Cheap cell phones with eSIM

Since its launch, the use of the eSIM has been widening around the world. However, due to its novelty, most compatible cell phones are high-end and pricey. But did you know that there are also some cheap cell phones with eSIM?

Here we’re going to show you cheap cell phones compatible with eSIM at a much more reasonable price than the well-known iPhone 11, the Samsung Galaxy S20, or the Huawei P40. We tell you which ones.

What is an eSIM?

Before showing you the cheap phones that have eSIM, we’re going to explain to you briefly what an eSIM really is.

Also called virtual SIM, eSIM card, digital SIM, or simply eSIM, it’s the evolution of the traditional SIM cards that we have inserted in the cell phone and allows us to connect to the internet, make and receive calls and messages.

To activate an eSIM on a smartphone, it’s necessary to request it with a provider or operator and they send it to your email through a QR code, which must be scanned with the cell phone. For more information, you can visit the post on how to activate the eSIM on an iPhone.

After clearing up some doubts about the virtual SIM, now we’re going to show you those cheap cell phones that are compatible with eSIM.

The Google Pixel 3a is a cheap mid-range phone

It’s one of the cheap cell phones from Google that includes eSIM. It’s considered a mid-range smartphone because it reduces some features that the high-end Google Pixel 3 has.

You can buy this phone on Amazon for around €380. This is much less than half the price of other phones with eSIM like the Motorola Razr which exceeds €1000.

Google Pixel 3a XL, the evolution of the Pixel 3a

It’s an upgraded version of the Pixel 3a, and it sits in the middle between the Pixel 3a and 3 XL. The price of this cell phone is €470 and, although it’s higher than the Google Pixel 3a, it’s still below the €1000 that phones with eSIM usually cost.

The Google Pixel 4a stands out for being cheap and compatible with eSIM

It’s the evolution of the Google Pixel 3a. Its launch took place in August 2020, and it has stood out for its low price, which is around €389.

iPhone SE 2020, Apple’s cheapest phone with eSIM

It was launched in 2020 and it’s the smartphone that Apple chose to look for a different market than the traditional iPhone XR or iPhone 11. The cost of the iPhone SE is slightly higher than the Google Pixel that we have mentioned, but it’s considered a mid-range phone. Its price is €489, very similar to the Google Pixel 3a XL.

Now, their prices are probably not a bargain, but if we compare them with other phones that have eSIM, the savings are significant. This will allow you to enjoy this new technology.

Comparison of prices of cell phones with eSIM

Next, we’re going to show you the prices of high-end phones with SIM so that you can compare them against the cheap cell phones with eSIM that we have already mentioned.

For this table, we have chosen the cheapest option for each device. That is, some phones have 64 GB or 128 GB capacity, in those cases the 64 GB option was selected to add to the table.

What are the disadvantages of an eSIM?

Well, nothing is perfect, a digital SIM also has its disadvantages when compared to a physical SIM. Here we show them:

• You can only install it on a cell phone. For security purposes, the eSIM QR code works just once. If you need to activate it on another cell phone, you will need to request a new setup code.
  • Is unsafe. Being a digital product, hackers already have their eyes on this new technology. In China, for example, a group of hackers managed to install an eSIM profile on an iPhone despite the operator didn’t even offer this service.
  • If the phone dies, so does the eSIM. In the case of physical SIM cards, for example, if your cell phone falls or stops working, you can remove the SIM and place it in another cell phone instantly. On the other hand, with the eSIM, you will need data and internet to contact your operator, report your case and download the eSIM. So, the solution may take time.
  • You can’t extract the eSIM if you need to repair your cell phone. Unless you have contracted the MultiSIM service of your operator, you’re going to run out of minutes and data when you send your cell phone for repair in case of failures on its screen or if it doesn’t turn on.

What are the advantages of an eSIM?

Whether you buy a cheap or expensive cell phone with an eSIM, the eSIM works anyway and will allow you to enjoy some advantages over a physical SIM. Here we tell you about it:

• If you run out of data on your trip you can buy an eSIM from the country where you are and in a few minutes you can activate it on your cell phone.
  • You can install several eSIMs at the same time and switch between them. For example, you could have the eSIM of your local operator installed on your cell phone and when you travel you can install a new eSIM for your trip and thus avoid paying for roaming.
  • To discard it, you only need to delete it. Just as you delete a file on your cell phone, you can remove the eSIM profile from the Settings option. This way you avoid contaminating the environment with the plastic of traditional SIM cards.
  • Your cell phone will become dual SIM. Since this technology is still new, most virtual SIM phones come with a physical SIM slot and the eSIM chip. This way two cards work simultaneously, an option called Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS).