In short: with a multi-device eSIM, there's no need to install anything on each phone: you share the data from a single eSIM via hotspot, and everyone browses from there, or each person installs their own eSIM if you prefer independence. The first option is cheaper; the second is more convenient if the group splits up.
Traveling with family or friends and having everyone connected to the internet without paying for four different roaming plans is possible: with a multi-device eSIM, you can share data from a single phone or install a plan for each phone, depending on what suits you best. In this guide, we'll explain both ways to share data abroad, when to use each, and how many GB you'll need among everyone.
Can an eSIM be used on multiple devices?
An eSIM is installed on one device at a time, but you can share its data with others using your phone's hotspot (Wi-Fi zone). This means you don't clone the eSIM onto two phones; instead, one phone acts as a router for a tablet, laptop, or your companion's phone. This is the most common and economical way to connect the whole family with a single plan.
The other option is for each person to install their own eSIM on their phone, each with its own data plan. Both options are valid, and the best one depends on how many of you there are, how much each person consumes, and whether you split up during the day. The important thing to know is that sharing mobile data abroad works exactly the same as at home: if your domestic plan allows it, the hotspot works; and with a travel eSIM, almost all plans allow it without restrictions. This way, a group of friends can pay for a single generous plan and share it, or a family can provide internet to their children from an adult's phone.
Option 1: Share data with a hotspot
The hotspot (also called "internet sharing," "Wi-Fi zone," or "tethering") turns your phone into a portable router. You activate the function, a Wi-Fi network with a password appears, and other devices connect to it like any other Wi-Fi. All traffic consumes data from your eSIM's GB allowance.
This is the ideal option for family travel: one adult carries the eSIM with a large plan and provides internet to the kids' tablet, a second phone, and a work laptop. It's also perfect for couples who always stay together. The only downside is that the sharing phone uses more battery and consumes data faster because it powers multiple devices. Therefore, it's advisable to have a generous data plan and an external battery. Before sharing anything, make sure that data roaming is active on the eSIM line: without it, the hotspot won't share even a megabyte, no matter how well everything else is configured.
Option 2: One eSIM per phone
The alternative is for each traveler to install their own eSIM on their phone. Each person has their independent plan, their own data allowance, and their own management. This option makes sense when the group separates during the day (some go on an excursion and others go shopping), when someone consumes a lot and you don't want them to deplete everyone's data, or when everyone wants total autonomy.
The advantage is independence: no one depends on the "router-phone" having battery or being nearby. The disadvantage is that you add up multiple plans, although since the cost per GB of travel eSIMs is usually competitive, the difference is not always as great as it seems. A practical detail: before buying, check that the group's phones support eSIM (most smartphones from recent years do, except for very basic models or some carrier-unlocked ones). If someone has an old phone without an eSIM, it's not a problem: they can still share via hotspot from someone else's phone, or carry a physical data SIM; we compare both methods in international SIM vs. eSIM.
How to activate the hotspot on iPhone, Samsung, and Xiaomi
Activating the hotspot is quick on any modern phone. The path changes a bit depending on the brand, but the concept is the same: you activate the function, define a password, and others connect. This table summarizes where to find it on the most common brands:
| Phone | Path to activate the hotspot | Function name |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone | Settings > Personal Hotspot | Personal Hotspot |
| Samsung Galaxy | Settings > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering | Mobile Hotspot |
| Xiaomi | Settings > Connection & sharing > Portable hotspot | Portable hotspot |
Key tip: When sharing via hotspot, make sure data roaming is activated on the eSIM line (not on your domestic SIM) to avoid accidentally incurring high roaming charges from your home carrier.
Once active, set a non-obvious password so that strangers don't connect and consume your data. When you're not using it, deactivate it to save battery and prevent background consumption. If you're also going to connect to public Wi-Fi networks at the hotel or airport, or simply worry about sharing a network among several phones in the group, it's worth taking a look at how to protect your privacy with a VPN abroad.
How many GB you'll need among everyone
If you're sharing a single plan via hotspot, you need to add up the consumption of all devices. A single traveler uses 1-1.5 GB per day; with three or four people drawing from the same plan, consumption multiplies. This table will guide you in calculating the shared plan:
| Group | Light use/day | Medium use/day | Plan for 1 week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Couple (2 devices) | 2-3 GB | 4 GB | 15-20 GB |
| Family (3-4 devices) | 4-5 GB | 7-8 GB | 30-40 GB |
| Large group (5+) | 6-8 GB | 10+ GB | Unlimited plan |
A trick to make your GB last longer: use hotel and café Wi-Fi for heavy downloads (offline maps, updates, uploading photos to the cloud) and reserve eSIM data for when you're out and about. This way, a shared plan goes much further. For more tricks that extend the plan among several devices, you have the complete list in how to save data with your travel eSIM.
Which option to choose based on your trip
In summary: if you always stay together (a couple, a family with small children), the hotspot from one phone is the cheapest and simplest option. You buy a large plan, install it on the phone with the best battery, and everyone draws from it. This is the option we recommend for most family trips.
