Phones with eSIM
Phones with an eSIM have a built-in chip, onto which your provider loads your subscription profile. Below is a list of all phones with an eSIM available in the Netherlands, both with and without a SIM card slot. Filter the list according to what you’re looking for and read the explanation below the list to find out what each option means.
Many new handsets now come with an eSIM, but not all of them: it’s still often missing from cheaper models. So do check whether the handset you’re looking for has one.
Which eSIM-enabled phone is right for you?
Two questions will help you decide: do you still need the physical SIM card slot, and does your provider offer eSIM? Search for the term ‘eSIM’ on your provider’s website. It will state whether your subscription plan supports it and how to apply for a profile, as not every provider and not every subscription plan offers this feature.
How do phones with eSIM really differ?
Four factors make the difference here.
- Whether or not there’s a SIM card slot next to it: most devices have a nanoSIM slot next to the eSIM, but there are also some without a tray, in which case the eSIM is the only option.
- Number of eSIM profiles: the number of profiles a device can store and how many can be active at the same time varies by model; check with the manufacturer.
- Two numbers at once: an eSIM alongside a physical SIM, or two profiles on the eSIM, provides dual SIM without sacrificing a slot.
- Transferring to a new device: whether you can transfer your profile directly from your old phone to your new one depends on the device and your provider.
The technology behind the eSIM is the same for every provider, and your number and subscription remain unchanged. What differs is how you download and transfer the profile, and what that means when you want to do something with your SIM card.
Choose a handset with an eSIM and a SIM card slot if you want to be able to fall back on a physical SIM card, for example if your phone breaks or if you need a local SIM card whilst abroad.
Choose a handset without a SIM tray if you rarely change handsets and the design or internal space is more important to you than having that fallback option.
What is an eSIM?
This fixed chip contains a subscription profile from your provider, including your number and subscription details; the chip itself remains in place at all times. The abbreviation stands for embedded SIM, and in technical terms such a chip is called an eUICC. The standard comes from the GSMA, the trade association for mobile network operators.
Because your provider installs and removes such a profile remotely, watches, tablets and cars also use this technology: there is often no space for a SIM card slot in these devices. The different physical SIM card formats and how they relate to one another are listed on the page about dual SIM phones.
How to set up an eSIM
You request the profile from your provider and then install it on your device. This is usually done in one of the following ways, depending on your provider: you scan a QR code, you enter an activation code, or you download the profile via your provider’s app. If you’re switching from another handset, the profile can often be transferred directly. The eSIM will then appear in your phone’s network settings, where you can enable it. You’ll need an internet connection – via Wi-Fi or mobile data – as the profile needs to be downloaded.
How it differs from a SIM card
Five things will change in day-to-day use, and not all of them are to your advantage.
- Switching devices: you cannot transfer a physical card. You either send the profile directly to your new phone or request a new profile from your provider.
- A broken or stolen phone: your number doesn’t simply transfer to an old spare handset. You’ll need your provider to sort this out, and therefore a different way to get online.
- Lending or borrowing a phone: you can’t simply pop your SIM card into another phone; here too, you’ll need to go through your provider or use an app.
- Selling a phone on: delete your eSIM profile before selling the phone. When you reset a phone, you’re sometimes asked separately whether the eSIM profile should also be deleted; if you accidentally say ‘yes’ whilst still keeping the handset, you’ll need to request a new profile.
- Travelling abroad: you can set up a local data profile alongside your own subscription without affecting it, and then switch it off again afterwards.
Do you need an eSIM?
No, a physical nanoSIM does exactly the same job. The eSIM is handy, but not essential. The SIM tray does take up space inside a device, and on the thinnest models, that tray is the first to go: the Apple iPhone Air doesn’t have one. Whether the SIM card will eventually become the exception remains to be seen.
Are there devices without a SIM card slot?
Yes, but they are still the exception. The iPhone Air is the best-known example: due to its design, that device has no space for a card tray and works only with eSIM. The other models in the iPhone 17 series retain their nanoSIM slot alongside the eSIM in Europe, and the eSIM-only versions that Apple sells in the United States, amongst other places, are not available here. Check which SIM cards each device supports. See also the overviews of iPhones and Android phones.
