The term "data roaming" causes confusion for eSIM users. When your phone asks to enable "data roaming" for your travel eSIM, it sounds like you are about to get charged expensive roaming fees. But with a travel eSIM, data roaming is a technical setting, not a billing trap. This guide explains the difference.
What data roaming actually means
Data roaming is a phone setting that controls whether your cellular plan can connect to networks outside its "home" network. When you use your home carrier abroad, data roaming means your carrier is paying another carrier to carry your data — and passing enormous costs to you ($10–20/day).
With a travel eSIM, the situation is different. Your travel eSIM technically considers any network it connects to as a "roaming" network — because the eSIM provider is not the actual carrier. But you have already paid a flat rate for your data plan. Enabling "data roaming" on your travel eSIM simply tells your phone it is allowed to connect. There are no additional charges.
The critical distinction
Home SIM data roaming: TURN OFF. This prevents your home carrier from charging roaming fees. Go to Settings → Cellular → Home SIM → Data Roaming → Off. Travel eSIM data roaming: TURN ON. This allows your travel eSIM to connect to local networks. Without it, your travel eSIM will not work. Go to Settings → Cellular → Travel eSIM → Data Roaming → On.
This is the single most confusing aspect of travel eSIM setup, and the source of most "my eSIM is not working" complaints. See our troubleshooting guide if you are having connection issues.
Why this terminology exists
The "data roaming" toggle was designed decades ago for the physical SIM era, where roaming always meant expensive foreign carrier charges. eSIM providers operate differently — they pre-negotiate carrier access and sell it to you at a flat rate — but the phone's operating system still uses the old terminology. Apple and Google have not updated the language to reflect eSIM reality.
Summary
Data roaming on your home SIM = expensive, turn it off. Data roaming on your travel eSIM = necessary, turn it on. Once you understand this distinction, the rest of eSIM setup is straightforward. For complete setup instructions, see our guides for iPhone and Android.
Get your travel plan set up.
Choose a Provider →