Collect, then make the fields comparable
We ingest provider catalog data: price, allowance, validity, network hints, coverage, activation notes, 5G and hotspot flags. Prices are converted to euros so a dollar SKU and a sterling SKU can sit in one table. Fields that cannot be mapped stay out of the sort rather than being invented.
That is why two brands with identical marketing headlines can land far apart. One published a hotspot flag we can store. The other hid tethering in a PDF. The catalog is only as honest as the source feed.
Deduplicate so the table is not a hall of mirrors
The same country pack can appear twice under two commercial names. We remove repeated country and provider records before anything is ranked. The unique-plan counts on the homepage come from that cleaned set, not from a raw dump.
If you still see two cards that look alike, they usually differ on validity, hotspot or the underlying SKU family. Open them. If they are truly the same fare, that is a data bug — write to valentin@esimcomparator.com. We would rather fix a row than defend a ghost.
What recommended means, and what it does not
Recommended sorting balances catalog position, price, data and validity. Choosing lowest price, most data or longest validity applies only that rule. None of those sorts consult a commission table. A partner can pay for a labelled Sponsored card. They cannot pay to win a filter.
Featured marks a configured position and does not imply payment. If a card is paid, it says Sponsored. That sentence is also in the footer, the methodology page and the legal pages, because it is the whole independence claim.
- Sponsored: paid placement, labelled, outside editorial rank.
- Featured: configured highlight, not a payment claim.
- Recommended / price / data / duration: catalog rules only.
Guides, comparisons and the live table
Editorial pages — this blog, the Europe and USA guides, Airalo versus Holafly and the rest — are written against the same provider research as the review pages. They are not a second ranking. They tell you which question to ask. The destination page tells you today's number.
Always confirm the payable total at provider checkout. We refresh the catalog daily; we cannot freeze a partner's cart. A screenshot of our table is a citation, not a contract.
We are not the merchant
esimcomparator.com does not sell eSIMs, take card details or provision a profile. The contract of sale is between you and the provider. That distance is what lets the ranking stay a ranking. It is also why support, refunds and failed QR codes go back to the brand you paid.
If you want the formal steps, open the methodology page. If you want the human version, this article is it. Either way, money can buy a labelled slot. It cannot buy the sort.
Questions
How does esimcomparator.com rank eSIM plans?+
After collection, euro conversion and deduplication, recommended sort balances catalog position, price, data and validity. Other sorts apply a single rule. Commissions do not enter the function.
What does Sponsored mean on a plan card?+
A paid placement. It is labelled. It does not rewrite filters or the recommended ranking. Featured does not mean paid.
Why do prices differ at checkout?+
Catalogs move, currencies move, and promo eligibility is account-specific. Confirm the live total on the provider site. Our page is a comparison layer.
Do you sell eSIMs?+
No. Outbound links may earn an affiliate commission. That money does not change rankings. You buy from the provider.