Compared to physical SIM cards, digital SIMs (eSIMs) offer more convenience and flexibility due to their embedded design and multi-profile support. While they provide more security (at least in the physical sense), eSIMs don’t offer greater privacy than their physical counterparts. The level of privacy an eSIM offers ultimately depends on the carrier that manages it.
If you’re worried about your data, you’ll look for an eSIM provider that has robust privacy features. But what should you prioritize when searching for the best option, and what are the most privacy-focused eSIM providers available? In this guide, we’ll answer these questions in detail to help you find an eSIM provider that can keep your data safe.
What To Look For in a Privacy-Focused eSIM Provider
Some eSIM providers may advertise themselves as privacy-focused without discussing the privacy options they offer. To avoid choosing a provider with misleading claims, you should understand what privacy features to look for. Use the list below as a guide:
- Data handling policies: The provider should have transparent and detailed policies on data collection, storage, and sharing to ensure you have a clear idea of how your information is handled. Ideally, the carrier should enforce minimal data collection practices to reduce the risk of compromise and exposure.
- Infrastructure: The provider you choose should run on a secure infrastructure with defense mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access and interception. The infrastructure should also support robust authentication and easy policy enforcement to control device actions and interactions.
- Network security: The selected provider should offer strong encryption that enhances network security, enabling safe and private communication and information transfer.
- Additional privacy features: The provider should provide features such as a VPN, website blocker, or signaling protection to further strengthen your security and prevent data leaks and breaches.
How To Vet a New eSIM Provider's Privacy Claims Yourself
Use the following four questions to assess whether the eSIM provider’s privacy practices are robust enough:
- Open the privacy policy and search for the words “retention” and “third parties.” Does the provider state how long they store data and with which third parties they share it?
- Do they own their own mobile core, or do they piggyback on a partner MNO?
- Do they describe encryption at the SIM/eUICC level, in transit, and at rest, or only one of those?
- Do they list specific privacy features (kill switch, ad blocker, signaling proxy) or just generic claims like “secure” and “private”?
If a provider fails the first question and doesn’t openly disclose its data collection, retention, and sharing practices, you should treat that as a non-starter.
In addition to these capabilities, the eSIM provider should offer broad coverage, transparent pricing, and a straightforward activation process for a seamless user experience.
The Most Privacy-Focused eSIM Providers: 4 Options and Their Features
Using the above criteria, we’ve conducted in-depth research of eSIM providers, analyzing dozens of options. We’ve shortlisted the following providers that tick most boxes and offer the best value:
- Cape
- Saily
- Roamify
- Yesim
Note: Because relatively few eSIM providers emphasize privacy in their marketing, this review assesses both privacy-centric services and those that provide at least some transparency about their data practices.
1. Cape
Cape is a U.S. mobile carrier and eSIM provider that places a strong emphasis on privacy and security, which is reflected in its unique features.
First and foremost, Cape doesn’t piggyback on the networks of major carriers but runs on its own infrastructure, which gives the carrier full control over:
- Authentication: Cape confirms your identity and verifies your permission to access the network, ensuring that your data, calls, and texts are only sent to you.
- Policy management: Cape determines what devices can do on the network and how they interact with one another, applying strict privacy and security features at the infrastructure level.
- Roaming: Whether you’re traveling internationally or staying within the U.S., Cape guarantees privacy and security. If you’re abroad, traffic is routed from a foreign carrier to Cape’s network to prevent eavesdropping and unauthorized access.
Besides running on its own architecture, Cape enhances your privacy by:
- Collecting minimal data from you: Your phone number is all you’ll need to provide to get Cape.
- Storing data for the minimum amount of time possible: All data points that Cape collects while you’re using it are stored for the minimum amount of time possible to protect your privacy.
- Managing SIM profiles: Cape handles SIM profile management to minimize the risk of tracking and ensure your privacy.
Cape’s policies are detailed and transparent, providing peace of mind to anyone worried about data handling and privacy. The carrier offers a single plan that includes unlimited data and excellent coverage. In select locations, you also get unlimited texts and calls.
2. Saily
Saily is an eSIM provider that enables users to connect to local networks and avoid roaming fees while traveling or working. It covers over 200 destinations and offers plans for specific countries (such as Japan, Brazil, and Norway) and regions (such as Europe, Africa, and North America). There’s also the Ultra Plan that covers 121 countries.
