Tablet with SIM card: which iPads and Samsung tablets take a SIM, and how to use one abroad

Which tablets take a SIM card?

Only the cellular versions. Apple sells every iPad in Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular versions, and Samsung sells most Galaxy Tabs as Wi-Fi or LTE/5G models. A Wi-Fi-only tablet has no SIM slot and, Samsung says, no eSIM either: "Wi-Fi-only tablet models do not support eSIM functionality." If you want a tablet with a SIM card slot, the model name or box will say Cellular, LTE or 5G.

This is desk research from Apple's, Samsung's and the operators' own pages. We have not bought or tested these tablets or plans.

Does an iPad take a SIM card?

Not the current ones. We read Apple's UK spec pages for each iPad on sale on 10 November 2026, and every cellular model said the same thing: it "uses advanced eSIM technology … (not compatible with physical SIM cards)".

So if you search for an "iPad SIM card", the answer for a new iPad is that there is no card to buy: you download an eSIM from your operator or a travel eSIM seller instead. Older cellular iPads did have a nano SIM tray. EE's device guide lists the iPad (10th generation) as "Nano SIM; eSIM", and Apple's list of eSIM-capable iPads goes back to the iPad (7th generation), iPad mini (5th generation), iPad Air (3rd generation) and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation).

To set up an eSIM on an iPad, your operator has to support eSIM for tablets. Apple's footnote on the iPad mini page says plainly: "Not all network providers support eSIM." Ask before you buy a cellular iPad on a plan.

Which Samsung tablet has a SIM card slot?

Samsung's cellular Galaxy Tabs still take a physical SIM, and the newer ones add an eSIM too. Samsung's US support page on SIM cards says the Galaxy Tab S9, S10, S11 and S12 series and the Tab A11+ support dual SIM using a physical SIM plus an eSIM, and notes that carrier-locked devices do not support these features. Vodafone UK's device guide for the Galaxy Tab S11 5G lists its SIM type as "Nano SIM + eSIM".

That makes a Samsung tablet the obvious pick if you want to move a SIM card between devices, or use a local prepaid SIM abroad. To insert one, Samsung's general steps are to switch the device off, push the ejector tool into the hole by the tray, place the SIM in the tray (it fits only one way) and push the tray back in. Our SIM card sizes guide explains nano versus micro.

What SIM card should I use in a tablet?

A data-only SIM, or an extra line on your phone plan. A tablet does not need calls or texts, so a data SIM is usually cheaper. In the UK, Three says its pay as you go Data Only SIMs are for tablets, laptops and MiFi; on 10 November 2026 it listed 10GB for £10 for one month, 15GB for £20 for three months and 120GB for £40 for twelve months. Three's page did not say whether these packs are available as eSIM, which matters for a new iPad. More choices are in our data-only SIM card guide.

Before you buy, check that the tablet is not locked to an operator. A tablet bought on contract may be. Samsung says it does not lock its own devices to a network, but an operator may have, and only the original operator or retailer can give you an unlock code.

Can I use a travel eSIM on a tablet?

Yes, if the tablet is a cellular model that supports eSIM and is not locked to an operator. Every current cellular iPad does, and so do the Samsung models above. Travel eSIM sellers publish their own device lists; our Airalo compatible devices page covers tablets as well as phones, and eSIM compatible phones covers the handsets.

A travel eSIM on a tablet works the same way as on a phone: buy the plan, install it before you leave, switch it on when you land, and turn data roaming on for that eSIM only. Our verified prices for a 10GB plan, read on each seller's own site in August 2026, were:

Airalo and Saily prices were read on 13 August 2026 and Nomad's on 17 August 2026.

A travel eSIM beats roaming on a home data SIM in most places outside your home operator's roaming zone. Three's PAYG data packs, for example, allow only 1GB or 2GB a month in its Go Roam destinations, against 10GB or more at home.

Is a cellular tablet worth it for travel?

It depends how you use it. If the tablet is your main screen on a trip, with maps, streaming and work, a cellular model with its own eSIM is simpler than tethering. If you already carry a phone with a travel eSIM, tethering the Wi-Fi-only tablet to it does the same job for free; see our what is an eSIM explainer for how one phone can hold several eSIMs.

Our view:

• iPad: buy the cellular model only if you will actually use mobile data on it. It will need an eSIM, so check your home operator supports iPad eSIM.
• Samsung Galaxy Tab: the cellular models take a nano SIM, which is handy for local SIMs on long stays, and recent ones take an eSIM as well.
• Any tablet abroad: a travel eSIM is usually cheaper than roaming, and the cheapest eSIM table ranks plans by cost per gigabyte.