Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
co:sim vs Strong eSIM
What sets them apart
| Compare |  co:sim |  Strong eSIM |
|---|---|---|
| Host network | local carrier networks | local partner carriers |
| Price from | $0.99Lower | $3.50 |
| Reference plan prices | Global (117 areas) unlimited daily data: $13.99, unlimited daily data, no contract, 1-365 days; Global (117 areas) 20GB 30 days: $135.99, 20GB total data, no contract; cheapest plan overall: single-destination Data Only eSIM from $0.99, data varies, no contract (no 12-month or 30GB+ plans listed) | 1) Cheapest 30 GB+ 12-month SIM-only: not offered, all plans are prepaid with 7 or 30 day validity and no contract. 2) Cheapest unlimited: Global Unlimited, $14.90 per travel day, unlimited data (2 GB/day at full speed then reduced), per-day prepaid. 3) Cheapest overall: local/regional starter, $3.50, 1 GB, 7 days prepaid. |
| Unlimited plan price | $13.99Lower | $14.90 |
| Roaming countries | 200 to 240Higher | 197 |
| Data rollover | Not confirmed | No |
Same on both: Seller type (Mvno), SIM-only (Yes), 5G (Yes), eSIM (Yes), Hotspot sharing (Yes).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- co:sim scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 8.9.
- Price from is lower at co:sim: $0.99 vs $3.50.
- Unlimited plan price is lower at co:sim: $13.99 vs $14.90.
- Roaming countries is higher at co:sim: 200 to 240 vs 197.
- Support channels: only co:sim offers Phone.
Our verdict on each
co:sim
co:sim suits travellers who want a prepaid eSIM with wide reach and a low starting price, and plans open at $0.99. It is a data-only setup, so the eSIM, hotspot sharing and sim only options suit people who manage their own data rather than expect a handset with the plan.
Strong eSIM
Strong eSIM sells prepaid travel data rather than a monthly phone plan, and it suits anyone who wants a short, pay-as-you-go SIM for one trip instead of a contract. Entry pricing starts at $3.50 for a local or regional starter plan, bought in the destination and used for a fixed stretch of days.
Score breakdown
| Area | co:sim | Strong eSIM |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.5HigherEntry pricing leads the set: $0.99 to open a plan and $13.99 for unlimited daily data, with no contract on either. | 8.8Entry at $3.50 and a per travel day unlimited plan at $14.90 cover both short and long trips. |
| Offer | 9.2HigherWide reach with everyday extras: 200 to 240 countries covered, eSIM delivery, hotspot sharing and sim only plans, all prepaid. | 9.1Prepaid terms throughout, eSIM, fifth generation data, hotspot sharing and 197 countries in one catalogue. |
How they place
| Ranking | co:sim | Strong eSIM |
|---|---|---|
| Phone plans with eSIM | 12 of 389 | 10 of 389 |
Also worth a look
Lonestar Cell MTN has price from at $0.20, against $0.99 for co:sim and $3.50 for Strong eSIM.
Lonestar Cell MTN reviewWhere these facts come from
co:sim
- cosim.io: 14 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Strong eSIM
- strongesim.com: 15 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | co:sim | Strong eSIM |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Prepaid | Prepaid |
| Legal entity | Comsand Inc. | StrongeSIM LLC |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Email, Chat, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | co:sim | Strong eSIM | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.99lowest quarter | $3.50below the median | $5 |
| Unlimited plan price | $13.99lowest quarter | $14.90below the median | $25 |
| Roaming countries | 200 to 240highest quarter | 197highest quarter | 100 |
Median across 176 listed providers.
Pros and cons
co:sim
Pros
- Entry at $0.99 puts co:sim at the front of the price ranking: 1 of 15.
- Reach of 200 to 240 countries with hotspot sharing, so one data plan can carry a phone and a laptop across a long route.
- Sim only eSIMs on prepaid billing, so nothing is locked into a contract before the trip: prepaid.
Cons
- Billing is prepaid only, so a long trip has to be bought and paid for up front rather than spread over a contract.
