Jess and I bought our first Airalo eSIM back in 2021, and we’ve used the same account ever since. It’s been with us in Uganda and Rwanda, across Europe, in Barbados, and in the USA, where Airalo has been my everyday data eSIM for over two years now. So this is a review built on years of real, repeated purchases rather than a summary of what Airalo’s own website says.
Yes, Airalo is legit. It’s an established company that says over 30 million people have used it, it’s the eSIM we reach for first on most trips, and we rate it 4 out of 5. The two things worth checking before you buy are which local network Airalo uses in your destination (this varies by country, and it’s why reviews of Airalo disagree with each other so much) and whether your destination requires ID verification. Both take about thirty seconds on Airalo’s own site, and both are covered below.
Airalo is only one of several good travel eSIMs, and if you want the full head-to-head, our guide to the best travel eSIMs compares all the main options side by side. This review is the deep dive on Airalo specifically: what it costs now, what it’s actually like to use, where it falls short, and how it stacks up against Holafly, Nomad and Saily.
Our verdict: Airalo is the best all-round travel eSIM for most travellers, and it’s the one we use ourselves. We rate it 4 out of 5.
Best for: single-country and regional trips, light to moderate data users, and anyone who wants wide coverage from a large, established provider.
Skip it if: you burn through more than 3GB of data every day and need full speed around the clock, or you want fast human support the moment something goes wrong.
Discount: use code LAUREN8516 at sign-up for a free $3 of Airalo credit.
Table of Contents:
Who Should Use Airalo (and Who Probably Shouldn’t)
Before getting into the detail, here’s a quick way to work out whether Airalo is likely to be right for you.
Airalo works well for you if:
- You’re travelling to a single country and want a simple, affordable data plan
- You want the flexibility to choose between fixed-data and unlimited plans depending on your trip
- You prefer a large, established provider with coverage across over 200 countries and regions
- You’re a light to moderate data user, or you’re happy with unlimited data at full speed up to a daily threshold
Airalo is probably not your best option if:
- You regularly use more than 3GB of data in a single day and need full-speed access throughout, without any throttling
- You want unlimited data with no throttling at all, around the clock (no travel eSIM currently offers this without a fair use policy)
- You want calls and texts included on every plan. Most Airalo eSIMs are data only, and only a handful of plans include a phone number (more on this in the FAQ)
Why Airalo Reviews Contradict Each Other
Spend ten minutes researching Airalo and you’ll find one review saying it never connected at all, another saying it ran flawlessly for a month, and a Reddit thread telling you to avoid it entirely. That’s confusing, but it isn’t a mystery, and once you see why it happens you can check your own destination before spending anything.
Like the majority of eSIM providers, Airalo doesn’t own any mobile networks. It buys capacity from local carriers and resells it as eSIM packages, which is how one company can cover over 200 countries and regions. The practical consequence is that the network your phone actually connects to depends entirely on where you’re going. In the UK, Airalo’s eSIM runs on EE. In the USA it’s T-Mobile. In Japan it’s Softbank, in Vietnam it’s VNPT, and in South Africa it’s Cell C.
So when a reviewer in South Africa says Airalo was unusable and a reviewer in Vietnam says it was perfect, both can be telling the truth. They weren’t really reviewing the same service. One was reviewing Cell C’s coverage, the other VNPT’s. Airalo’s own fair use policy even acknowledges that partner networks can slow things down during busy periods, and that this is outside Airalo’s control.
We’ve seen the variance ourselves, on one account. In Uganda we had good reception almost everywhere outside the most remote areas. In Europe we’ve had fast 5G wherever it’s available. And in the USA, where I use Airalo daily, my experience is really a review of T-Mobile’s network with an Airalo label on it.
Which leads to the thirty-second check. Every Airalo destination page lists the primary network its eSIM uses (the US page, for example, shows T-Mobile). Before you buy, look up your destination, note the network, and if you’re unsure about it, search for that carrier’s coverage where you’re headed.
If your plan supports more than one network, the full list is in the “Access Data” section of the installation instructions, and you can switch between them manually if the first one is weak.
Is Airalo Safe? And Why Does It Want Your ID?
Airalo is a real, established company. It launched in 2019, says over 30 million people have used it, and we’ve been paying it money since 2021 without a single billing problem. Legitimacy isn’t the worry. The two things worth understanding are the account-security complaints from 2025, and the ID checks that surprise some buyers.
First, the complaints. Through 2025, mostly between April and August, reviewers on Trustpilot reported a run of compromised Airalo accounts. The pattern was consistent. Someone else logged into the account and used the saved card to buy eSIMs, sometimes several hundred dollars’ worth, and refunds were often only partial. Airalo replied to these reviews publicly and acknowledged the problem rather than denying it. Complaints of that kind have since dropped out of Airalo’s reviews.
Airalo has also shipped the security features you’d want to see. Logging in from a new device now requires an email verification code, there’s a Trusted Devices list under your profile that you can review and prune, and you get a notification email for any new login showing the date, time, location and device.
We still take two precautions, and I’d suggest you do the same. Pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay rather than saving a card in the app, and use a strong password you don’t use anywhere else. Neither costs you anything, and together they remove most of what made those 2025 incidents expensive.
Then there’s the ID question. For most destinations, Airalo asks for nothing beyond an email address and a payment. Some countries, though, legally require identity verification before anyone can activate a local SIM or eSIM, and for those destinations Airalo runs an electronic ID check before it will sell to you.
You’ll know before you spend anything, because the buy button reads VERIFY YOUR IDENTITY instead of BUY. It’s the same destination page you’re already checking for the network, so one look settles both questions. Expect to upload a passport or similar document, sometimes with an address, with the verification handled by third-party providers that vary by destination.
This is country regulation rather than an Airalo policy, and it isn’t unique to eSIMs either. The first time we went to Uganda, before we’d ever used an eSIM, I bought a physical SIM card at the airport and they had to see my passport before handing it over. Same story in Ecuador. Airalo is doing digitally what the airport kiosk does over the counter.
Experience Using Airalo: Our Airalo Review
We’ve used Airalo across Europe, East Africa, Barbados and the USA, and the experience has been much the same everywhere. Uganda and Rwanda make the clearest example, so I’ll go through those.
I was travelling for around four weeks in Uganda and needed data for the whole trip. Most of the other eSIM providers I checked at the time didn’t have Uganda as an option at all, which was the first point in Airalo’s favour.
There were three plans to choose from, as you can see above. A 1GB plan over 7 days for $7, 3GB over 30 days for $24, and 5GB over 30 days for $35. We expected WiFi most evenings, so I took the 3GB plan.
Installing it took a few minutes and the process is pretty simple. Airalo emails you the instructions after you buy, with step-by-step guides for Android and iOS that you can save for offline use. Most phones now use what Airalo calls the direct method, which is a couple of button presses. The one step you really want to get right is the APN settings, which you type in by hand once the eSIM is installed.
Within thirty seconds of switching it on I had cellular reception and 4G data. I used it for thirty days with no problems and the 3GB lasted well, with a bit left at the end of the trip. We travelled all over Uganda and had good reception in the majority of the country, except the most remote areas.
In Rwanda a few weeks later I got through a bit more data, because I was tethering my laptop as well, so I topped up mid-trip. Topping up doesn’t mean reinstalling anything, you just buy another package and add it to the eSIM you already have. The eSIM also stays on the phone afterwards, so if I go back to Uganda I can reactivate it without setting it up again.
