Having an internet connection on a trip to Malaysia is a very good idea to make the most of your vacation. In this article we will tell you how to find the best travel eSIM for Malaysia, so you can connect to the internet immediately without paying excessive bills like roaming, or compromising your data on public wifi networks. In addition, we will discuss other less practical alternatives such as physical SIM cards, pocket WIFI, or free WIFI in the cities.
When looking for the perfect eSIM for your trip to Malaysia you should take into account aspects like speed, data limit, technical support, price or duration of the plans. In this post we already did the work for you and compared the main brands such as Holafly, Airalo or Simoptions, among others, and we share with you their advantages and disadvantages to help you make a decision. We can already tell you that the Holafly eSIM cards are a safe bet with no extra charges but 24/7 customer support.
Comparison of eSIM for a trip to Malaysia
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 prepared this table with all the essential information about each brand to help you choose. We’ll delve deeper into each eSIM brand later on so you won’t be missing any information.
| Brand | Plan duration | Data sharing | Unlimited data | App | GB per plan | Support | Price | Trustpilot | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holafly | 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 30, 60 and 90 days | No | Yes | Yes | Unlimited data | In English and other languages, direct chat and WhatsApp | 19€ – 54€ | 4,6 | 4,4 |
| Airalo | 7, 14 and 30 days | Yes | No | Yes | 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB and 20GB | In English, via a bot | 4,5€ – 40€ | 3,9 | 3,5 |
| Maya Mobile | 30 days | Yes | Yes | No | 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, unlimited | In English, via a bot | 5€ – 54€ | 4,5 | 3,2 |
| Simoptions | 8, 10, 12, 15 and 30 days | No | No | No | 6GB and 8GB | In English, via chat | 17,9$ – 39,9$ | 3,5 | 3 |
| Nomad | 7, 15, 30 and 60 days | Yes | No | Yes | 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 20GB, 30GB, 40GB, 50GB, 100GB | In English, via email or the App | 4€ – 170€ | 3,1 | 3 |
1. Holafly, eSIM for Malaysia with Unlimited Data and multilingual customer support
| 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 offer a wide variety of eSIM cards with different price points and contract durations. 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, Japanese and Spanish. Very flexible pricing. They offer eSIM cards for all of Asia including Malaysia. Can be paid in Euros, US Dollars and Mexican Pesos. Flexible duration of data plans: 5, 10, 15, 15, 20, 30, 60 and 90 days. 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 and don’t have to recharge. Holafly’s eSIM card for Malaysia does not allow data sharing. You can’t do the setup through their App. |
Holafly is one of the best options to buy eSIM cards as all their plans for Malaysia have unlimited data for those who want to travel without worrying about running out of internet. In addition, the brand offers a 24/7 customer support service in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Japanese that responds in less than a minute via chat or WhatsApp, and is currently the best rated company on Trustpilot with a score of 4.6.
On the website of Holafly you can find 8 unlimited data plans ranging from 19€ to 99€ depending on the duration of the contract, which can be 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 30, 60 and 90 days. It is perfect for long stays, as well as for digital nomads or express trips to Malaysia. On their website you can also find a Asia-wide eSIM card that includes 12 countries so you can move from one country to another without having to change eSIMs.
| Data plan | Price in Euros | Price in Dollars | Price in Mexican Pesos |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 days – unlimited data | 19€ | 19$ | $399 |
| 7 days – unlimited data | 27€ | 27$ | $399 |
| 10 days – unlimited data | 34€ | 34$ | $699 |
| 15 days – unlimited data | 47€ | 47$ | $899 |
| 20 days – unlimited data | 57€ | 57$ | $1199 |
| 30 days – unlimited data | 69€ | 69$ | $1399 |
| 60 days – unlimited data | 87€ | 87$ | $1699 |
| 90 days – unlimited data | 99€ | 99$ | $1999 |
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 testing Holafly eSIM cards we can say that they are one of the most expensive options on the market, but that in the end they are cost-effective because you can travel without worries thanks to their customer service, being the most efficient of all the eSIM cards we have tested. Here we share with you this ranking where we evaluate from 1 to 5 all the features of the Holafly eSIM cards for Malaysia based on our experience.
