Let’s get one thing straight: eSIMs are brilliant. They’re sleek and digital and solve a whole bunch of travel and connectivity headaches. No fiddling with pins, no plastic trays flying across airport lounges, no waiting in line at sketchy mobile stores after a red-eye flight. Just scan a QR code, and boom—you’re connected.

But here’s the thing nobody’s saying loud enough: most of the world still uses physical SIM cards. And pretending they’re obsolete is like saying cash is dead because you have Apple Pay. Try telling that to someone running a shop in rural Vietnam or hopping between border towns in West Africa.

Everyone’s talking about eSIMs like they’ve already replaced physical SIMs. But here’s the real power move no one’s hyping: use both.

The Hype vs. the Reality

The tech world loves to declare things dead before they’re even close to gone. We saw it with DVDs, we saw it with email (seriously?), and now we’re seeing it with physical SIMs.

Yes, eSIM adoption is growing fast—especially among newer iPhones, Pixels, and Samsung devices. Carriers are slowly rolling out support. International travelers are starting to see the perks. But let’s not ignore the hard truth:

Roughly 80% of phones in active use today still rely on physical SIM slots.

And here’s a twist: even many users with eSIM-capable phones still keep a physical SIM for their home carrier or as a backup when traveling. Not everyone’s ready to ditch the physical card just yet—and that’s perfectly okay.

Physical SIMs Still Reign in Huge Parts of the World

Let’s zoom out for a second. In the global north—places like the US, Canada, the UK, and parts of the EU—eSIM adoption is moving quickly. The infrastructure’s there, and the phones are compatible.

But in much of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and parts of Eastern Europe, the situation is different. Here’s why physical SIMs still dominate in those regions:

• Device Compatibility: Budget Android phones and feature phones don’t have eSIM support.
• Affordability: Used or older-model phones with SIM slots are more accessible.
• Retail Habits: Walk into any market or kiosk in Nairobi, Colombo, or Medellín, and you’ll see SIM cards stacked like candy bars.
• Cash Economy: Many travelers and locals alike buy prepaid SIMs with cash, on the spot—no app store, no digital onboarding.

In other words, physical SIMs are still very much alive—they just haven’t had a glow-up in years.

What We’re Getting Wrong

Here’s where things get interesting: in the rush to push eSIMs, a lot of companies—especially online retailers and digital-first telecoms—have quietly stopped serving physical SIM customers. Either they’ve removed them from their stores or they’ve buried them under complicated menus.

That’s a huge miss. Not because we should go back in time, but because there’s a giant, underserved market still using these cards. And they deserve better.

Let’s put it bluntly:

Physical SIMs don’t need to disappear. They need to evolve.

We productized eSIMs—turned them into sleek digital bundles, built affiliate models around them, streamlined QR delivery, automated activations. Why not do the same for physical SIMs?

There’s Still Massive Value in the Old-School SIM

Imagine this:

• Physical SIM cards that come pre-activated and are shipped globally with tracking.
• Clear branding and packaging, like travel products—“Best SIM for Indonesia,” “Low-cost EU SIM for digital nomads,” etc.
• API-integrated inventory so travel sites, airlines, and even influencers can sell them like any other product.
• SIM bundles tailored to actual travel use cases (family plans, multi-country road trips, low-data backup SIMs).

This isn’t just wishful thinking. It’s a very real opportunity. The logistics are solvable. The demand is there. The only thing missing? Attention.

Instead of treating physical SIMs like legacy tech that we’re embarrassed to support, we should be doubling down on making them smarter, faster, and more traveler-friendly.

The Best Connectivity Strategy? Use Both

The smartest travelers and frequent flyers already know this trick: use both.

Why? Because each one solves different problems—and together, they cover your bases in ways a single solution can’t.

• Keep your home number on your physical SIM so you can still receive texts or calls from your bank, family, or two-factor apps.
• Add an eSIM for local or travel data wherever you go—without needing to buy or insert a new card.
• Swap eSIMs digitally as you cross borders. There’s no need to pop out your SIM tray in a taxi or airport lounge.
• And what if your eSIM fails to activate or a destination doesn’t support it yet? The physical SIM is your backup lifeline.

This isn’t a compromise. It’s a best-of-both-worlds setup.

And if you’re running a travel tech business, a mobile carrier, or a global connectivity platform, offering both SIM types isn’t just convenient—it’s a smart strategic move. You’re giving customers more flexibility, more reliability, and a far better user experience.

The future isn’t about replacing one with the other. It’s about making both work in harmony.

It’s not eSIM vs SIM. It’s eSIM and SIM.

Tech loves a good fight. iOS vs Android. Streaming vs cable. Physical SIM vs eSIM. But in real life, people want options, not ultimatums.

A well-built mobile connectivity brand doesn’t need to pick a side. It should meet users where they are—whether they’re rocking the latest iPhone or holding onto a trusty Nokia 3310 that still refuses to die.

And guess what? There’s no reason you can’t offer both.

Some use cases where physical SIMs still make more sense than eSIMs:

• Travelers heading to regions with patchy eSIM coverage.
• Long-term backpackers who swap SIMs frequently.
• People are sending SIMs as gifts to family or friends abroad.
• Users who want a secondary number but don’t want to tinker with settings.

Closing Thought: Respect the Plastic travel connectivity strategy

It’s easy to chase what’s shiny. eSIMs are sleek, elegant, and digital—everything we love in modern tech. But progress doesn’t mean forgetting the 80% still holding onto the old way.

What if, instead of declaring physical SIMs dead, we asked a different question?

“How can we make the physical SIM experience as good as—or better than—what people expect from digital products?”

That’s a challenge worth solving.

So no—physical SIMs aren’t obsolete. And eSIMs aren’t perfect. But together? They create the most flexible, fail-proof connectivity setup you can offer or use today.

Smart travelers already do it. Smart connectivity brands will catch on.

Because the smartest strategy isn’t about picking sides—it’s about flexibility. It’s about giving users options that actually work—wherever they go.

TL;DR
eSIM is the future, yes. But physical SIMs aren’t dead—they’re just being ignored. Millions still need them, and the opportunity to modernize how they’re sold and delivered is huge. Smart travel tech brands will recognize that and build for both worlds.

Because in global connectivity, one size never fits all.

If you’re building a travel connectivity business and ignoring physical SIMs, you might just be leaving money (and users) on the table.