eSIM Compatible Phones and Devices for South African Travellers
Aqib HassanCheck if your phone is eSIM compatible before you buy a plan. Your handset must be carrier-unlocked and eSIM supported to use HelloRoam data plans across 175+ countries. Phones bought through Vodacom, MTN, or Cell C are often carrier-locked. Check your unlock status first.
Smartphone
HelloRoam works on eSIM compatible phones from Apple (iPhone XS and newer), Samsung (Galaxy S20 and newer), and Google (Pixel 2 and newer). Your handset must be carrier-unlocked. Phones bought through Vodacom, MTN, or Cell C may need to be unlocked before you can add a HelloRoam e-sim plan.
- •iPhone 16e, 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max
- •iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max
- •iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max
- •iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max
- •iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max
- •iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max
- •iPhone XS, XS Max
- •iPhone XR
- •iPhone SE (2nd Gen 2020, 3rd Gen 2022)
iPhones sold in mainland China do not support eSIM. Only some iPhone models sold in Hong Kong and Macau support eSIM. If you bought your iPhone in one of these regions, verify eSIM compatibility before purchasing a plan.
- •Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, S25 Edge
- •Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, S24 FE
- •Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23 FE
- •Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra
- •Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra
- •Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra
- •Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Fold 6, Z Fold 5, Z Fold 4, Z Fold 3, Z Fold 2
- •Galaxy Z Flip 7, Z Flip 7 FE, Z Flip 6, Z Flip 5, Z Flip 4, Z Flip 3
- •Galaxy Note 20, Note 20 Ultra
- •Galaxy A56, A55, A54, A36, A35, A23
- •Galaxy XCover7 Pro
Samsung devices must be carrier-unlocked to use eSIM. Handsets purchased through Vodacom, MTN, or Cell C may have eSIM disabled by default. Contact your network to unlock your device before adding a HelloRoam plan.
- •Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, 10 Pro Fold
- •Pixel 9, 9a, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro Fold
- •Pixel 8, 8a, 8 Pro
- •Pixel Fold
- •Pixel 7, 7a, 7 Pro
- •Pixel 6, 6a, 6 Pro
- •Pixel 5, 5a 5G
- •Pixel 4, 4a, 4a 5G, 4 XL
- •Pixel 3, 3a, 3 XL, 3a XL
- •Pixel 2, 2 XL
Google Pixel devices bought in Australia, Taiwan, and Japan may not support eSIM. Verify your device compatibility before purchasing a plan.
- •Razr (2025), Razr+ (2025), Razr Ultra (2025)
- •Razr 60, Razr 50, Razr 50 Ultra
- •Razr 40, Razr 40 Ultra
- •Razr 2024, Razr+ 2024, Razr 2022, Razr 2019, Razr 5G
- •Edge 60, Edge 60 Pro, Edge 60 Fusion, Edge 60 Stylus
- •Edge 50, Edge 50 Pro, Edge 50 Ultra, Edge 50 Neo, Edge 50 Fusion
- •Edge 40, Edge 40 Pro, Edge 40 Neo
- •Edge+, Edge+ (2022), Edge+ (2023)
- •Edge (2022), Edge (2023), Edge (2024)
- •Moto G (2024), Moto G (2025)
- •Moto G34, G35, G53, G54, G54 Power, G55, G75, G84, G85, G86
- •Moto G52J 5G, G53J 5G, G53Y 5G
- •Moto G Power (2024), G Power 5G (2024)
- •Moto G Stylus 5G (2023), G Stylus 5G (2024)
- •ThinkPhone 25
Motorola eSIM availability varies by region. Your device must be carrier-unlocked and purchased in a region that supports eSIM functionality.
- •Find X8, Find X8 Pro
- •Find X5, Find X5 Pro
- •Find X3, Find X3 Pro
- •Find N2 Flip, Find N5
- •Reno 14, Reno 14 Pro
- •Reno 9A, Reno 6 Pro 5G, Reno 5A
- •A77, A55s 5G
Oppo eSIM support is limited to global model variants sold outside China. Check your specific model and regional variant before buying a plan.
- •Xiaomi 15, 15 Ultra
- •Xiaomi 14, 14 Pro, 14T, 14T Pro
- •Xiaomi 13, 13 Pro, 13 Lite, 13T, 13T Pro
- •Xiaomi 12T Pro
- •Redmi Note 14 Pro, 14 Pro+, 14 Pro 5G, 14 Pro+ 5G
- •Redmi Note 13 Pro, 13 Pro+
- •Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
- •Poco X7
Xiaomi devices sold in mainland China typically do not support eSIM. International models may vary in eSIM availability by region.