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 4,8 | 3,5 | 3,5 | 4,8 | 0 | 4,5 | 4,4 |
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. Airalo, the cheapest eSIM brand for traveling to Malaysia
| 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 20GB 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. |
Airalo, along with Holafly, is one of the best-known brands in the world to buy 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.
Although Airalo is one of the cheapest brands on the market, the truth is that in the long run it can be expensive as their data plans have very limited gigabytes that can run out at any time, and their technical service takes a long time to respond.
Airalo’s eSIM card data plans for Malaysiaare for 7, 15 and 30 days, and prices range from $4.5 to $40. They also offer an eSIM card for Asia that includes 13 countries. The brand has an App through which you can buy and install the eSIM, and later recharge it when you run out of data.
| Data plan | Price in U.S. Dollars |
|---|---|
| 7 days – 1 GB | 4,5$ |
| 15 days – 2 GB | 8$ |
| 30 days – 3 GB | 10,5$ |
| 30 days – 5 GB | 15$ |
| 30 days – 10 GB | 25$ |
| 30 days – 20 GB | 40$ |
Airalo’s eSIM for Malaysia offers 6 data plans for you to choose the one that best suits your trip. We compared customer reviews and feedback on Trustpilot and found that Airalo has one of the lowest scores at 3.7. Here’s the ranking for 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 |
3. Maya Mobile, 30-day data plans for Malaysia
| Advantages | They offer data packages by continent and country. Maya Mobile eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install with QR code or manually. They have eSIM cards for 194 destinations. Data plans limited to 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB that can run out quickly. Flexible pricing. They have plans with unlimited data. To recharge you can set up auto-recharge after 30 days. Enables data sharing with other devices. |
| 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 cards for 30 days in Malaysia. In this case, the price of the data packages varies depending on the gigabytes. In total they have 4 packages of 1, 3, 5, 10 gigabytes, and another with unlimited gigabytes. The unlimited data plan is relative as the maximum browsing speed is 5Mbps and after you have used 30GB of the plan, it drops to 1Mbps.The price ranges from 5€ to 54€.
They also offer an “unlimited” data plan that in addition to Malaysia includes 11 more countries in Asia-Pacific.
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 Euros |
|---|---|
| 30 days – 1 GB | 5€ |
| 30 days – 3 GB | 7€ |
| 30 days – 5 GB | 11€ |
| 30 days – 10 GB | 22€ |
| 30 days – unlimited data* | 54€ |
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 | 4,5 | 4,5 | 3 | 3,2 |
4. Nomad and their eSIM for Malaysia
| Advantages | Nomad eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install. The App is very convenient and allows you to recharge the eSIM. They have eSIM cards for 112 countries. Technical support both in the app and on the web. Very affordable prices. |
| Inconveniences | Gigabytes are limited to 100GB or less and do not have unlimited data cards. Short-term plans have very limited gigabytes (1GB). Their eSIM cards do not include calls or sms. Their services and technical support are exclusively in English. |
Nomad is a marketplace dedicated to the sale of eSIM cards so you can have internet on your trips. The main feature is that in addition to their website, they have an App where their customers can contract data plans in a simple and fast way.
The brand offers data plans in more than 100 countries and also by continents, so that we can make use of our internet connection even if we are moving between different countries. In the case of Malaysia, lthe data packages have durations of 7, 30 and 60 days, which is not very flexible. In addition, they have data limits ranging from 1 GB to 100 GB. The fact that they do not have unlimited data plans is a big disadvantage as we will be forced to recharge.
