The Asian continent has so much to offer that we understand that you may find it difficult to choose just one country when planning your trip. That’s why many travellers tend to include a couple of stops when they travel to the Orient. By now, you may already know that eSIM cards are the best option to have internet on your travels, but what you may not know is that eSIM cards are also sold for several countries in Asia, so you can cross borders without having to make a new purchase or reinstall the eSIM. In this post we tell you what the best eSIM for Asia
There are currently a wide variety of brands with different features such as speed, data limit, technical support, price or duration of plans, so we have compared the main brands such as Holafly, Airalo or SimOptions, among others, and we tell you their advantages and disadvantages to help you make a decision. We’ve already told you that one of our favorite brands for their ease of use and efficient customer service are the Holafly eSIM cards, a safe bet with which there will be no extra charges, and you will also have 24h support. And the best part is that they offer unlimited data.
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Comparison of eSIMs for a trip to Asia
When comparing different eSIM brands, we must take into account all the features that will determine if the card fits the needs of our trip. That’s why we have prepared this summary table with all the essential information about Holafly, Airalo, Maya Movile, Simoptions and Ubigi to help you choose. We’ll delve deeper into each eSIM brand later on, so you won’t miss any of the information.
| Brand | Plan duration | Data sharing | Unlimited data | App | GB per plan | Support | Price | Trustpilot | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holafly | 5, 7, 10, 15, 15, 20 and 30 days | No | + | + | Unlimited data on all plans | In Spanish, direct chat and WhatsApp | 27€ -79€ | 4.7 | 4.5 |
| Airalo | 7, 30, 90 and 180 days | Yes | – | + | 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 50GB, 100GB. | English, via bot | 5$ – 185$ | 2.6 | 3.8 |
| Ubigi | 1, 30 days or 12 months | Yes | – | + | 500 MB, 1GB , 3GB, 5GB, 10GB and 24GB | By email in 8 languages | 3$ -78$ | 4.4 | 4 |
| Simoptions | 10 and 12 days | No | – | – | 6GB | In English by chat | €17.9-19.9 | 4.4. | 3.5 |
| Maya Mobile | 5, 10, 15 and 30 days | Only in some plans | + | – | 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 20GB and Unlimited | In English, by means of a bot | 7€ – 55€ | 4.7 | 3.6 |
1. Holafly, eSIM for Asia with unlimited data
| Advantages | They offer data packages by continent and for countries. Holafly’s eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install with QR code or manually. They have eSIM cards for 160 destinations. 24/7 technical support in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Japanese. Very flexible pricing. You can pay in euros, dollars and Mexican pesos. All plans have unlimited data. They have an App where you can check your usage and the number of days left on your contract. |
| Disadvantages | They are one of the most expensive options on the market, but it is worth it because they offer more gigabytes than the rest. Their eSIM cards do not include calls. Holafly’s eSIM card for Asia does not allow data sharing. Installation cannot be done through their App. |
With Holafly there is no need to buy a different eSIM for each country if you are on the road in Asia as they offer a regional eSIM that encompasses 12 countries on the continent which includes South Korea, Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Laos.
On Holafly you can find 6 unlimited data plans from 5 to 30 days, starting at 27€. The price is 47€ and 59€. It is a perfect option for long or medium stays, as well as for digital nomads or students abroad.
With Holafly you will travel with peace of mind as it offers a 24h customer service in Spanish, English, German, French, Italian and Japanese that responds in less than a minute by chat or WhatsApp, and is currently the company with the best customer rating in Trustpilot with a score of 4.7.
| Data plan | Euros | Dollars | Pesos |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 days – Unlimited data | 27€ | 27$ | $599 |
| 7 days – Unlimited data | 34€ | 34$ | $699 |
| 10 days – Unlimited data | 37€ | 37$ | $799 |
| 15 days – Unlimited data | 47€ | 47$ | $999 |
| 20 days – Unlimited data | 57€ | 54$ | $1199 |
| 30 days – Unlimited data | 79€ | 79$ | $1599 |
There are two options for installing the Holafly eSIM. One is scanning the QR code that will arrive to your email once you have completed the purchase. And the other is the manual installation that you can do without a computer, simply typing a code in the settings of your mobile. This code will be sent to your email and you can also consult it in the Holafly App, which is very convenient to control the duration of the data plan.
