Which UK providers support eSIM? All four UK mobile networks do: EE, O2, Vodafone and Three. Many smaller providers do too, including giffgaff, Tesco Mobile, Sky Mobile, SMARTY and 1pMobile. How you get the eSIM differs: some send a QR code by email, others only work through their app. This guide shows what each eSIM provider in the UK says on its own website, what you can use as a visitor, and how to set it up.
Which UK networks support eSIM?
Here is a quick overview, checked on the providers' own pages in November 2026. Details for each one follow below.
- EE: eSIM on pay monthly phones and SIM only plans, plus a data-only Travel Data eSIM for visitors.
- O2: eSIM on Pay Monthly, SIM Only and Pay As You Go.
- Vodafone: eSIM on SIM only pay monthly and pay as you go Plus plans.
- Three: eSIM on Three Your Way plans, on Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go.
- giffgaff: eSIM through the giffgaff app only, with a plan.
- Tesco Mobile, Sky Mobile, SMARTY, 1pMobile, VOXI and iD Mobile: eSIM available, with different ways to order it.
Apple keeps a list of carriers that support eSIM on iPhone. For the UK, it names 3, EE, O2, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile, Vodafone and giffgaff, among others (Apple: Carriers that offer eSIM service on iPhone).
EE eSIM
EE is part of BT Group (EE Business: EE is now part of BT). You can choose an eSIM when you order a pay monthly phone, and it comes ready on the device. On a SIM only plan, you download the eSIM in the EE app. Existing customers can replace their SIM with an eSIM in the app, or ask EE for a QR pack by post, according to EE's eSIM help page.
EE business eSIM: EE Business lists which business phones and tablets support eSIM. If you give EE the device's 32-digit EID, it can push the eSIM to an eSIM-capable iPhone or Android device, including one your company didn't buy from EE (EE Business: eSIM-compatible devices).
O2 eSIM
Yes, O2 supports eSIM on Pay Monthly, SIM Only and Pay As You Go. A Pay Monthly phone comes with the eSIM already set up. For SIM Only, you find the QR code in My O2 under Install a SIM. For Pay As You Go, you order an eSIM online or get one in an O2 store. O2 says an eSIM costs the same as a physical SIM, and most activations take a few minutes, sometimes up to 24 hours (O2: eSIM).
Vodafone eSIM
Yes, Vodafone offers eSIM on its SIM only plans: pay monthly (30 days, 12 or 24 months) and pay as you go Plus, a rolling 30-day plan. You select eSIM at checkout and Vodafone emails you a QR code. You need Wi-Fi and an unlocked phone. Existing customers can convert a physical SIM to an eSIM in the My Vodafone app (Vodafone: eSIM).
Three eSIM
Yes, Three offers eSIM with all Three Your Way plans. New customers on a compatible phone can activate it straight from the setup screen, or scan the QR code Three emails, then enter a confirmation code sent in a separate email. Activation can take up to 7 hours. Already with Three? On iPhone, go to Settings > Mobile Service > Convert to eSIM. Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go customers can also get a replacement eSIM in My3 or the Three app (Three: eSIM support).
Smaller UK providers with eSIM
These providers sell plans on the big networks under their own brand. Most of them offer eSIM too.
giffgaff eSIM
Yes, giffgaff offers eSIM, but only through the giffgaff app. There is no QR code and no manual code. Your phone must support eSIM, be unlocked and run the latest version of the app. New members create an account in the app and activate the eSIM there. Existing members go to Account > SIM > Replace my SIM > Switch to a new eSIM. Plans cost the same on an eSIM as on a physical SIM (giffgaff: Switching to an eSIM). One catch: you need to buy a plan to activate a new eSIM. Pay as you go credit on its own is no longer enough (giffgaff: Activating your SIM).
Tesco Mobile eSIM
Yes, Tesco Mobile offers eSIM, by QR code or by digital download. Digital download is only available with Pay Monthly deals: the eSIM is ready when you switch on your new phone on Wi-Fi. On iPhone, you can request a replacement eSIM in the Tesco Mobile app under Account > Replace my SIM (Tesco Mobile: eSIM). The page doesn't say whether pay as you go customers can get an eSIM, so ask Tesco Mobile first.
Sky Mobile eSIM
Sky Mobile is on Apple's list for eSIM Carrier Activation and eSIM Quick Transfer, so you can set up a Sky eSIM on a new iPhone or convert your physical SIM (Apple: Carriers that offer eSIM service on iPhone).
SMARTY eSIM
Yes, new SMARTY customers can join with an eSIM. You get the QR code by email and a 4-digit confirmation code in a separate email. Existing customers order a replacement SIM and choose eSIM. Activation can take up to 2 hours. Apple Watch isn't supported (SMARTY: eSIM).
1pMobile eSIM
Yes. You pick a plan online, choose eSIM and scan the QR code 1pMobile sends you. 1pMobile says there is no charge for the eSIM when you join (1pMobile: eSIM).
VOXI, iD Mobile and Lebara
- VOXI: on its website, VOXI says new customers choose eSIM at checkout, and existing customers switch under Settings > Manage my SIM.
- iD Mobile: iD Mobile emails you a QR code to download your eSIM. If you ordered a new phone with it, wait until the phone arrives (iD Mobile: Getting started with your SIM or eSIM).
- Lebara: Lebara's help page says new customers can currently get an eSIM only on an iPhone Air. Check with Lebara before you order for another phone.
Moving your number from a physical SIM? See how to convert a physical SIM to an eSIM.
UK eSIM for tourists and visitors
Visiting the UK? You have three options.
