Orange eSIM Review
In a saturated eSIM market, Orange Travel enters the ring with a strong focus on Europe and a range of data, call and text plans. If you're thinking of using it on your next trip but are undecided, my Orange eSIM review should clear up any doubts you have.
— Last Updated: 2025-10-27T11:20:22+00:00 Facts checked by Igor Kurtz
Key Takeaways: What Is Orange Travel eSIM & Is It Good to Use?
- Orange Travel is an eSIM service that provides mobile data in more than 200 destinations.
- In addition to plans in various countries around the world, Orange Travel offers regional Europe eSIM plans (more than 40 destinations) and a world plan (more than 200 destinations), with call and text functionality.
- The Orange Travel eSIM is best for those who want a regional Europe plan with calls and texts. It’s a good option, but it doesn’t have as many regional plans as competitors.
Top Use Cases for Orange eSIM:
- Saving money: Orange Travel specializes in prepaid data plans, and the eSIM is designed for travelers who don’t want to use their home mobile plan’s data — and incur roaming fees — abroad.
- Staying connected: You can use your prepaid Orange Travel data abroad to surf the web, stream videos and stay in touch with friends and family back home.
- Getting a phone number: Many Orange Travel plans (data, calls and texts) come with a phone number to use while you’re away.
Travel eSIMs are a fantastic alternative to physical SIM cards or international roaming plans. They’re easy to use and often affordable, and you can’t lose them like you can a physical SIM. The tricky part is deciding which eSIM best suits your needs, since there are so many services. My Orange eSIM review will help you decide if it’s right for you.
Most Orange Travel plans are for single countries, with the exception of one global plan and some regional Europe plans. If you need a plan for a different region, click over to my best international eSIMs guide to look for an alternative. Otherwise, read on.
What Is Orange eSIM & Who Is It For?
The Orange Travel eSIM provides mobile data for international travel, and it is compatible with phones that support eSIM technology. It offers both data-only plans as well as data, call and text plans in several destinations. This provider is ideal for anyone who wants a plan with call and text functionality.
- Release date: Around 2018
- Owner: Orange
- Operating systems: iOS, Android
- Platforms: Most modern iPhones and Android phones, including iPhone 11 and above, SE (2020 and 2022), XR and XS, and various Google Pixel, Huawei, Samsung and Motorola models (among many other Androids)
- Notable features: Data, call and text plans
- Pricing: From $5.99
The Cloudwards Honest Opinion: Orange eSIM
The Cloudwards Honest Opinion: Orange eSIM
Orange Travel checks out for me as a reliable eSIM service. I generally had a great experience with customer support, and I think it’s a good choice for jetsetters who want a phone number. On the other hand, you have to register your Orange Travel eSIM within 30 days, and its regional plan selection is very limited.
Orange Travel eSIM Pros & Cons
How Does Orange eSIM Work?
With an Orange Travel eSIM, you select a location and the amount of data you want from a list of plans, then buy a plan and install it on your phone.
Once you’ve activated the eSIM in your target destination, you’ll be able to use mobile data and — if you’ve chosen a call and text plan — make calls and send texts. In brief, it acts like a physical SIM card but is managed via an app and gives you more flexibility.
What Is Orange Holiday eSIM?
Orange Holiday is the term sometimes used to refer to a few Orange Travel plans, like Orange Holiday Europe and Orange Holiday World. Some of these plans are available in both eSIM and physical SIM form.
If you’re on the Orange Holiday page and click “buy,” you’ll be directed to the main Orange Travel purchase page, where you’ll find all the other plans as well.
| Features |  |
|---|---|
| Payment methods | Credit card, Debit card, Apple Pay |
| OS | iOS, Android |
| Device support | Modern iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, Huawei, Xiaomi |
| Global | 200 |
| Regional | 40 |
| Total Destinations | |
| Ad-blocker | |
| Virtual location | |
| Web protection | |
| Other Security Features |
Features: What Makes Orange eSIM Different From Other eSIMs?
Not many eSIM providers offer data, call and text plans, but Orange Travel eSIM is one of the few that does — at least in most destinations. In a few places, like Kazakhstan, data-only plans are the only option.
Some data, call and text plans come with unlimited calls within a certain country or in Europe. For example, you can make unlimited calls within Europe on the Europe regional plan or unlimited calls within France on the France plan.
This feature isn’t available on all plan types, though. Some plans come with a limited number of call minutes and SMS messages, and some countries have more options than others. For example, there are six data, call and text plans for the U.S. but only four for New Zealand.
Does an Orange eSIM Give You a Local Phone Number?
Orange Travel offers phone numbers on the data, call and text plan, but only French or Polish phone numbers, regardless of the plan you get. You can use the number to make calls or send texts anywhere (with limitations, as I mentioned above).