Here we leave you this ranking where we evaluate from 1 to 5 all the features of Holafly eSIM cards for Asia based on our experience.
In this post, you can read about our experience with Holafly eSIM cards and some user reviews: Our opinion of Holafly eSIM.
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.8 | 0 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
2. Airalo, the cheapest eSIM brand for travel to Asia
| Advantages | They offer regional, country or global data packages. Airalo’s eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install. They are the cheapest brand on the market. A wide variety of eSIM cards with different duration, price and gigabytes. They have eSIM cards for 190 countries. Their eSIM card allows you to share data with other devices. Allows the eSIM to be recharged. They have an App and you can buy and install the eSIM from it. |
| Disadvantages | The gigabytes are limited to 100GB or less and they do not have cards with unlimited data. Short-term plans have very limited gigabytes of 1GB and 5GB. The duration of most plans is more than one month. Their eSIM cards do not include calls or sms. Their services and technical support is exclusively in English and takes a long time to respond. |
Airalo is along with Holafly one of the world’s best-known brands for buying an international travel eSIM. This company, founded in Singapore in 2019 by Turkish entrepreneurs Abraham Burak and Ahmet Bahadir Özdemir, was one of the first to offer these services, and has a wide coverage of countries where they offer eSIM cards.
Airalo’s eSIM card data plans for Asia have durations of 7, 30, 90 and 180 days, and prices range from $5 to $185. Airalo is characterized as one of the cheapest brands on the market, however, its technical service leaves much to be desired and takes a long time to respond. In addition, their data plans have very limited gigabytes, and you will most likely run out of data in the middle of the trip and have to recharge. This means that in the end the costs will increase, and the cheap will be expensive.
| Data plan | Price in Dollars |
|---|---|
| 7 days – 1 GB | $5 |
| 30 days – 3 GB | $13 |
| 30 days – 5 GB | $20 |
| 30 days – 10 GB | $37 |
| 90 days – 50 GB | $100 |
| 180 days – 100 GB | $185 |
Although Airalo is cheap and offers a wide variety of eSIM cards whose spending can be controlled through its App, the truth is that it is not one of the best options because of what we told you earlier about its technical service, as you can see on Trustpilot in user reviews and ratings. Airalo has one of the lowest scores with 2.6. Here you have the ranking of each aspect of Airalo and in this post you can also read about our opinion of the brand: Our opinion of Airalo: is it worth it?
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 4.5 | 4 | 4 | 4.5 | 3 | 3.8 |
3. Maya Mobile, data packs with as many GB as you need
| Advantages | They offer data packages by continent and for countries. Maya Mobile’s eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install with QR code or manually. They have eSIM cards for 194 destinations. Data plans limited to 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 20GB that can run out quickly. Flexible pricing. They have plans with unlimited data. To recharge you can set up auto-recharge after 30 days. They allow data sharing with other devices. The duration of the plans can be 5, 10, 15 and 30 days. |
| Disadvantages | Their eSIM cards do not include calls or sms. No App. Its unlimited data plans have a speed of 1Mbps after the first 2GB per day. Technical support only in English via a bot. |
This company makes eSIM cards available for 5, 10, 15 and 30 days in Asia including 12 countries: Australia, Macau, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and New Zealand. The price of the data packages varies depending on the gigabytes. In total, they have 5 packages of 3, 5, 10 and 20 gigabytes, and another with unlimited data. Maya Mobile’s unlimited data is relative since after having used the first 2GB of the plan the browsing speed will drop from 5Mbps to 1Mbps. The price ranges from €7 to €55.
