# Horizon Travel eSIM

> Horizon provides prepaid travel eSIM data plans with local, regional, and global coverage, priced in euro (EUR). Customers can install before departure, use mobile data on supported local networks, keep their primary SIM, and manage or top up plans online. Where a plan page offers it, a plan can be added to an existing Horizon eSIM as a top-up instead of installing a new profile; Kosovo plans are the exception. The storefront is available in ten languages — English, Albanian, German, Turkish, French, Arabic, Polish, Spanish, Russian and Croatian — under the same paths with the /sq/, /de/, /tr/, /fr/, /ar/, /pl/, /es/, /ru/ and /hr/ prefixes; guide translations vary by article, and the Arabic, Polish and Spanish guide catalogs are still partial. Russian includes five new Caucasus and Europe guides and selected archive translations. Croatian includes all country and regional destination content and informational pages, with three selected Balkan blog guides; the rest of the blog archive is not translated into Croatian. This file inlines the site's core guides; the curated index lives at https://horizonesim.com/llms.txt.

Official site: https://horizonesim.com

Content is available under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); reuse and cite with attribution.

## What is an eSIM
Source: https://horizonesim.com/what-is-an-esim

An eSIM is a SIM card built into supported phones. Instead of a plastic card, your phone downloads a carrier profile. You can add a travel data plan and select it in your phone's settings.

Key facts:
- Built into your phone — no physical card and no SIM-tray slot.
- Standardized by the GSMA. iPhone has supported eSIM since the XS (2018), and many Android flagships followed.
- Many compatible phones store several eSIM profiles. The number stored and active depends on the model.
- You install it with a QR code, an activation link or manual details. The method depends on the phone and provider.
- A data eSIM keeps your everyday number active for calls and texts.

eSIM vs a traditional SIM: a traditional SIM is a physical card sold in a shop, one slot and one plan at a time, and crossing a border means buying a new card. An eSIM is a software profile already in your phone; supported devices can store multiple profiles, you manage them in Settings, and a new country just means adding an eligible travel plan.

eSIM vs traditional roaming:
- Price: roaming varies by carrier and destination; a Horizon plan shows its price for the selected plan before checkout.
- Activation: roaming is auto-charged on arrival; a travel eSIM is opt-in, before you travel.
- Speed: roaming is often throttled; travel eSIM speed depends on the plan, network and location.
- Coverage: roaming rides your carrier's deals; Horizon lists plan-specific coverage per destination.
- Bill shock: possible with roaming; a Horizon plan is prepaid with the price shown before checkout.
Compare your carrier's current roaming tariff with the live price, coverage and terms of the travel eSIM plan you are considering.

Common questions:
- Is an eSIM safer than a regular SIM? Equally safe in transit. eSIM profiles are encrypted, and because there's no physical card, they can't be stolen, swapped, or popped out by a thief.
- Can I use multiple eSIMs at once? Many compatible phones can store several profiles, but the number that can be active at once varies by model. Check the manufacturer's specification.
- Does it use the same network as locals? A travel eSIM uses one of the supported networks listed with its plan. Speed and coverage depend on the package, network, device, congestion and location.
- Do I keep my phone number? Yes. A travel eSIM adds a second line for data, so your everyday SIM and number stay active for calls and texts. Set the eSIM as your data line while you travel.
- Does an eSIM work in every country? Coverage depends on the selected plan. Check every destination on your route, the supported networks and any local availability notes in the current plan details before purchase.
- What happens if I run out of data? Mobile data from that plan stops when its allowance is used. Check your account for an eligible top-up or another plan, then follow the supplied setup instructions.

Device support varies by model and market. Check the manufacturer's official eSIM page for your exact model before you buy a plan: Apple — Set up eSIM on iPhone (https://support.apple.com/en-us/118669); Google — Dual SIM and eSIM on Pixel (https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/9449293).

## How Horizon works
Source: https://horizonesim.com/how-it-works

Choose a Horizon plan for your destination, check phone compatibility, install over Wi-Fi, and follow the activation instructions when you travel.

