Which Irish mobile networks support eSIM?

Which Irish networks offer eSIM?

eir, Vodafone, Three, GoMo, Lycamobile, Sky Mobile and Lidl Connect. Each says so on its own pages. The table shows how each gives you the eSIM, how existing customers move from a plastic SIM, and whether Apple's eSIM Quick Transfer works on a new iPhone, according to Apple's list of Irish carriers.

Which Irish networks do not offer eSIM?

Clear Mobile says plainly: "Clear Mobile only provides physical SIM cards." 48, Tesco Mobile, Virgin Mobile and An Post Mobile do not mention eSIM on their own pages, so we list them as not stated, not as no. On 48's community forum, a volunteer who is not a 48 employee wrote in September 2026 that 48 does not offer eSIMs.

Not stated matters if your phone is eSIM only, or if you want to keep a physical SIM slot free for a second number. Ask the provider before you order, and get the answer in writing in chat or email.

We could not open An Post Mobile's pages on the day we checked, because a bot check blocked them; its eSIM status stays not stated until we can read them.

How do you get an eSIM in Ireland?

Three ways, depending on the network. Some activate it automatically on a compatible phone, which Three calls ODA and eir carrier activation. Others send a QR code by email or show it in their app, which you scan in your phone's settings. Sky's eSIMs are ordered through customer care or a Sky store.

eir says SIM-only customers "can activate eSIM either through carrier/automatic activation or a QR code". Three says the eSIM "will activate automatically if your device is ODA compatible, or with a QR code sent by email". Vodafone offers eSIM "on both our Pay as you go and Bill pay plans". Lycamobile sends a QR code by email.

Lidl Connect is different: you install the eSIM inside the Lidl Plus app, and it is free. The steps for iPhone and Android are on how to set up Lidl Connect eSIM.

Can you switch your physical SIM to an eSIM?

Yes, on every network that offers eSIM, usually as a "SIM swap". eir does it in its app or in a store, Vodafone in the My Vodafone app, by chat or in a store, Three online or by phone, GoMo by webchat, Lycamobile in My Lyca, and Lidl Connect in the Lidl Plus app. Sky converts on iPhone.

Sky says iPhone owners on iOS 18 or later "can convert your pSIM to eSIM seamlessly", while Android users and older iOS versions need to contact Sky. Vodafone sends a QR code and PIN under "My SIM" in its app and says a store visit is needed if ID checks fail.

Lidl Connect asks you to be on WiFi when you change SIM type. On every network your number stays the same: a SIM swap is not a switch of network, and it does not need a porting request.

What happens to your eSIM when you change phone?

On iPhone, Apple's eSIM Quick Transfer moves it for you on Three, Vodafone and Sky, the three networks Apple lists for it in Ireland. eir says phone-to-phone transfer "is currently not available": you delete the eSIM and scan a new QR code. GoMo issues a new QR code within 24 hours when you ask.

Vodafone needs iOS 18.2 for Quick Transfer and says you "can't transfer an eSIM directly across platforms", so moving between Android and iPhone means a new eSIM. Three supports on-device transfer, or a QR code where that is not supported.

On Lidl Connect, you tap "Change my SIM" in the Lidl Plus app and choose eSIM again for the new phone, on WiFi. GoMo eSIMs do not work on watches.

Does an eSIM cost extra in Ireland?

Not on Lidl Connect: Lidl says "The eSIM is free of charge with Lidl Connect". eir, Vodafone, Three, GoMo, Lycamobile and Sky do not state a fee for a new eSIM or for swapping a physical SIM to eSIM on the pages we read. If you are asked to pay, ask what the charge is for before you agree.

A physical Lidl Connect SIM card costs €0.99 in Lidl stores; the eSIM costs nothing. The compare table and the plan finder show which plans have eSIM next to their price.

Which iPhones take only an eSIM in Ireland?

iPhone Air and iPhone Duo. Apple says they "are activated with an eSIM and do not support a physical SIM". iPhone Duo can be pre-ordered from 16 October 2026 and goes on sale on 23 October 2026, from €2369. Other current iPhones bought in Ireland take both an eSIM and a nano-SIM card.

Apple sells the iPhone 17 and 18 Pro models as eSIM-only in the United States, Canada, Japan and a few other countries, but models bought in Ireland and the EU keep the nano-SIM tray. An iPhone bought abroad may therefore be eSIM only even if the same model is not here.

With an eSIM-only phone, you can only use a network that offers eSIM. Clear Mobile is out, and so are providers that do not state eSIM until they confirm it. The where to buy page checks which SIM type more than a hundred phones take.

Is a local eSIM better than a travel eSIM?

They do different jobs. An Irish network's eSIM gives you an Irish number, calls and texts, and home data on a monthly plan. Travel eSIM sellers mostly sell data packs for visitors. This site covers Irish plans only, so travel eSIMs are not in our tables; if you live here, a local plan is what we compare.

Most Irish plans include some roaming data in the EU, so an Irish eSIM also works on trips to Europe. Lidl Connect, for example, includes 50GB of roaming data a month in the EU and the UK; other networks' allowances are in the compare table.