E-sim card in US or buy sim card in Italy

Forget physical SIM cards. As most iPhones after the iPhone 12 don’t have a physical SIM card, it’s much easier with an eSIM. Buy it before you leave, activate it when you arrive. It’s what we’ve been doing since 2022. We have T-Mobile but I’ve found that their connection is always lackluster and one must still purchase an international plan anyway. eSIMs can be many different types, global, regional, data only, data and talk. I’ve been using Airalo, which I’ve found to have the widest array of choices regarding packages. Also, many newer iPhones have 2 or more eSIMs, not that you’d need it unless you were traveling to multiple places, but, in a ah event, I’d get the global eSIM.

I use Airalo as well. I purchase prior to leaving us and activate line upon landing at destination.

Check with your carrier. It might be easier to use an international plan, or like with Verizon, you can upgrade your plan for a short period of time very inexpensively.

I have a an international plan with my carrier as well, AT&T. $10 a day any time I use voice or data internationally.
Maybe you carrier offers that?
Kevin

Fraubarr- international plans from American cell carriers are never worth it and it’s always better to use an eSIM. We’ve had T-Mobile since 2014 and while we used their international plans in the past, the availability of eSIMs the last several years has made buying an international plan, of which T-Mobile only offers two, $35 & $50, they’re not consistent and connectivity varies, while when using an eSIM I’ve almost never had an issue connecting, even in the most remote areas, such as the extreme tip of Puglia, or beaches on Greece islands that are accessible only by boat and have zero cell coverage due to cliffs, mountains or other. Last year my wife went to Cambodia for a veterinary volunteer event, and I got her the T-Mobile package only because she had trouble installing the eSIM this time. It added close to $100 to my monthly. Get the eSIMs, you’ll be glad you did.

jonrossjan - I completely understand, but it depends on your carrier. If I upgrade my plan for a month with Verizon, it costs me an extra $15, and the coverage has always been excellent. I can also upgrade for a partial month and it’s prorated. I was just marking the OP aware of another option to investigate.

I have TMobile Magenta (I think now the equivalent plan is called Experience More) and I don’t need to purchase an additional international plan. It comes with unlimited texts and 5Gb of data a month overseas, while calls are $0.25/min. With the Experience Beyond plan they give you 15Gb of data internationally. I don’t have a problem with it. I also have an old flip phone with an Italian number and plan that is still alive as long as I add at least 5€ a year. I use that for local landline calls.

With eSIM you can add a local number and probably more data if you need more. I generally buy a local SIM card for my iPad. I find that more useful. I use my phone (with T-Mobile plan) only for WhatsApp and for Navigation while I drive, so 5Gb a month are way more than enough data.

international plans from American cell carriers are never worth it
and it’s always better to use an eSIM.

This is simply not true. We use Verizon as described above. Simple and inexpensive.

Well, ATT is no longer $10/day. It is $12/day. I’m leaving for Italy next week. I’ve already purchased 10 GB of data for 30 days for $20.50. ATT would be significantly more! I use What’s App for making calls with the eSIM.

I used to buy the International plan when my parents were still alive because I wanted them to be able to get in touch with me without having to change anything. Now, sadly, that need no longer exists and I always use eSIMs.

Lot of folks here seem happy to spend an extra $100/ month, or $12/ day. I'm not.

My old tmobile magenta 55+ plan is only $35/ month with $ .25/ min. voice and free texting, but the data is very slow (256 kbps), in most countries. If i want fast data now, i just use my Roamless or Bcengi esim, very cheap data, no monthly charge. Works great for $1.58/ Gb.

@Carolnowretired you are absolutely correct. $12 a day now. Thanks for the updated info.
Kevin

We had verizon for many years and when we traveled we'd buy physical sim cards. Then in 2023 we started using BNESIM. We set it up before leaving then just switched on arrival. We liked BNESIM because they have very inexpensive never expiring data and we took a few trips per year to Europe. We didn't get a local number, although I believe they have that option, so we used either whatsapp or sometimes skype to make reservations etc. (now defunct).
In Nov 2024, we switched our phone plan to Google Fi, there are 5 of us on the family plan and we pay $40/month per phone plus tax for their highest plan which includes international data, and text. We've traveled to Europe twice so far and it was wonderful and seamless. I'm not sure how much the tax is because we all purchased our phones during a Black Friday sale, at a steep discount, paid outright and are still getting credit each month so we're paying $130/month total for 5 lines. With Google Fi, you can go back and forth between plans, but everyone in the 'family' has to be on the same plan. We've been traveling a lot, so we haven't gone to a lower plan yet but eventually we will if there are a few months in a row that no one is traveling.