Staying Connected, Seamlessly
Choosing eSIMs and tools that keep life running across borders.
Living between countries reshapes what “staying connected” really means. When your days drift between LA, Vancouver, London, or wherever the season pulls you next, your ability to communicate becomes part of your creative infrastructure — as essential as your workflow, your morning rituals, or the pace you protect in Rest for the Self-Led.
This is the kind of connection that eventually becomes a philosophy — one you carry into every city, every season, every new chapter.
A phone plan sounds simple until you’re actually building a life across continents. Uploading a client gallery from a train between cities. Sending files across time zones. Navigating a neighbourhood you’ve never lived in but somehow already know.
Connection becomes less about convenience and more about continuity — the quiet thread that lets your work and life move as one.
Over the years, I learned that keeping a local number in each country helps for logistics, but data is another story. Roaming breaks the budget. Physical SIM swaps break the flow. And neither match the design-led, digital-first way most of us now work.
That’s where eSIMs entered the picture — simple, instant, and made for people who live in motion. After testing countless options across borders, four have proven consistently reliable: Holafly, Airalo, Saily, and Nomad.
Holafly — Unlimited and Effortless
The closest thing to landing in a new city and having everything “just work.” A quick scan and you’re online — ideal when your day moves between cafés, airport lounges, and spontaneous pockets of work.
Pros: Unlimited data, fast setup, huge coverage.
Cons: Hotspot limitations, pricier for long-term stays.
Best for: Creative sprints abroad where you don’t want to think about usage.
Street note: Holafly is my set-and-forget option.
Use code GEORCLNDPB
Airalo — Reliable and Scalable
A clean, intuitive design and global coverage that actually reflects modern movement. Country, regional, or worldwide plans that scale as your life shifts.
Pros: Affordable, flexible, easy top-ups.
Cons: No unlimited tiers.
Best for: Frequent travel where cost and control matter equally.
Street note: Airalo’s Discover Global plan covers all my anchor cities — my everyday choice.
Saily — Minimalist and Secure
Built by NordVPN, Saily blends privacy with a calm, minimalist app environment. It feels intentional — tech that sits quietly in your day rather than demanding your attention.
Pros: Strong privacy standards, clean UI, fair pricing.
Cons: Coverage still expanding.
Best for: Those who value aesthetics and security in equal measure.
Use code GEORGI0838 for $5 off.
Street note: Saily feels more lifestyle-led than tech-led.
Nomad — Dependable and Straightforward
A grounded, no-frills choice with excellent coverage across the main hubs — North America, the UK, Australia — and a reliable hotspot for working off your iPad.
Pros: Consistent, tether-friendly, clear pricing.
Cons: No unlimited data.
Best for: Long-term travellers balancing multiple “home bases.”
Use code GEORCLNDPB
Street note: Nomad is my steady anchor — simple and reliable.
Finding a Rhythm That Works Across Countries
There isn’t one perfect eSIM. There’s only what fits your season, your pace, your version of living between places. My current blend:
Local SIMs for calls and verification codes
Airalo for everyday global data
Holafly when I need unlimited uploads
Saily for its design and privacy
Nomad when I want reliability above anything else
The fewer digital interruptions you experience, the more space you have for creative clarity — the kind that deepens inside Work in Motion or emerges during the slower chapters explored in Monthly Living · Travel.
Connection is not about constant availability. It’s about creating a seamless foundation that lets your life unfold naturally — across borders, across time zones, across the evolving shape of your work.
Holafly was the first eSIM I tried because of its unlimited data promise — and it delivered. You land, scan a QR code, and within minutes you’re online. It’s a lifesaver when I’m jumping between meetings, cafe, and airports.
Pros: Unlimited data in over 190 countries, quick setup, and experience.
Cons: No hotspot on most plans, and it can get pricey for long-term use.
Best for: Short trips or creative sprints abroad when I just need to stay connected without thinking about data limits.
Use code GEORCLNDPB.
Street note: Holafly has become my ‘set it and forget it’ option.
2. Airalo — Reliable and Scalable
Airalo is flexible, affordable, and genuinely global. You can buy country-specific, regional, or worldwide plans — and the app design is clean and calm, which matters when you live inside your tech like I do.
Pros: Wide coverage, regional bundles, easy top-ups.
Cons: No unlimited option, so you’ll need to watch your usage.
Best for: Frequent travellers who want balance between cost, control, and coverage.
Street note: I use Airalo’s Discover Global plan — it covers all four of my “home” countries. I keep it active so that no matter where I land, I’m instantly connected.
3. Saily — Minimalist and Secure
Saily is newer, built by NordVPN, which instantly caught my attention. Privacy and design are clearly their priorities. The app feels sleek, intuitive, and matches the aesthetic I like — tech that’s quiet, beautiful, and functional.
Pros: Great privacy standards, easy to use, solid pricing.
Cons: Coverage is still expanding, so not as many country-specific plans yet.
Best for: Those who care about both the look and feel of their tech setup.
Use code GEORGI0838 for $5 off your first plan
Street note: Saily feels more lifestyle-led than tech-led.
4. Nomad — Dependable and Straightforward
Nomad is a steady choice that’s particularly strong across the regions I move between — North America, the UK, and Australia. Their plans are prepaid, easy to renew, and hotspot sharing works well (a must when I’m working from my iPad).
Pros: Consistent coverage, good pricing, allows tethering.
Cons: No unlimited data, slightly less polished app experience.
Best for: Long-term travellers who split their time evenly between main hubs.
Use code GEORCLNDPB.
Street note: Nomad is steady, reliable, and uncomplicated — the one I turn to when I simply need things to work.
Finding My Balance Between Countries
The truth is, there isn’t one perfect eSIM — there’s a combination that makes sense for your rhythm. For me, that means:
Keeping my local SIMs for calls and verification codes.
Using Airalo as my everyday global data connection.
Adding Holafly when I need unlimited uploads (especially when working remotely).
Testing Saily for its privacy and design-forward approach.
The fewer interruptions between places, the more space there is for creativity, work, and life to unfold naturally. If this perspective connects with your own rhythm across cities, you may also like my Seasonal Living reflections across LA, Vancouver, and London.
Explore more ideas on Entrepreneur · Creative Life.
