Ryoko Pro SIM card included, but is it actually locked to their plans?

I’m sure you can pop your own SIM in it, most of these travel routers aren’t that locked down. The included one is probably just for convenience so you don’t have to hunt for a local SIM right away. I wouldn’t stress too much about being stuck, but it’s a fair thing to double-check before buying.

I wouldn’t stress about it too much. These travel routers are usually pretty open when it comes to SIM cards. The included one is just there so you can hit the ground running without hunting down a local SIM on day one.

I’ve used similar devices before and swapping in my own card was just a matter of opening the slot and putting it in. As long as the router supports the bands your carrier uses, it should work fine. The only thing I’d double-check is whether the device is unlocked out of the box, but most of them are because they’re aimed at international travelers who want flexibility.

If you’re worried, you could always shoot their support a quick message before buying. But I wouldn’t let that hold you back. Worst case, you use their plan for a bit and figure it out later.

I think the SIM slot is pretty standard on these. The included one is probably just their own eSIM or a preloaded card to get you going, but I’d be surprised if it was soldered in or anything. Most of these travel routers let you swap in a local SIM when you land somewhere, which is nice if you find a better deal. That’s usually the whole point.

I’ve had mine for about four months now, used it on a couple of trips and even some weekends at a cabin with no wifi. I swapped the included SIM out after the first week just to see if it would work with my regular carrier’s data plan, and it did. No weird locks or anything. It just recognized the card and connected like a normal hotspot.

That said, I ended up putting the Ryoko SIM back in because their plan was actually cheaper for the amount of data I needed while traveling. But it’s nice to know I have the option to switch if I ever want to. The slot itself is just a standard nano SIM slot under the battery cover, nothing proprietary about it.

One thing I noticed is that when I used my own SIM, some of the features in the app like the data saver and ad blocker still worked fine. So it’s not like they cripple the device if you’re not using their card. I think they just include the SIM as a convenience so you can activate it out of the box without having to hunt down a local carrier.

I swapped mine out for a carrier SIM from back home and it worked without any fuss. The included one is basically just a starter pack, the slot itself is open. I would not stress about being locked into their plans.

I get why people want the option to swap SIMs, but I actually prefer it locked to their plans. I’d rather just turn it on and have data work without messing around with local SIMs or worrying about which carrier works where. Less hassle for me.

The included SIM is basically just prefilled so you get data right after unboxing, but the slot is a standard one. You can take it out and drop in whatever SIM you want. Just make sure the device is unlocked before you rely on that, because some sellers lock the hardware even if the SIM is removable.