In short: a data eSIM only provides internet (GB for Maps, WhatsApp, and social media), while an eSIM with calls adds a local phone number for making and receiving calls in the destination. For most short trips, a data eSIM is sufficient: WhatsApp covers calls. An eSIM with calls is only justified in specific cases, such as long stays or transactions that require a local number.
The real difference between data eSIMs and eSIMs with calls
When someone searches for eSIM calls, they are usually trying to answer one of two questions: "Can I make phone calls with an eSIM?" or "What eSIM do I need if I want to receive calls in my destination?" These are distinct questions and deserve distinct answers.
A data eSIM—like those sold by PuraSIM—connects you to the destination country's mobile network only for browsing: maps, messaging, social media, email, banking apps, streaming. It does not come with its own phone number or an associated voice line. Technically, you cannot receive a traditional call on that line, because that line does not exist as a phone line; it exists as a data connection.
An eSIM with calls, on the other hand, behaves like a traditional physical SIM card: it assigns you a number from the country where you purchase it, allows incoming and outgoing calls over the operator's voice network, and usually includes SMS. It typically costs more than a data-only eSIM because the operator has to reserve a number for you and enable voice services, not just a data package.
The confusion arises because almost everyone today makes "calls" over data: a WhatsApp video call, a Telegram call, or a FaceTime call are, technically, data traffic, not voice calls over the mobile network. That's why a data-only eSIM allows you to "call" in the sense most people use daily, even if it doesn't have a phone number.
How a data-only eSIM works in practice
You install the eSIM profile before leaving home (with Wi-Fi), land, activate mobile data, and within seconds you have internet from your destination country, without roaming and without depending on hotel Wi-Fi coverage. Your home country number remains yours; it simply "sleeps" in the physical slot if your phone is Dual SIM, or you just don't have it active if you travel with a phone only for the eSIM.
With active data, you can:
- Use Google Maps and GPS navigation without relying on offline maps (though it's still a good idea to download them, just in case).
- Make and receive voice and video calls via WhatsApp, Telegram, FaceTime, or Google Meet with any contact, no matter where they are.
- Receive verification SMS from your home country apps (bank, social media) if you keep your physical SIM active in Dual SIM mode.
- Work remotely, upload content, book restaurants via app, order a Cabify or a local Grab.
What you cannot do is receive a traditional voice call on a number from that country, nor can a taxi driver, hotel, or local administration call you on your local number. For the average tourist, this is rarely a real problem: almost no travel provider needs to call you; they contact you by email or through the booking app itself.
How an eSIM with calls and a local number works
Here, the installation process is identical—you scan a QR code or install the profile—but upon activation, the operator assigns you a phone number from the country (or region) where you are. This number is temporary: it lasts as long as your plan is active, and once it expires, the operator releases it and can reassign it to another customer.
With this line, you can receive calls from local numbers without the caller paying extra, make outgoing calls within the country (sometimes internationally, depending on the plan), and, in some cases, receive verification SMS from local services, such as a local banking app that only verifies with its own numbering.
The fine print matters: the voice coverage of these eSIMs is usually more geographically limited than data coverage, some do not allow voice roaming if you move to a neighboring country within the same trip, and the cost per minute or per plan is significantly higher compared to a data-only eSIM. Before purchasing, it is important to check which countries the voice part covers, not just the data.
Data eSIM vs. Call eSIM: Comparison
| Feature | Data-only eSIM | eSIM with calls |
|---|---|---|
| What it includes | Mobile data (GB) | Data (GB) + voice minutes + temporary local number |
| Own phone number | No | Yes, from the contracted country or region |
| Receive calls from a local number | Not directly | Yes, while the plan is active |
| Call home country from destination | With apps like WhatsApp (free with Wi-Fi/data) | With apps or, depending on the plan, via voice network (with cost) |
| Cost compared to data-only version | More economical | More expensive: includes voice and numbering |
| Typical geographic coverage | Usually covers the entire country or region for data | Voice part may have more limited coverage; check the plan |
| Installation | QR or manual installation, activation upon arrival | Same, but with number assignment upon activation |
| Ideal for | Tourism, remote work, trips lasting days or weeks | Long stays or transactions requiring a local number |
When each is convenient for you (based on criteria, not abstractly)
This is where most comparisons fall short, because they list generic pros and cons without saying what you would do in each case. Let's get to the point.