- •Huawei Pura X Foldable
- •Huawei Pura 70 Pro
- •Huawei 80 Pro, 80 Pro+, 80 Ultra
- •Huawei Mate 40 Pro
- •Huawei P40, P40 Pro
Huawei devices sold in certain regions have limited eSIM support. Check with your carrier for compatibility before purchasing a plan.
- •Xperia 1 VII, 1 VI, 1 V, 1 IV
- •Xperia 5 V, 5 IV
- •Xperia 10 VI, 10 V, 10 IV, 10 III Lite
- •Xperia Ace III
Sony Xperia eSIM availability varies by region and carrier. Verify compatibility before purchasing a plan.
- •Honor 400, 400 Pro, 400 Lite
- •Honor 200, 200 Pro
- •Honor 90, Honor 50
- •Honor Magic7 Pro, Magic7 Lite
- •Honor Magic6 Pro, Magic6 Pro RSR
- •Honor Magic5 Pro
- •Honor Magic4 Pro
- •Honor Magic V5, Magic V3, Magic V2, Magic Vs3
- •Honor X8
Honor eSIM support is limited to select flagship models outside China. Budget and mid-range models use physical SIM cards only. Check specs before you buy.
- •OnePlus 13, 13R, 13T
- •OnePlus 12
- •OnePlus 11
- •OnePlus Open
OnePlus eSIM support is available on select models from the OnePlus 9 series onward. Your handset must be carrier-unlocked for eSIM to work.
- •Vivo X200, X200 Pro, X200s, X200 FE
- •Vivo X100 Pro
- •Vivo X90 Pro
- •Vivo V50, V40, V40 Lite
- •Vivo V29, V29 Lite 5G
Vivo eSIM availability varies by region. Some regional versions may not support eSIM. Check your phone's manual or the Vivo support page for your model.
- •Nokia G60 5G
- •Nokia X30 5G
- •Nokia XR21
Nokia eSIM support is limited to select models. Confirm carrier compatibility in your region before buying an eSIM plan.
- •Rakuten Hand 5G
- •Rakuten Hand
- •Rakuten Big, Big-S
- •Rakuten Mini
Rakuten devices are sold primarily in Japan. eSIM support may be limited outside Japan.
- •AQUOS R10, R9, R9 Pro, R8, R8 Pro, R8s Pro, R7
- •AQUOS sense9, sense8, sense7, sense7 plus, sense6, sense6s
- •AQUOS sense4 lite
- •AQUOS wish3, wish2, wish
- •AQUOS zero6
- •Simple Sumaho 6
Sharp AQUOS phones are sold mainly in Japan. eSIM availability varies by model and carrier.
- •Fairphone 5
- •Fairphone 4
Fairphone devices support eSIM in most regions. Confirm carrier compatibility before purchase.
- •Nothing Phone (3)
- •Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
- •Nothing Phone Pro
Nothing Phone eSIM support varies by region and carrier. Check compatibility before buying a plan.
- •TCL 60, 60 XE NxtPaper
- •TCL 50 5G, 50 NxtPaper, 50 Pro NxtPaper
- •TCL 40 XL
TCL eSIM support is available on select models. Verify carrier compatibility in your region before purchase.
- •Realme 14 Pro+
- •Realme GT 7
Realme eSIM support is limited to select models. Check device specs before purchase.
- •ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra
- •ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1, Max Pro M2
ASUS eSIM support varies by model and region. Verify compatibility before purchasing.
- •Hammer Explorer PRO
- •Hammer Blade 3, Blade 5G
- •Hammer Construction
- •myPhone NOW eSIM
Hammer rugged devices support eSIM in select regions. Verify carrier compatibility before purchasing.
- •T-Mobile Revvl 7
- •T-Mobile Revvl 7 Pro
T-Mobile Revvl devices support eSIM on the T-Mobile network.
- •Surface Duo, Duo 2
- •ZTE nubia Flip2
- •Alcatel V3 Ultra
- •Nuu X5
- •DOOGEE V30
- •Gigaset GX4 PRO
- •EVOLVEO StrongPhone G9
- •Gemini PDA 4G+Wi-Fi
- •Razer Edge 5G
Availability and carrier support varies by device and region. Verify compatibility before purchasing.
