone plan and choose either the physical SIM option or the eSIM one.

There are no restraints at Tello, but there might be certain mobile providers that do not yet support eSIM.

🔄 Switching devices process

Winner: SIM

SIM: If you’ll change your device or if you want to switch between several devices, you just have to remove the SIM for one phone and pop it into the other one. 

eSIM: As eSIMs are built into each and every device, anytime you’ll change your phone, you need to start the activation process once again.

🔀 Dual SIM capability

Winner: Tie

SIM: There are some phones that offer dual SIM slots, so it’s really easy to have two physical SIM cards active at once. If you have only one SIM card slot and no eSIM compatibility, you can only use one SIM at a time. But, if you have one SIM card slot and eSIM compatibility, you’ll be able to use 2 SIMs at once: one physical SIM and an eSIM one.

eSIM: As mentioned above, eSIM can be used together with a SIM card, if your phone supports this. If you choose the eSIM option only, you can have up to 2 active eSIMs (and up to 8 eSIMs installed, for some devices).

We hope we have covered it all for you so you can choose the one that fits better into your life.

Consider the aspects that matter the most to you and choose whatever suits you and your phone the best. We’re sure you’ll pick the best option, whether is the physical SIM or the eSIM!

Let us know in the comments down below which one is your winning choice.