A data-only eSIM gives your phone mobile internet. It does not include ordinary carrier calls, SMS or a usable local phone number unless the plan explicitly says otherwise. You can use internet calling and messaging apps over its data connection, subject to the app and local network being available.
That distinction matters when booking a restaurant, receiving a bank code or keeping in touch with family. Before buying, decide whether you need internet access, a telephone number, or both.
Which eSIMs come with a phone number?
An eSIM does not come with a phone number automatically. The plan decides. Travel eSIMs come in two broad types:
- Data-only plans give you mobile internet and no number for ordinary calls or SMS. Most Wanderly plans are this type.
- Calls and texts plans add a phone number on the eSIM, with calling and usually SMS, alongside the data.
At Wanderly, plans with a number are on the Calls & texts tab of a destination's page, next to Standard data. If a destination has no such tab, its plans are data-only for now. Here is what our Calls & texts plans include:
- Calls both ways. Every Calls & texts plan includes incoming and outgoing calls.
- SMS on nearly all of them. Most allow sending and receiving. A few only receive SMS, and a small number include no SMS. The tab says which before you buy.
- A number assigned after purchase. We cannot tell you the number in advance. It appears in your Wanderly dashboard under "Calls and SMS setup" and in the delivery email.
- Not always a local number. The number may be issued in a different country from your destination, so we cannot promise a local one.
- No top-ups. When the plan runs out, you buy a new one.
Full details are in our guide to Wanderly plans with calls, texts and a phone number.
What works with a data-only eSIM?
| Task | What you need |
|---|---|
| Maps, email, ride booking and web browsing | Mobile data and access to the relevant app or website |
| Calls inside a messaging app | A working app account, data and an available calling service |
| WhatsApp, iMessage and FaceTime on your usual number | Data from the eSIM; the apps stay registered to your existing number or Apple Account |
| Call a restaurant's ordinary phone number | A voice-enabled line or an internet calling service that supports telephone numbers |
| Receive a bank's SMS code on your home number | Your home line must remain able to receive SMS; the travel data allowance does not replace it |
| Receive SMS on a new local number | A plan that explicitly includes that number and SMS service |
| Let someone call you on a new number | A calls and texts plan; a data-only eSIM has no number to call |
Do not assume a number shown in your phone's SIM settings is a usable calling number. Check the purchased plan's listed services. A product described as data-only should be treated as internet access, even if your phone displays a number for the profile.
Data-only vs calls and texts plans
| Data-only eSIM | Calls & texts eSIM | |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile data | Yes | Yes |
| Phone number | No | Yes, assigned after purchase; may not be local |
| Ordinary calls | No; use app calling | Yes, incoming and outgoing |
| SMS | No | Usually; some plans receive only, a few have none |
| Top-ups | Depends on the plan | No; buy a new plan |
| Good for | Maps, messaging apps, bookings, most trips | Calling local businesses, being reachable on a number while abroad |
Does a travel eSIM receive SMS?
A data-only eSIM does not. It has no number for anyone to text. A calls and texts eSIM can, if that plan includes incoming SMS.
Even then, it only receives texts sent to its number. A code your bank sends to your home number still goes to your home line. Incoming SMS support also does not guarantee that a bank or app will accept the travel number or deliver its codes to it.
Can you use an eSIM number for WhatsApp?
You do not need to. WhatsApp stays registered to the number you already use and sends messages over the travel eSIM's data. You can open WhatsApp, chat and make WhatsApp calls on a data-only eSIM without changing anything.
Registering WhatsApp on a new travel number is a different matter. WhatsApp says you can only register a number you own, and you must be able to receive its registration code by SMS or phone call. It does not support VoIP numbers. A data-only eSIM has no number, so it cannot be used. A calls and texts number would need to receive that code.
Think twice before moving WhatsApp onto a temporary number. WhatsApp sends a new code each time you register a new number or device, so you may need that number again after the trip ends.
Is an eSIM number permanent?
Treat a travel eSIM number as temporary. It belongs to the plan you bought. Our Calls & texts plans cannot be topped up, and the number is assigned at purchase, so we cannot promise you the same number on a later plan. Do not use it as the recovery number for important accounts.
Your home number is not affected. Adding a travel eSIM does not transfer or replace it.
Can you call an eSIM number?
Yes, if the eSIM has a number with incoming calls. Every Wanderly Calls & texts plan allows incoming calls. Give people the number in full international format, starting with +. A data-only eSIM cannot be called, because it has no number. People can still reach you through app calls, or on your home number if that line stays on.
Does an eSIM work with iMessage and FaceTime?