Nomad’s data plans for Malaysia work with the local carrier Maxis.
| Data plan | Price in Euros | Price in Dollars | Price in Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 days – 1 GB | 4$ | 4$ | 3,5£ |
| 15 days – 3 GB | 7,5€ | 8$ | 6,5£ |
| 15 days – 5 GB | 11€ | 12$ | 10£ |
| 30 days – 10 GB | 17,5€ | 19$ | 15,5£ |
| 30 days – 15 GB | 23€ | 25$ | 20,5£ |
| 30 days – 20 GB | 31€ | 34$ | 27,5£ |
| 30 days – 30 GB | 55€ | 60$ | 48,5£ |
| 30 days – 40 GB | 68,5€ | 75$ | 60,5£ |
| 30 days – 50 GB | 82€ | 90$ | 72,5£ |
| 60 days – 100 GB | 154,5€ | 170$ | 137£ |
The Nomad App is very useful to monitor the consumption and recharge in case we run out of data. We can also use it to get in touch with customer service, which unfortunately is only in English.
Here you can see our ranking of Nomad’s eSIMs.
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 3,5 | 4 | 3 | 3,5 | 3,5 | 3 |
4. SimOptions and their marketplace
| Advantages | They offer regional, country or global data packages. Sim Options eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install. They offer a wide variety of eSIM cards with different length, price and gigabytes. They have eSIM cards for 160 countries. Some plans include calls and SMS. |
| Inconveniences | Gigabytes are limited to 8GB 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. Plan durations don’t make sense: 8, 10, 12 and 30 days. No eSIM for Malaysia allows recharging data. Technical support depends on each brand and good customer service cannot be guaranteed. Speed depends on each eSIM card brand. 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 Malaysia you will find six data plans of 8, 10, 12 and 30 days with data limits of 6GB and 8GB. The prices are a bit higher than average and range from $17.9 to $39.9. You cannot top up the eSIM installed on any of the Malaysia plans if you run out of data, nor can you place calls.
The main drawback of Simoptions is that their website is a bit chaotic and the data plans, being from different brands, are very disparate and their features vary a lot, not only price, speed or duration, but also technical support, rechargeability or data sharing. This will force you to look in detail at each brand and will make it harder for you to make a decision.
| Data plan | Price in U.S.Dollars |
|---|---|
| 30 days – 4 GB | 24,9$ |
| 30 days – 8 GB | 34,9$ |
| 15 days – 6 GB | 39,9$ |
| 10days – 6 GB | 17,9$ |
| 12 days – 6 GB | 19,9$ |
| 8 days – 6 GB | 19,9$ |
Our personal experience is that with SimOptions cards you lose 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 rate SimOptions eSIM cards from 1 to 5 and in this post you can read about our opinion and what other customers think about the brand: Our review of Sim Options eSIM: is it worth it?
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 3,5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Conclusion: what is the best eSIM for Malaysia
In this section we share our experience on which eSIM card is best for Malaysia depending on the features you are looking for
When we travel we don’t want to run out of data in the middle of our trip, that’s why eSIM cards with unlimited data are the best option. In this case, the only brands offering unlimited eSIM data are Holafly and Maya Mobile. But remember that Maya Mobile’s unlimited data plans are not real, as after using 30GB, the browsing speed will drop by half. With some companies like Airalo you can recharge the eSIM already installed through their website or App, but the best thing is not having to pay again if you run out of data.
We know it can be tricky to estimate the gigabytes you’ll need during your trip, so we prepared this table to help you estimate if you end up choosing an eSIM card with a data limit, which we don’t recommend.
| 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 |
The installation process of 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. You can verify this information on the website of each provider.
The purchase of the eSIM for Malaysia can be done through the web in the case of some brands such as Holafly or Simoptions, or through the app such as Airalo or Nomad. Holafly’s website is very intuitive and easy to use, while Simoptions’ 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 Nomad, 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 by scanning a QR code that you will receive by email as soon as you have completed the purchase with Holafly, Airalo, Simoptions or Maya Mobile.
