If you are organizing a trip to Colombia, in addition to where to eat, sleep, what to see… you may be wondering how to connect to the internet. In this article we will share with you a comparison of the best options for eSIM to have internet in Colombia and be able to navigate at a cheap price and with total security, avoiding the excessive roaming costs and the insecurity of public networks.
The eSIM is the latest technology to have internet on the go, so there are many companies that offer this service, such as Holafly, Below we will break down the advantages and disadvantages of the most popular ones so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
We already tell you that the unlimited data eSIM cards like the ones from Holafly are a safe bet with which there will be no extra charges and you will also have 24/7 multilingual support.
Comparison of eSIMs for a trip to Colombia
Before deciding on any eSIM company, it is recommended to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each of them to know which one best suits our needs. That’s why we have prepared this table with all the essential information about Holafly, Maya Mobile, Airalo and Truephone to help you choose. We’ll delve into each eSIM brand in more depth below so you won’t be missing any of the information.
| Brand | Plan duration | Data sharing | Unlimited data | App | GB per plan | Support | Price | Trustpilot | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holafly | 15 days | No | No | Yes | 6 GB | In English and other languages, direct chat and WhatsApp | 47€ | 4,6 | 4,1 |
| Airalo | 7, 15 and 30 days | Yes | No | Yes | 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 5GB | In English, via a bot | 7,34$ – 29,8$ | 3,4 | 3,8 |
| Maya Mobile | 30 days | Yes | Yes, only 5Mbps per day | Yes | 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, unlimited data | In English, via a bot | 9€ – 119€ | 4,5 | 3,1 |
| Ubigi | 1 and 30 days, unlimited | Yes | No | Yes | 500MB, 1GB, 3GB, 5GB a month | In English, via email or the App | 12€-39€ and 68€ per month (5GB plan) | 4,3 | 4,1 |
| Truphone | 1 and 30 days | Only some devices | No | Yes | 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10 GB, 20 GB | In English via chat | 5$ – 35$ | 2 | 3,8 |
1. Holafly, eSIM with 24/7 customer support for Colombia
| Advantages | They offer data packages by continent and by country. Holafly’s eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install with QR code or manually. They have eSIM cards for 160 destinations. Most of their eSIM plans have unlimited data. 24/7 technical support in Spanish, English, German, French, Italian, and Japanese. Very flexible pricing. It has an App where you can check the consumption and the remaining days of the contract. |
| Inconveniences | Their eSIM cards do not include calls or sms. They are one of the most expensive options on the market, but it’s worth it because you don’t run out of data or have to recharge. Holafly’s eSIM card for Colombia does not allow data sharing. You can’t do the installation through their App. They only offer one data plan. They do not offer unlimited data for Colombia. |
Holafly is one of the best options to buy eSIM cards and travel without any worries, as it has a 24/7 customer service in Spanish, English, German, French, Italian and Japanese that responds in less than a minute by chat or WhatsApp. It is also one of the most reliable eSIM companies today with the best rating, scoring 4.6 on Trustpilot.
At Holafly you can find its eSIM plan for Colombia of 15 days with 6GB for 47€.
| Data plan | Price in Euros | Price in Dollars | Price in Mexican Pesos |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 days – 6 GB | 47€ | 44$ | $899 |
In addition, it is important to note that Holafly has an eSIM card data plan for Latin America that covers 15 countries, including Colombia. So, if you plan to take a trip across several countries on the subcontinent, you won’t have to worry about signing up for a different data plan for each country. The features in terms of price, days, amount of GB, installation, etc. are exactly the same as those of the plan for Colombia.
The Holafly eSIM cards can be installed easily by scanning the QR code that you will receive by email once you have completed the purchase. The installation can also be done manually without the need for a computer, simply writing a code in the settings of your mobile that you can consult in the mail or in your App, which is very convenient to control the duration of the data plan.
After analyzing and testing Holafly eSIM cards, Passporter can confirm that, despite being one of the most expensive, they are very worthwhile as they allow worry-free travel thanks to their impeccable customer service, the most efficient of all the eSIMs we have tested. Here we leave you this ranking where we evaluate from 1 to 5 all the features of the Holafly eSIM cards for Colombia based on our experience.
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,5 | 3,5 | 4,8 | 4 | 3,5 | 4,8 | 0 | 4,5 | 4,1 |
In this post you can read about our experience with Holafly eSIM cards and some users’ opinions: Our review of Holafly eSIM: is it worth it?