That said, you don’t necessarily need a phone number to make calls abroad. Making calls and sending messages via WhatsApp or a similar service using WiFi or your eSIM data is a good alternative.
User-Friendliness & Hands-On Testing
I didn’t have any issues whatsoever buying a plan, installing it and navigating Orange Travel’s simple app. The only quirk is that French legislation requires you to register your plan within 30 days to continue using it. See the section under the tutorials below for more on this.
How to Install Orange Travel eSIM
Installing an Orange Travel eSIM is a very straightforward process, but it varies a bit based on whether you have an iPhone or an Android. You can find the Android installation instructions on the Orange Travel website. The process involves scanning a QR code. Here’s how I did it on an iPhone:
- Buy a Plan
Go to the “shop” tab in the Orange Travel eSIM app and select the country and plan you need. Click “add” and go through the checkout process.
- Install the Plan
Go to “my eSIMs” and tap “activate” on your desired plan. Avoid activating it too early, as the validity period will begin. If possible, it’s best to wait to activate the plan until you get to your destination or are en route.
- Allow Installation
When prompted, click “allow.” Follow the prompts to complete the installation process. If you intend to start using your data right away, set your eSIM as your cellular data provider. Otherwise, you can set this up later (see below).
How to Activate Orange Travel eSIM
Once you’ve installed the eSIM, you’ll need to go into your phone’s settings to make sure everything is set up so you can use your eSIM’s data. It’s best to do this when you get to your destination.
This process looks different on Android, so see the instructions linked in the section above if you’re using an Android device.
- Enable Orange
In settings, go to “cellular.” Find your Orange Travel eSIM in the SIM area and tap it. On the next page, tap “turn on this line” and toggle on “data roaming.”
- Set Orange as Your Data Source
Go back and tap the “cellular data” tab and set your Orange Travel eSIM as the cellular data source. Toggle off “cellular data switching.”
- Choose Your Voice Line
If you purchased a data, call and text plan and are ready to use the calling and texting feature, go to “cellular” in settings, then “default voice line.” Enable the Orange Travel plan. You can also switch back to your primary line for calls and texts if you wish, but beware: Using your main line abroad may incur hefty roaming fees.
How to Register Your Orange Travel eSIM Plan
Some countries, such as France, require that all eSIM users, regardless of their plan’s location, have to register their physical SIM or eSIM within 30 days in order to keep using it. This involves uploading a photo of your passport or ID. Unfortunately, there’s no way around this. To avoid the hassle, choose a provider that doesn’t require this, like Saily or Airalo.
To register your Orange eSIM, go to “my eSIMs” in the Orange Travel app and tap “register my eSIM.” Follow the steps to finish registration.
Coverage
Orange Travel’s total coverage, with more than 200 destinations, is in line with that of competitors, and there are plans for plenty of individual countries. It doesn’t offer many regional plans, though.
While many competitors offer various regional plans, such as for Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa and more, Orange Travel has only two. The Europe plan covers more than 40 locations, and the World plan can be used in more than 200 destinations. Competitors typically limit their global plans to anywhere from 95 to about 140 countries.
As I touched on earlier in the features section, Orange’s multitude of data, call and text plans stand out despite the lack of regional offerings.
Pricing: How Much Does Orange Travel eSIM Cost?
Compared with my top eSIM recommendation, Saily, Orange Travel eSIM is slightly more expensive for certain plans.
For example, Saily’s 1GB France plan (data only) costs $3.99, while Orange Travel’s equivalent costs around $5.99. Meanwhile, Saily charges $4.99 for a 1GB Europe plan, while Orange charges around $5.99. On that basis, I’d describe Orange’s pricing as reasonable but not the cheapest.
Country Pricing Plan Breakdown
The tables below give you an idea of how much some of the most popular Orange Travel plans cost.
You have to pay for plans in euros. The prices shown here are converted to U.S. dollars based on the latest exchange rates — they are approximate and may fluctuate. Limited-time offers are not taken into account in these tables. Validity periods can vary by plan. For example, some 1GB plans last seven days in some countries and 30 days in others.
