eSIM or physical SIM: compare the phone, installation and dated Japan rows

An eSIM is a profile installed on a compatible phone; a physical SIM is a removable card. The maker tables read on 2026-09-30 show whether a model has eSIM, dual eSIM and a physical-SIM slot. The dated Japan rows then show the available travel eSIM prices without pretending that a physical-SIM price is known.

The decision fields in the maker lists

The phone data was read from Apple's support list, Google's Pixel help, and Samsung's compatibility page on 2026-09-30. The lists are source checks; they do not guarantee activation on a particular carrier account.

Dated Japan eSIM rows in the currencies shown

The rows keep EUR and USD separate. No physical-SIM price is in the comparison data, so this table does not claim a cost winner between the two SIM forms.

Installation and number use

The site method describes QR-code or provider-code installation. The phone must support eSIM and be unlocked from its carrier. The provider rows are mainly data plans: Nomad says most of its eSIMs do not include a phone number, and Yesim says voice calls, SMS and MMS cannot be made with its eSIM. Saily's help excerpt describes an SMS notification sent to the Saily eSIM. It does not describe a personal number. These statements leave the home-number decision with the traveller's carrier and device setup.

An iPhone 13 row in the maker table says eSIM yes, dual eSIM yes and physical SIM yes. The iPhone 15 rows are region-limited for eSIM and still list a physical SIM, with the note that the eSIM-only configuration applies to models purchased in the United States. The maker lists should be read for the exact model before removing a physical card.

Airalo and Holafly are omitted because their sites do not let other sites republish their prices.

An example: an unlocked iPhone 15 and 1 GB for seven days in Japan

Take a traveller with an unlocked iPhone 15 who wants about 1 GB for seven days in Japan. The Apple row read on 2026-09-30 lists eSIM and dual eSIM for the iPhone 15, and lists a physical SIM for models bought outside the United States, so the purchase region decides whether the phone has a physical slot at all. Among the dated eSIM rows, Nomad offers 1 GB for 7 days at €3.51 and Saily offers 1 GB for 7 days at $3.99. A physical-SIM price and the traveller's home-carrier number policy are missing from the source.

Related checks

Use the Japan comparison, phone checker, iPhone compatibility list and price method before opening a provider page.