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By
Clay Thomas
Most phones allow you to share a mobile data connection with a laptop, tablet, or another phone through a personal hotspot.
If you are using an eSIM, you can use hotspot the same way you would with a physical SIM, but the provider and plan determine how much data you can share and whether you can actually start a hotspot.
Some eSIM plans allow tethering to count toward the full data allowance, while others apply a separate hotspot limit or reduce speeds after a certain amount of data is used.
The phone also needs to use the eSIM as its mobile data line. This is especially important when your regular SIM remains active, since the hotspot shares data from the currently selected line.
In this article, we explain how hotspot sharing works with an eSIM, what the different plan limits actually mean, and how to connect a laptop, tablet, or another phone.
Can You Use an eSIM as a Hotspot?
Yes, you can use an eSIM as a hotspot. Once installed, an eSIM provides mobile data in the same way as a physical SIM, and your phone can share that connection with a laptop, tablet, or another phone through WiFi, Bluetooth, or a USB cable.
The connected device does not need to support eSIM. It simply connects to your phone as it would to any other WiFi network.
However, the amount of data you can share depends on the provider and plan. The eSIM technology supports tethering, but the provider may place limits on how the plan can be used. Before purchasing an eSIM, check whether the plan details mention hotspot sharing, tethering, or a separate fair-use policy.
With a fixed-data plan, hotspot use typically comes from the same allowance used by the phone. If you purchase a 20GB plan and share 5GB with a laptop, you will have 15GB remaining for use across the phone and any connected devices.
Unlimited plans can work differently. Some allow hotspot use from the full plan, while others provide a separate hotspot allowance even though data used directly on the phone remains unlimited. A provider may also reduce the connection speed after a daily or total usage threshold has been reached.
Hotspot restrictions generally fall into three categories:
Shared allowance: Data used via the hotspot is deducted from the plan's total balance.
Separate hotspot allowance: The phone may have unlimited or high-volume data, but connected devices can only use a specified amount.
Fair-use throttling: The hotspot remains available, but the connection slows after a usage threshold is reached.
The plan details should also explain whether the limit resets each day or applies across the full validity period. A plan offering 1GB of hotspot data per day works differently from one that includes 15GB to use at any point during a 15-day trip.
Journey Japan eSIM's Truly Unlimited plans do not have a daily high-speed data cap for data used directly on the phone. Hotspot sharing is supported without a daily limit, but each plan has a total hotspot allowance based on its duration.
For example, the 15-day Truly Unlimited plan includes 15GB of hotspot data, while the 30-day plan includes 30GB.
Your phone must also support personal hotspot and have the eSIM selected as its mobile data line. If mobile data works on the phone but the hotspot option is unavailable, the issue is more likely due to plan settings, APN configuration, or device settings than to the eSIM itself.
Do not assume that "unlimited" applies equally to data used directly on the phone and data shared with other devices. Check the hotspot allowance separately if you plan to work from a laptop, stream video, or keep several devices connected during your trip.
How to Set Up a Hotspot With an eSIM
Before turning on your hotspot, confirm that the eSIM is active and working on the phone itself.
Open a website or app using mobile data with WiFi turned off. If the phone cannot connect, the hotspot will not work either.
On a dual-SIM phone, also check that the eSIM is selected for mobile data. Your hotspot shares the active data line, so choosing the wrong one could cause the phone to use your regular carrier and incur roaming charges.
On an iPhone
Go to Settings > Cellular and make sure the eSIM is selected under Cellular Data.
Then open Settings > Personal Hotspot and turn on Allow Others to Join. Your WiFi password will appear on the same screen.
On the laptop, tablet, or phone you want to connect to, open the list of available WiFi networks, select your iPhone, and enter the hotspot password.
On an Android Phone
The menu names vary by device, but the hotspot settings are usually found under Settings > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering on Samsung phones or Settings > Network & Internet > Hotspot & Tethering on Google Pixel devices.
Make sure the eSIM is selected as the preferred line for mobile data, then turn on Mobile Hotspot or WiFi Hotspot.
You can view or change the network name and password before connecting your other devices.
Connected devices need to remain within WiFi range of the phone providing the hotspot. If the person carrying the phone leaves, the other devices will lose their internet connection.
Hotspot sharing can also use more battery than normal mobile data use, especially when several devices are connected. Keep a charger or portable battery nearby if you plan to use the hotspot for an extended period.
How Many Devices Can Connect to an eSIM Hotspot?
The number of devices you can connect depends on the phone, not the eSIM. Most recent smartphones allow between five and ten WiFi-enabled devices to join the hotspot at the same time.
However, connecting more devices does not increase the speed or data available through the eSIM. If several people are streaming, joining video calls, or downloading large files at once, the connection may become noticeably slower.
All activity also counts toward the same data or hotspot allowance. The combined use across every connected device is deducted from the same balance.
The devices must also remain close to the phone providing the connection. An eSIM hotspot works well when connecting a laptop at a hotel, sharing data with another traveler on a train, or keeping a tablet online nearby.
Hotspot sharing also uses more battery than normal phone use because the device must maintain both a mobile network and a WiFi connection simultaneously. Battery drain increases when several devices are connected, or the mobile signal is weak.
Keep the phone connected to a charger or portable battery during longer hotspot sessions. You may also want to disconnect devices when they are not being used and turn off the hotspot once you have finished sharing the connection.
Use Your eSIM as a Hotspot in Japan
An eSIM can be used as a hotspot just like a physical SIM, provided the phone supports tethering and the plan allows it.
Before purchasing an eSIM, check whether hotspot use comes from the main data balance, has a separate allowance, or is subject to a fair-use limit.
Journey Japan eSIM supports hotspot sharing across its fixed-data and Truly Unlimited plans.
Fixed-data customers can share data from the plan's overall allowance, while Truly Unlimited plans include a separate hotspot allowance based on the length of the plan. The 15-day plan includes 15GB of hotspot data, and the 30-day plan includes 30GB.
This gives you the flexibility to connect a laptop, tablet, or another traveler's phone while keeping Truly Unlimited mobile data available on your own device.
Choose a Japan eSIM plan and stay connected across your devices while traveling in Japan.
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