| Data Only: | 1GB (7 Days) | 2GB (30 Days) | 4GB (14 Days/30 Days) | 5GB (30 Days) | 20GB (30 Days) | 50GB (30 Days) | 100GB (30 Days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | $5.99 | N/A | $8.99 | N/A | $21.99 | $35.99 | $64.99 |
| U.K. | $5.99 (30 days) | N/A | $9.99 | N/A | $21.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 |
| U.S. | N/A | $7.99 | N/A | $15.99 | $42.99 | $58.99 | $82.99 |
| Data + Calls + SMS | 1GB (30 Days) | 2GB (30 Days) | 5GB (30 Days) | 10GB (30 Days) | 20GB (30 Days) | 50GB (30 Days) | 100GB (31 Days) | 200GB (31 Days) | 500GB (90 Days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | $23.99 | $47.99 | $70.99 | $94.99 | $202.99 |
| U.K. | $7.99 | N/A | N/A | N/A | $23.99 | $47.99 | $70.99 | $94.99 | $202.99 |
| U.S. | N/A | $10.99 | $22.99 | $35.39 | $46.99 | $82.99 | $106.99 (30 days) | N/A | N/A |
Global and Regional Pricing
The Orange Travel Europe plan — also known as “Orange Holiday” — is the only regional plan aside from the World plan. The pricing is as follows:
| Data Only: | 1GB (7 Days) | 4GB (14 Days/30 Days) | 20GB (30 Days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe (40+ countries) | $5.99 | $9.99 | N/A |
| Data + Calls + SMS | 20 GB (30 Days) | 50GB (30 Days) | 100GB (31 Days) | 200GB (31 Days) | 500GB (90 Days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe (40+ countries) | $29.99 | $53.99 | $82.99 | $94.99 | $202.99 |
World (200+ destinations) | $42.99 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Payment Methods
You can pay for your Orange Travel eSIM plan with Visa, Mastercard or Apple Pay. As I touched on above, payment is in euros, so your bank may charge a conversion fee if you use another currency.
Speed
Orange Travel plans vary in terms of speed support, with some plans supporting 4G/LTE and others supporting 5G. I used my 4G connection (in France) without any hiccups, but where you are and how congested a network is can impact the speeds you get. For example, if you stray off the beaten track, your speeds may drop significantly.
Customer Support
Orange Travel’s customer support options include a chatbox that connects you to a member of the support team if necessary, email support and a page to submit a request.
Live Chat Support Speed & Quality
The first time I reached out to support, it took around a day to get a response. The team sent a deeply apologetic email explaining that they’d been dealing with an “unusually high volume of requests.” While it can be frustrating to wait a long time for a response, I appreciated the thoughtful and personalized message.
When I contacted them again, an agent responded within seconds and gave a clear, helpful response.
Methodology: How We Tested the Orange Travel eSIM Card
I purchased an Orange Travel France plan and browsed, streamed and messaged with it on platforms like Google, YouTube and WhatsApp to make sure everything worked as expected. I also nosed around the app to see how easy it was to find my way around and seek help from the support team if necessary.
I then reached out to customer support to test the responsiveness and the clarity of the responses. I also analyzed the pricing to see how it stacks up against the competition and whether it offers good value for money.
Orange eSIM vs Other eSIM Services
Orange Travel is a good eSIM provider, but if you want regional coverage outside Europe, you might want to consider one of these alternatives.
Orange eSIM vs Saily
Saily has regional plans not just for Europe but also for Africa, Asia, North America, Latin America and more. It’s also one of the most budget-friendly eSIM providers, complete with special security and privacy features. Learn about these features and more in my full Saily review.
If you want a monthly recurring plan, Saily Ultra, which comes with priority support and Nord Security products (such as NordVPN), is worth checking out.
Orange eSIM vs Airalo
Airalo is similar to Orange Travel in its Europe coverage (more than 40 destinations); however, like Saily, Airalo has more regional plans. Many plans are also a little cheaper than equivalent Orange Travel plans, with most starting around $4.50 (though a few are cheaper).
It has call and text options for its global plan and some local plans (U.S., U.K., Mexico, etc.). Find out more in my Airalo review.
Community Feedback: Orange Travel eSIM Reviews on Reddit & Social Media
Recent Reddit reviews for Orange Travel are largely positive in nature. Terms like “rock solid,” “worked great” and “reliable” have been used to describe it, which mirror my experience.
The Verdict: Is Orange Travel eSIM Good?
Yes, Orange Travel eSIM is a good provider and a worthy alternative to a local SIM card. It’s a great option for those who want to make calls and texts in addition to using data, and it’s user-friendly and not too pricey. On the other hand, you have to register your eSIM within 30 days to keep using it, and there are few regional plans.
What did you think of this Orange eSIM review? Have you decided to give Orange Travel a go? If so, let us know how it pans out in the comments. Thanks for reading.
FAQ: Orange SIM Card Review
Orange Travel is a great eSIM provider; however, there are slightly cheaper options available, and most other eSIM companies don’t require registration.
Yes, Orange Travel eSIM gives you a phone number, but you can use it only if you buy a data, call and text plan
If you have an eSIM-compatible phone, simply buy an Orange Travel mobile data plan (or a data, call and text plan) for your chosen destination, install it, tweak a few phone settings and use the data when you go abroad.
