Travelling as a family: one eSIM each, or one shared through the hotspot?

A family of four with four roaming phones can run up a scary bill in a week. Travel eSIMs fix the price, but they raise a new question: does everyone need one, or can one phone share with the rest?

The short answer: share when you stay together, and give everyone their own when you split up.

Option 1: one eSIM, shared through the hotspot

One parent buys a bigger plan and turns on the phone's personal hotspot. The other phones and tablets connect to it like Wi-Fi. Hotspot is allowed on all our plans, with no daily limit.

This works well for:

• road trips, where everyone sits in the same car
• beach days and sightseeing together
• tablets and children's phones that only need internet now and then

It works badly when people go in different directions. A hotspot reaches only a few metres, and it drains the sharing phone's battery quickly.

Option 2: one eSIM each

Everyone who carries their own phone gets their own small plan. Teenagers who go off with friends, and adults who split up during the day, stay online wherever they are.

Small plans cost little. For a week in Turkey, 3 GB is €3.45, and in Albania €3.75 when we last checked.

A mix that works for most families

• Each adult gets their own plan.
• Teenagers who go out alone get a small plan of their own.
• Younger children's tablets share a parent's hotspot.

Buying for the family

You can buy several eSIMs on one account, one per phone. On our website, tick This eSIM is for someone else at checkout and enter that person's email. They get the eSIM and the install instructions directly, and it shows up in their own Blue eSIM app if they sign in with that email.

Install each eSIM on its own phone, at home, on Wi-Fi. An eSIM installs once, so don't install a child's eSIM on your own phone by mistake.

How much data does the family need?

Add up what each person does. Our data calculator gives a number for one person. If you share one plan, add the numbers together and add a bit extra, because tablets love video.

Frequently asked questions

Can one eSIM be used on two phones?

No. An eSIM installs on one phone. To share its data, use that phone's hotspot.

Is it cheaper to share one big plan?

Sometimes, but not always. A 20 GB plan can cost more than four small ones. Compare the prices for your destination before you choose.

Can I top up a family member's eSIM?

They can top up from their own Blue eSIM app.