2 October 2026
Most people planning a UK trip think about one thing: mobile data, without a roaming bill. A travel eSIM solves that. But a lot of what you do on a phone abroad also needs a phone number that can receive a text: verifying WhatsApp on a new phone, signing up for a ride-hailing or food delivery app, logging in to a service that sends a one-time code.
Those are two different problems, and almost every travel eSIM only solves the first one.
Most travel eSIMs are data-only: they give you mobile internet, but no phone number. No number means no SMS, so they can't receive a verification code. A few providers sell data-plus-number plans for some countries, usually for noticeably more.
Your home SIM can still receive texts while you're abroad if you keep it switched on in a dual-SIM phone. Receiving SMS while roaming is often free, but not always. Check with your carrier, especially if you're coming from the EU: since Brexit, some EU carriers no longer include the UK in roam-like-at-home.
Keep your home SIM on for texts and add a data eSIM. This is the cheapest option if your carrier lets you receive SMS abroad and you only need codes for accounts already tied to your home number.
Buy a UK prepaid SIM when you land. You get data and a UK number, but you need a shop, a free physical SIM slot, and time on arrival.
Rent a UK number online and pair it with a data eSIM. This is useful when an app wants a UK number specifically, or you'd rather not expose your home number to a new service. You can set it all up before you fly.
1. Check your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked. Most iPhones from the XS onwards and recent Android flagships do.
2. Get a UK data eSIM and install it at home from the QR code, but leave it switched off until you land so the validity period doesn't start early.
3. If you need a UK number for an app such as WhatsApp, rent one for the length of your trip and verify the app with it before you go.
4. When you land, switch on the eSIM for data and set it as your mobile data line. Keep your home SIM on for calls and texts if you want to stay reachable on your usual number.
A rented number is yours for the rental period: for a monthly rental, no one else can use it for the same service, even after you're done. But once your month ends, you can no longer receive codes on it. So if an app asks you to verify again later (new phone, reinstall), the code won't reach you. Treat it as a number for your trip, not a permanent replacement for your own.
Going to the UK? Get a UK number for WhatsApp (1 month) plus a 5 GB / 30-day UK data eSIM in one checkout. See the UK travel bundle