1. Pick a plan. Browse the live destination catalogue. Compare country plans for one stop, regional plans for neighbouring countries and global plans for wider routes.
2. Install before you travel. On a compatible, carrier-unlocked phone, scan the QR code or use direct installation when offered. Many dual-SIM phones can keep the home line alongside the Horizon eSIM.
3. Land. Connect. Go. At your destination, follow the selected plan's activation instructions. The plan details shown before purchase explain when validity begins.

## How to install an eSIM
Source: https://horizonesim.com/how-to-install-esim

Set up your Horizon eSIM over reliable Wi-Fi before you travel. Before you start you need: an eSIM-compatible, carrier-unlocked phone (check the exact model and sales region before purchase); a Wi-Fi connection to install; and your Horizon QR code or activation link from the order email.

At a glance: (1) Get your eSIM — after checkout, open the QR code or activation details supplied in your email or account. (2) Add the eSIM — open your phone's eSIM settings, then scan the QR code, use the activation link if supported, or enter the manual details. (3) Turn on data — at your destination, set Horizon as the data line and follow the plan instructions for data roaming. Keep roaming off on your primary SIM if you want to avoid home-carrier data charges.

On iPhone (iOS):
1. Open Settings → Cellular (or Mobile Data).
2. Tap Add eSIM, then Use QR Code.
3. Scan the QR code from your order email. Reading this on the same phone? Tap the activation link instead.
4. Label the plan (for example "Horizon travel") so it's easy to tell apart from your main line.
5. When you land, set Horizon as your mobile-data line and follow the plan instructions for Data Roaming. Keep data roaming off on your primary SIM if you want to avoid home-carrier charges.

On Android:
1. Open Settings → Network & internet → SIMs (wording varies by phone).
2. Tap Add SIM, then Download a SIM instead / Add eSIM.
3. Scan the QR code from your order email and confirm the download.
4. When you land, enable the Horizon eSIM, set it as your mobile-data SIM, and turn roaming on for it so it connects to the local network.

Can't scan the QR code? Use the manual option on the Add eSIM screen and paste the SM-DP+ address and activation code from your order email.

Install questions:
- When should I install? At home over Wi-Fi before you travel, then turn the data line on when you land. Data is only used once the eSIM connects to a local network.
- Do I need Wi-Fi to install? Yes — installing downloads the eSIM profile. Once installed, it works on the local network without Wi-Fi.
- Can I keep my normal number? Yes. Your physical SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts on your usual number, while the Horizon eSIM carries your data.
- Can I reinstall the eSIM if I delete it? An eSIM can usually only be installed once, so don't delete the profile until your plan is finished. If you run into trouble, contact support before deleting anything.

## Horizon eSIM top-up
Source: https://horizonesim.com/esim-top-up

With Horizon recovery access available on an installed Horizon eSIM, customers can reach Horizon after their ordinary travel data is exhausted or their package expires. The feature provides limited access to the website to browse destinations and plans, buy another eSIM or top up the profile already on the phone. Horizon pays for permitted recovery traffic; a new eSIM or data plan remains a separate purchase at the price shown at checkout.

Recovery access is activated. Final device and payment checks are in progress. An installed Horizon eSIM, mobile signal and available recovery access are required. The connection has usage and speed limits and does not provide general internet access after a plan ends.

To refill, open My eSIMs, choose Top up for the same destination or Add country for the next stop, complete payment and follow the new plan’s activation instructions. A top-up does not require another QR code. Buying a new eSIM instead requires a separate profile download over a working connection. A first-time Horizon customer needs a connection to complete their initial purchase and installation.

“Offline eSIM top-up” refers to an exhausted ordinary data allowance, not a phone without mobile signal. Sign-in or bank approval may require another connection. If payment is pending, check the existing order before paying again.

## How to choose a travel eSIM
Source: https://horizonesim.com/best-travel-esim

The best travel eSIM is the one that matches your trip — a country plan for a single destination, a regional plan for neighbouring countries, or a global plan for many. There's no single winner; judge any provider, including Horizon, on six criteria:

1. Coverage where you're going: check the countries listed, and whether the plan rides local networks instead of a single roaming partner.
2. Real price per GB: compare the total cost for the data and days you need — not just the headline "from" price. Watch for short validity windows that force a second purchase.
3. Supported networks and speeds: check the plan page for listed networks and connection types. Actual speed depends on coverage, device, congestion, network policy and any fair-use terms.
4. Data caps and validity: match the plan's days and data to your trip. Check whether top-ups are supported instead of assuming they will be available.
5. Clear setup instructions: look for QR-code, activation-link or manual setup guidance, and install over reliable Wi-Fi before departure. Check exactly when the plan's validity starts.
6. Support when it matters: look for real human support and a clear refund policy before you buy.