Saily is owned by Nord Security, the parent company of NordVPN, a popular virtual private network (VPN) service that prioritizes privacy and security. Considering the owner, it’s no surprise that Saily offers additional features that enhance your privacy while using the eSIM service, such as:
Saily offers these features at no additional cost; you can enable them within the Saily eSIM app. As for Saily’s pricing, it depends on the selected destination, data allowance, and validity period. The activation process is simple; you:
- Purchase your plan
- Download the Saily app and follow the on-screen instructions to set up your eSIM
The potential issue with Saily is its data handling policy; the eSIM provider’s data collection practices are extensive and cover sensitive information, including your name, email address, device data, network usage, and device identifiers. For privacy-conscious users, such extensive data collection may be a deal-breaker.
3. Roamify
Roamify is a Canadian eSIM provider offering data packages for over 200 destinations worldwide. You can choose among local, regional, and global plans and select the preferred data allowance and validity period to customize your package.
With so many options available, it’s no surprise that Roamify’s pricing varies depending on the selected preferences. You can easily check pricing for the plan you’re interested in on the provider’s website or within the app.
The activation process is straightforward. You can either download the Roamify app to set up your eSIM, scan a QR code, or click on the link provided by Roamify via email after purchasing your plan.
The service has made this list of privacy-focused eSIM providers because it offers features to protect your personal information, such as:
- Secure socket layer (SSL) encryption: Protecting the transmission of sensitive information
- Firewalls: Monitoring traffic to prevent unauthorized access to the network, thus keeping your data safe
- Role-based access controls: Determining who can do what within Roamify’s network to reduce the risk of data leaks and misuse
Despite these options, Roamify states that it can’t guarantee the confidentiality of your information. Considering that the provider collects extensive data, from personal information to your IP address and geographic location, you may question whether Roamify truly meets your privacy needs. It doesn’t help that the provider doesn’t state exact data retention periods, which adds another layer of uncertainty.
4. Yesim
Yesim is a Swiss eSIM provider that delivers seamless and secure connectivity worldwide. The provider covers over 200 destinations and offers three types of plans:
- Local: Plans for specific cities or countries
- Regional: Plans that encompass multiple countries
- Global: Three packages that cover over 80, 140, or 170 countries, respectively
To provide services, Yesim partners with over 800 operators worldwide, including well-known names such as T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T. The provider doesn’t operate on its own network. Instead, it leverages the infrastructure of local operators.
As for privacy features, Yesim offers a unique one: each plan comes with a built-in VPN for safe and private browsing. The company added the VPN to its offer in 2020, allowing its users to bypass location-specific restrictions while ensuring protection. You can effortlessly manage VPN settings within the Yesim app.
While invaluable for privacy-conscious users, Yesim’s VPN is only available on iOS devices; if you have an Android, you won’t be able to use it.
Another, perhaps more significant, drawback is Yesim’s somewhat questionable privacy policy. Other than discussing the type of information it collects from you, Yesim doesn’t provide details on data retention or sharing protocols. This could raise concerns about proper data management and the associated risks of leaks and breaches.
Therefore, if you’re worried about privacy in terms of safe browsing, Yesim could be an excellent fit; but if you’re more concerned about your data’s safety, another eSIM provider may be a better option.
The Final Verdict: Which eSIM Provider Offers the Most Privacy?
Most eSIM providers we’ve discussed offer a certain degree of privacy to users, whether through standard features such as encryption or more unique capabilities like ad blocking or a VPN.
Unfortunately, opting for one often involves a compromise. To access advanced privacy options, you must agree to an extensive data collection policy that may put you at risk if the provider’s network is compromised. Alternatively, you may need to accept that you do not know how long a provider will store your sensitive information, potentially creating an ongoing vulnerability.
The only provider on our list that offers a high level of privacy without compromise is Cape. It combines excellent coverage with:
- Strict and transparent data collection, storage, and sharing policies
- Enhanced signaling protection to prevent location tracking and interception
- Layered encryption to secure sensitive data from threats
- Fine-grained access controls to prevent unauthorized access to user data
If you want to learn more about how Cape manages and protects your data and upholds high privacy and security standards, check out the company’s Trust Center; all the information is regularly updated and transparent.