Like Holafly, Maya Mobile is characterized by the speed and simplicity of its contracting and installation process, which is also done via a QR code that arrives in the mail. In addition, they have a 100% refund policy of the purchase in case the data does not work, which is not usual since they have at least two data providers in each country where they offer their services.
| Data plan | Price in Dollars |
|---|---|
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – 3GB | 7 – 10$ |
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – 5 GB | 10 – 13$ |
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – 10 GB | 14 – 20$ |
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – 20 GB | 26 – 36$ |
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – unlimited data | 18 – 55$ |
Here we leave you this table with the score of each of the features of their eSIM cards.
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4.5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4.5 | 3 | 3 | 3.6 |
4. SimOptions, an eSIM marketplace
| Advantages | They offer regional, country or global data packages. Sim Options eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install. A wide variety of eSIM cards with different duration, price and gigabytes. They have eSIM cards for 160 countries. Some plans include calls and SMS. |
| Disadvantages | Gigabytes are limited to 6GB or less and do not have unlimited data cards. Short-term plans have very limited gigabytes. The features of eSIMs for the same country vary according to the brand contracted. The duration of data plans is limited to 10 and 12 days. eSIM cards do not allow recharging data. Technical support depends on each brand and good customer service cannot be guaranteed. Speed depends on each eSIM card brand. There is no App to control data consumption. |
SimOptions is an eSIM card marketplace where local mobile carriers in each country sell their eSIM cards. The brand, with offices in Paris, Thailand and Hong Kong, offers data plans for eSIM cards in more than 160 countries and also have regional and global plans.
For Asia, you will find 10-day and 12-day data plans with data limits of 6GB and priced at €17.9 and €19.9. These two options do not include calls or SMS. They also do not give the option to top up.
The main drawback of Simoptions is that its website is a bit chaotic and the data plans, being from different brands, are very disparate, and their features vary a lot, not only price, speed or duration, but also technical support, rechargeability or data sharing. This will force you to look in detail at each brand and will make it harder for you to make a decision.
| Data plan | Price in Dollars |
|---|---|
| 10 days – 6 GB | $17.9 |
| 12 days – 6 GB | $19.9 |
Our personal experience is that with SimOptions cards, you waste a lot of time comparing between one and the other. In addition, the price is high, you can only pay in dollars, and they don’t give you the guarantee of a good technical support. Here we leave you this ranking where we rate SimOptions eSIM cards from 1 to 5 and in this post you can read about our opinion and that of other customers about the brand: Our opinion about SimOptions: is it worth it?
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 3.5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3.5 |
5. Ubigi and its eSIM cards for smart cars
| Advantages | Offer regional, country or global data packages. Ubigi eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install via the web or app. The Ubigi eSIM is installed for free from the App. A wide variety of eSIM cards with different duration, price and gigabytes. They have eSIM cards for 190 destinations. 24h real time technical support. They offer eSIM cards for smart cars. Their eSIM cards allow data sharing. You can recharge the eSIM from the App. |
| Disadvantages | Gigs are limited to10GB or less and they do not have unlimited data plans. Short duration plans have very limited gigas. Their eSIMs do not include calls or SMS. The duration of the plans is limited to 1, 15 or 30 days. Their support service is exclusively in English. |
Ubigi is a slightly different eSIM card providerthan the rest of the data plan companies for traveling abroad. While with other brands you have to choose and buy the plan and then proceed to install the eSIM, with Ubigi it is, on the contrary. You can first install the eSIM for free and then add credit depending on the gigabytes you are going to use. You can pay in dollars, euros, pounds and yen.
