How we evaluate travel-utility guides
We want every pick on this site to be something you can sanity-check. Here is exactly how our guides are put together, which sources each conclusion is based on, and how we keep them current.
Research-based vs hands-on
Most guides are research-based roundups: we compare published coverage, data allowances, validity, pricing, payout terms and regulations across official provider and regulator sources plus independent reviews and verified user feedback. When we have used a service ourselves, we say so explicitly and describe what we did. We never claim a hands-on test we did not perform.
The sources we rely on
Every guide is built from primary sources first, secondary sources for context:
- eSIM pricing and coverage: live plan prices are read from the eSIM marketplace tracker esimdb on the day we write or refresh a page, cross-checked against each provider's own plan page. Network (carrier) names are confirmed against the provider's coverage details.
- Flight compensation law: the regulation text itself on EUR-Lex (Regulation (EC) No 261/2004), the interpreting European Court of Justice rulings that set the 3-hour delay threshold, and the national enforcement bodies that handle claims, such as the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and France's DGAC.
- Airline-specific rules: the carrier's own passenger-rights and claim pages, mapped to the EU261 or UK261 distance bands.
- Reputation signals: user ratings are read from their source (for example Trustpilot) and always shown attributed, with the review count and the date we checked. We never present another site's rating as our own.
How we verify a price
eSIM prices move week to week. For each country or provider page we pull the current plan and price live, note it in the text as "Verified" with the date, and state the plan size and validity it applies to. When a competitor is genuinely cheaper on a given plan, we say so plainly rather than hide it, and we do not link out to sellers of the products we cover.
How we verify a rule
For flight compensation we work from the law and the body that enforces it, not from marketing copy. We check the compensation bands (250 to 600 euro, or 220 to 520 pounds under UK261), the eligibility triggers (3-hour arrival delay, cancellation with under 14 days notice, denied boarding), and the extraordinary-circumstances carve-out. Where a reform has been agreed but is not yet law, we say so explicitly and keep to the rules that are actually in force.
What we weigh
- Travel eSIMs: real coverage and networks used, data allowance and validity, activation, top-up and refund terms, and price per GB for the trip.
- Flight compensation: eligibility under EU261 (delay length, distance, notice, extraordinary-circumstances carve-outs) and whether a claim is worth filing.
- Value: performance and cover relative to price and payout, not just the lowest number.
Dating, updates and corrections
Every coverage claim, price and rule carries the date we verified it, and the underlying structured data records a publish and last-modified date. We re-check fast-moving pages (single-country eSIM prices in particular) and update the figures and dates when they move. Spot an error or a stale price? Tell us and we will check and fix it.
Our limits
Coverage, prices and rules change, and network speeds vary by location and carrier. We date every such claim and never guarantee speeds. Nothing here is legal advice, and whether a specific claim succeeds depends on your flight. Treat our guides as a strong starting point, confirm current details on the provider or regulator page, and use services with a clear refund or support policy.
Independence
We earn affiliate commissions on some links (disclosure), but payouts never decide our rankings. We review competing providers honestly, with real pros and cons, and attribute any ratings to their source.