Quick answer: On your travel eSIM, Data Roaming should be on — that is simply how it connects to local networks abroad, and it costs nothing extra because the plan is prepaid. On your normal home SIM, Data Roaming should be off, so your home carrier can never bill you for roaming. It is the same setting with opposite answers, depending on which line you are looking at.
No single toggle causes more travel-connectivity confusion than Data Roaming. Turn it off and your eSIM will not connect; leave it on for the wrong line and you risk a bill. The trick is understanding that Data Roaming is set per line, and the right answer flips depending on the line. Here is the whole thing, clearly. For the complete landing setup, see <a href="/blog/how-to-get-internet-when-you-land-abroad">how to get online the moment you land abroad</a>.
Should data roaming be on or off for an eSIM?
On — for your travel eSIM line. For a prepaid travel eSIM, the word "roaming" does not mean "expensive." It is just the technical term for using a network you are visiting rather than your own. Because you already paid for the plan up front, roaming on that line costs nothing beyond what you bought. Turn it off and the eSIM simply has no way to connect abroad.
Why off on my home SIM but on for the eSIM?
Because roaming is billed by whoever owns the line — and only your home carrier charges by the day or the megabyte. Your travel eSIM is prepaid, so its roaming is already covered.
| Line | Data Roaming | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Home SIM | OFF | Stops your home carrier billing you abroad |
| Travel eSIM | ON | Lets the prepaid plan use local networks — no extra cost |
Set it this way and the expensive line is silenced while the cheap line does all the work. That single combination is the heart of avoiding a roaming bill. This pairs with keeping airplane mode off after landing — see <a href="/blog/esim-airplane-mode-on-or-off-when-you-land">eSIM and airplane mode</a>.
How to set data roaming for each line
On iPhone
- Settings › Cellular › [your home SIM] › Data Roaming → OFF.
- Settings › Cellular › [your travel eSIM] › Data Roaming → ON.
- Then set Cellular Data to the eSIM line.
On Android (Pixel, Samsung, etc.)
- Settings › Network & internet › SIMs › [home SIM] › Roaming → OFF.
- Settings › Network & internet › SIMs › [travel eSIM] › Roaming → ON.
- Set Mobile data to the eSIM.
Menu wording varies by brand, but the logic is identical everywhere: home line roaming off, eSIM roaming on.
Will turning on roaming for the eSIM cost extra?
No. A prepaid travel eSIM cannot generate a surprise roaming charge — you already paid for the data, and there is no postpaid account behind it to bill you. The charge people fear only ever comes from a postpaid home line with its roaming left on.
My eSIM still will not connect — what should I check?
Run through three things: Data Roaming is on for the eSIM, the eSIM is set as your Cellular Data / Mobile data line, and airplane mode is off. If all three are correct and you still see no service, restart the phone so it re-scans for networks. More fixes are in the <a href="/blog/how-to-get-internet-when-you-land-abroad">landing guide</a>.
Frequently asked questions
Does data roaming on the eSIM cost money? No. On a prepaid travel eSIM, roaming is just how it connects abroad. You only pay for the plan you bought — there is no extra roaming fee.
Should I turn data roaming off completely? Only on your home SIM. Turning it off on the eSIM too would leave you with no connection at all. Off for home, on for the eSIM.
Why does my eSIM say "no service" with roaming off? Because it needs roaming on to use a foreign network. Switch Data Roaming on for the eSIM line and it should connect within a minute.
*Written by the TripoSIM team — a travel eSIM by BroadNet Technologies, with 20+ years in global mobile connectivity.*
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