- A visitor eSIM from a UK network. EE sells a Travel Data eSIM for visitors. It is data only, with unlimited data passes from 1 to 90 days. You can install it before you arrive, you don't need a UK address, and you keep your own number for calls and texts. Your phone must be unlocked.
- A UK pay as you go eSIM. O2 sells Pay As You Go eSIMs online and in its stores, and Vodafone offers eSIM on pay as you go Plus. These give you a UK +44 number. Apple also lists 3, EE and Vodafone as UK carriers with prepaid eSIM plans for international travellers (Apple: Carriers that offer eSIM service on iPhone).
- A travel eSIM. You buy it online, install it at home and it connects when you land. The SimOptions United Kingdom eSIMs are data only, work in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and can be topped up. Need a number? Travel Basic+ and My European eSIM from Bouygues Telecom also cover the UK and come with a French +33 number for calls and texts.
Comparing plans? Our guide to the best eSIMs for the United Kingdom goes through every option, including trips to the UK and Ireland. If you just want data for a week or two in the UK, these plans fit most trips:
United Kingdom 5GB or 10GB (7 days) · 20GB (15 days) · data only, all four UK countries · See all UK eSIMs · Going further? Find your destination
Travelling abroad from the UK?
If you live in the UK, check your roaming costs before you go. The UK government says surcharge-free roaming in EU and EEA countries is no longer guaranteed, so check your provider's policy before you travel. It also describes a £45 monthly limit on mobile data spending abroad: once you reach it, you have to choose to keep using data (GOV.UK: Using your mobile in EU and EEA countries).
- O2 says you can use your plan in its Europe Zone like at home, subject to a roaming limit (O2: Using your phone abroad).
- Vodafone includes Ireland, the Isle of Man, Iceland and Norway on all pay monthly plans. For other European countries, you need a plan with Euro Roam, a European Roaming Pass or, on pay as you go, an Extra or a daily charge (Vodafone: Roaming).
- EE, Three and the smaller providers set their own roaming rules, so check your plan in your account before you fly.
If roaming costs extra on your plan, a travel eSIM for data is often cheaper. Your UK SIM stays on your phone for texts and security codes. More tips: how to avoid roaming charges.
Heading to Europe for a week? Europe 10GB gives you data in 34 European countries for 7 days. It's data only, so you keep your UK number on your own SIM. Visiting the Netherlands? See our guide to eSIM providers in the Netherlands.
Going further than Europe? There are eSIMs for Asia and many other destinations, and you can buy them from the UK before you leave. Heading to Australia? See our guide to eSIM providers in Australia.
How to set up an eSIM in the UK
Before you start
- Check your phone. It must support eSIM. Dial *#06#: if you see an EID, it does (O2: eSIM). For a travel eSIM or a new provider, it must also be unlocked. More in our guide to checking eSIM compatibility.
- Connect to Wi-Fi. Your phone needs internet to download the eSIM.
Install the eSIM
- Scan the QR code from your email, or follow the steps in your provider's app (giffgaff only works through its app). On iPhone, you can also tap and hold a QR code and choose Add eSIM (Apple: Set up eSIM on iPhone). Step by step: how to install an eSIM.
- Label the line, for example "UK" or "Travel", so you can tell it apart from your other line.
- Choose your data line. On iPhone, go to Settings > Mobile Service > Mobile Data (Apple: Use Dual SIM with an eSIM). On a Pixel, use Settings > Network & internet > SIMs (Google: Use dual SIMs on Pixel).
- Using a travel eSIM? Turn on data roaming for it, and keep data roaming off on your home line if your plan charges for it. See the correct roaming settings for an eSIM.
Not connecting? Try our fixes for an eSIM that won't activate.
FAQs
Which UK networks support eSIM?
All four UK networks do: EE, O2, Vodafone and Three. Smaller providers such as giffgaff, Tesco Mobile, Sky Mobile, SMARTY, 1pMobile, VOXI and iD Mobile offer eSIM too.
Does giffgaff have eSIM?
Yes, through the giffgaff app only. You need to buy a plan to activate a new eSIM, because pay as you go credit on its own no longer works for it.
Does Tesco Mobile do eSIM?
Yes, by QR code or digital download. Digital download is only for Pay Monthly deals. Ask Tesco Mobile if you're on pay as you go.
Does O2 have a pay as you go eSIM?
Yes. You can order an O2 Pay As You Go eSIM online or get one in an O2 store. It costs the same as a physical SIM.
Can I get a UK prepaid eSIM as a tourist?
Yes. EE sells a data-only Travel Data eSIM for visitors, and O2 sells Pay As You Go eSIMs with a UK number. A travel eSIM such as a SimOptions United Kingdom plan is another option you can install before you fly.
Which eSIM providers support 5G in the UK?
An eSIM gets the same network access as a physical SIM. Whether you get 5G depends on your plan, your phone and the coverage where you are. The SimOptions United Kingdom plans are listed as 5G. More in do you need a 5G SIM card?
Does an eSIM cost more than a physical SIM?
Not with the providers we checked. O2 and giffgaff say pricing is the same, and 1pMobile says there is no charge for the eSIM when you join.
Can I buy an eSIM for travel in Asia from the UK?
Yes. You buy a travel eSIM online, install it at home on Wi-Fi and it connects when you land. See the Asia eSIMs or find your destination.
Can I keep my UK number with a travel eSIM?
Yes. Your UK SIM or eSIM stays on your phone next to the travel eSIM, so you still get texts and calls on your number. Roaming charges from your UK provider can still apply to them.