Yes. On iPhone, iMessage and FaceTime keep working on your home number while a travel eSIM provides data. Apple says that if you only use your travel eSIM, FaceTime and iMessage continue to work on your home line. With two lines, Apple lets you choose which numbers iMessage and FaceTime use.
If your iPhone asks whether to switch iMessage or FaceTime to a new number, do not accept unless you mean to.
Can you keep your existing number?
Adding travel data does not require transferring your existing number. On a compatible dual-SIM phone, you can keep your home line and select the travel line for mobile data. Your home carrier still controls calls, texts, roaming eligibility and charges on the home number.
Apple describes using a travel eSIM alongside a home line and warns that keeping both active can still incur home-line roaming fees. See Apple's international eSIM guide. For the settings, use our dual-SIM travel setup guide or the shorter keep calls and texts with a travel eSIM checklist.
If you turn the home line off, plan how you will sign in to important accounts without SMS. Set up an authenticator or another supported recovery method before departure. Do not assume a data-only plan can receive verification texts intended for your home number.
Getting 2FA codes while abroad
Many banks and apps send one-time codes by SMS to your home number. A travel eSIM does not change where those codes go. To keep receiving them:
- Leave your home line on for calls and texts, with data roaming off on that line. Receiving texts while roaming is often free, but check your carrier's roaming terms first.
- Use app-based codes where you can. Apple sends two-factor codes to your trusted devices as well as your trusted phone number.
- Save backup codes before you go. Google lets you get a set of 10 backup codes for when you cannot use your phone or number.
- Do not switch a bank's number to a temporary travel number.
App calls and carrier calls are different
A call made inside an internet messaging app uses an internet connection. A call placed through the phone's ordinary dialer may use your selected voice line and its tariff. Check which service you are using before calling a hotel or a local business.
App-to-app calling usually requires the other person to use that service too. Calling an ordinary telephone number through an internet service can require a separate paid allowance. Network restrictions can also affect calling apps, so check your destination rather than treating data coverage as a guarantee that every app works.
For budgeting, read our WhatsApp data guide and trip-data planning guide. Video calls and media uploads can consume much more data than text conversations.
Best eSIM with a phone number for the USA or Europe
Start with whether you need a number at all. For most trips, a data-only plan plus WhatsApp, FaceTime and your home line covers everything.
- Europe: our Europe regional bundles are data-only. Many single-country European pages, such as France, Italy and Spain, have a Calls & texts tab. If you are visiting several countries, check whether each stop is covered. See our Europe eSIM guide.
- USA: open the United States page and look for a Calls & texts tab. If there is none, those plans are data-only, and your home line or app calling is the way to make calls. See our USA eSIM guide.
- Need a local number specifically? For a local bank, delivery driver or sign-up that rejects foreign numbers, buy a local SIM at your destination. A travel number may not be local.
Which plan should you choose?
- Mostly maps, bookings and messages: a data-only plan can cover those tasks if the services you use are available at your destination.
- Frequent ordinary phone calls: compare a Calls & texts plan, a voice-enabled local plan, your carrier's travel options and a separate internet calling service.
- Bank codes on your existing number: confirm SMS roaming and costs with your home carrier before departure.
- Remote work: check hotspot permission, data allowance, fair-use terms and a backup connection. A data plan does not guarantee a particular meeting quality.
Start with your phone's eSIM compatibility, then compare destination plans. Check coverage, validity, activation rules and included services on the specific plan you choose.
If you are new to Wanderly, you can also check the free eSIM trial in the app. Availability, allowance and validity depend on your destination and eligibility. It requires no credit card and does not renew into a subscription.
FAQ
Does a travel eSIM come with a phone number? Only if the plan says so. Data-only eSIMs do not. Wanderly's Calls & texts plans include a number, assigned after purchase.
Can I receive SMS on a data-only eSIM? No. Keep your home line on to receive texts sent to your usual number.
Will WhatsApp still work on a data-only eSIM? Yes. WhatsApp keeps your existing number and uses the eSIM's data.
Can I register WhatsApp with a travel eSIM number? Only if the plan includes a number that can receive WhatsApp's code by SMS or call. Because the number is temporary, keeping WhatsApp on your usual number is safer.
Is an eSIM number permanent? No. Treat a travel eSIM number as temporary, tied to that plan.
Can I get a local number for the country I am visiting? Not guaranteed. Our Calls & texts numbers may be issued in another country. If you need a local number, buy a local SIM on arrival.
Can I add calls to a data plan I already bought? No. Calling is part of the plan you buy. You can install a Calls & texts plan alongside your data plan.