Still using a physical SIM? This $25 kit brings eSIM to your old phone - here's how

ZDNET's key takeaways

• Brings the convenience and savings of eSIMs to SIM devices
• Option to use the built-in plans and third-party eSIMs
• The SIM adapter is USB-A only, but works with USB-C using an adapter.

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eSIMs have made travel so much easier. Gone are the days of landing in a foreign country and having to find somewhere selling a local pay-as-you-go SIM card, taking your existing SIM card out (and hoping that it doesn't end up being lost), popping the new SIM card in, and figuring out the best deal and how to pay for it. 

With eSIMs, you can find a good plan (and there are some great plans out there) and activate it before leaving your home country, then top it up and even switch between eSIMs when you're away.

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There are even apps like Saily (iOS and Android) that will handle it all for you. But unless you own a relatively new smartphone, you're stuck using regular, physical SIM cards. Or are you?

A physical SIM car that loads eSIMs

How about using a physical SIM card that you can load eSIMs onto? Yes, that exists.

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I've been testing the EIOTClub eSIM kit for the past few weeks, and it's a great way to bring the convenience and cost-effectiveness of eSIMs to older smartphones.

The SIM card has been pre-cut into all the commonly used sizes.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

The kit consists of a SIM card (it's pre-cut into standard, micro, and nano sizes) and a USB-A SIM card adapter that'll work on Windows or MacOS (and there are apps for iOS or Android). The kit comes with 1GB of data for use in the US and 100MB of global data on activation, and the SIM card can store up to eight eSIM profiles. 

Compatible with a range of devices

The SIM is compatible with any unlocked phone, smartphone, router, tablet, IoT devices, and GPS trackers for vehicles.

The kit comes with a SIM reader.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

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You can buy new data plans or top up an existing eSIM directly with EIOTClub, or you can add third-party eSIMs quickly and easily by scanning the QR code using the EIOTClub app -- it's all just as quick and simple as using eSIMs on a modern smartphone. I've tested it with both the built-in and third-party plans, and it works great.

ZDNET's buying advice

For $25, this is a great bit of kit, especially for international travelers. I like the fact that you can choose to either use roaming plans from EIOTClub or use whatever other eSIM deals you find. It's a bit of a downside that the adapter is USB-A only, but a cheap USB-A to USB-C adapter solves this problem.