| Provider | Phone number and SMS |
|---|---|
| Saily | Optional paid add-on |
| Airalo | On some Data, Voice & Text packages and Discover+ |
| Nomad | Thailand 50GB plan only, per review; otherwise unclear |
| Holafly | Never |
| Ubigi | Never — data only, no SMS |
Why this catches people out
Travel eSIMs are data-only by default. That is fine for maps, messaging and email — but it means no incoming SMS. If your bank sends a two-factor code by text, or an airline texts a gate change, those messages go to your home SIM, which you may have switched off to avoid roaming charges.
The usual answer is to keep your Australian SIM active for SMS while using the eSIM for data. That works, but check what your carrier charges to receive a text while roaming before you rely on it.
The two real options
Saily sells a phone number as a clean optional add-on — the only provider here that treats it as a normal feature rather than a separate product line.
Airalo includes a number on specific “Data, Voice & Text” packages and on its Discover+ global eSIM. One important limit: Airalo’s local voice packages allow in-country calls only, not international.
Ubigi and Holafly never offer a number on any plan, anywhere. Nomad appears to include calls on its Thailand 50GB plan and says “some plans include local phone numbers” without listing which — we could not verify it, so we are not claiming it.