Using an eSIM in Spain – a review of Sim Local from a local

Published by Cass on 11/06/202611/06/2026

How did I test the Sim Local eSIM?

📲 I was given a 30 day 20gb eSIM that covers Spain (including the Canary Islands) and simply turned off my regular network provider and moved over to using Sim Local. I carried on with my normal life.

Over the first few days with the eSIM I used it for google maps while driving around Sevilla, I attended my teen’s swimming competition, I listened to music as much as I felt like and generally played around on social media as normal. I also went on a family friendly tour of Sevilla.

In these first four days of what I’d consider my fairly heavy phone use I used 0.2gb of data. I also really like that I can check my data usage easily to ensure that my obsession with music doesn’t use up too much data and leave me stranded.

What is an eSIM and how does it work?

^{Los Caños de Meca beach, Cádiz Province}

My first attempt with an eSIM was with a locked phone because I didn’t know that not all models are compatible. I was so upset with myself for not having checked first. Luckily for me, eSIMs only activate once your turn them on so I simply kept the access and when I got a new phone l ensured it was compatible.

This time, with Sim Local, I already knew my phone was compatible so I simply downloaded my eSIM. I was sent an email with purchase confirmation and a link to set up an account and pick up my eSIM. The email gave clear instructions on how to download the SIM, with links to video explanations, a QR code, and manual activation code, all laid out extremely clearly. I followed the instructions and 💥, there it was, happily working on my phone.

How to choose between the various options?

^Segovia

There are different eSIMS available. If you’re just coming to Spain, you can buy a Spain only sim. If you’ll be exploring more of Europe, then a Europe-wide eSIM is a better idea as you only have to buy once for your entire trip. The eSIMS also vary depending on how much internet access you need/want and how long you’ll be travelling for.

➕ There are some eSIMs that are data only and don’t provide a local number and there are others that do come with a number. My personal opinion is that a phone number is not particularly necessary while you’re in Spain. Here, we do most of our ‘phone business’ via WhatsApp. You can contact most restaurants via WhatsApp and if you’re staying in an apartment, for sure your contact with the owner/manager will be via WhatsApp.

Purchase your Sim Local eSIM with the MexicoCassie discount code for a 10% discount wherever your next adventure is taking you!

What’s the connectivity quality like with Sim Local?

^Sevilla

As I said earlier, I live in Spain and I have a local Spanish sim contract. I didn’t notice the difference between my regular Spanish network provider and the Sim Local eSIM. The Sim Local eSIM connects to the same 4G and 5G networks that Spanish networks use (such as Vodaphone or Orange). When you buy your plan it tells you which networks are used.

I’d say that’s high praise. I carried on with my normal behaviour using Google maps when driving, I listened to music via my YouTube app as much as I liked, and merrily used social media. Everything was exactly as it is with my regular service provider.

I was, of course, not in a remote village in the middle of Spain. I was in my town and in Sevilla. Sim Local is very clear that while their coverage is excellent in the cities, in more remote areas of Spain it may not be the same level.

I was recently in the Picos de Europa with my regular cell service and it didn’t get coverage in the mountains either. Esims, I think, basically meet the same levels of coverage as traditional services.

What do I like about Sim Local eSIMs?

^{Hiking in La Gomera, Canary Islands}

Protection against my own failings – My absolute favourite thing about using an eSIM is that I don’t have to remove my physical sim card from my phone. I know this sounds silly but I rarely remember to carry a pin to open the teeny sim tray, and I absolutely never have anywhere safe and dust-free to store my precious home sim. I generally wind up wrapping it in a piece of paper for the duration of my adventure, and hoping I don’t lose it.

And yes, this is absolutely why I lost my original Spanish sim card in Mexico and had to go to the one shop in my town that deals with sim replacement cards (don’t ask, I don’t understand why either) three damn times. The first time I went I didn’t know I’d need every single piece of ID I’ve ever had to declare it lost. 1 hour of my time gone. The second time I went I had all the paperwork but something got filled in wrong so the sim card they gave me never got activated but I was home by the time we realised. 2 hours of my time gone. The third time, yes it worked. What a stress. An eSIM would have saved me this frustration (so would looking after my possessions better, I agree).

Stress remover – My other favourite thing is that they remove the worry about finding a physical sim card when I arrive in a new place. Instead of wasting precious vacation time searching for a shop selling sim cards, I can spend ten minutes at home before I leave and have my sim waiting for me as I arrive in the new country.

Variety of plans – There are options for everyone, depending on your data use, vacation duration, and if you’ll be sharing between devices or people.

Quality of service – Because the eSIM is literally access to a local network, it’s generally as good quality as having a regular local sim (without the stress of having to buy it).

Return policy – if you don’t use it, return it. And if it doesn’t work because of a technical error, you can get a refund too.

Who should use an eSIM?

^{Torre Sevilla – Sevilla}

​I think eSIMs are a great option for everyone, for families visiting with kids / teens with mobile phones, for solo travellers who might arrive late at night and not want to wait to have the safety of a working phone.

It’s also important to add that even if you’re not especially technologically savvy or comfortable, an eSIM is truly easy to use and with Sim Local, you have extremely clear instructions and 24/7 support if you need it.

I like to use one when I go to Mexico, for example, because if you land in Cancun (I often do), there’s nowhere at the airport to buy a local sim or to even top up your actual sim card when you land. Last time I landed in Cancun I had to phone my hotel to arrange to be picked up and obviously, having the eSIM meant I could do this without using expensive roaming fees from my own network. 

Buying a regular sim in Spain

If you’re not yet sure if an eSIM is a good idea, let me tell you a little about buying a sim in Spain:

It can be a pain in the bum.

If you arrive in a large airport like Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD), it is possible to pick up a sim card before you leave the airport. (It’s actually possible to grab an eSIM from Sim Local as they have a store in terminal 4).

However, many of the options you will find are inflated tourist price sim cards. Smaller airports such as Santiago de Compostela or Sevilla don’t always offer the option to buy a sim card when you arrive. 

Once you’re in your destination city, you can go to a regular phone shop (the main brands are Orange, Vodaphone, Movistar) to buy your prepaid sim. Smaller shops and kiosks may also sell sim cards but obviously it’s harder to figure out the where and how. People may not speak English, particularly outside of the main tourist hubs. 

🛂 You must show a passport or valid EU ID when you buy a sim card in Spain because every card has to be registered. 

Roaming charges, physical sim card or eSIM for travel in Spain?

^{Tabernas Desert, Almeria}

​🇪🇺 If you’re European, you don’t need to do anything when you travel to Spain as your EU sim includes roaming across all of the European Union (yay!). If you’re not, then you need to decide whether to use your home network with roaming, to buy a local sim card on arrival or whether to pick up an esim. 

💸 We all know how expensive roaming can be, especially when you think about how much we use our phones: google maps is imperative for driving or exploring any city, many tourist sites have audio guide apps to download, and then there’s music to listen to, Facebook and other social media to doomscroll and blogs like mine to help you figure out what to eat for breakfast!

❌ Personally, unless your provider’s roaming service is truly excellent, I’d discount it as an option immediately unless you’re not planning on leaving your hotel and its wifi service. 

​So, between esim or physical sim, which would I recommend? 

Definitely the eSIM. It works as well as a physical sim card, and I really like having the ability to sort it out in advance, removing one boring and stressful job when I arrive at my destination. I really like being able to just turn my phone on when I land in a new country and just start using it, letting my loved people know I’m safe immediately. 

And remember, you can purchase your SimLocal eSIM with the MexicoCassie discount code for a 10% discount wherever your next adventure is taking you!