Since then we’ve used Airalo across Europe, with fast 5G where it’s available and 4G elsewhere, and throughout Barbados in late 2025. Jess and I both ran Airalo eSIMs there and set up three friends travelling with us with their own. All five of us were online within minutes of landing, with no fuss at the airport. And in the USA, Airalo has been my everyday data eSIM for over two years now. That’s day-in, day-out use at home, which should tell you how much I’ve come to rely on it.
It also runs alongside my physical SIM, so I still get bank authentication texts on my normal number while Airalo handles the data, which is a lot easier than swapping physical cards in and out. It’s usually a bit more expensive than a local SIM card, except in the USA where it works out cheaper for us. For the time it saves on arrival, I’ll take the difference.
The real limitation is that most Airalo plans are data only, with no calls or texts. In Uganda that made a handful of local calls a little harder than they needed to be, though we got by using Skype over 4G.
Who Are Airalo, and What Do They Sell?
Launched in 2019, Airalo was one of the earliest one-stop shops for travel eSIMs, and as of 2026 it covers over 200 countries and regions. Its eSIMs come in three categories based on where you’re going:
- Local eSIMs. These cover one country, and are normally the most cost-effective option if you are only travelling to one or two countries on a trip
- Regional eSIMs. These cover a region, such as Europe, the Caribbean Islands, or Latin America. They can be handy if you have a trip covering multiple countries in a short period of time
- The Global eSIM, sold under the Discover name. This covers a large subset of Airalo’s destinations rather than all of them, so check the country list before buying it for anywhere unusual.
As well as the category, you choose the validity period and the data amount. Local eSIMs typically run from 7 to 30 days with between 1GB and 20GB of data, while the global plans stretch up to a year.
Airalo also offers unlimited plans for most destinations. These give you full-speed data up to 3GB per day, after which speeds drop to 1 Mbps for the rest of that day. The daily allowance resets every 24 hours counted from when you activated the eSIM, not at midnight. For most holiday travellers that limit is unlikely to be an issue. We personally use around 1 to 2 GB of data a week when we travel, which covers all our research, navigation and communication needs.
One thing to note is that the majority of Airalo eSIMs (and most travel eSIMs) are data only, with no voice minutes or texts. We normally don’t mind this, as we communicate with WhatsApp when travelling. A small number of plans are the exception, including the US and UK local eSIMs and the Discover+ version of the Global eSIM, which offer versions with a phone number, calls and texts.
There’s also a loyalty scheme called Airmoney, which gives you 5% back in credit on purchases when you start out, rising to 10% for the biggest spenders. It’s a modest perk, but it adds up if you buy an eSIM for every trip like we do.
How Much Does Airalo Cost?
Pricing varies a lot by destination, so instead of quoting abstract ranges, here is what we have actually paid for Airalo eSIMs, straight from our own order history:
- Uganda, 3GB / 30 days: $24 (January 2023)
- Barbados, 5GB / 15 days: $31 (October 2025)
- Spain, 5GB / 7 days: $8 (June 2026)
- UK, 2GB / 15 days: $7.50
- USA, 5GB / 30 days: $13.50, which I buy every single month as my regular US data plan (most recently in August 2026)
The pattern is that popular destinations are cheap, with US and UK local eSIMs starting at $4 for a small package, while Africa and less-connected islands cost noticeably more per gigabyte. Airalo prices competitively against the other travel eSIM providers without usually being the outright cheapest, and what you get for the difference is the range of plans it sells per destination. A handful of destinations have also seen prices rise over the past year, so check the current rate for where you’re going rather than assuming prices only ever fall.
If you’ve been searching for one of Airalo’s named plans, these are the regional and global products. Eurolink is the European regional eSIM, and a 10GB, 30-day Eurolink is currently $31. LATAMLink covers Latin America, starting at $7 for 1GB over 3 days. The Discover+ Global eSIM starts at $8.50 for 1GB over 7 days, with versions running up to a year of validity, including one with calls and texts.
What about unlimited? It costs a real premium over fixed data on longer trips. In the USA, a 30-day unlimited plan is $68 against the $13.50 I pay for 5GB, so it only makes sense if you’ll get through several gigabytes most days. On short trips the gap narrows a lot (US unlimited starts at $11.50 for 3 days), and if you’d rather not think about data at all for a one-week holiday, that’s a reasonable price for the peace of mind.
Note: prices change regularly, so check the Airalo app or website for current pricing for your specific destination before you travel.
Airalo vs Holafly, Nomad and Saily
The eSIM market has grown considerably since Airalo launched in 2019, and as things stand in 2026 there are several solid alternatives. All four providers below now advertise over 200 destinations, which is a recent change, so coverage numbers alone won’t pick your provider any more. Here’s how the four we’d recommend compare at a glance.
| Provider | Coverage | Plan structure | Stand-out | Our take |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airalo | Over 200 countries and regions | Fixed-data, unlimited, and some plans with calls and texts | Biggest range of plan types per destination | Our go-to: the best balance of price, coverage and flexibility |
| Nomad | 200+ destinations | Fixed-data priced per GB, plus a monthly Nomad Pass subscription | Low per-GB entry prices | Worth comparing for Asia and the Pacific |
| Holafly | 200+ destinations | Unlimited-led, plus a 25GB “Light” plan and monthly subscriptions | The simplest pitch if you just want unlimited | The one to price up for heavy data use |
| Saily | 200+ destinations | Fixed-data, plus an “Ultra” tier and a phone number product | Built by the team behind NordVPN | The cheapest way to try an eSIM |
Holafly built its reputation on unlimited data and that’s still the core pitch, though the line-up has broadened. Alongside the unlimited plans there’s now a 25GB Light plan and monthly global subscriptions, and a local phone number is available on some plans.
If you’re comparing unlimited offers, read the fair use terms on whichever plan you’re considering before relying on it to run a laptop all day. Airalo’s terms are unusually specific (3GB a day at full speed, then 1 Mbps for the rest of that 24-hour day), and I count that specificity as a point in its favour, since you know exactly what you’re getting before you pay.
Nomad prices much of its catalogue by the gigabyte, with entry prices from around $0.62 per GB in its cheapest countries, plus a small monthly subscription called Nomad Pass for regular travellers. It has a well-rated app, and it’s the one we’d price up against Airalo for trips to Asia and the Pacific, where its plans are often aggressive.
Saily, made by the team behind NordVPN, is the one to look at if security pedigree matters most to you. Its entry prices are the lowest of the four, from $3.99 for a small package in popular destinations, and it has grown quickly, adding a phone-number product and a higher “Ultra” tier that bundles the Nord security suite alongside a large data allowance.
For most travellers on a standard trip to a popular destination, Airalo wins on the combination of price, coverage and ease of use, which is why it’s our default. If you’re a digital nomad or remote worker who needs consistent high-speed data all day, compare fair use terms carefully before you commit. For the full side-by-side on price across all four, see our guide to the best travel eSIMs.
Airalo Pros and Cons
Here’s the quick version of what we like and don’t like after years of using Airalo.