Besides providing unmatched privacy, Cape offers “standard” features every reputable carrier should provide, including:
- Uninterrupted coverage
- Unlimited data
- Unlimited texts and calls (in select locations)
- Secure and private roaming
- Simple activation process via the Cape app
- Responsive and helpful customer support team
Meet Cape: The Secure Carrier Designed for Today’s Threats
We share the most intimate details of our everyday lives with our cell phones. In order to stay connected, our cell phones share that information with local cell networks, and in turn, those cell networks share our data with each other.
While this system is what makes connectivity possible, it was also built with interoperability as its priority, rather than security. The global cell network is vulnerable to a number of threats, as seen through headlines about major carrier data breaches we see time and time again. When major carriers aren’t losing our sensitive personal data in breaches and hacks, they’re actively selling it to ad networks, data brokers, and third parties.
At Cape, we believe that privacy and security shouldn’t have to be sacrificed for connectivity. That’s why we built our service with privacy principles and security features at its core, including:
Cape eliminates the risk of your sensitive data falling into the wrong hands by not even asking for it. When you make your Cape account, we don’t ask for your name, address, or SSN. We only collect the information that’s necessary to provide the service, and we retain it for the least amount of time possible.
During account creation, you receive a unique 24-word phrase that generates a private key tied to your phone number. This pass phrase is required to move your number to a new device or carrier. Nobody else, not even us at Cape, has access to the phrase, meaning there’s absolutely no way for bad actors to transfer your number to their device, effectively nullifying the possibility of SIM swapping.
Your phone stores an incredible amount of data, which can be accessed through call and text records. Most mobile carriers store your call and text metadata for years, which can easily fall into the wrong hands.
Cape is built to forget, meaning we delete Call Data Records (CDRs) after just 1 day, ensuring nobody can see who you texted or called, track where the communication took place, or access the sensitive information within CDRs.
All SIM cards are accompanied by International Mobile Subscriber IDs (IMSI). These function as unique identifiers devices use to register with cellular networks. Traditional telcos assign fixed IMSIs to user accounts, meaning the carriers, advertisers, hackers, and other bad actors can exploit them to identify and track your device.
Cape patches this security hole by allowing you to automatically rotate your IMSI every 24 hours. In practice, this means you appear as a different subscriber every day, making it much more difficult for anyone to identify your device or track your movements.
Are you tired of spam messages from brands, phone call surveys, and scammers trying to trick you into sharing sensitive information over the phone? The reason why most people are exposed to these nuisances is that we are often required to share our phone numbers with retailers, websites, apps, and service providers.
While messages and phone calls can be annoying, what’s worse is that your number can easily become a target for data brokers and bad actors. That’s why many people turn to VoIP numbers as secondary lines. VoIPs are a decent option, but they don’t fully solve the issue—they are not encrypted, you can’t use them for 2FA, and they’re an additional cost each month.
When you sign up for Cape, you get two free additional SMS/MMS lines that are middle-to-end encrypted. This allows you to use Secondary Numbers for online shopping, signing up for services and discounts, and receiving secure OTPs, while your primary phone number is reserved for friends and family.
6. Network Lock
Traditional cellular networks were designed for interoperability, not security. Outdated and legacy network protocols like SS7 have vulnerabilities that allow attackers to hack in and track your location, intercept your calls and texts, and steal sensitive information.
Cape’s Network Lock uses a proprietary signaling proxy to verify that your device’s physical location matches the network it’s trying to attach to. If anything looks suspicious, like a mismatched location, we block the connection.
Voicemails can reveal more than you think, from personal messages to authentication codes, yet most voicemail systems are outdated and unencrypted.
Cape encrypts your voicemails so that only you can access them.
To access phone service while traveling abroad, your phone typically needs to connect to local telecom providers. The trouble is, there’s no guarantee all networks are secure, and not every government treats privacy the same.
Cape doesn’t leave anything to chance. We let you route traffic through our U.S.-based mobile core, so you can safely use international data roaming without exposing your identity or sharing sensitive data or communications with foreign carriers.
With Cape, you get up to 15 GB per month of international roaming, included in your monthly plan.
Get Started With Cape Today
If you’re ready to make a switch from legacy telcos to America's privacy-first mobile carrier, visit cape.co/get-cape.
In addition to all the features listed above, you can further enhance your privacy and security with Proton. Our partnership with this technology leader allows you to get Proton Unlimited or Proton VPN Plus for only $1 for the first six months.
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