A data-only eSIM is enough for you if...
- You are traveling for tourism in Europe, the United States, or any destination where your only goal is to have Maps, WhatsApp, and Instagram working. This is, by far, the most common traveler profile, and for them, a data eSIM for Europe or an eSIM for the United States solves everything without overpaying for voice you won't use.
- You travel with a Dual SIM phone: your home country line still receives calls and SMS on the physical SIM, and the eSIM only handles data. This is the most reasonable combination for almost any short trip.
- You are a digital nomad and already live with your life managed through apps: meetings via Meet, contact via Slack or WhatsApp, banking with app verification rather than SMS.
- You are returning home in less than a month. The extra cost of a local voice line rarely pays off for a short stay.
Consider an eSIM with calls if...
- You are going to live in the destination for several months and need to provide a local number to a landlord, bank, agency, or doctor who doesn't accept "call me on WhatsApp" as an option.
- Your job requires local clients or suppliers to be able to call you without it being an international call for them, and without depending on them having Wi-Fi or data at that moment.
- You need to verify a bank or administrative account in the destination country via SMS that requires local numbering, something that sometimes happens when opening accounts or signing rental contracts.
And here are the cases where it's NOT worth it, even if it seems otherwise
If you're going to Paris for a weekend, you don't even need to consider an eSIM with calls: with enough data for Wi-Fi and Maps, you're all set, and if your home country plan includes roaming in the EU, you might not even need to buy anything. You also don't need it if your plan is to go on a three or four-day getaway to Lisbon or Rome: you won't have time to use the local number for anything that WhatsApp doesn't already solve. And if you're traveling to the United States for a two-week vacation, unless you have a very specific reason (e.g., renting a car with local phone verification), the data-only option makes the most sense.
The trick almost no one uses correctly: Dual SIM
Most modern mobile phones—iPhones from XR onwards, most mid-to-high-end Android phones—support one physical SIM plus one active eSIM simultaneously, or even two eSIMs. This means you can leave your home country line in the physical slot (receiving calls and SMS with roaming, if your plan covers it, or simply in standby) and use the data eSIM as your main internet connection in the destination.
The typical mistake: people activate the data eSIM as the primary line for everything, including iMessage and FaceTime, and then wonder why WhatsApp calls to home country contacts "don't ring" or the device incorrectly prioritizes the network. The solution lies in the phone's line settings: define which line uses data by default (the eSIM) and leave the physical one for calls and SMS, not the other way around. Check this before landing, not when you're already at the destination airport without Wi-Fi, searching for the settings menu.
Myths about eSIMs with calls (what almost no one tells you)
"If I don't have a local number, no one will be able to contact me"
Practically false. Apart from specific administrative procedures, almost anyone or any business you need to talk to on a trip—hotels, restaurants, tours, Airbnb, drivers—will contact you through the app where you booked or via WhatsApp. The local number only matters for those who insist on making traditional phone calls, which is fewer and fewer people.
"WhatsApp calls consume a lot of data"
A video call consumes significantly more data than a voice-only call, but a WhatsApp voice call consumes relatively little compared to a multi-GB plan. What truly drives up consumption is hours of video streaming or uploading high-resolution content to social media, not calls.
"The local number of an eSIM with calls is mine forever"
No. It's a temporary number borrowed for the plan period. If you expect someone to call you back on that number months after your trip, they won't be able to: the operator will have already reassigned it to another customer.
"With a data eSIM, I can't receive any SMS"
This is true for the eSIM itself, but if you travel with Dual SIM, your home country number will still receive SMS normally on the physical SIM, including verification codes from your home country apps. The nuance that many people miss: check before leaving if your home country operator charges roaming for incoming SMS, because in the EU they shouldn't, but outside the EU, they might.