- Unlimited daily data costs $13.99 against an entry price of $0.99, so wide-area cover for a long route sits well above the figure a plan list opens with.
- Of the email, chat and phone on offer, phone is the least common: 18.8% of the listings here include it, against 93.8% for the help centre.
Strong eSIM
Pros
- Entry at $3.50 buys a prepaid starter plan with no contract term, so a short trip costs little and ends cleanly.
- Coverage runs on local partner carriers across 197 countries, so one eSIM can carry a multi-country itinerary.
- Hotspot sharing and fifth generation data come with the same prepaid plans, so tethering and faster speeds need no add-on.
Cons
- Data rollover is listed as no, so an allowance left unused is gone when a prepaid plan runs out.
- Every plan is prepaid on a short validity, so there is no long contract over which to spread the cost of steady use.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre, with no phone line listed for problems that need a voice.
Who each suits
co:sim
Who it suits
- Travellers crossing several countries who want a prepaid eSIM and hotspot sharing.
- People who plan their own data and pay as they go, since billing is prepaid with no contract attached.
- Anyone with an eSIM-ready handset who wants a sim only plan.
Who should look elsewhere
- Travellers after a named local partner in a single country, such as a Japan trip, where BambooSIM runs on Local partner networks, e.g. KDDI (au) and SoftBank in Japan.
- Shoppers who prefer a reseller setup, since ESIMZON is reseller and KnowRoaming is reseller.
- Buyers who want a monthly contract to renew: billing is prepaid, and the listed plans carry no contract.
Strong eSIM
Who it suits
- Backpackers and short-break travellers who want a prepaid eSIM live in the destination, starting at $3.50.
- Anyone crossing several countries on one trip, with service on local partner carriers across 197 countries.
- People with eSIM-capable handsets who need data and hotspot sharing without signing up to a contract.
Who should look elsewhere
- Travellers who prefer a reseller's own package list can look at ESIMZON, a reseller, rather than an mvno catalogue.
- Long stays with heavy usage are better weighed against KnowRoaming, a reseller, before committing, since Global Unlimited bills $14.90 for each travel day.
- Shoppers who want help by phone, since support runs on email, chat and help centre only.
Current offers
co:sim
Current offer
Bonus
Free 1 GB eSIM for new customers: 1GB free eSIM valid 7 days at $0
New customers only, one per person; applied automatically at checkout, no code; sign-in with email and a valid payment card required for verification, nothing charged; 42 territories (one EU-33 roaming card plus 9 single-destination cards)
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Strong eSIM
Current offer
Discount code
10% off your first plan with code STRONG10: 10% off first plan
Use code STRONG10 when buying the first eSIM plan
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Bonus
New members: 3GB Global Package for $2.99: $2.99 for 3 GB
Exclusive for New Members, store widget, global package
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Questions about each
co:sim
How much does a co:sim plan start at?+
The entry price is $0.99, and it belongs to a single-destination data-only eSIM rather than a wide-area plan. That makes it the figure that appears first in a plan list, but it is not the cost of staying online across a whole trip. Budget from the unlimited price for multi-country use.
How much is unlimited data on co:sim?+
Unlimited daily data costs $13.99. That plan covers a wide area list and runs without a contract, and it is the line most readers set against other sellers' unlimited plans. The gap between this figure and the entry price is the trade-off: unlimited removes the need to choose a data amount and moves the budget up.
Strong eSIM
What does Strong eSIM cost at the start?+
Entry sits at $3.50 on a prepaid local or regional starter plan with a small data allowance and a short validity. Global Unlimited is $14.90 for each travel day and is also prepaid by the day. Nothing renews on its own, so the cost of a trip is worked out before you buy rather than at renewal.
Is there a monthly or contract plan?+
Every plan is prepaid on a short validity, so there is no monthly bill, no contract term and nothing to cancel. You buy the days you expect to need, and the plan ends when the validity does. Longer stays are handled by taking a fresh plan rather than by setting up a recurring one.