Virtual Number vs eSIM: What Is the Difference and Do You Need Both?

Short answer: A virtual number and an eSIM solve two different problems. A virtual number is a phone number that receives SMS in an online account, without a SIM; a travel eSIM is a digital SIM that gives your phone mobile data in another country. Most travel eSIMs are data only, so if you need a UK, Australian or Brazilian number for verification codes as well as internet abroad, you use both side by side.

The one-line difference

• eSIM = connection. It is a SIM profile you download to your phone. A travel eSIM connects you to a mobile network abroad so maps, messaging apps and banking apps work.
• Virtual number = identity. It is a number other people and services can send SMS to. It does not connect your phone to any network; the messages appear in your eSIM Signal account.

Mixing them up is common, because both are "digital" and both replace something that used to be a plastic card. But they answer different questions: how do I get online? and which number do I give out?

Does a travel eSIM come with a phone number?

Most travel eSIMs, including ours, are data-only plans. The eSIM may technically have a number attached on the network side, but it is not one you can rely on for SMS or calls, and it is not something you would give to a bank.

That is why so many travellers keep their home SIM in the phone as well: the home line keeps their usual number, the eSIM handles data. We walk through that in our dual SIM travel setup guide.

See UK eSIM data plans and pricesSee plans

When you need a virtual number

A virtual number is the right tool when the number itself matters:

• A UK, Australian or Brazilian service only accepts a number from that country
• You moved abroad and gave up your old local SIM, but apps still want a local number
• You want codes and sign-up messages to go somewhere other than your personal number
• You need a second number without a second phone or SIM slot

What it will not do is give your phone internet, or let you make calls: eSIM Signal numbers are SMS only, with free unlimited incoming messages and paid outgoing ones. Our guide to using a virtual phone number for SMS verification covers how codes arrive and which services may refuse a virtual number.

Get a virtual phone number for SMSGet a number

When you need an eSIM

An eSIM is the right tool when you need to be online somewhere:

• A holiday or business trip where roaming would be expensive (see what roaming really costs compared with an eSIM)
• A long stay where you want local-speed data without a local contract
• A backup line in case your main SIM loses signal

Before you buy, check that your phone supports eSIM. Most recent iPhones, Pixels and Samsung Galaxy phones do, but many budget models and phones sold in some markets do not.

When you need both

Plenty of people end up with both, and they work together without any conflict, because the virtual number does not live on the phone at all:

• A Briton living in Spain keeps a UK virtual number for UK delivery firms and shops, and uses a travel eSIM on trips outside Spain.
• A backpacker on a working holiday in Australia gets an Australian number for local sign-ups, and a regional eSIM for a stopover in Asia.
• A traveller visiting Brazil uses an eSIM for data in São Paulo and Rio, and a Brazilian virtual number for apps that only accept +55 numbers.

Tip: the eSIM gives your phone the internet connection it needs to open your eSIM Signal account, so codes sent to your virtual number reach you anywhere you have data, even with your home SIM switched off.

How to set them up together

1. Check compatibility for the eSIM on our supported devices page.
2. Buy and install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi, following how to install an eSIM. Leave the line off until you land.
3. Create or open your eSIM Signal account and top up your credits by card.
4. Pick a number in the UK, Australia or Brazil, and register it with the service that needs it.
5. On arrival, switch on the eSIM line and data roaming for that line only. Your codes now arrive in your account over the eSIM's data.

Common mistakes

• Expecting a travel eSIM to receive SMS codes. Data-only plans are not designed for it; use a virtual number or your home line.
• Using a virtual number for a service that requires calls. Ours are SMS only.
• Letting a number lapse that is linked to an important account. Leave renewal on while you depend on it.
• Turning on data roaming for every line. Turn it on only for the eSIM, or your home SIM may roam too.

Frequently asked questions

Does an eSIM give me a phone number?

A travel eSIM is usually data only, so it does not give you a number you can use for SMS or calls. For a number in the UK, Australia or Brazil, add a virtual number.

Can I use a virtual number without an eSIM?

Yes. A virtual number works over any internet connection: home Wi-Fi, hotel Wi-Fi, your home SIM's data or a travel eSIM.

Is a virtual number the same as a second SIM?

No. A second SIM or eSIM line lives in your phone and connects to a network. A virtual number lives in your online account and only handles SMS.

Can I call with an eSIM Signal virtual number?

No. Our numbers receive SMS for free and send SMS from your account; they do not make or receive calls.

Can I buy an eSIM and a phone number from the same account?

Yes. Both are sold through one eSIM Signal account, and phone numbers are paid from the same credits you can top up by card.