"All eSIMs with calls cover the entire country just like data eSIMs"
Not always. It is common for an eSIM's data coverage to be national, while the voice part is limited to certain networks or areas. If voice is the reason you are purchasing the plan, confirm this before paying, not after landing in a town where the voice line has no service.
Common mistakes when choosing between the two
The most common mistake is overpaying for an eSIM with calls "just in case," without first identifying a real use case that justifies it. If, after reading this article, you haven't thought of any specific reason why you would need someone to call you on a local number, you probably don't need one.
The second mistake is the opposite: going backpacking for three months without ever considering a local number, and then finding that opening a bank account, signing a temporary rental contract, or verifying for some local procedure requires an SMS to a local number. For long stays, it's worth considering before leaving, rather than improvising on the go.
And the third, very common for first-time Dual SIM users: leaving the physical line with active data roaming simultaneously with the eSIM, which can end up generating roaming charges from your home country operator without you realizing it. If you are going to use the eSIM as your primary data source, deactivate mobile data on your physical line to avoid duplication. If you want to understand what traditional roaming is and how it charges compared to an eSIM, we have a detailed comparison on eSIM vs. roaming.
How to choose without complicating things
Before deciding, ask yourself three simple questions: how long is the trip, does anyone at the destination need to call you on a local number at any specific point, and is WhatsApp sufficient for everything else? If the answer to the second question is "no" or "I don't know," start with a data-only eSIM: it's the cheapest, most flexible option, and it covers the vast majority of trips, whatever the destination.
If you're hesitating between installing a spare physical SIM, an international physical chip, or directly an eSIM, our comparison international chip vs. eSIM can help. And if you've never installed an eSIM, the process is explained step-by-step in how to install an eSIM: it takes less than five minutes and it's best to do it with Wi-Fi before leaving home.
For those who are still unclear on what exactly an eSIM is and how it differs from a traditional physical SIM, we explain it from scratch in what a virtual eSIM is. And if you're concerned about privacy when connecting to data networks abroad, it's also worth reading eSIM and VPN: how to use them together.
One final practical tip: if your trip combines several countries, always check if your GBs are sufficient and learn how to stretch them with simple tricks, such as those we include in how to save data with an eSIM while traveling. Spending less data on trivial things (automatic updates, background backups) is more cost-effective than overpaying for a voice line you probably won't use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make calls with a data-only eSIM?
Yes, but through apps: WhatsApp, Telegram, FaceTime, or Google Meet work perfectly with data, without needing a voice line or local number. What you cannot do is receive a traditional phone call on that eSIM, because it does not have an assigned number.
Do I need an eSIM with calls to travel to Europe or the United States for tourism?
In the vast majority of cases, no. For a tourist trip lasting days or a few weeks, a data-only eSIM covers navigation, maps, and communication through apps without needing to overpay for voice you likely won't use.
Can I receive calls to my home country number while using a data eSIM?
Yes, as long as your mobile phone operates in Dual SIM mode with your home country line active in the physical slot. Calls and SMS to your home country number will still be received normally, while the eSIM handles only data.
Is the local number of an eSIM with calls permanent?
No, it's temporary. It is linked to the plan's duration, and once it expires, the operator releases it to reassign it to another customer. Do not provide it as a long-term contact number.
Do eSIMs with calls work as well nationwide as data eSIMs?
Not necessarily. Data coverage is usually broader than voice coverage in many plans that include calls. If the voice component is the reason for your purchase, it's advisable to confirm which areas or networks it covers before paying.
Can I receive verification SMS with a data-only eSIM?
With the eSIM itself, no, because it doesn't have its own number. But if you keep your home country SIM active in Dual SIM, verification SMS from your home country apps will still reach it normally.
Is it worth paying more for an eSIM with calls "just in case"?
Generally, no. It only pays off if you have already identified a specific reason—a long stay, local administrative procedures, working with local clients—that requires a local number. If you can't think of such a reason, a data eSIM is the most sensible option.
