Frequently asked questions
How a Saudi eSIM plan behaves before you fly, while you are in Saudi Arabia, and after you get home.
What is an eSIM?
A SIM card built into the phone as software. You install a plan by scanning a QR code instead of pushing a chip into a tray, and the plastic SIM you already have stays exactly where it is.
Does my phone support eSIM?
Most phones sold since 2018: iPhone XS and newer, Samsung Galaxy S20 and newer, Google Pixel 3 and newer, and most current Android models. The phone also has to be carrier-unlocked. Our setup guides show where to check on your model.
When should I install it?
At home over Wi-Fi, a day or two before departure. Nothing starts running at that point: the clock begins when the eSIM first connects to a network in Saudi Arabia. Installing early costs you nothing and saves you doing it on airport Wi-Fi with a queue behind you.
Do I keep my own number?
Yes. The eSIM is data-only, so your home line stays active for your number, your SMS codes and your messaging accounts. Point mobile data at the eSIM and leave the rest alone. What you do not get is a Saudi number — see below, because a hotel booking, a ride-hailing app or a delivery order can ask for one.
How fast is it?
It runs on Saudi Arabia's own networks — 5G in the major cities and along the busiest routes, LTE everywhere else the network reaches. Enough for maps, video calls, streaming, and working from a laptop over the hotspot.
Do I have to take my physical SIM out?
No. Both lines run at once. The only setting that matters is which line carries mobile data: point it at the eSIM, and switch data roaming off on your home line so it cannot connect quietly in the background.
What if I run out of data?
Top up in the app. The data goes onto the eSIM already installed in your phone, so there is no second QR code and nothing to reinstall.
Can I use it as a hotspot?
Yes, tethering is included. One plan can carry a laptop, a tablet and everyone else travelling with you.
Do I need internet to install it?
Yes. The download itself needs Wi-Fi or a working connection, which is why you do it at home. Once installed, it activates on arrival with no connection of its own.
Can I make calls and send texts?
Not on this plan. It carries internet, not a phone line, so ordinary calls and texts stay on your home SIM, as does your number. Think this one through before you rely on it: a ride-hailing app, a hotel or a delivery service may ask for a Saudi number to verify or call you back, and a data eSIM cannot give you one. Calling over the internet works as usual.
How long is a plan valid?
Every plan shows its own validity before you buy, and the range covers everything from a short city stay to a longer trip. The countdown starts when the eSIM first connects in Saudi Arabia, not on the day you paid.
Does it work everywhere in Saudi Arabia?
It is sold for the country as a whole. Signal is a separate question: Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Dammam, Khobar and the highways between them are well covered, while the open desert, the road out to AlUla and areas still under construction around NEOM have thin coverage or none — from any operator, on any plan. Take offline maps for those stretches.
How does payment work, and can I get a refund?
Payment runs through the App Store or Google Play, so your card details never reach us. If an eSIM will not install or activate on a compatible phone, message support in the app and we will fix it, or refund it where that is the right answer.
Is this better than buying a SIM when I arrive?
For a visit, usually. You are online at the taxi rank instead of an hour later, you knew the price before you left home, and you skip finding an open kiosk and showing your passport at the counter. A local prepaid SIM does give you one thing this does not: a Saudi phone number. If you need one — a longer stay, a local bank account, a residence process — buy the local SIM as well.