What’s good about Airalo
- Some of the most competitive pricing in the travel eSIM market
- Coverage across over 200 countries and regions, including less-visited destinations like Uganda and Rwanda where we’ve used it ourselves
- Easy to install and set up, with a well-designed app
- Both fixed-data and unlimited plans, so you can match the plan to the trip
- You can install it before you leave home and activate it on arrival
- Runs alongside your physical SIM, so you still get bank texts on your normal number
- Quick, painless top-ups without reinstalling the eSIM
Where Airalo falls short
- Needs an eSIM-compatible phone, so older handsets are out
- Can cost more than a local SIM, though it’s far more convenient
- Data only on most plans, with no voice calls or SMS
- Unlimited plans throttle to 1 Mbps after 3GB in a day
- Customer support can be slow when something actually goes wrong
- It won’t hop between local carriers automatically for the best signal. Where a plan includes more than one network, switching is a manual job in your settings
- A run of account-compromise reports in 2025 (covered above), which is why we pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay rather than storing a card
A couple of those are worth expanding on. The fair use policy on unlimited plans is the one most people trip over. You get full speed up to 3GB a day, then speeds drop to about 1 Mbps for the rest of that day, and the allowance resets every 24 hours counted from when you activated the eSIM, not at midnight.
At 1 Mbps you can still message, browse simple pages, and navigate with maps, but streaming and video calls suffer. Tethering, on the other hand, is explicitly allowed on unlimited plans with no cap on the number of connected devices, though everything you tether still counts toward the daily 3GB.
What We’ve Learned Using Airalo
We bought our first Airalo eSIM in 2021, and the same account has since covered Uganda, Rwanda, a string of European trips, Barbados, and more than two years of daily use in the USA. A few habits have made it work smoothly for us every time.
We install the eSIM at home on WiFi before we fly, so it’s ready to switch on the moment we land rather than depending on patchy airport WiFi. We buy a fixed-data plan when we know roughly how much we’ll use, and an unlimited plan when we’d rather not think about it. We check the primary network for the destination before buying, which takes seconds and has saved us from surprises.
If data doesn’t appear on arrival, the fix is almost always either the APN settings or simply turning the phone off and on again. Get those right and, in our experience, it just works.
Airalo Troubleshooting
Most “Airalo didn’t work” situations are fixable in a couple of minutes on your phone, and I say that having caused two of them myself. The first time I manually installed an eSIM on my Android phone I forgot to enter the APN details, which are covered in the setup steps, so that one was definitely my fault. And for some reason my phone needs physically turning off and on again when arriving in a new country before it will connect to a new network. Both were solved without contacting anyone.
So if your Airalo eSIM won’t connect when you arrive, work through these first:
- Ensure the phone is not in Airplane mode
- Ensure mobile data is enabled and data roaming is enabled
- Ensure you have selected the Airalo eSIM for connectivity (many phones support multiple SIMs, and you need Airalo set as your data SIM)
- Try turning the phone off and on again
- Ensure all the settings from the instructions are correctly entered, especially the APN settings, and that the right APN is selected
- Ensure your phone supports the 3G / 4G / 5G bands in the country you are visiting. This website can help you check
A different situation is a real fault. If the eSIM won’t attach to any network after all of the above, or a top-up you’ve paid for never appears, you’re past self-help.
In that case, contact Airalo support through the app or via WhatsApp, and do it promptly, not at the end of your trip, since refund requests are time-limited. If you need to get online while you wait, a local SIM card at your destination is the most dependable backup. All of which is the strongest argument for installing and testing your eSIM at home before you fly.
What Is an eSIM, and Do You Need One for Travel?
If you’ve read this far and the term is still a bit fuzzy, here’s the background. A SIM is the bit of technology that identifies your phone to a mobile network and lets you use the services you’ve paid for. An eSIM is the same thing in software: a programmable SIM built into the phone, which you install much like an app instead of pushing a physical card into a tray.
The technology started rolling out in 2016, most recent smartphones support it, and when Apple launched the iPhone 14 in the USA it dropped the physical SIM tray entirely.
For travel, the appeal is avoiding international roaming fees, which can be eye-wateringly expensive. Your main options for getting online abroad are to roam with your home provider, buy a travel eSIM, buy a local SIM card at your destination, carry a mobile hotspot, or rely on free WiFi. I compare all of these in detail in my guide to getting online when travelling.
The quick summary is that free roaming from your home provider is the best deal if you have it, and a local SIM card is often the cheapest option if your phone is unlocked and you don’t mind the admin. A travel eSIM like Airalo sits in the middle: not always the absolute cheapest, but set up from your sofa in minutes, in English, with no kiosk queue at the airport. That trade is why we keep using one.
Our Airalo Review: The Verdict
We’ve used Airalo on a good number of trips since 2021 and our experience has been consistently positive. The app is simple to use, the setup is well documented, and coverage has been reliable everywhere we’ve taken it, from rural Uganda to Barbados to daily life in the States.
It isn’t flawless. Support can be slow when something actually goes wrong, and the unlimited plans throttle after 3GB a day, which matters if you’re a heavy user. Neither is a dealbreaker for the way most people travel, which is why Airalo still earns 4 out of 5 from us.
Our recommendation is to use Airalo if you want a reliable, well-priced eSIM from an established provider. Before you buy, open the page for your destination and check two things, the primary network Airalo uses there and whether the buy button asks you to verify your identity. Then read the fair use terms on any unlimited plan. Do those things and you’re very likely to have a smooth experience.
If you’d like to try Airalo, you can go to their website here, and don’t forget to use code LAUREN8516 for $3 of free credit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Airalo
Is Airalo legit?
Yes. Airalo launched in 2019, says over 30 million people have used it, and we’ve been buying eSIMs on the same account since 2021 without a billing problem. It resells data on established local networks, such as EE in the UK and T-Mobile in the USA.
The two things worth checking before you buy are the primary network for your destination, which Airalo lists on each destination page, and whether your destination requires ID verification before purchase.
What are the disadvantages of Airalo?
The main ones are that most plans are data only with no phone number, customer support can be slow when something goes wrong, unlimited plans slow to 1 Mbps after 3GB in a day, and it can cost more than buying a local SIM card at your destination.
Why does Airalo want my ID?
Some countries legally require identity verification before a SIM or eSIM can be activated on their networks. For those destinations, Airalo runs an electronic ID check, usually a passport upload, before you can buy. You’ll see VERIFY YOUR IDENTITY instead of a buy button on the plans it applies to.
Most destinations need no ID at all, and where it is required, that’s the country’s telecoms regulation rather than an Airalo policy. Local SIM vendors in those countries ask for the same documents over the counter.
Does Airalo work on my phone?
Airalo works on any eSIM-compatible smartphone. Most iPhones from the XS onwards support eSIM, as do most recent Android flagships including Samsung, Google Pixel and, in some regions, OnePlus devices. If you’re not sure whether your phone is compatible, check Airalo’s compatibility list before you buy.
Does Airalo give you a phone number?
Most Airalo eSIMs are data-only, so they don’t come with a phone number, and you can’t make standard calls or send SMS on them. You can still call and message over the internet using WhatsApp, Skype or FaceTime.
A few Airalo plans are the exception, including the US and UK local eSIMs and the Discover+ version of the Global eSIM, which offer versions with a local number, voice minutes and texts. If having a number matters for your trip, check the plan details before you buy.
Do I need an internet connection to install an Airalo eSIM?
Yes, you need an internet connection to install an eSIM for the first time. The best approach is to install it at home before you leave and then activate it when you land. For most packages the validity period only starts when the eSIM first connects to a supported network in your destination, so installing early costs you nothing.
If you leave it until you arrive, you’ll need airport WiFi to get set up, which can be unreliable. Install it early and save yourself the stress.
