For travelers to Turkey (İstanbul, Ankara, Cappadocia, etc.), staying connected is essential—for navigation, ride apps, translation, messaging. Two common options are Pocket WiFi (a rental device) or an eSIM. Choosing the more cost-effective and practical option depends on your trip length, data usage, ease, and the current regulatory environment. RORO eSIM offers compelling options; let’s compare.
As of July 2025, Turkey’s telecom authority (BTK) has blocked access to websites and apps of several major international eSIM providers (Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, Saily, etc.). Important: eSIM technology is not banned. The key is to purchase and install the eSIM before entering Turkey; pre-activated profiles continue working. RORO’s Turkey plans are among those that are compliant and available via their site, offering a range of fixed-data and unlimited plans.
Pocket WiFi rentals tend to have rental fees ≈ US $5-10/day, depending on device, data allowance, and provider. Weekly rental packages run approx US $35-60 for a week, often with “unlimited” data or large allowances. There are also added costs: deposit fees, delivery/pick-up, power/battery considerations, risk of damage or loss. So, for a 7-day trip, Pocket WiFi could cost somewhere between $35-70, plus ancillary fees.
Activation & Setup: If you try to buy an eSIM after arrival and using a blocked provider, you may fail to access the app/site. Buying & installing RORO eSIM before travel avoids this. Battery / Device Wear: Pocket WiFi requires charging, risk of battery exhaustion; eSIM only uses your phone. Hotspot Sharing: If you need to connect laptop/tablet, eSIMs often have limited hotspot data per day for unlimited plans. RORO’s unlimited eSIMs allow ~500 MB/day hotspot usage. Convenience: eSIMs win ease—no picking up devices, returning them, or worrying about losing them.
For most travelers, RORO eSIM is the more cost-efficient choice—especially if:
You can purchase & install before arriving in Turkey
Your usage isn’t extreme (not hours of HD streaming daily)
You travel solo or don’t need to share with many devices
Pocket WiFi becomes more viable if:
You're traveling with several people who all need connection
Many devices in use at once
You're depending heavily on unlimited data or very high data transfer.
Given the recent restrictions in Turkey (blocked access for many eSIM providers’ apps/sites) and the competitive pricing of RORO’s Turkey eSIM plans, eSIM typically saves you money, hassle, and logistics over Pocket WiFi—provided you plan ahead. RORO offers options from very low-cost fixed data plans ($3 for 1GB) up through unlimited plans, which can match or beat what a week’s Pocket WiFi rental would cost once you include deposit, device carry, and fees.
