It's a data package with a set amount of GB defined in advance (for example 5, 10, or 20 GB), valid for a certain number of days in the country or region you choose.

You pay based on your expected usage: if you estimate your needs well, it's often the more economical option. With our fixed-data plans there are no hidden slowdowns: when the data runs out, the package simply ends — no surprises in the fine print.

An Unlimited eSIM gives you data access with no maximum data cap, for the entire duration of the plan you choose (Premium, 10 Days, or Smart).

"No FUP" means there's no hidden threshold beyond which your speed gets throttled down to a few kbps, as many competitors do. Speed stays full from the first to the last day, for normal personal use.

With a fixed-data plan you keep an eye on the counter: you know how much you've used and how much you have left, and you tend to use it more carefully (e.g. downloading offline maps, avoiding HD streaming).

With an Unlimited plan you don't think about the counter: you watch Netflix at the hotel, make work video calls, use navigation for hours, without calculating anything.

So the practical difference isn't just about price: it's also about peace of mind during your trip.

It depends a lot on how you use it, but as a general reference:

• Light use (maps, messaging, social media without video, email): around 0.3-0.8 GB per day.

• Medium use (social media with video, music streaming, occasional video calls): around 1-2 GB per day.

• Heavy use (HD streaming, long work video calls, laptop hotspot): 3 GB or more per day.

Before choosing your plan, try to honestly place yourself in one of these three brackets: it's the foundation of the entire cost comparison.

A fixed-data plan pays off when your usage is low and predictable: short trips, mostly maps and messaging, little streaming.

In these cases a small data package, sized to your trip length, typically costs less than an Unlimited plan — because you're not paying for capacity you'll never use.

It's also the right choice if you prefer a "closed" spending cap defined before you leave, with nothing more to think about.

The Unlimited eSIM pays off when your usage is medium-high or hard to predict: long stays, remote work, streaming, hotspot shared with other devices, frequent video calls.

In these scenarios, stacking multiple fixed-data packages to cover the whole trip often ends up costing more than the Unlimited plan — plus the risk of running out of connection at the wrong moment.

You also pay for the Unlimited plan just once for the entire duration, without having to recalculate how much extra data to add along the way.

The logic is simple: compare the cost of the Unlimited plan for your trip length with the cost you'd have to pay for buying (and possibly topping up) enough fixed data to cover the same estimated usage.

As long as the cost of the fixed data you need stays below the price of the Unlimited plan, the fixed-data plan is more economical. Once you cross that threshold — meaning your estimated usage would need more data than a single package includes, or would require a top-up — the Unlimited plan becomes the cheaper choice.

Practical tip: multiply your expected daily usage (see question 4) by the number of travel days, then compare the price of the corresponding fixed-data package with the Unlimited plan on your country's product page — exact prices vary by destination.

With light usage (around 0.3-0.8 GB per day) and a short trip, a well-sized fixed-data package (for example 5 GB for 5 days) comfortably covers your needs and typically costs less than an Unlimited plan.

In this scenario, Unlimited remains a valid option only if you'd rather not think about it at all, but from a purely economic standpoint the fixed-data plan is almost always the more convenient choice.

With frequent video calls, laptop hotspot, and a long stay, usage tends to climb quickly above 2-3 GB per day, often exceeding within a few weeks what even a large fixed-data package would cover.

In this scenario, the Unlimited eSIM Premium — designed specifically for long stays and digital nomads — is almost always the more economical choice, on top of removing the risk of losing connection during an important call.

For those who travel frequently but for short periods, the key variable isn't just the usage per single trip, but the convenience of managing multiple purchases over time.

The Unlimited eSIM Smart is designed for exactly this profile: flexible and cost-effective for those who fly several times a month, without having to recalculate how much fixed data to buy every time.

If your usage stays very light instead (just maps and messaging), a small fixed-data package for each weekend can still turn out cheaper: it's worth comparing both costs on your destination country's page.

With a fixed-data plan, when the data runs out your connection stops: at that point you can buy an additional package (or switch to an Unlimited plan) to stay connected.

This is exactly the economic risk to weigh before you leave: if you underestimate your usage and need to top up several times, the total cost can end up higher than if you'd chosen Unlimited from the start.

Practical tip: if you're not sure of your real usage, it's better to round up your estimate or go straight for Unlimited to avoid interruptions during your trip.

Ask yourself two quick questions:

• Is my daily usage light and the trip short? → A fixed-data plan (Standard by-country) is probably more economical.

• Is my usage medium/high, unpredictable, or the stay long? → An Unlimited eSIM (Premium, 10 Days, or Smart depending on duration) will save you money and remove the risk of running out of data.

If you're still unsure, get in touch: in just a few minutes we'll help you estimate your usage and point you to the most economical plan for your specific itinerary.

All fixed-data eSIMs, with the monthly data packages available for every destination, are collected in the eSIM by Country section of the site.

From there you can select your destination country and directly compare the available fixed-data packages with the Unlimited plans, to choose the more economical option based on your estimated usage.