Can I use Airalo as a hotspot?
Yes. On unlimited plans, Airalo’s fair use policy explicitly allows personal hotspot use with no limit on the number of connected devices. Bear in mind that tethered data still counts toward your daily 3GB full-speed allowance, and it burns through fixed-data plans faster than regular phone use.
If you plan to tether a laptop regularly, do the sums on data before choosing between a fixed plan and unlimited.
What is Airalo’s fair use policy on unlimited plans?
Airalo’s unlimited plans give you full-speed data up to 3GB per day. If you exceed that, speeds are reduced to 1 Mbps for the rest of that day, and your daily allowance resets every 24 hours counted from the time you activated your eSIM, not at midnight. At 1 Mbps you can still send messages, browse simple pages and use maps, but streaming will struggle.
The specific terms are shown on each plan before you purchase, and for most holiday use the limit is unlikely to cause a problem.
Is Airalo safe to use?
Airalo is a legitimate, established company that says over 30 million people have used it. In 2025, reviewers on Trustpilot reported a run of compromised accounts, where someone else logged in and used a saved card to buy eSIMs. Airalo acknowledged the reports, and it now sends verification codes for new-device logins, keeps a Trusted Devices list you can review in your profile, and emails you about any new login. Complaints of that kind have since dropped out of its reviews.
To protect yourself, pay via Apple Pay or Google Pay rather than saving your card details in the app, and use a strong, unique password for your Airalo account.
What happens if my Airalo eSIM doesn’t work?
Run through the basics first: airplane mode off, data roaming on, the Airalo eSIM selected for data, a phone restart, and the APN settings from the instructions. That fixes most connection problems in a couple of minutes.
If it still won’t connect, contact Airalo’s support through the app or via WhatsApp, and do it promptly, as refund requests are time-limited. If you need connectivity quickly while you wait, buying a local SIM card at your destination is the most reliable backup. This is another reason to install and test your eSIM at home before you travel.
Further Reading
And that sums up our review of Airalo as an eSIM provider for getting international internet access.
We’ve also got a lot of other resources you might find useful, including the following.
- We have a full guide to getting online when travelling internationally, which should help you decide which is the best option for you
- Depending on your travel plans, you might need a travel router. See our guide to travel routers to help you decide which is right for you.
- We also have a full guide to the best mobile hotspots for you to read if you are interested in one of these devices.
- Fast internet access at home is also important! See our guide to the best home wifi routers for improving your home internet speeds.
- Staying safe online when you travel is important. See our guide to the best travel VPNs for tips on keeping your personal data safe when you’re on the road.
- You’re going to need to power all your devices when you travel. See our guide to the best travel adapters.
- If you are heading out onto the road and looking for a laptop to get some work done, see our guide to the best laptops for photo editing.
- Thinking of buying a new camera? See our guide to the best cameras for travel.
And that’s it! As always, if you have any feedback about the post, or questions for us, just pop them in the comments below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
Laraib Khan says
Great review of Airalo! It’s so important to have a reliable eSIM when traveling internationally. I’ve found that having a good connectivity solution like Airalo can make a huge difference.
Laurence Norah says
Thanks Laraib, we agree!
Andy says
Hi,
Leaving for France tomorrow. On my primary cellular plan, should I toggle Turn on this Line to off? And of course data roaming off?
Thanks,
Andy
Laurence Norah says
Hi Andy,
Yes, you should disable your main line and just use the Airalo eSIM to avoid roaming fees. However you will need data roaming on on the Airalo eSIM I believe, but check the eSIM install instructions. Have an amazing time in France!
Laurence
Amelie says
Hiiii
Hope you are well 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this article about Airalo. I have been doing tons of readings about E-sims and your post was the most useful and easy to read and understand. Also, we got a discount code from you as well, that’s awesome! Thank you so much!!!
I wish you a great day
// Amelie
Laurence Norah says
Hi Amelie,
It’s my pleasure and thanks very much for taking the time to leave a comment, it means a lot 😀
Enjoy your trip!
Laurence
dale h says
I bought a Airalo eSIM for my Australia trip. I could not get it to work. Now I’m trying to get a refund and all they do is send robot replies. No real human help yet…
Not recommended.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Dale,
Thanks for sharing your experience! I have definitely heard a few negative experiences with Airalo customer service. The main challenge with an eSIM is that there are quite a few variables and reasons why it might not work, from supported network frequencies to handset issues. But I agree, customer service should be able to resolve these issues.
Laurence
Andrew says
Hi, I want to use my regular SIM card with hotel wifi to send pictures and texts to family, and an eSIM card when I’m out and about for Google maps and apps. Is it easy to change from one to the other! How do I do that?
Thanks.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Andrew,
So how easy it is to switch SIM cards will depend on your phone. On most recent phones such as the more modern iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones, it is very easy to switch between SIM cards. You can also often have multiple SIM cards active, and allocate them to different tasks. So for example you would likely want to have the Airalo activated for data, and your home SIM for recieving texts.
For the hotel WiFi, you don’t need a SIM card at all. Just be aware that if you send a regular text message, this normally goes over your carrier network, although again this depends on your device. Some messaging platforms will use WiFi to send texts and pictures (such as Whatsapp), wheras some will use your phone network. To be on the safe side, you can disable your regular SIM when connected to the hotel WiFi to ensure messages are only sent over WiFi so you don’t incur any bills.
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
Noelle says
I purchased 20 gigs of data for $32 in Sri Lanka (high price considering you can get a sim for $10 unlimited data locally), and after 6 days it just stopped working. On top of that, the customer service is non-existent. Mostly just bots. I went three days before they attempted to fix the issue. Which they couldn’t. Nor would they offer me a refund. Instead they sent me $17 in “air cash” to buy a new eSIM….. which I reluctantly did, and this one also doesn’t work. Terrible, and terribly unsafe (for a solo female traveler) experience. Deeply disappointed.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Noelle!
Thanks for sharing your Airalo experience and I’m sorry to hear it was so frustrating. Hopefully your experience is beneficial to others thinking of using Airalo in Sri Lanka. It’s hard to know what might have caused your specific issue, there are so many variables, it’s definitely odd that it stopped working though. In my experience it either works or doesn’t. A local SIM card is often a lower cost option as I mention in this review, but some newer phones don’t even support them, and they can be a hassle to pick up in some countries.
Anyway, thanks for stopping by and safe travels!
Laurence
Tina says
Hi Laurence, thanks for sharing your helpful review. I’m going to Japan on April 3rd and planning to buy the 10 GB for 30 days from Airalo. Currently it’s on sale for $9. I also have a discount code for another $3 off so it will be only $6. Wanted to buy it now and have it installed on my iPhone but not sure if it’s too early and it will work when I arrive in Japan on April 3rd. I sent Airalo a message about the above but no response yet. If you know the answer kindly please let me know. Thank you so much in advance.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Tina! It’s my pleasure, I’m glad you found the review helpful. So yes, you should be able to buy the eSIM, and you can either just install it closer to your trip if you want to play it safe, or you can install it straight away. The latter should work fine because the eSIM for Japan is not supposed to activate until it connects to a supported network in Japan. In my experience, I’ve never had a problem installing an eSIM in advance of a trip, and I have also bought a number of Airalo eSIMs recently because of their sale for upcoming trips and not had any issues with those either.
Have a great time in Japan and let me know if you have any more questions!
