giffgaff eSIM: how to get one, activate it and use it abroad

Does giffgaff offer an eSIM?

Yes. giffgaff's eSIM help page says there is no difference in price between a plan on a physical SIM and a plan on an eSIM. The eSIM is set up through the giffgaff app rather than posted to you, and it runs on the same O2 network as the physical SIM.

This is desk research from giffgaff's help centre, read on 10 November 2026. We have not bought or set up a giffgaff eSIM. giffgaff.com itself put our browser behind a security check that day, so the plan prices we mention come from giffgaff's press office and indexed plan pages; see our giffgaff SIM only guide for the detail.

Which phones work with a giffgaff eSIM?

giffgaff says most smartphones from the last few years will work. The phone must support eSIM, be network unlocked and run the latest giffgaff app. Its list includes:

Recent iPads work too. giffgaff says smartwatches are not yet supported. A quick check on any phone: dial *#06#, and if you see an EID number, the phone has an eSIM.

How do you get a giffgaff eSIM as a new customer?

Three steps, all in the app:

1. Check your phone supports eSIM.
2. Download the giffgaff app and create a new account.
3. Activate the eSIM in the app and follow the on-screen steps.

giffgaff says new members should activate as soon as the eSIM is installed. You can bring your existing number across once you have the eSIM.

The catch is payment. giffgaff's activation guide says you can no longer activate an eSIM with pay as you go credit only, so you need to buy a plan. People searching for how to activate a giffgaff SIM without topping up will find that the physical SIM also needs a payment to activate; there is no free activation on either.

How do you switch from a giffgaff SIM to an eSIM?

Log in to the giffgaff app first; giffgaff stresses this. Then go to Account, SIM, Replace my SIM, Switch to a new eSIM, and follow the steps. If you started the switch on the website, you still finish it in the app, signed in to the same account. Your physical SIM stops working once the eSIM is live.

Points that trip people up:

• Hours. eSIM switching runs from 4.30am to 9.30pm.
• Timing. It usually takes under an hour, but up to 24 hours at busy times.
• Verification. Existing members get a one-time code by text to their current giffgaff number, so the old SIM needs signal.
• Gaps between swaps. giffgaff asks you to wait at least 24 hours between SIM switches.
• Going back. To move from eSIM to a physical SIM you need an unactivated giffgaff SIM, which you can order free.

If you delete the eSIM by mistake, giffgaff's guide says you need two swaps: first to a physical SIM, then to a new eSIM.

How do you activate a physical giffgaff SIM and keep your number?

For a physical SIM, go to giffgaff.com/activate and enter the 13-digit activation code printed on the SIM. If the code does not work, use the SIM serial number on the back. Activation can take up to 24 hours. A replacement SIM for an existing member usually activates in under an hour through Replace my SIM.

To keep your number from another network, giffgaff's contract information says you give it a PAC code from your old provider. A STAC code gets you a new number instead.

How do you order a free giffgaff SIM?

Order one online. giffgaff says the SIM is free, usually arrives within two working days, and orders placed before 5pm usually arrive the next working day. It only delivers to UK addresses. If you need a SIM today, giffgaff says most local shops sell them, at about £1.

Can you set up a giffgaff eSIM abroad?

Plan on doing it before you fly. A version of giffgaff's eSIM help article on giffgaff.com, which we saw only as a search result because the site blocked our browser, says switching to an eSIM while abroad is not possible, because security checks can hold up the text code. The help-centre articles we could open do not mention it either way, but the switch does need that text code to reach your current giffgaff number. Its ordering guide suggests travellers order a SIM before leaving the UK, buy one from a UK shop, or use an eSIM, which you would need to set up before you go.

Once it is running, a giffgaff eSIM roams exactly like the physical SIM: up to 5GB of your plan in the EU and selected destinations, then 10p per MB, and charges from credit elsewhere. Our giffgaff roaming guide has the figures.

giffgaff eSIM or a travel eSIM?

They do different jobs, and most dual-SIM phones can hold both. Keep giffgaff for your UK number and the EU allowance, and switch its data roaming off when the travel eSIM is doing the work; our data roaming guide shows how. For trips outside Europe, a travel eSIM is usually far cheaper than paying giffgaff's rates from credit. Our verified US prices, read on each seller's site in August 2026, were $21.50 for Airalo's 10GB over 7 days and $25 for Nomad's 10GB over 30 days. In Turkey, which is outside giffgaff's EU allowance, Airalo's 10GB over 7 days was $14.50 and Saily's 10GB over 30 days $15.99.

Visitors to the UK are the other case. A giffgaff eSIM needs a UK number to verify, an app account and a plan, and the physical SIM only ships to UK addresses. A travel eSIM bought before you fly is simpler; compare them on our cheapest eSIM page and the UK SIM card comparison.