If the group often separates, each person consumes a lot, or you want everyone to be independent, then one eSIM per person will give you more freedom. And there's an intermediate, commonly used option: two eSIMs in the group (one for each "subgroup" that usually stays together) instead of just one or four. Whatever your case, the good thing is that they can be installed in a minute from home, and you avoid paying for four different international roaming plans. If you're still debating between sharing data or traditional roaming, we clarify it in eSIM vs. roaming.
What almost no one tells you about sharing data in a group
So far, so obvious. There are a handful of details you only discover when you're in the middle of a trip, cursing the coverage, so it's better to know them beforehand.
On iPhone, if you activate low power mode to save battery, the system cuts off the hotspot as soon as the screen locks for a few seconds, even if you haven't touched anything. Many attribute this to an eSIM malfunction when it's actually the phone's own battery-saving feature. If you're going to share for several consecutive hours, deactivate that mode for the duration of the journey.
Another surprising detail: not all phones limit the number of devices connected to the hotspot at the same time equally. If you have a large group and someone "is left out" of the shared network, it's not that the eSIM has run out of data; it's that the router-phone itself has set a limit. Check the hotspot settings before giving up on the connection.
Video calls are what really drain a shared plan. An afternoon of FaceTime or WhatsApp video calls with family at home consumes much more data than a whole day of browsing and using maps, so if the plan is tight, save video calls for when you have Wi-Fi at your accommodation.
And here's a piece of advice that isn't about selling anything: if there are only two of you and you're going to split up for a specific afternoon—one to shop, the other to a museum—it's not worth installing a second eSIM for those three hours. Activate the hotspot only for that short time and share again when you reunite; the plan still works, and you save yourself the hassle of managing two lines. An individual eSIM per person makes sense when separation is the norm for the trip, not the exception.
Which eSIM to buy based on the group travel destination
Not all group trips require the same, and the destination significantly changes the calculation.
If you're going to hop from country to country in Europe—the classic family interrail or a week-long getaway to several cities—a comprehensive plan for the entire area frees you from buying a new one every time you cross a border, and the whole group can use the same hotspot without worrying about which country you're in. The opposite nuance: if the plan is a single weekend trip to a single EU country and your Spanish plan already includes roaming in Europe, don't buy anything; use what you already pay for and save the eSIM for longer trips or outside the Union.
For the United States, the calculation changes: distances are enormous, roaming from Spanish operators outside the EU skyrockets, and you won't find free Wi-Fi on every corner there as you would in a European capital. For a group or an entire family, a generous data plan installed on the driver's phone—or on each person's, if you're going to take different routes across the country—avoids surprises upon returning.
And if the trip coincides with busy periods on roads and airports—Holy Week is a typical example, with the whole family traveling at once—it's advisable to have everything installed before leaving home: activate the eSIM with Wi-Fi from the sofa and arrive with data already working, without relying on airport Wi-Fi to set anything up at the last minute. We review destinations and tips for those dates in our eSIM guide for Holy Week trips.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install the same eSIM on two phones at once?
No. An eSIM is installed on a single device. What you can do is share its data with other phones using the hotspot (Wi-Fi zone), so that one phone acts as a router for the others. If you want independent lines, each person must install their own eSIM.
Does sharing data via hotspot drain more battery?
Yes, quite a bit. The phone acting as a router keeps Wi-Fi and the data connection active for several devices, which consumes more battery and also depletes GB faster. Carry an external battery and deactivate the hotspot when you're not using it to extend battery life.
Do all eSIM plans allow internet sharing?
The vast majority of travel eSIMs allow hotspot use without restrictions, unlike some local plans that limit it. Even so, it's advisable to check before purchasing if data sharing will be your primary use, to ensure that the plan supports it normally.
Is a shared eSIM or one per person cheaper?
Normally, sharing a single large plan via hotspot is cheaper than several individual eSIMs, especially if you always travel together. One eSIM per person costs a bit more but offers total independence. Since travel plans are inexpensive, the difference is not always huge; decide based on how often you separate.
Does the hotspot work equally on iPhone and Android?
Yes. Both iPhone and Samsung, Xiaomi, and other Android phones have an internet sharing function. Only the name and the path in the settings change. The important thing is to activate data roaming on the eSIM line and set a password for the hotspot so that unknown people don't connect.
What is "eSIM sharing"?
It is the English name for sharing eSIM data with other devices, and in Spanish, it is exactly what we have explained in this guide: using your phone's hotspot to distribute the eSIM's connection among the rest of the group's phones, tablets, or computers, without needing to install a line on each device.
How many devices can I connect to an eSIM hotspot at once?
It depends on the phone acting as the router, not the eSIM itself: each manufacturer sets its own limit in the hotspot settings. For a small group (couple, family with two or three devices), there is usually no problem; if there are many of you, check that limit in Settings before leaving on your trip to avoid surprises on the first day.
Conclusion
Connecting your whole family or group of friends doesn't require individual roaming for each person: with an eSIM and a hotspot, you can share data from one phone, or install a plan per person if you want autonomy. Calculate the total GB needed, activate the Wi-Fi zone with a password, and travel connected with a single plan installed in a minute.