Best
Laurence
Thu says
Hi Lawrence, thanks for your response. Airalo Support also responded to me that I can buy in advance as the eSIM won’t activate until I arrive in Japan like you said. I went ahead and bought it already because the sale will end on 2/29.
By the way, when I went to Japan last November I bought an eSIM from Ubigi and it was good too. Now since Airalo has it on sale it’s much cheaper. Thanks again.
Sincerely,
Tina
Thanks again.
sussi lise theander says
Hi..after reading your artickle,and many others, I simply can not find anything on ,how to receive verification codes from banks,Revolut,etc. on an E sim?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Sussi,
So the majority of eSIMs are data only, meaning that they don’t support making regular calls or recieving messages. For those that do, the number is going to be different from the number that you will have registered with the bank (each SIM Card, whether it’s a regular plastic SIM or a digital eSIM has it’s own number).
So you have two options.
First, if your phone supports it you can leave your existing SIM in and use that to recieve messages for verification codes, and use the eSIM for data. That’s normally what I do. You just need a phone that supports dual sim dual standby capabilities.
Second, you can get a Google Voice number (although this will depend where you are in the world). These are free, and you can set them up so the message gets sent to your e-mail. You would give the Google Voice number as the number to your banks etc, and the code would come to your e-mail which you could access using the data connection on the eSIM.
I hope this answers your question, let me know if I can offer any more advice!
Laurence
sussi lise theander says
Thank you, I have a Samsung with the card in,and I can add E sims,I live in Spain. So you are saying,that if I leave my sim in,I will get the sms? and if I leave the card in,should I turn off data for that as not to get charged by Orange for roaming?And will the card use the wifi from the E sim then,to get the sms? I am sorry to ask so much,but I never tried an E sim before 😉 and I never heard of anyone using Google voice here in Spain.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Sussi,
Yes, most Samsung phones allow you to run two SIMs at the same time (or at least, easily switch between SIMs). And you should be able to specify which SIM you use for what purpose. So I have a Samsung phone too, and I have it set up to use Airalo for data and my normal SIM for text and voice.
Usually the phone will only use one SIM for one function (although this depends on the model). So as long as you have the Airalo for data then you shouldn’t be charged for roaming. Just be aware that voice / text is the same, so when you are abroad, you can recieve SMS for free but if you make calls or send SMS then Orange will charge for that.
Google Voice isn’t available in Spain unfortuntely so that won’t work 🙁
Safe travels, let me know if you have more questions I am more than happy to help!
Laurence
sussi lise theander says
Thank you very much for your help,will try that and cross my fingers,haha,was actually thinking about getting a cheap phone to put in the normal sim card,but maybe I dont need that now.
Laurence Norah says
Hey Sussi,
It’s my pleasure! You can actually get a very cheap eSIM from Airalo just to test things out and see if it works for your phone. You could even get a cheap esim for Spain for example, and just see if it works. You get $3 in Airalo credit if you use the code LAUREN8516 when you sign up.
Anyway, just an idea! An eSIM would be cheaper than another phone if it works I think!
Laurence
Andy Kuiper says
I tried contacting their support via chat (there is NO phone support) 2x – once you get past the buggy AI questions you’ll be told to ‘wait for an agent’. Trust me, no one will respond. I waited close to an hour the first time and then next day I gave up after 26 minutes… NO ONE WILL SUPPORT YOU if you have troubles installing their via their complicated process. ‘Buying’ the e-SIM was a breeze – installing it is a hassle – getting it to work was impossible – SUPPORT was just not available. I wasted $100 USD with this company – they left me high and dry – as for all the other reviews… buyer beware.
Laurence Norah says
Thanks for sharing your experience Andy. I have heard a few negative things about the Airalo customer experience, here’s hoping they are able to improve. I’ve personally not had issues with the install on multiple eSIMs on different phones, but I appreciate problems do arise and when they do good customer service is key, so it is disappointing to hear about your experience.
Jan says
Thank you for this feedback.
This is exactly what I was reading reading this section for as I’m off to UK again this year. When I’ve had issues with EE, which is telco I join up with over there (have best service in terms of signal) I’ve always been able to ring & speak with them until halfway thru my trip in June last year.They’ve known their ‘stuff’ too which is more than I can say for their shop front staff!!
Sounds like eSim only gives you data & no calls etc so I’ll be giving it a miss & take my chances.
This A1 is a set up or worse I suspect.
Rani says
I purchased the Europe e-sim and worked very well. Was easy to install and their customer support system was very good. The signal was very good and had no issues during my travel. I will purchase again and will recommend to my friends and family.
Laurence Norah says
Glad to hear it, thanks for sharing your experience Rani. I hope you had a good time in Europe 🙂
Andrew King says
Hi, I’ve never used an e-sim before so I’m curious. When I get to my destination and take my phone off airplane mode, will I incur roaming charges before it connects to the local service? Sorry, but I’m a newbie.
Thanks, Andy
Laurence Norah says
Hi Andrew,
This is a great question and it is definitely something to be aware of. So the exact options you have will depend a little on what your phone model is, but most phones that support eSIMs allows you to specify which SIM you want to use for data.
So what I do is as I am boarding the plane, I toggle the phone from my primary SIM to the Airalo eSIM for data, and then enable airplane mode. Then when I land and toggle airplane mode off, it’s on Airalo already.
Another option is that most phones allow you to disable mobile data and / or mobile roaming. So you can do that before you leave. Then when you land, you can switch the phone to the eSIM before enabling mobile data and roaming (Airalo requires roaming to be enabled to work in most cases).
I hope this is clear, but do let me know if not and I’ll be happy to clarify!
Laurence
Andrew King says
Brilliant, thanks!
Neil Brennan says
I set one up today, but would have to say I would not do this again. It’s a bad idea when an actual SIM for the country you are in is available for a fraction of the price.
I’m travelling to Nepal in a few days and thought it would be useful to have an eSIM set up for when I get there, so followed the directions from Airalo. Their documentation explicitly said that the eSIM will be activated once it connects to the correct network, but of course that’s not true. The expiry is calculated from the moment you begin the activation process in the phone app. So I’ve paid for 7 days access and will get ONE.
I contacted Airalo support who, after initially denying I was their customer, expressed their sympathy and told me not to do it again. So I will never do it again.
1GB for 7 days of Nepalse data costs 10USD from Airalo with an eSIM, 28 days expiry for over 20 GB with a real SIM costs 2/3rds of that. It’s a pretty easy choice.
Laurence Norah says
Hey Neil,
Thanks for sharing your experience! I defnitely agree that a local SIM card can work out more cheaply in many countries. And you are correct that the Nepal eSIM should not activate until you arrive in country and it connects to a supported network. I have installed a lot of Airalo eSIMs prior to trips and they haven’t activated until I arrived in country so I am not sure what has gone wrong there. I would have hoped that customer support would have been able to resolve this for you and it is disappointing to hear that they didn’t. I hope you have a great trip to Nepal though!
Laurence
Neil Brennan says
Thanks Laurence, after much to-ing and fro-ing Airalo finally admitted I was their customer and agreed to disable the eSIM and give me a credit, but not an ideal experience in any way. I guess try again right before we leave… The rest of my party will all be getting physical SIMs though 🙂
Thanks for the response – can’t wait to be in Nepal now!
Neil
Laurence Norah says
I’m glad to hear they made it right, and thanks for reporting back. Have an amazing time in Nepal!