On their website and App you will see 7 data plans between 500MB and 10GB, with a duration of 1 day, 15 days or 30 days and unlimited time. These eSIMs are designed for people who travel a lot and for long periods. The downside is that all of their plans have data limits, and you can run out of internet in the middle of your trip. The unlimited time plan is paid monthly and has 5GB per month.
| Data plan | Dollars | Euros | Pounds | Yens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly – 5GB/month | 29$ | 29€ | 25£ | ¥4100 |
| 1 day – 500 MB | $3 | €3 | £3 | ¥500 |
| 30 days – 1 GB | $12 | €12 | £10 | ¥1700 |
| Monthly – 5GB | 24$ | €24 | £21 | ¥3400 |
| 30 days – 10GB | 39$ | €39 | £35 | ¥5500 |
| 30 days – 3GB | 19$ | €19 | £17 | ¥2700 |
| Monthly – 2GB/month | 78$ | 787€ | £0 | ¥11000 |
Luckily, their App works very well and in addition to buying the eSIM from there, you can install and recharge it if necessary. Also, Ubigi’s eSIMs allow for data sharing with other devices
A curious thing about Ubigi eSIM cards is that they also work in cars with internet. Some models of Jaguar, Fiat, Land Rover, Alfa Romeo or Jeep already incorporate this technology.
In this table, you can see how we evaluate each feature of Ubigi’s eSIM cards. And if you want to know our opinion about Ubigi eSIMs, check out this post: Our Ubigi opinion: is it worth it?
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4 |
Conclusion of which is the best eSIM for Asia
In this post we have seen that there are many important factors to take into account when comparing eSIM cards since, for each type of travel you will have different connection needs. That’s why we have prepared this section where we tell you based on our experience which eSIM card is best for each type of travel in Asia.
When we travel, we don’t want to run out of data in the middle of our vacation, so eSIM cards with unlimited data are the best option if we want to travel worry-free. In Asia the only brand that offers real unlimited data plans is Holafly. On Maya Mobile’s website, there is an unlimited data plan, but remember that it is capped at 2GB and has a browsing speed limited to 5Mbps. The brands that offer the most data relative to contract length are Holafly and Sim Options. With some companies such as Ubigi or Airalo you can top up the eSIM already installed via their website or App, but the best thing is not having to pay again if you run out of data.
If in the end you opt for an eSIM with limited data, we leave you this table that will help you to make the estimate of the gigabytes you will need based on your usual consumption.
| Platform | Gigabyte consumption per hour |
| 0.12 GB – 0.18 GB | |
| 0.12 GB – 0.18 GB | |
| 0.06 GB | |
| Tiktok | 0.18 GB – 0.8 GB |
| Netflix | 0.3 GB – 7 GB |
| Youtube | 0.14 GB – 1.7 GB |
| Amazon Prime | 0.8 GB – 6 GB |
The installation process for eSIM cards is always simple and fast, but it is true that there are some companies that make it even easier. The first thing is to check if your mobile is compatible with the eSIM of the brand. This information you can check on the website of each provider, and in the case of Ubigi, downloading the App tells you if your phone is compatible.
The purchase of the eSIM for Asia can be done through the web in the case of some brands such as Holafly or Sim Options, or through the app as with Ubigi. Holafly’s website is very intuitive and easy to use, while Sim Options’ is quite complicated to understand and you will have to read a lot.
The only brands that allow you to do the installation through the App are Airalo and Ubigi, and in the case of Holafly, from the App you will be able to get the code to install the eSIM manually without using a computer. You can also do the installation scanning a QR code that will arrive in the mail as soon as you have completed the purchase with Holafly, Airalo, Sim Options or Nomad.
On the other hand, it is very important to consider the technical service to help you in the installation process and solve any doubt or problem. Most brands such as Maya Mobile or Airalo have a chat bot that takes a long time to respond and only does so in English. In the case of Simoptions, technical support will depend on the brand of eSIM card you have chosen. In this aspect Holafly’s technical support is the best as it responds in less than 1 minute in Spanish, English, German, French and Japanese via web chat or WhatsApp.
Many times when we travel we want to share data with other devices and only some providers like Airalo, Ubigi and some Sim Options brands make it possible. However, you have to keep in mind that if you share data it will be used up sooner.
