How we compare eSIM providers
We sell eSIMs and we publish pages comparing ourselves to competitors. These are the rules those pages are written under, so you can check the claims instead of taking our word for them.
What we compare
- Like for like, or not at all. Same destination, same data allowance, same validity. Comparing our 10GB/30-day plan against a competitor's 5GB/7-day plan produces a number that means nothing.
- Data-only against data-only. Plans bundling calls and SMS carry that cost in the same price, so they are not comparable per gigabyte with a data-only plan. The same rule governs the price index.
- Price as a traveller pays it. Retail, in USD, before tax, without assuming a promo code or a first-order discount on either side.
- The things that decide whether a plan works — network coverage in the destination, when the plan starts counting down, whether hotspot is allowed, whether it can be topped up, and what happens when the data runs out. A cheaper plan that does not permit tethering is not cheaper for someone who needs tethering.
What we exclude, and why
- Unlimited plans against fixed-data plans. "Unlimited" almost always carries a fair-usage cap after which speed drops. Pricing that per gigabyte requires picking a number for the cap, and whichever number we picked would flatter someone.
- Promotional pricing. Launch offers and first-order discounts move weekly on every provider. A comparison built on them is out of date before it is published.
- Review scores and star ratings. We do not assign a competitor a score out of ten. There is no way for us to do that credibly as their competitor.
When we lose
Comparison pages state where a competitor is the better choice, including on price. If you are after genuinely unlimited data in a single country, or a destination where another provider's local partner has better rates than ours, that is worth knowing and the page should tell you. A comparison that never concedes anything is an advertisement, and readers can tell the difference.
Staleness
Our own prices on these pages are read from the live catalogue. Competitor prices are not — we have no feed from them, so those figures are accurate as of compilation and can drift. Where a specific competitor price matters to your decision, check it on their site. We would rather say that than imply a freshness we cannot deliver.
Common questions
Does Wanderly always come out ahead in its own comparisons?
No, and a comparison page that always did would not be worth reading. Competitors beat us on specific plans and specific destinations, most often where they sell an unlimited plan and we sell fixed data, or where their local partner has better wholesale rates. Where that is true, the page says so rather than picking a different metric.
Where do competitor prices come from?
From the competitor's own public pricing at the time the page was compiled, for the equivalent destination, allowance and duration. We do not use prices quoted in third-party articles, because those go stale invisibly. Competitor pricing changes without telling us, so any specific figure should be checked against their site before you rely on it.
Are these comparisons affiliate-driven?
We do not earn a commission from the competitors named on these pages. We earn when you buy a Wanderly plan, which is disclosed on every comparison and in our editorial policy. That is a real bias and the methodology below exists so you can check our claims rather than trust our motives.