Alexander says
I’ve used Airalo in various countries with mixed results. When it works, it’s a great tool for travelers. However, my recent experience exposed a significant flaw – their customer service. After facing connectivity issues, support attempted fixes but ultimately blamed it on their local partner, leaving the problem unresolved. Needing a reliable connection, I requested a refund to switch to a local SIM. This is where things worsened – my emails for a refund were met with silence. It’s disappointing and frustrating; not only did their service fail, but their customer care was equally lacking, showing no accountability for their faulty service. This experience has seriously made me reconsider using Airalo in the future.
Laurence Norah says
Hey Alexander!
Thanks for sharing your experience with Airalo. That is definitely not good to hear about the customer service experience. Ultimately you paid Airalo for a service so I would have hoped that they would have made it right rather than blaming a partner and going silent. I hope you were able to at least get online in the end!
Safe travels
Laurence
lucie says
Hello !! thank you for those advices. It is very usefull.
Do you know wy some eSim do not be rechargeable ? I am canadian an I’m planning a trip in Argentine for 11 weeks. I have en Iphone13.
Thank you
Laurence Norah says
Hi Lucie,
Honestly, I’m not sure. All the eSIMs I’ve used with Airalo have been rechargeable but I do see that the Argentina one does not support top ups.
One thing I did notice though is that the 30 day Argentina eSIM is $26 for 6GB for 30 days. The Global eSIM from Airalo is available for 10gb for 180 days for $59 and it includes Argentina, which would be less cost than buying the Argentina eSIM three times. The only thing is that you would only get 10gb of data instead of 3x 6GB. So a little would depend on how much data you think you need.
I hope this helps a bit and at least gives you an option 🙂
Best
Laurence
Darby says
In one of your replies you said “I’d also advise reading over the install instructions and making an offline copy of them (a screenshot of the app or something).” Can you provide a link to the install instructions or tell me where I can find them to make a copy for future reference please?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Darby,
Sure thing. You can find the specific install instructions for the eSIM you purchase in the Airalo app when you have bought an eSIM.
You can also get an overview of the process on the Airalo website in the help center here. The only difference is that each eSIM has specific instructions if doing a manual install for the APN settings, so you can only get those once you have actually purchased the eSIM. However the overall instructions are the same. That help page also has instructions for saving your eSIM instructions for later.
The general instructions vary a little depending on your device, but you can see instructions for:
Most modern smartphones support the newer direct install method which is literally a one click install option which takes away the majority of hassle. I can highly recommend installing the eSIM before you travel though. Most eSIMs won’t activate until you actually connect to a network in your destination, and getting set up in advance means you’ll be able to get support if you have any issues with install prior to your trip, as well as get online as soon as you reach your destination.
I hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
Tyler says
Hi! My wife and I will be in Europe for 90 days so their Europe esim looks like good option. However, our US phone plan is a Mint Mobile eSim currently. So I assume switching off that eSim to this one would leave no “phone number” for things like texts / banks verification etc and May mean this isn’t the best plan for us? Or can we have two eSims at once? Thank you!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Tyler!
So it will depend on your phone model. I know many recent iPhones for example support dual eSIM, which means you can have two eSIMs active and thus receive texts on both of them. However it is more common for phones to only support one eSIM. In that case you can actually install both eSIMs onto the phone (I have multiple eSIMs installed on my Galaxy S23 at the moment), but only one of them can actually be active at a time. So if you know you are going to receive a text you can toggle to your Mint Mobile eSIM. It’s not a perfect solution but it should work.
Hope this helps and have a great time in Europe!
Laurence
Laurence Norah says
Hey Mitchell,
Sorry to hear about your experience with Airalo. As I said in my review I’ve had a good experience in various locations around the world, but unfortunately the many varieties of phones and phone networks in use around the world means that it’s definitely not going to work for everyone. Maybe if you could share what phone model you have, and what region you were travelling from and to, that might help others understand if they are likely to face issues as well.
Cheers
Laurence
Phil Chomak says
Hi Laurence. My wife and I are going to be in France for 3 weeks. I have a Google Pixel 7a and she has an iPhone SE. My carrier here in California is MintMobile and we plan to use their international plan. We will pay 5 or 10 dollars in advance and use it for texts and voice calls. Texts cost only a nickel apiece and voice calls are 25 cents a minute. We will keep our calls short. We’ve been told that their data plan can get expensive (20 cents per MB) so I’m thinking that Airalo would be a more cost-effective option for data roaming. I believe it’s possible with both phones to use the existing physical SIM card along with the eSIM. We would turn off roaming with our home carrier and just use Airalo for that. Would it be necessary to do anything to switch between the physical SIM and the eSIM or will the phone “know” which one to use for each specific purpose and switch automatically? Thanks!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Phil,
So both the Pixel 7a and iPhone SE support Dual Sim Dual Standby as far as I can tell. So all you need to do on the phone is tell it to use one SIM for calls and texts, and the eSIM for data. Once you have told the phone which one to use for which purpose you should be good to go. The exact process for doing this depends on the phone model but you should be able to find instructions on the manufacturers website I believe 🙂
Have a great time in France and let me know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
Phil Chomak says
Thanks so much for your speedy and clear reply. I will go ahead with my plan and sign up with Airalo. As a backup plan, I may also bring my old Garmin non-phone-related GPS in case I run into connectivity issues while on the road. Thanks again!
Mohsen says
Their eSims stopped working, three of them, on three different phones, iOS an android, all at once yesterday. Their support wanted to check my settings, which is a joke. My eSims have not been working for 12 hours now and their support has no clue how to fix it. They keep saying their “experts” will contact me but they never did. Ruined my Rome trip. I want my money back.
Laurence Norah says
That does not sound like the best experience. I have read a few reports now of Airalo eSIMs stopping working partway through a trip, which is most unusual, and not something I’ve personally had happen yet. Sorry to hear about your experience, but thanks for sharing it.
Sam Mishki says
I used airalo for the first time last week, followed their installation instructions and was able to get mobile data on my phone.
Problem was I couldn’t hotspot my phone data to other devices which is why I got the esim in the first place.
After working with their help desk on and off for three days it still didn’t work. During the process I learned that their carriers may not allow hotspotting data (not because airalo told me, they never did).
Now three days have gone by and when I asked for a refund they say that they’ll give me credit towards future airalo purchases.
Laurence Norah says
Hey Sam,
That is interesting to hear, and not a good experience. I haven’t personally encountered this but it’s not good that this is the case as it’s advertised as a feature. Thanks for sharing!
Laurence
Leigh says
Hello!
Our son will be in Eastern Europe for 9 months. Would you recommend Airalo for this length of time? If so, what are the advantages and if not, what are the disadvantages?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Leigh!
Thanks for your message 🙂 So Airalo might be a good option, but given the length of time he might find it easier to pick up a local SIM card that covers the various countries he is visiting. However it’s hard to know without knowing which countries he is visiting. Airalo has the advantage of being easy to get and it just working, but the disadvantage that it might be more expensive (depending on where he is going, it’s hard to know for sure), and most of their packages don’t includes voice calls.
If you let me know specifically which countries he is visiting I can give a more detailed response 🙂
Cheers
Laurence
Joe says
I tried Airalo for my recent trip to Sri Lanka and the service didn’t work for 90% of my trip.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Joe,
Sorry to hear about this. Something I should add to my guide is the importance of checking supported bands on a phone for the country being visited. Different parts of the world use different 3G / 4G and 5G frequencies, so it’s possible that Sri Lanka’s bands did not match up with what your phone supports. I’m just hypothesizing here though.