But one of the most important aspects is the price. The cheapest brands are Airalo and Maya Mobile, however, their data plans are very limited, and you’re likely to run out and have to pay again with the top-up. That’s why it’s sometimes advisable to pay a little more and get an eSIM card with unlimited data like Holafly’s to give you peace of mind and avoid having to recharge again.
All in all, Holafly eSIM cards are the best choice for travel to Asia because of their efficient multi-language technical support that responds in less than a minute.With Holafly you can travel with peace of mind knowing that everything will go smoothly.
Other options to have internet in Asia
eSIM cards are undoubtedly the best option to have internet in Asia for all the advantages and conveniences they offer, as we summarize in this table. We also tell you what other options you have available to have internet during your travels.
| Convenience | Immediate delivery and activation upon purchase. Pre-purchase prior to travel. Easy installation; unlike SIM cards, you don’t have to remove the original card. You’ll be connected as soon as you land, no need to find a shop first. You’ll find tailor-made plans to suit the duration and needs of your trip. No dependency on batteries, as with Pocket wifi. You won’t have to carry an extra device during your trip, like the Pocket Wifi. |
| Tranquility | 24h technical support in English, unlike with a SIM or Pocket Wifi. You won’t have to worry about forgetting or losing any device other than your mobile. |
| Security | Without using public wifi networks vulnerable to hacking. Avoid entering personal data in endless forms to get Wifi. No need to open or manipulate your mobile as with eSIM cards. |
1. SIM cards
SIM cards are one of the most widespread options today, but that does not imply that they are the best option, since as we show below they have quite a few drawbacks.
| Advantages | A variety of brands and data plans to choose from. Installation is quick. They can be purchased online or in physical shops. You can make calls and send messages with a local number. |
| Disadvantages | You have to exchange it for your regular SIM card, which can be lost or damaged. You have to open and handle the mobile phone during the installation process. When your travel SIM contract runs out, you have to replace it with another one. You will not be able to keep your regular phone number. You have to travel to buy it or wait for the card to arrive at home. |
Some operators that offer SIM cards for various countries in Asia are Trumove, Ais and China Unicom 4G, whose stores are located in airports and shopping areas in cities. They also have online stores.
The price of SIM cards varies greatly depending on the brand, the gigabytes available and the length of the contract. Ais’s 10-day SIM with 6GB costs €19.9, the same as Trumove’s. The China Unicom 4G has a 12-day duration with 4GB and costs €22.9. If you compare with the eSIM cards you can see that the prices, duration and GB are similar, with the difference being that with SIM cards you run the risk of losing or damaging them.
2. Rent a Pocket WiFi
Another alternative for connecting to the Internet in Asia is to rent a Pocket WiFi, i.e. a portable router with which you can access the Internet wherever you go.
| Advantages | It can be used by several devices at the same time. You can choose the gigabyte package that suits you best. No need to install anything on our mobiles. |
| Disadvantages | It is one of the most expensive options. There are few brands to choose from. Long-term contracts are the norm. In addition to the data plan, you have to pay rent, insurance and shipping costs. The battery lasts at most 6 hours. If you use it with other people you have to be in the same room. You have to carry it with you wherever you go and you run the risk of losing it. |
The pocket wifi can be rented in the country of destination as well as in the country of origin. Some companies will ship it to your home and with others you will have to pick it up at approved points. It is usually recommended to rent these routers on long trips or business trips, as it is not worth it for short trips.
At Travelers Wifi you can buy your Asia-wide Pocket Wifi for €5.9 per day, which is more expensive than alternatives such as eSIM cards. The device’s battery lasts 13h and the data plan includes 15 Asian countries.