FAQs
eSIM cannot run on every phone. It needs an embedded eSIM chip built into the hardware at the factory. Compatible phones include iPhone XS and newer, Samsung Galaxy S20 and newer, and Google Pixel 2 and newer. Handsets released before 2018 and most budget Android models do not have this chip. HelloRoam works on any eSIM supported phone that is also carrier-unlocked.
Checking eSIM support on your handset takes under a minute. On iPhone, open Settings, then General, then About, and look for an EID number. On Android, dial *#06# and look for an EID next to your IMEI. If an EID appears, your phone has eSIM hardware. South African phones bought through Vodacom, MTN, or Cell C may also be carrier-locked, so confirm your unlock status before buying a HelloRoam plan.
Old phones cannot use eSIM. The embedded eSIM chip must be physically present from the factory. No software update can add it later. Phones released before 2018, including iPhone X and earlier and Samsung Galaxy S10 and earlier, will never support eSIM. To use a HelloRoam plan, you need an eSIM supported phone from 2018 or later.
Not all iPhones support eSIM. Compatible models start from the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR released in September 2018. Every iPhone 11 through 16 model supports eSIM, along with the iPhone SE 2nd and 3rd generation. Older models including iPhone X, 8, 7, and 6 do not have eSIM hardware. iPhones bought in mainland China and some Hong Kong models also lack eSIM support even on newer versions.
Google Pixel phones support eSIM from the Pixel 2 onwards. All Pixel models through to the Pixel 10, including the Pixel Fold and Pixel 9 Pro series, include eSIM hardware certified by the GSMA. Pixel 7 and newer can run two active eSIMs without a physical SIM card. Your Pixel must be carrier-unlocked to set up a HelloRoam plan.
The Honor 200 Lite does not support eSIM. Honor limits eSIM to select flagship models sold outside China. Budget and mid-range Honor phones, including the 200 Lite, use physical SIM cards only. If you are travelling to Mauritius, Dubai, or London and need data on arrival, you will need a different handset. Check our full e-sim compatible device list for alternatives.
The Honor 50 does not support eSIM in most markets. Honor limits eSIM to select high-end models sold outside China. The Honor 50 uses a physical dual SIM setup instead. Travellers heading to Thailand, the UAE, or the UK who want to avoid per-MB roaming charges from Vodacom or MTN will need an eSIM compatible handset to use a HelloRoam plan.
iPhone 13 supports eSIM on all four variants: iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max. Apple made the iPhone 13 the first model to run two active eSIMs at once without any physical SIM card. HelloRoam eSIM plans work on iPhone 13 across 175+ countries. Your iPhone 13 must be carrier-unlocked to install a third-party eSIM plan.
iPhone supports eSIM from the XS, XS Max, and XR released in September 2018 onward. Every model in the iPhone 11 through 16 range includes eSIM, and so does the iPhone SE 2nd and 3rd generation. What iphones support esim? Every i phone from XS onward supports it, covering the full 11 through 16 lineup. Your iPhone must run iOS 12.1 or later and be carrier-unlocked to install a HelloRoam e SIM plan. Phones bought in mainland China do not support eSIM regardless of model.
The Oppo Reno 14 supports eSIM on its international variant. Oppo's global flagship and mid-range models, including the Reno 14 series, support eSIM in markets outside China. Chinese domestic versions do not. Oppo and Vivo devices require ColorOS 12 or later for eSIM functionality. Always confirm your specific regional variant before buying a HelloRoam plan.
The LG V40 ThinQ does not support eSIM. LG's eSIM hardware was limited to the LG G8 ThinQ and select US carrier models. The V40 was not included. LG stopped making smartphones in 2021, so no future update will add eSIM support. If you need a travel e-sim for Mauritius, the UK, or Dubai, you will need a handset from a brand on the eSIM supported phones list.
Your phone shows eSIM support through a quick settings check. On iPhone, go to Settings, General, About, and look for an EID number. On Android, dial *#06# and check whether an EID appears next to your IMEI. An EID confirms your phone has eSIM hardware. South African handsets bought from Vodacom, MTN, or Cell C may still be carrier-locked, so verify your unlock status before buying a HelloRoam plan.
Sources
- Apple — eSIM Supported Devices(Accessed April 2026)
- Google — Phones That Support eSIM(Accessed April 2026)
- Samsung — eSIM Supported Devices(Accessed April 2026)