Thanks for your feedback though 🙂
Laurence
Ben Ang says
Very comprehensive article and easy to understand. We are leaving for Italy, the Balkans and Greece next week, what regional option should I use? Thank you in anticipation.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Ben,
So this Europe regional eSIM should work, however you will want to check the supported country list as the Balkans is quite a big area containing around 12 countries (depending on which definition you are using), so if you are visiting all of them they are not all included. Most of them are, but you will just want to be sure that the countries you are intending on visiting are included.
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Mandy says
Hello
Family of 3 are travelling to Japan in 2 weeks looking to purchase Airalo e-sim data. We all have 3 devices would you suggest we should buy 20 GB to share the hotspot or buy an individual data for each of us. I am the one will use most of data and we need to use google map a lot in Japan. I think both kids will just having data to use for leisure. I am using Samsung ultra 22 plus my daughter is using Huawei an older phone and my son is using Google Pixel are these all compatible to use for esim Airalo. Also, is there instruction will be given to us how to active the esim after purchase. Do we activate esim only we arrive at our destination or we can activate a day before we leave. Please give us some advice.
Thank you in advance
Mandy
Laurence Norah says
Hi Mandy
So it will be easier to buy separate eSIMs just because it means your son and daughter won’t have to rely on your turning the hotspot on or off. Running a hotspot on a phone is good for occasional use in my experience, but it does tend to eat up the battery life so isn’t an ideal solution for prolonged usage.
For Japan, the eSIM will only fully activate when it connects to the supported network in Japan. So you can definitely install it in advance and the data / timer won’t start going down until it actually connects to the network in Japan. The Airalo eSIM does come with detailed instructions, and you should be able to set it up on all your devices. I am not 100% sure on the Huawei device but the Google Pixel and S22 Ultra should have no problems. I would definitely suggest purchasing and setting up in advance, that way if you have any questions you can contact Airalo support before your trip.
Have a great time in Japan!
Laurence
BILL says
Hi Lawrence,
Great article and great help. I’m going to Portugal and Spain next month. Does a regional Airalo E-sim work in these two countries and how much will it cost? Is the setup easy? I’m using a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Thank you.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Bill,
My pleasure, glad you found it useful! So you have a few options 🙂
First, there’s a Portugal eSIM and a Spain eSIM They are fairly similar, a one week eSIM is around $4.50 for 1GB and a 15 day SIM 2gb SIM is $6.50 for Spain and $7 for Portugal.
However, as you asked about regional eSIMs you’ll probably find the Europe eSIM to be easier. This includes both Spain and Portugal, with a 7 day 1GB option available for $5 and then a variety of 30 day options from 3GB to 10GB available from $13 to $37. There are also longer versions available with much more data. So you just need to decide how much data you want. You can also always top data up from the app, once the eSIM is installed it’s very easy to top up with more data, although it’s normally a bit more cost effective to buy in larger quantities.
Airalo is pretty easy to use, there’s a 1-click install which should work on your S21 Ultra. You just want to be sure your phone is not carrier locked to your network. I’d also advise reading over the install instructions and making an offline copy of them (a screenshot of the app or something). You can do all the set up before you leave as the SIM will only actually activate when it connects to a supported network.
Have a great trip, let me know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
Bill says
Hi Lawrence,
Thanks for your quick response. I will check the options that you mentioned. I really appreciate it.
Bill
shirley says
I am going to Canada and USA for a few months and would like to know about texting and calling. Understand from your post that it is difficult to do so, but would iMessage be possible since it utilises mobile data? As for calling for emergency purposes, is Skype a common way of making calls in this area, or do you have suggestions on how this can be done?
In cases of emergencies, are calls / texts completely unable to be used, or can they be used, except that international charges would apply? Thank you!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Shirley,
So any messaging or calling service that works over data will be fine, i.e. Whatsapp, iMessage, Skpe, facebook messenger, google voice etc will all work fine over the data. The only thing that doesn’t work is SMS text messages and calling using the phone. For emergency calling, Skype now supports emergency calling in the US as outlined here: https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA34944/emergency-calling-support-in-skype-for-the-united-states but I don’t think for Canada. However, a mobile phone should be able to make an emergency 911 call even without a SIM card (https://www.rogers.com/support/mobility/can-i-call-911-if-my-sim-card-is-not-working) so I think that you should be ok if that is your main use case.
Hope this helps!
Laurence
Shirley says
Hi Laurence,
Thanks for your speedy reply! For SMS texts, would I be able to receive text messages (without replying?). This is because my bank provider usually uses SMS to send one-time passwords for cash transfer. Thanks!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Shirley,
So it depends a bit on your phone and if it supports multiple SIM cards. On my phone for example I can have two SIMs active at once, which can be either two physical SIM’s, or one SIM and one eSIM. I can then configure it to receive messages on one SIM and use data on my eSIM. So in that situation, yes, I can receive text messages from my bank. Alternatively, your phone might support two SIM’s, but only one can be active at once, so you will have to toggle between them to receive the message. There’s no fee to receive a text though, so as long as you have your home SIM with you and disable it for data, then you should be good.
If you let me know what phone you have I can provide a more specific response 🙂
Cheers
Laurence
Shirley says
Hi Laurence,
Thanks again for your quick reply! I use an iPhone 13.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Shirley,
So yes, according to Apple with the iPhone 13 you can use two SIM’s, either one physical SIM and one eSIM or two eSIMs. This is noted here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044#:~:text=You%20can%20use%20Dual%20SIM,cellular%20plan%20on%20an%20eSIM.
So you can use the Airalo eSIM for mobile data and keep your other SIM active for text messages. Just be aware that if you send text messages or call using your home SIM, it will cost you quite a bit most likely, depending on your carriers roaming fees.
Cheers!
Laurence
Happy says
I will be doing alot of travelling to different countries and at different months, what would be your suggestion as which plan to go for and do I need to do anything when I reach different countries? Thank you in advance 🙂
Laurence Norah says
Hi Happy,
So it depends exactly which countries and how long you’ll be spending in each one. It’s usually slightly more cost-effective to get a eSIM for each country rather than a regional or global SIM, but if you are going through countries quite quickly then a regional or global eSIM might make more sense. You’ll just want to check that the regional or global eSIM actually supports all the countries you plan on visiting as they don’t cover every country.
For individual eSIMs you’d need to switch the eSIM on your phone when you arrive in a different country, which is quite straightforward. If you get a regional eSIM you’d only need to change if you change regions. For the global eSIM you wouldn’t need to change.
Hope this helps! If you share which countries you are going to I can be more specific 🙂
Laurence
Happy says
Will be going to South Korea, Singapore n Malaysia. Thinking of Europe too, thanks
Laurence Norah says
Ok. So Airalo has a regional eSIM for Asia which includes all of those countries. You can get 5GB for 30 days for $20, and other packages are available.
The only eSIM for South Korea on Airalo is an unlimited one for 10 or 30 days, at $32 and $62 respectively, so unless you are planning on using a massive amount of data, I’d say the regional variant is going to be best in this regard.
I’d then probably just get a regional eSIM for Europe, again there are a few options but you can get a 30 day 5GB version for $20 as well.
So you would only need to install two eSIMs for your trip.