3. Search for free WiFi networks in Asia
As you can imagine, this is the cheapest option. However, as you may already know, it is also the most frustrating option in most cases. Slow connection, time limit or eternal forms that promise WIFI after you give all your data.
| Advantages | It’s free. No need to install anything on our mobiles. |
| Disadvantages | It is difficult to find free wifi networks. Public wifi networks are often slow or have connection problems. You often have to fill in forms and give your personal details. Some free wifi networks are time-limited. You should always connect close to the router. They are vulnerable to hacking. |
This is an option that should be used with caution for security reasons. Public WiFi hotspots are very vulnerable to hacks or cyber-attacks, through which they access your private data. It is therefore recommended to spend as little time as possible connected, use it for specific queries and do not expose personal data.
These are some places where you can find WiFi on your trip in Asia in case you need it: airports, museums, subways, parks, cafes, restaurants and hotels. There are also APPs that tell you where to find WiFi hotspots, as well as Facebook, which also offers this service.
4. Activate roaming for Asia
One of the options that is losing more and more popularity due to its high costs is roaming, also known as data roaming. It is the simplest option as you can receive calls and connect to the Internet without having to install anything or change your phone number, however, the bills are very high.
In Spain, there are several companies that offer roaming service abroad. Some examples are Movistar, Vodafone and Orange. Before embarking on a trip, it is recommended to ask your usual company about the cost of roaming in order to compare with other services such as eSIM cards. Keep in mind that if you are going to travel through several countries, the price of GB will change every time you cross a border. The price of GB is around €27.
If you decide to use another option, remember to turn off data roaming on your cell phones or change the main line in case you use an eSIM.
| Advantages | No installation on our mobile. No extra services to sign up for. You can receive calls, send messages and connect to the internet immediately. |
| Disadvantages | It is the most expensive option. Sometimes it is activated without realising it. Not all telephone companies offer this service. |
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Frequently asked questions about having internet in Asia
eSIM cards allow you to have internet on your mobile phone when you travel abroad without having to remove your usual SIM card, as is the case with SIM cards. This is possible thanks to a chip that is built into the latest generation of mobile phones.
The purchase of the eSIM data plan can be done through the website or the App of some brands. Choose your destination, the duration and the gigabytes of the data plan and pay securely.
The installation and activation of the eSIM is a really easy procedure that will only take a few minutes.
Once you have verified that your mobile phone is compatible with the product and chosen the data plan that best suits your needs, go to the mobile data settings on your smartphone and select “add data plan”. The camera will then open so you can scan the QR code that you will have received in the mail after the purchase. The installation and activation of your card will then begin.
This process must be carried out with an internet connection, which is why it is recommended that you do it before setting off on your trip or as soon as you arrive at the hotel.
Most models of popular brands such as Apple, Samsung, Motorola, Huawei or Google are compatible as long as they are recent models. Several iPads are also compatible. However, it is best to consult the website of each provider, where they will indicate all the compatible models.
SIM cards can be purchased in physical shops or online, with delivery times ranging from 48 to 72 hours. There are also companies that offer same day express delivery.
Most carriers offer packages with data limits. Holafly, unlike the rest, offers a wide variety of unlimited data packages.
It is best to activate it just before your trip as you will need an internet connection.
Most plans have a duration between 5 and 90 days.
Unlimited data plans do not normally allow data sharing, but plans with a specific number of GBs included do.
Holafly is a Spanish company launched in 2018 that you can trust, it has been tested by more than 400,000 customers, travel blogs and Youtubers. Holafly has been marketing eSIMs since 2019.
Holafly has over 10,000 positive experiences published on Trustpilot, with a rating of “Excellent” and an average score of 4.7.
SIM Options has both positive and negative reviews, and a lower average Trustpilot rating than Holafly at 4.4.. SIM Options is a Hong Kong based company.
No, Maya actually limits the speed on its unlimited plans to only 5mbps. Once 2GB is consumed, Maya further limits the speed to 1mbps.
Maya is owned by a US company, Maya Virtual Inc. Maya’s reviews on Trustpilot are good, with an average rating of 4.7.
The price varies depending on the provider, the gigabytes and the duration of the contract. The price range is between €5 and €185.
Airalo reviews on Trustpilot are good, with an average score of 2.6.
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