Travel eSIM Price Index 2026: Research Framework

Purpose

The Travel eSIM Price Index tracks how travel eSIM providers present price, allowance, validity, fair-use terms, hotspot support, and local-network transparency across major destinations.

Core metrics

• Average eSIM price per GB by destination and provider.
• Unlimited eSIM fair-use comparison using disclosed high-speed thresholds where available.
• Hotspot-policy comparison across fixed-data, unlimited-style, regional, and global plans.
• Provider transparency score based on network disclosure, activation rules, refund clarity, top-up rules, and support evidence.
• Pricing trends by destination for high-demand countries and regional products.

Evidence rules

Every published index update should identify the source URL, capture date, destination, provider, plan name, allowance, validity, advertised price, hotspot rule, fair-use note, and whether the local network is disclosed.

When a provider does not disclose a term clearly, the index should mark it as undisclosed instead of filling the gap with assumptions.

Current sample and limitations

The current RoamMatch 2026 data tables focus on the destinations and providers used inside the live recommendation engine. The sample is intentionally conservative: a plan is counted only when RoamMatch has enough provider-level evidence to show a destination, allowance, validity, price or policy attribute, and a source path for review.

This means the index should be read as a transparent comparison dataset, not as a complete scrape of every plan available worldwide. Provider checkout pages remain the final source for current price, tax, availability, speed, and fair-use terms.

Citation links

• Download price per GB CSV
• Open the press and data hub
• Read the verification methodology
• Compare unlimited fair-use policies
• Review provider transparency scores

Publication workflow

Add future index updates as independent files in `src/content/research/`. The `/research` hub and sitemap will include them automatically after deployment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does price per GB mean in the RoamMatch index?

Price per GB divides an advertised plan price by its included high-speed data allowance when the allowance is disclosed. Unlimited-style plans are analyzed separately because their fair-use thresholds and throttling rules are not always comparable to fixed-data plans.

Why does the index mark some values as undisclosed?

RoamMatch avoids filling missing provider terms with assumptions. If a checkout page or provider support page does not clearly disclose a hotspot rule, fair-use threshold, network name, or activation rule, the table should mark the field as undisclosed or manual review recommended.

Can journalists and bloggers cite this data?

Yes. Cite the relevant RoamMatch table, link to the original research page or `/press-data`, and include the access date. If a provider updates a plan after publication, use the current provider checkout page as the final purchase reference.