Finally, you might consider a Global eSIM. The advantage of these is that they are available for longer durations, so as you said your trips will be over a prolonged period of time this might be easier for you. You can get one with 180 day validity and 10gb of data for $59 and one with a full year of validity and 20gb of data for $69.
Hope this helps!
Laurence
Maddie says
Thanks for the helpful article! Can you clarify about texts and local calls further. If I understand with my iPhone 13, an eSIM card does not allow texting or making local phone calls?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Maddie,
Sure thing. So an eSIM can allow for texts and calls, however, it is up to the provider selling the eSIM card as to whether or not that feature is enabled. In our experience, the majority of eSIMs that are designed for travel use, like the Airalo eSIMs, generally do not support voice or text. There are a few exceptions, some of the eSIM’s Airalo provides for some countries do include this feature, but it is very much the exception to the rule.
I think the main reason for this is cost – most people just want data when they are away, so there is no need to include a feature that the majority won’t need. For calls, you can use a service like Skype, and I generally use WhatsApp to message people. Both these services work over data and don’t require minutes or texts.
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
Sue Hano says
Very untalented with tech, hope this isn’t stupid but here goes: I have t-mobile for an iPhone 13. T-Mobile says it includes international coverage as part of the plan I’m on (magenta). When I was in Scandinavia my internet on my phone was iffy. I was able to connect to WiFi when available.
I’m heading to Portugal and will be renting a car, so GPS is extremely important. My iPhone settings says the phone is locked, and I thought I heard I can’t add an e-sim (not a new physical sim) to a locked phone.
Not sure why a phone is locked in general but I’m not sure what I should do. My daughter will be with me and she has android (Samsung). Only one of us needs to have the good coverage.
Can you advise? Thanks, you’re very helpful!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Sue!
I will certainly try. So to answer your locked / unlocked question, traditionally carriers have locked devices to prevent users from getting a deal on a phone and then switching provider before the deal expires. However, you can actually unlock a phone on TMobile, you can see the instructions for doing that on T-Mobile here: https://www.t-mobile.com/support/devices/unlock-your-mobile-wireless-device
You definitely can’t use an eSIM, or any type of SIM actually, other than a T-Mobile SIM until your account is unlocked.
In terms of the Magenta coverage, I believe it only offers 2G speeds which is quite slow. I’m also not sure about the coverage.
On to Airalo. So one option would be for your daughter to get an Airalo eSIM for her Android. Samsung works pretty well with eSIMs (I have a Samnsung and it works great with Airalo). She can also set up a mobile hotspot on her device to share her Airalo data with you.
Alternatively, if you can get your phone unlocked you could add an Airalo eSIM on your phone as well or instead of.
Another option to be aware of, which is worth doing anyway, is to download offline maps for where you are going to be visiting. Google Maps lets you download offline maps for areas you are going to visit, and when they are downloaded you can do routing without needing any data connection. You won’t get live traffic but it will work for getting you from a to b. It will also save your data as it won’t have to download maps as you go.
Hopefully this all helps, let me know if I can offer any further input. Have a great time in Portugal!
Laurence
Dianne says
Purchased for China and it didn’t work for me. Once I got back to the states and contacted them for refund, they questioned if it was installed correctly, which I don’t know. I didn’t access any of the data as the card shows, but they still refused a refund. Even though it wasn’t a lot of money, still a little disappointed.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Dianne,
Sorry to hear about this experience! eSims can be a bit tricky to install sometimes, and in my experience sometimes the phone needs to be restarted as well to get the data flowing. The frustration is that it can be difficult to look up instructions or get support without internet access. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Laurence
Margaret Lewis says
Hi
Useful information.
With an esim would you still be charged roaming fees by your provider? My provider charges a daily rate.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Margaret,
If you exclusively use the eSIM and don’t use your normal SIM from your provider, then you should not be charged a daily rate. In my experience most providers only charge a roaming fee if you actually use their data when abroad. So as long as you switch to the Airalo eSIM and disable data on your providers SIM, you should be fine. I’d recommend checking with your provider what exactly they charge for though. It can be handy to still be able to recieve text messages when abroad for example, which in my experience most providers don’t charge for, and is often required if you need to do any internet banking for example.
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Rui says
Hi I am planning to travel to Portugal for a period of 4 months I make lot of calls and receive Airalo good for me
Laurence Norah says
Hi Rui,
So it depends on how you make and recieve calls. The majority of Airalo eSIM options only include data, so you don’t get voice or text capabilities. If you recieve calls over services like WhatsApp, Zoom, Skype etc, then it will be fine. However, if you are recieving calls where people dial your actual number, then Airalo isn’t going to be a good option as you don’t get an actual phone number. So in this case a local SIM might be a better option.
Have a great time in Portugal!
Laurence
Jacki says
Hi there, thanks for your great article. just wanted to ask if you know what the coverage with AIRALO be like on safari in Tanzania and Kenya. I understand that really remote places may not have coverage (I live in Australia, some of the worst internet in the world) but as we be mostly on safari in the usual tourist areas, just wondering whether an eSim is worth getting. Thank you … Jacki 🙂
Laurence Norah says
Hi Jacki!
I used Airalo on safari in both Tanzania and Kenya and I can say that the reception was surprisingly good! Much of East Africa uses mobile phones for things like making payments, so there tend to be lots of masts, meaning that even in fairly remote areas it worked pretty well. Of course, it wasn’t everywhere, but it was pretty rare not to have a signal.
Hope this helps, and have an amazing trip!
Laurence
Jacki says
Thanks so much for your quick reply Laurence, I’ve gone with Airalo 👍🙂
Colleen says
If traveling with spouse, do you need to each purchase your own Airalo for each phone?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Colleen,
So it depends on your phone and how you want to use it. Normally you would need your own Airalo for each phone. However, if your phone supports tethering (also known as creating a hotspot), then you could share the data between the two devices. You’d need to be near each other and remember to put the hotspot on. It’s also worth noting that creating a hotspot uses up battery faster.
So generally it’s easier to get your own Airalo each, but it is possible to just have one if that works better for you.
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
Linda Reed says
I’m a 70 year old who struggles with technology but found your article very interesting. I’m investigating a 4 month world cruise but still need to keep in regular contact with our family business. Ships internet packages are very expensive so I’m trying to find the best way to stay in contact via apple I phone and my laptop. Any tips?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Linda!
This is a great question. So Airalo is very easy to use, especially on the iPhone, so that shouldn’t cause you any problems. The main issue will be actual call phone reception. An eSIM still needs to be in range of a cell tower to work. So I would have to ask where your cruise is going. If for example it’s a Mediterranean cruise where you will regularly be near land and larger towns, then Airalo would be a great option. But if you are going to be spending long periods of time away from land it wouldn’t work during those periods.
Hopefully this helps, let me know if I can offer any more advice!
Laurence
Mickey B says
use Airalo for my weekly travels and absolutely
Love it . Basically live on a plane and it’s saved me so much.
Laurence Norah says
Glad to hear you are enjoying Airalo Mickey!
Christine Berryman says
Will the eSim just connect when I go from one country to another? We are going to the uk, France Italy and Malta
Laurence Norah says
Hi Christine!
Yes, if you purchase the Europe regional SIM which covers all the countries you are visiting it will just work in every country as you arrive there.
Let me know if you have any more questions, and have a great trip!
Laurence
Mary says
How did I not know about this? Gamechanger. Thank you for the detailed article.
Laurence Norah says
My pleasure Mary, hope you find the Airalo service as useful as I have 🙂