Roampass
Methodology

How we test and rank eSIMs

Every score on Roampass is built from the same five criteria, weighted the same way, for every provider. Here's the whole method — so you can judge our judgement.

Our scoring criteria

Each provider earns a 0–5 quality score, calculated from these weighted pillars:

  1. 1 Coverage & reach

    30%

    Which countries and regions a plan genuinely serves, the quality of the underlying networks, and — uniquely for cruises — whether it works at sea. Breadth matters, but real, usable coverage matters more.

  2. 2 Value per GB

    25%

    Indicative pricing normalised to a like-for-like cost per gigabyte, plus how plan sizes map to real trips. Unlimited options are judged on effective daily cost and any fair-use limits.

  3. 3 Reliability & speed

    20%

    Real-world performance: typical speeds, 5G availability where relevant, network stability and the brand's track record for uptime and honoured coverage.

  4. 4 Experience & setup

    15%

    How painless it is to buy, install and activate; app quality; top-ups; and clarity around what each plan does and doesn't include (e.g. data-only vs. calls).

  5. 5 Support & trust

    10%

    Responsiveness and quality of customer support, refund/credit policies, transparency, and aggregate reputation across independent reviews.

How niche scores differ

The pillars stay the same, but their emphasis shifts to match the trip. For cruise recommendations, at-sea capability can be decisive — a plan that can't connect mid-ocean simply can't win that use case, no matter how cheap it is on land. For digital nomads, value per GB and multi-country flexibility carry more weight. For Hajj & Umrah, reliable coverage across the holy sites and ease of setup for large family groups come first.

Where our data comes from

  • Provider plan catalogues, coverage maps and technical documentation.
  • Independent coverage and network-quality references.
  • Aggregated, real traveller reviews and reported experiences.
  • Hands-on checks of the buying and activation flow where possible.

Keeping rankings honest over time

Connectivity changes constantly — networks expand, plans get retired, prices move. We revisit our scoring as the market shifts and date our pages so you can see how current the advice is. If you believe a score is wrong or out of date, please tell us; we investigate every flag.

A note on prices

Plan prices and data amounts shown across Roampass are indicative examples used to illustrate and compare. They are not live quotes. Always confirm the current price on the provider's own site — which is exactly where our links take you — before purchasing.

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