Honest Mobile Review: The Travel eSIM That Just Works

If you travel regularly, you'll know the pain. You land somewhere new, turn off aeroplane mode, and immediately wonder whether that WhatsApp message you just sent is going to cost you £5. Or you're trying to navigate to your hotel using Google Maps while nervously watching your data roaming charges tick upwards. It's 2025, and somehow international roaming still feels like a solved problem that nobody actually solved.

Well, I've found something that genuinely changes the game. It's called Honest Mobile's Smart SIM, and after using it on recent trips, I'm genuinely impressed. Setup took about two seconds, the annual plan is fantastic value, and it just works. Let me break down why I think every UK traveller should consider one.

The Smart SIM is a backup eSIM that works alongside your existing phone plan. It's not designed to replace your main SIM — instead, it's there when you need it most: when your primary network drops out, or when you're abroad and don't want to pay extortionate roaming fees.

Here's what makes it clever: in the UK, it connects to EE, O2, Three, AND Vodafone. So if you're on a train and your network drops out (looking at you, Three users on the London-Edinburgh line), you can switch to your Smart SIM and instantly connect to whichever network has the best signal.

But the real magic is abroad. The Smart SIM includes free roaming in over 180 countries — no daily charges, no fair usage caps to worry about, no shock bills when you get home.

To keep the price low, Honest Mobile limits the Smart SIM to around 500 essential apps. Before you panic, these include all the apps you actually need when travelling:

Messaging: WhatsApp (including voice calls), iMessage, Signal, Telegram

Navigation: Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze, Citymapper

Transport: Uber, Bolt, Trainline, airline apps

Banking: Monzo, Revolut, Starling, Wise, most major bank apps

Travel: Airbnb, Booking.com, Skyscanner, TripAdvisor

Other: Google Search, ChatGPT, translation apps, weather apps

What you can't do: stream Netflix, browse social media, or make traditional phone calls. But honestly? For travel, that's fine. You can hop on hotel WiFi for Instagram. The Smart SIM is there to ensure you can always message someone, always navigate to where you need to go, and always check your bank balance. The essentials.

I've used Airalo and other travel eSIM providers plenty of times. They're great for specific trips where you need full data access, and I still recommend them for certain situations. But here's where Honest Mobile's Smart SIM wins:

One setup, endless trips: You set it up once and forget about it. No buying a new eSIM for every destination, no activation faff when you land.

180+ countries included: Whether you're in Spain, the USA, India, or South Africa, it just works. No regional packs to figure out.

Unlimited data for covered apps: No worrying about data caps. Send as many WhatsApp messages and check as many maps as you want.

UK coverage bonus: The multi-network UK access is genuinely useful even when you're not abroad.

Honest Mobile offers two pricing options:

Monthly: £10/month, cancel anytime

Annual: £45/year (works out to just £3.75/month)

The annual plan is the no-brainer here. If you take even two or three trips a year, you'll recoup that cost instantly in saved roaming fees. I went straight for the annual plan and haven't looked back.

For context, a single day of roaming with some UK networks can cost you £2-6 per day. A week's holiday could easily set you back £15-40 in roaming charges alone. The Smart SIM pays for itself on your first trip.

I was genuinely surprised how easy this was. The entire setup process took about two seconds (okay, maybe two minutes if you're being pedantic). You order through their website, receive a QR code to scan, and your iPhone (or Android) adds the eSIM automatically. Download the Honest Mobile app to manage everything, and you're done.

When you need to use it — whether because your main network dropped out or you've just landed abroad — you simply switch your data to the Smart SIM in your phone's settings. Takes a couple of taps. Within moments, you're connected.

The support has been excellent too. I've seen reviews mentioning they're genuinely responsive (some users have even suggested new apps and had them added within weeks). Plus, they're a certified B Corp and carbon-negative, which is a nice bonus if you care about that sort of thing.

The Smart SIM is perfect if you take 2+ international trips per year, regularly experience poor signal on your current UK network, want peace of mind that you can always access maps and messages abroad, hate dealing with buying new eSIMs for every destination, or commute through areas with patchy signal.

It's probably not for you if you need full, unrestricted data access abroad for streaming or heavy social media use — in which case, destination-specific eSIMs from Airalo might be better for those trips.

If you want to try Honest Mobile's Smart SIM, you can sign up through our link to get a free trial month. It's a great way to test it out on your next trip before committing to the annual plan.

There's also a 14-day money-back guarantee, so you're not locked in if it doesn't work for you (though I suspect it will).

Honest Mobile's Smart SIM has become one of those 'why didn't I do this sooner?' products for me. At £3.75/month on the annual plan, it's cheaper than a single coffee and provides genuine peace of mind whether you're travelling internationally or just battling UK signal black spots.

The setup couldn't be simpler, the app coverage is comprehensive for travel needs, and knowing I can always WhatsApp, navigate, and access my bank wherever I am in 180+ countries is genuinely liberating. Combined with points-earning credit cards for travel purchases (check out our best UK credit card recommendations), you've got a pretty solid travel tech setup.

Give it a try — I think you'll wonder how you managed without it.

Happy travels,

Jack

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