Plan types: country eSIMs cover one destination with a focused coverage list. Regional eSIMs cover neighbouring countries on one plan — check shared data, validity, supported networks and current price. Global eSIMs cover multi-continent routes — compare by the exact destination list, data allowance, validity, supported networks and current price.

Honest framing: most "best travel eSIM" lists are written by sites earning a commission on every click. Horizon is an eSIM provider, so treat its guide as an honest take rather than a neutral referee — and use the criteria above to judge any provider, including Horizon.

Common questions:
- Which is best: country, regional, or global? It depends on your route. Check the live total, data, validity and exact coverage rather than assuming one type is always cheapest.
- Are unlimited travel eSIMs worth it? Horizon plans have no throttling. Compare data allowance, validity and total price for your trip.
- How does travel eSIM pricing compare with roaming? Not better in every case. Compare your carrier's current roaming tariff with the travel eSIM's total price, coverage, data and validity for the same trip.
- What's the best eSIM for visiting multiple countries? A regional or global plan, so you're not buying and switching a separate eSIM at every border.
- Can I switch eSIM providers between trips? Yes. How many profiles your phone can store or keep active depends on the exact model.
- How do I know a travel eSIM provider is trustworthy? Look for clear coverage and pricing, real human support, a stated refund policy, and named local networks rather than vague "premium" claims.

## Best eSIM for Kosovo
Source: https://horizonesim.com/kosovo-esim

No single eSIM is best for every Kosovo trip, and the biggest split is how you arrive. Most summer visitors drive down from Germany, Switzerland or Austria, and that route leaves the EU roaming zone partway: the data included at home keeps working through Austria and stops further south, not on arrival. Kosovo is not an EU member, so open the plan's own destination list and look for Kosovo, XK or XKX by name.

Use these checks:
- Arrival first: a drive from Germany and a flight into Prishtina are different data problems. Munich to Prishtina is roughly 1,300 km, usually split over two days.
- Exact territory: Kosovo, XK or XKX must appear in the selected plan's own coverage list; a Europe or Balkans label does not prove inclusion.
- Like-for-like value: compare the total price for the same data and number of days, not a starting price.
- Network facts: read the supported network and radio generation shown for the current plan; real reception still depends on location, terrain, congestion, device and network conditions.
- Hotspot: free on every Horizon plan, including fixed-data and unlimited packages. No throttling. Connected devices use the same plan data.
- Plan terms: verify activation, calls or SMS, top-up eligibility and refund terms on the exact offer.
- Border legs: Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia each need their own line, and a country crossed in two hours counts the same as one you sleep in.

Horizon sells eSIMs and is not a neutral comparison publisher. Its Kosovo page exposes its live plans, network, terms and verified customer review so readers can compare those facts with other providers using the same method. The source-linked [Kosovo inclusion guide](https://horizonesim.com/blog/which-esims-include-kosovo) explains how to test any regional plan for Kosovo, XK or XKX, and [the Germany-Kosovo summer drive](https://horizonesim.com/blog/the-germany-kosovo-summer-drive) maps where EU roaming stops on the road south.

## Best eSIM for Albania
Source: https://horizonesim.com/albania-esim

There is no one best Albania eSIM, and the answer starts with how you arrive. A large share of summer visitors come on the overnight Adriatic ferry from Bari, Brindisi or Ancona to Durres or Vlore, which means the last connection they controlled was the Italian port, not an arrivals hall with airport Wi-Fi. Albania is not an EU member either, so an EU roaming allowance does not follow you across.

