Google Fi hit 300Mbps on my trip to Italy. Should you ditch your travel eSIM for good?

Among the MVNOs available today, Google Fi consistently stands out as one of our favorites here at Android Authority. It has flexible plans, good coverage, limited data throttling, and fair pricing. There’s really not much to complain about.

One of the key benefits we often highlight for Google Fi is its international service. Whether you buy international data by the GB with the Flexible plan or need unlimited data with the Unlimited Premium plan, Fi offers some of the most robust international coverage for an MVNO.

But is Google Fi’s international data actually any good, or are you better off getting an international eSIM instead? I tried both on a recent vacation across Italy, and there’s a pretty clear winner.

Google Fi vs. travel eSIM: Pricing, data, and coverage

There are numerous apps/websites where you can purchase international eSIMs, such as Airalo, Holafly, Nomad eSIM, and others. For this test, I used Saily and purchased a 30-day eSIM with 20GB of data for $29.

As with most international eSIMs, this only included data (no texting or calling support) and was limited to just one country — in this case, Italy. If I had traveled to another country during my trip, I would have needed another eSIM for it.

Comparatively, Google Fi’s Unlimited Premium plan is much more robust. You get 50GB of high-speed data, and if you use all of it, you still get unlimited data at a slower 256kbps speed. You can also use that data in 200+ countries, rather than having it limited to one destination. The plan also includes free texting to the same 200 countries and free calling to more than 50 destinations.

You get a lot more with Google Fi, but you also pay a lot more. The Unlimited Premium plan costs $65/month for one line, which is considerably more expensive than the Saily eSIM I purchased.

Google Fi vs. travel eSIM: Which one is faster?

With those basics out of the way, it’s time for the really interesting part: Which one is faster? Google Fi or a dedicated international eSIM?

I ran five speed tests during my trip, which included visits to Milan, Venice, Florence, and Rome. I’ll dig into the findings below, but first, here are the raw numbers for how all those speed tests turned out.

What’s interesting is how different all of these tests are. Test 3 (which I ran from the train station in Florence) shows the closest speeds between Google Fi and Saily; Saily won the download speed race by 10Mbps, while Google Fi beat Saily’s upload speed by about 5Mbps — nothing too dramatic.

However, the next-closest result came from Test 1 near the Milano Centrale train station, where the speed differences were nearly doubled. Here, Saily beat Google Fi by around 20Mbps in both download and upload speeds. And as far as download speeds are concerned, Google Fi had a commanding lead over Saily in Test 2, which was conducted at a laundromat in Venice.

The bar graph above does a good job of demonstrating the speed differences in the first three tests, and it’s especially eye-opening with just how much better Google Fi performed in Tests 4 and 5.

These final two tests were both performed in Rome, and Google Fi absolutely thrived there. Saily’s speeds weren’t bad by any means (it actually had the best upload speeds in Rome), but Google Fi’s consistent download speeds of 300Mbps are just ridiculous. Those are fantastic speeds for a 5G data connection here in the US, let alone when traveling internationally.

Once all is said and done, Google Fi won three out of five download speed tests and three out of five upload speed tests. So, does that make it the unequivocal winner?

Google Fi vs. travel eSIM: Which is best for you?

If you already have Google Fi, even if it’s one of the cheaper plans, I’d strongly recommend upgrading to Unlimited Premium ahead of an international trip. Not only did Google Fi come out ahead with faster data speeds, but you also benefit from the convenience of international texting/calling and the freedom to use your international data in any of the 200+ countries Google Fi supports.

Upgrading from Google Fi’s Unlimited Essentials plan to Unlimited Premium costs just $30 more, while upgrading from Unlimited Standard costs only $15 more. That’s the same price or cheaper than what I paid for Saily’s international eSIM, and what you’re getting is a better overall experience, too.

Now that doesn’t mean travel eSIMs are worthless. If your cell phone plan doesn’t have as comprehensive or affordable international coverage as Google Fi does, an international eSIM can still make a lot of sense. It can also be an excellent choice for shorter trips. For example, while Google Fi’s Flexible plan charges $10 per 1GB of international data, Saily sells 3GB for just $9. Depending on your situation, a dedicated eSIM may still be the best option.

However, if you have a Google Fi plan and want to keep things as simple as possible, I can confirm that Fi’s international data is legit. It’s fast, the coverage is excellent, and it’s really not that expensive either. I came away thoroughly impressed after two weeks of use in Italy, and I imagine you’ll be just as happy with Fi on your next trip.