2. Maya Mobile, 30-day data plans for your trip to Colombia
| Advantages | Maya Mobile eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install with a QR code or manually. They have eSIM cards for 194 destinations. Data plans limited to 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, which can run out quickly. Flexible pricing. Possibility of internet sharing. Rechargeable after 30 days. |
| Inconveniences | Their eSIM cards do not include calls or sms. They do not have an App. The unlimited data plan has a 5Mbps limit. Technical support in English via a bot. They only have data plans for 30 days. |
This company offers eSIM card plans for 30 days in Latin America including Colombia and 15 other countries. In total it has 5 packages of 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB and another with unlimited GB. The plans with unlimited GB of Maya Mobile are relative as they have a speed limit of 5Mbp, which drops to 1Mbps after having used 30GB. The price ranges from €9 to €119.
Maya Mobile stands out like Holafly for itsquick and simple installation and contracting process, through a QR code sent by email. In addition, it has a 100% refund policy in case the data does not work, although this is rare since they have at least two data providers in each country where they offer their services.
| Data plan | Price in Euros |
|---|---|
| 30 days – 1 GB | 7€ |
| 30 days – 3 GB | 16€ |
| 30 days – 5 GB | 25€ |
| 30 days – 10 GB | 46€ |
| 30 days – unlimited data* | 118€ |
In the case of Maya Mobile we consider it a disadvantage their plans being very inflexible and only having a duration of 30 days. In Trustpilot you can see that the brand has an average score of 4.4, but there are hardly any comments. Here the table with the score for each of the features of their eSIM cards.
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3,2 |
3. Airalo and their eSIM cards in Colombia
| Advantages | They offer regional, country or global data packages. Airalo eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install. It is one of the cheapest brands in the market. They offer 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. They allow you to recharge the eSIM. They have an App and you can buy and install the eSIM from it. |
| Inconveniences | Gigabytes are limited to 3GB or less and do not have unlimited data cards. Short-term plans have very limited gigabytes. Their eSIM cards do not include calls and sms. The duration of the data plans is limited to 7, 15 and 30 days. Their services and technical support is exclusively in English and takes a long time to respond. Their reputation on Trustpilot is 3.4 |
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.
The Airalo eSIM card data plans for Colombia have a duration of 7, 15 and 30 days, and prices range from 7,34€ – 29,8€. The truth is that Airalo is one of the companies with the lowest prices on the market, which can be worth it if you do not plan to use the internet connection more than at specific times of your trip. However, if you don’t want to worry about running out of data, this is not the company for you. Moreover, their customer support takes a long time to respond and is only in English.
| Data plan | Price in U.S. Dollars |
|---|---|
| 7 days – 1 GB | 7$ |
| 15 days – 2 GB | 13$ |
| 30 days – 3 GB | 18$ |
| 30 days – 5 GB | 27,5$ |
We should add that Airalo has one of the lowest ratings on Trustpilot, with only a 3,4 score, compared to other companies such as Holafly, with a 4,5 score.
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 review of Airalo eSIM: 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 |
4. Ubigi and their eSIM cards for Colombia
| Andvantages | They offer regional, country or global data packages. Ubigi eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install via the web or App. Ubigi’s eSIM is installed for free from the App. They have eSIM cards for 190 destinations. 24/7 real time technical support. They offer eSIM cards for smart cars. Their eSIM cards allow data sharing. You can recharge the eSIM card from the App. |
| Inconveniences | The gigabytes are limited to 3GB or less and do not have unlimited data plans. Their eSIMs do not include calls or SMS. Short-term plans have very limited gigabytes. They only have 30 days plans. Their support service is exclusively in English. |
Ubigi offers only few data plans with 4 plans of 30 days with 500MG, 2 plans of 1GB (one of them includes USA) or 3GB; and 1 plan of 1 day of 500MB. As you can see, none of them has a lot of GB and the prices range from 12€ (one day) to 39€. On the other hand, it offers a plan of 5GB per month for unlimited time that costs 68€ per month and is valid worldwide.
| Plan de datos | Price in Dollars | Price in Euros | Price in Pounds | Price in Yens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days – 1 GB (Latin America) | 14$ | 14€ | 11£ | 2000¥ |
| 30 days – 3 GB (Latin America) | 38$ | 38€ | 33£ | 5400¥ |
| 30 days – 1 GB (Americas) | 39$ | 39€ | 35£ | 5500¥ |
| 1 day – 500 MB (World) | 12$ | 12€ | 10£ | 1700¥ |
| 30 days – 500 MB (World) | 29$ | 29€ | 25£ | 4100¥ |
Despite that, one of Ubigi’s positive aspects is its good reputation, with a 4,3 rating on Truspilot. And something curious about its eSIM cards is that they also work for smart cars including some models of Jaguar, Fiat, Land Rover, Alfa Romeo or Jeep.
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 review of Ubigi eSIM: is it worth it?
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4,5 | 4 | 4 | 4,8 | 4,1 |
5. Truphone, eSIM with the worst score on Trustpilot
| Advantages | They offer regional, country or global data packages. Truphone eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install in your App. They have eSIM cards for 188 countries. 24/7 customer support both in the app and on the web. Very affordable prices. You can recharge data from the App. No need to scan QR code. Data sharing is only available on some devices. They offer data plans for Apple Watch. They offer 100 MB free trial for 1 day. |
| Inconveniences | Gigabytes are limited to 20GB, they do not have unlimited data cards. Short-term plans have very limited gigabytes (1GB). Cannot be purchased on the web, only from mobile phone. The duration of data plans is limited to 1 or 30 days. Their services and customer support are exclusively in English. |
Truphone is a UK company that offers eSIM cards to connect to the internet in over 160 countries. It was a pioneer in the industry and the first global operator to launch eSIM for iPad, Apple Watch and Google Pixel devices. In addition, it has been a technology partner of Apple since 2016, which gives it a great competitive advantage and makes it easier to install eSIMs on their devices.
According to reviews from over a hundred TruPhone customers on Trustpilot, their customer service leaves a lot to be desired, and the company’s final rating is a 2/5. These are the plans it offers:
| Data plan | Price in Euros | Price in Dollars | Price in Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day – 100 MB | 0€ | 0$ | 0£ |
| 1 day – 1 GB | 5€ | 5$ | 5£ |
| 30 days – 3 GB | 9€ | 9$ | 9£ |
| 30 days – 5 GB | 14€ | 14$ | 13£ |
| 30 days – 10 GB | 20€ | 20$ | 18£ |
| 30 days – 20 GB | 30€ | 30$ | 27£ |
The installation and activation processes are done through the App, so you will not need to scan any QR code. Just keep in mind that you will need internet to perform the operation. In addition, the plans cannot be purchased through the web, it is only possible to do it from the app that you have to install on your phone or iPad.
Our conclusion about TruPhone is that it has important advantages and disadvantages to consider before signing up for its plans. On the one hand, it is a quite cheap company which can be positive for smaller budgets. But on the other hand, its technical service is unreliable and it is not at all certain that they will solve the problem in an emergency.
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,5 | 3,5 | 4 | 3,5 | 4,5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3,8 |
If you want to know more about our experience with Truphone eSIM cards and the opinions of other users visit this post: Our review of Truphone eSIM: is it worth it?
Conclusion: what is the best eSIM for Colombia
After this assessment, we came to the conclusion that price is not the only important factor to consider when contracting an eSIM for a trip to Colombia or anywhere in the world. The number of days you are going to travel, and therefore the number of days when you will need connection, the amount of data and the customer support, are other factors that can determine which eSIM is best suited to your trip.
Depending on your budget and the use you are going to give to the internet connection, you will probably be better off with one plan or another, but what is always a safe bet is to opt for a technical service available 24/7 and in your language. Therefore, we highlight Holafly as a reliable option that will ensure that your connection and your trip will always go smoothly. This is confirmed by thousands of positive customer reviews and a Trustpilot score of 4.6.
We know it can be difficult to calculate how many GB you will need during your trip, so here’s a table so you can calculate it based on what you normally use. Easy and hassle free!
| Plataform | Gigabyte consumption per hour |
| 0,12GB – 0,18 GB | |
| 0,12GB – 0,18 GB | |
| 0,06 GB | |
| Tiktok | 0,18 GB – 0,8 GB |
| Netflix | 0,3GB – 7GB |
| Youtube | 0,14GB – 1,7 GB |
| Amazon Prime | 0,8GB – 6GB |
Other options to have internet o your trip to Colombia
If your cell phone is not compatible with eSIM cards or you want to investigate other ways to have internet on your trip to Colombia, keep reading, as below we show you some alternatives to this card.
1. SIM cards
SIM cards are one of the most widespread options today, but that does not imply that they are the best option because as we show below they have quite a few drawbacks.
| Advantages | There are a variety of brands and data plans to choose from. Installation is fast. They can be purchased online or in physical stores. You can make calls and send messages with a local number. |
| Inconveniences | It always replaces your regular SIM, which can be lost or damaged. The cell phone must be opened and handled during the installation process. You have to travel to buy it or wait for the card to be delivered. When the contract of your travel SIM expires, it must be replaced by another one. You will not be able to keep your regular phone number. |
The main operators offering SIM cards in Colombia are Singtel, StarHub and M1. All of them have very good coverage and offer a wide variety of data plans with different durations and GB, ranging from 2GB to 30GB. The prices range from €10 to €20.
SIM cards can be purchased at the airport as well as in the shopping areas, but keep in mind that in these places, being touristy, they are more expensive. If you can, buy it online before you set out on your trip.
2. Rent a Pocket WiFi
Another alternative for connecting to the Internet in Colombia is to rent a Pocket WiFi, that is, a portable router that you can use to access the Internet wherever you go.
| Advantages | 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 cell phones. |
| Inconveniences | It is one of the most expensive options. There are few brands to choose from. Contracts are usually of long duration. In addition to the data plan, you have to pay for rental, insurance and shipping costs. The battery lasts 6 hours maximum. If you use it with more 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. |
In Colombia there are several brands that rent pocket Wi-Fi, such as Travel Wifi or Wifivox. The rental price ranges from €4 to €15 per day, and Travel Wifi also offers the option to buy it at a price starting from €160.
It should be noted that to the original rental price must be added shipping costs and extras, such as car charger, extra battery or insurance.
This option is interesting when we only need internet in a very specific space, for long periods of time or when we travel with more people, since everyone can benefit from the connection and share the costs. In general, the same portable router can connect between 5 and 10 people and has an autonomy of about 6 to 12 hours, so you will have to charge it every day of your trip.
3. Search for free WiFi networks in Colombia
As you can imagine, this is the cheapest option. However, as you may already know, it is also the most frustrating alternative in most cases. Slow connection, time limit or eternal forms that promise WIFI after you submit all your data.
| Advantages | It is free of charge. There is nothing to install on our cell phones. |
| Inconveniences | It is difficult to find free access wifi networks. Public wifi networks are often slow or give connection problems. You often have to fill in forms and share your personal data. Some free wifi networks have limited time. You have to be near the router to connect. These networks 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 cyberattacks, providing access to private data. It is therefore recommended to spend as little time as possible connected, use it for specific queries and do not expose your personal data.
These are some places where you can find WiFi on your trip to Colombia in case of a need: airports, museums, subway, 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 Colombia
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.
If you travel from Spain, for example, there are several companies that offer roaming service abroad. Some examples are Movistar, Jazztel, Yoigo, Vodafone or Orange. Before embarking on a trip it is recommended to ask your current carrier the cost of roaming to compare to other services such as eSIM cards. Generally the MB in Colombia Roaming ranges between 6€ and 12€. Think that Instagram consumes between 0.12GB – 0.18GB per hour of use.
If in the end you decide to use another option, remember to turn off data roaming on your cell phones or change the main line in the case of using an eSIM.
| Advantages | There is no need to install anything on our cell phone. There is no need to contract any extra service. You can receive calls, send messages and connect to the internet immediately. |
| Inconveniences | This is the most expensive option. Sometimes it is activated without us realizing it. Not all telephone companies offer this service. |
Frequently asked questions about eSIM cards in Colombia
Most models of popular brands such as Apple, Samsung, Motorola, Huawei or Google are supported 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.
eSIM cards allow you to have internet on your cell phone when you travel abroad without having to remove your regular SIM card, as is the case with SIM cards. This is possible thanks to a chip that is incorporated in the latest generation of cell phones.
The purchase of the eSIM data plan can be done through the web 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 cell 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”. Then the camera will 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, so it is recommended to do it before starting the trip or as soon as you arrive at the hotel.
SIM cards can be purchased in physical stores or online, with delivery times ranging from 48 to 72 hours. There are also companies that offer same-day express shipping.
Most carriers offer packages with data limits. Holafly, unlike the rest, offers a wide variety of unlimited data packages.
To activate the eSIM card it is necessary to have internet connection, so it is recommended to do it before starting your trip.
Data packages usually last for weeks or months, however, there are providers such as Holafly that offer more flexible packages between 5 days and 3 months.
Unlimited data plans do not normally allow data sharing, but plans with a specific number of GBs included do.
The data of the unlimited plans is really unlimited. Note in any case that local mobile operators may temporarily reduce the speed if you make a very intensive use of applications such as Netflix or Youtube. These limits are more intended to avoid network saturation by a few users.
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 markets eSIMs since 2019.
Holafly has more than 10,000 positive experiences published on Trustpilot, with an “Excellent” rating and 4.6 average score.
Maya is owned by a U.S. company, Maya Virtual Inc. Reviews of Maya on Truspilot are good, with an average score of 4.5.
Truphone is a UK company and Google technology partner. On Trustpilot they have a score of 3.1.
Airalo is a company founded in Singapore and owned by Airgsm Pte Ltd. Airalo’s Trustpilot rating is 3.4.
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