Use these checks:
- Arrival first: install and open the profile before boarding in Italy; the crossing runs overnight and mid-Adriatic is a poor place to find a QR code that will not load.
- Route: settle the one-country versus cross-border question before comparing anything else.
- Like-for-like value: compare the total price for equal data and days; the smallest headline price can describe a much smaller plan.
- Current coverage: read the networks and radio generation shown with the selected plan rather than a provider-wide promise.
- Trip fit: a Tirana, Shkoder or Gjirokaster city stay and the Riviera drive from Vlore through Llogara to Saranda behave differently.
- Border legs: an Albania-only plan should not be assumed to continue into Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Greece.

Horizon sells eSIMs and is not a neutral comparison publisher. Its Albania page exposes live country and broader-coverage options, network details, terms and a verified customer review so readers can compare those facts with other providers using the same method.

## Buy a plan
- [Local plans](https://horizonesim.com/local-esims): single-country eSIMs.
- [Regional plans](https://horizonesim.com/regional-esims): multi-country coverage (Europe, Balkans, and more).
- [Global plans](https://horizonesim.com/global-esims): worldwide coverage on one eSIM.
- [Machine-readable prices](https://horizonesim.com/pricing.md): every active, publicly sold plan as markdown tables — data, validity, price in EUR and the plan's own purchase URL — rebuilt from the live catalog on request.

## USA, Canada and South America country plans

Horizon sells separate country plans for the USA, Canada and every South American destination below, and no continent-wide regional bundle. Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Uruguay are additionally inside Horizon's Latin America regional plan, a ten-country zone that also covers Mexico, Costa Rica and El Salvador; Bolivia, Paraguay and Venezuela are outside it. Where a plan page offers it, a plan can be added to an existing Horizon eSIM as a top-up instead of installing a new profile; Kosovo plans are the exception. Open the country page for its current data, validity, network and price options.

- USA and Canada: [USA eSIM](https://horizonesim.com/usa-esim) and [Canada eSIM](https://horizonesim.com/canada-esim).
- South America: [Brazil](https://horizonesim.com/brazil-esim), [Argentina](https://horizonesim.com/argentina-esim), [Chile](https://horizonesim.com/chile-esim), [Peru](https://horizonesim.com/peru-esim), [Colombia](https://horizonesim.com/colombia-esim), [Ecuador](https://horizonesim.com/ecuador-esim), [Bolivia](https://horizonesim.com/bolivia-esim), [Uruguay](https://horizonesim.com/uruguay-esim) and [Paraguay](https://horizonesim.com/paraguay-esim).

## Mexico and Central America country plans

[Browse the live-filtered Mexico and Central America country-plan directory](https://horizonesim.com/mexico-central-america-esims). Its discovery scope is Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, but a country appears only while the approved catalog returns a purchasable plan for it. Treat those names as directory scope, not a static availability list.

Horizon offers no Central America regional product. Of this directory's countries, only Mexico, Costa Rica and El Salvador are inside Horizon's Latin America regional plan; Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama are not. Every visible result opens a separate country-plan page; it does not imply that one plan covers the region or continues across a border.

## Popular destinations

Popular destination pages: [Albania](https://horizonesim.com/albania-esim), [Kosovo](https://horizonesim.com/kosovo-esim), [Germany](https://horizonesim.com/germany-esim), [Italy](https://horizonesim.com/italy-esim), [Greece](https://horizonesim.com/greece-esim), [France](https://horizonesim.com/france-esim), [Spain](https://horizonesim.com/spain-esim), [United Kingdom](https://horizonesim.com/united-kingdom-esim), [Balkans regional](https://horizonesim.com/balkans-esim), [Europe regional](https://horizonesim.com/europe-esim).

## Reviews, help & policies
- [Reviews](https://horizonesim.com/reviews): customer reviews, each shown in the language it was written; reviews backed by a real order are marked as verified purchases.
- [Contact](https://horizonesim.com/contact): support for setup, orders and refunds.
- [About Horizon](https://horizonesim.com/about): the company behind the store and the author of the guides.
- [Refund policy](https://horizonesim.com/legal/refunds): We always refund the full amount you paid when you request it, whether your eSIM is unused, partly used or fully used. There is no time limit for requesting a refund.
- [Terms of service](https://horizonesim.com/legal/terms): the agreement covering use of the site and prepaid data-only travel eSIM plans.
- [Blog](https://horizonesim.com/blog): travel-connectivity guides and destination tips; guide translations vary by article, and the Arabic, Polish and Spanish catalogs are still partial.