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, Italian and Japanese through the web chat or by WhatsApp, where a conversation is opened automatically after the purchase.
Often when we travel we want to share data with other devices and only some providers like Airalo and some SimOptions brands make this possible.
But one of the most important aspects is 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 is why sometimes it is advisable to pay a little more and get a eSIM card with unlimited data like Holafly’s to get peace of mind and not have to recharge again.
All in all, Holafly eSIM cards are the best choice for travel to Malaysia for their unlimited data and multi-language technical support that responds in less than a minute. With Holafly you will never run out of data on your trip.
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Other options for having internet in Malaysia?
There are several ways to get internet when traveling abroad, however, eSIM cards are our favorite option because of the number of advantages they offer which we are about to detail.
| Convenience | Immediate delivery and activation upon purchase. Purchase prior to travel. Easy installation; unlike SIM cards, there is no need to remove the original card. You’ll be connected as soon as you land, no need to find a store first. You’ll find tailor-made plans to suit the duration and needs of your trip. No need to rely on batteries, as with Pocket wifi. You won’t have to carry an extra device during your trip, like the Pocket Wifi. |
| Peace of mind | You will have 24/7 technical support in English, unlike with a SIM or Pocket Wifi. You will not have to worry about forgetting or losing any device other than your cell phone. |
| Security | You will avoid using public wifi networks vulnerable to hacking. You will avoid entering personal data in endless forms to get Wifi. No need to open or manipulate your mobile phone like with SIM cards. |
There are other alternatives to connect to internet in Malaysia that may also interest you. That’s why we prepared this list with other options, their prices, advantages and disadvantages for you to compare and choose the one that best suits your trip.
1. Purchase SIM cards from Celcom and Maxis in Malaysia
This was the most common option until eSIM cards came along. When you arrive in Malaysia you can get yourSIM card at the airport or in the commercial areas of the cities. There you will find stores of the main telephone companies such as Celcom (Xpax), which offers the best coverage in the country, Maxis (Hotlink), Digi and U Mobile. You can also find these brands in 7Eleven stores. Note that when you buy your SIM they will ask for your passport and will register your details.
Although this is one of the most widespread methods of getting internet, it has several disadvantages as shown in this table.
| 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. |
2. Rent a Pocket WiFi for Malaysia
A Pocket WiFi is a wireless router that allows us to connect to the internet from any location. These are the advantages and disadvantages that this system, considered one of the most expensive ones, has.
| 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. |
One brand that rents pocket wifis for Malaysia is Travelers Wifi, which offers a global data plan for €7.2 per day. The battery of the device lasts 13 hours and has unlimited data.
This system for a short trip can be uneconomical. Therefore it is usually recommended for longer stays or business trips where the device will always be kept in one place and can be shared among several.
3. Search for free WiFi networks in Malaysia
In Malaysia you can find free WiFi hotspots in airports, cafes, hotels or restaurants. However, be aware that these networks are vulnerable to hacking. It is therefore recommended to limit their use to a minimum and avoid at all costs to make transactions where your personal data might be compromised.
| 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. |
4. Enable roaming for Malaysia
Data roaming is a service offered by phone companies to continue using your local data plan when traveling to Malaysia.The cost of this service is usually high, so it is advisable to check with your usual carrier before embarking on your trip, to avoid surprises at the end of the month.
Several Spanish brands, such as Vodafone, Pepephone, Movistar or Yoigo among others, offer roaming . The price is around €12 per MB.
| 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 how to have internet in Malaysia
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.
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.
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 between 7 and 30 days. 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.
SIM Options has both positive and negative reviews, and an average Trustpilot score lower than Holafly, at 3.8. SIM Options is a Hong Kong-based company.
Maya is owned by a U.S. company, Maya Virtual Inc. Reviews of Maya on Trustpilot are good, with an average score of 4.5.
Airalo’s reviews on Trustpilot are good, with an average score of 3.9.
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