Staying Connected in Japan: Sim Card vs Esim — Which is Best?

Check out the pros and cons of each one to help you make the best decision for your trip to Japan!

Staying Connected in Japan: Sim Card vs Esim — Which Wins?

Staying connected to the net is essential for all travelers traveling to Japan, but choosing the right option can be confusing. Two of the most popular choices for travelers are traditional (plastic) Sim Cards, and the newer challenger, the eSim. Both offer internet access, but which one is better suited to your needs? Let’s compare sim cards to eSim plans to help you make an informed decision.

What are Sim Cards and what are they for?

Up until recently, most cell phones required sim cards in them. These small plastic cards come in various sizes, and give the phone instructions on how to connect to the network to operate correctly.

Recently, eSim plans have taken center stage, but sim cards are still very commonplace for obvious reasons. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each connection method, then we’ll give you a few questions you can ask yourself to determine which one might be most suited to your needs.

Advantages of Sim Cards for Travel in Japan

Though sim cards are the “older” protocol in comparison to eSim plans, there are a couple of advantages.

First, nearly every phone can work with sim cards. You will need to ensure your phone is carrier-unlocked, which you can do by getting in touch with the company that sold your phone. If it is unlocked and it has a sim card slot, the sim card will work.

Setup is quite quick and simple, and often only require about 30 or 45 seconds.

In comparison to Pocket Wifi options, sim cards don’t take up any space and just work with your existing phone.

Tethering numerous devices is also usually not a problem. So if you like to travel with your laptop, tablet and phone, you can very simple just link all your devices to the connection that your phone has with the carrier in Japan.

Another advantage of JapanWifiBuddy’s sim cards, is the massive amount of data allowance made possible with our 30GB/8-Day cards. We power many live streamers broadcasting to their audience around the world using our sim cards. Many of our clients like the high allowance of LTE-speed data because they don’t want to have to worry about getting “throttled”, or slowed down, by the provider as well.

Disadvantages of Sim Cards for Travel in Japan

The main disadvantage of sim cards versus eSim is the relative inconvenience. You’ll need to pick the sim card up at the airport, your hotel or other accommodations, which is something eSim doesn’t require.

The other relative disadvantage of sim cards is the lower amount of plan flexibility. eSim just offers so many differenty types of plans for so many different types of people, at such a wide price range, that it can’t really be beaten.

Next, let’s take a look at how the eSim compares.

What is an eSIM and what is it for?

An eSim, also known as an embedded Sim card, is a digital Sim card that is embedded within your device. It allows you to connect to a cellular network and access the internet without the need for a physical Sim card. After you place your order, we send you an email with a QR code in it. Scan that and follow a couple of steps, and you’re basically ready to go.

Advantages of eSim for Travel in Japan

eSim offers several advantages for travelers in Japan.

Setup is super quick and simple. Once you place your order on our front page, using our industry-leading order system, and paying in any of the 135 currencies we accept, you’ll receive a QR code via email. Following the instructions provided, most of our clients are able to complete their setup in about 1 minute. Once that’s ready, you just turn the esim on in your settings menu as your plan lands in Japan, and you’re ready to go!

Comparing pricing, eSim tends to offer the superior bang-for-buck compared to any other options. There are no shipping fees so prices tend to be significantly cheaper. Plans start at a much lower price as well, with some being as low as only a few dollars, for those coming on shorter trips.

As for data allowances, in some cases, our sim cards may be overkill for your needs. If you just want to stay in touch with family and friends back home using some texting, with a bit of map usage here and there, a really simple and affordable esim plan might fit the bill perfectly.

Finally, eSim plans have a wider range of plans on offer. Most sim card plans only have 1 or 2 or 3 “grades” of plan available for your data needs. eSim plans on the other hand have a wide variety of options.

Disadvantages of eSim for Travel in Japan

The biggest drawback for esim plans is that many older phones simply don’t support eSims. Most phones offered after about 2019 do offer esim compatibility though. For example, the Iphone XS, XS Max and and XR which went on sale in 2019.

Another potential disadvantage of esim is that depending on the carrier, some eSim plans don’t deal well with tethering. So if you’re hoping to connect numerous devices or share a connection with a group of friends or family, a JapanWifiBuddy might be a bettere choice.

How to Choose for Yourself — eSim vs Sim Card in Japan

Questions to Ask Yourself

Here are the simple questions you need to ask yourself to determine which of these two options suits your needs the best.

1) Is my phone esim compatible?

If you’re unsure, just Google “(model name) esim compatible or not?” and you should be able to find out quickly. Many phones offered after 2019 include esim compatibility, but many do not. If not compatible, a sim card or JapanWifiBuddy Pocket Wifi are your only options.

2) Does my phone have a sim card slot, and is it unlocked?

Newer iPhones don’t have sim card slots as you can ONLY use eSim, but most phones on the market still have sim card slots. Check with your carrier if your phone is unlocked, or “sim free”. This means you’ll be able to use sim cards from other networks/carriers. If your phone is carrier-locked and does not have esim capability, a JapanWifiBuddy Pocket Wifi is probably your only option!

3) Can I get enough data?

If your device is esim compatible and sim unlocked, choosing the right amount of data for your needs comes next. eSim offers a wider variety of plans, from ultra-light users to ultra-heavy users, while sim card plans usually only have a few “grades” available. Learn more on our blog post here.

What about Free Wifi in Japan?

While Japan offers free Wi-Fi in certain areas, it may not be as reliable or readily available as having your own connected device. Relying solely on free Wi-Fi may restrict your internet access and limit your ability to stay connected throughout your trip. Additionally, there are numerous security risks associated with public, open networks, which is why we usually recommend against relying on them.

What About Pocket Wifi in Japan?

Pocket Wifi is another super solid option, and we’ve served tens of thousands of travelers with our Pocket Wifi packages over the years. The main strengths of pocket wifi are universal compatibility, and the ability to connect numerous devices. Learn more on our blog post here:

What About my home country provider’s data plan / International Roaming?

Using your home country provider’s data plan or international roaming services while traveling in Japan may work for some travelers, but it can be expensive and may not offer the same level of convenience as Pocket Wifi or eSim. In our research, we find that most international roaming packages only provide a small amount high-speed data per day (despite the “unlimited!” monicker…!) and can often end up being 5 or 10 times more expensive when calculated over the duration of the trip, especially compared to eSim plans!

Conclusion

When it comes to staying connected in Japan, both Sim Cards and eSim offer their own advantages and disadvantages. Depending on your needs and preferences, one may be a better fit for you than the other. Consider factors such as data usage, device compatibility, and the level of convenience you desire. Whether you choose Pocket Wifi, eSim or Sim card, please let us here at JapanWifiBuddy help you stay connected during your time here!

Setting up your JapanWifiBuddy eSim: