One of the most important things to consider when planning a trip abroad is internet access. At Passporter we know it can be frustrating to search for free wifi networks that put your data at risk or overpay for roaming, so we always travel with eSIM cards, which allow you to connect securely and immediately from anywhere in the world.
In this article we tell you which is the best eSIM in the Philippines based on our experience and analyse in detail the main brands such as Holafly, Airalo or Nomad to help you make your decision. When choosing an eSIM card it is important to consider the speed, data limit, technical support, price or duration of the plans that best suit your trip. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of each brand, although we’ve already told you that the Holafly eSIM cards are a safe bet with no extra charges, unlimited data and 24h support in English.
Comparison of eSIMs for a trip to the Philippines
When comparing different brands of eSIM we must take into account all the features that will determine whether the card fits the needs of our trip. That’s why we have prepared this table with all the essential information about each brand to help you choose. We’ll go into more detail on all the important points below, 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 | 15, 7, 10, 15, 20 days | No | Yes | + | Unlimited Data on all plans | English, direct chat and WhatsApp | 19€ – 57€ | 4,7 | 4,4 |
| Airalo | 7 and 30 days | Yes | No | + | 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB and 20GB | In English, via bot | 4,5$ – 32$ | 2,6 | 3,8 |
| Simoptions | 7, 10, 15 and 30 days | No | No | + | 1GB, 3GB, 6GB, 10GB and 20GB | In English by mail and In English by mail and AppApp | 7,9$ – 64,9€ | 4,4 | 3,2 |
| Nomad | 7 and 30 days | Yes | No | + | 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 15GB, 20GB, 30GB 40GB, 50GB | In English, by email or via the App | 4$ – 49$ | 4,4 | 3,6 |
| Maya Mobile | 5, 10, 15 and 30 days | Only in some plans | Yes | + | 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 20GB and unlimited | In English by email | 9€ – 55€ | 4,7 | 3,7 |
1. Holafly, eSIM for the Philippines with unlimited data
Holafly is our favourite eSIM brand at Passporter because it offers a 24-hour customer service in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Japanese that responds in less than a minute via chat or WhatsApp, and is currently the best customer rated company on Trustpilot with a score of 4.7.
On Holafly’s website you can find 5 unlimited data plans with a duration between 5 and 20 days from 19€.
| Data plan | Price in Euros | Price in Dollars | Price in Mexican Pesos |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 days – unlimited data | 19€ | 19$ | $399 |
| 7 days – unlimited data | 27€ | 27$ | $517 |
| 10 days – unlimited data | 34€ | 34$ | $699 |
| 15 days – unlimited data | 47€ | 47$ | $899 |
| 20 days – unlimited data | 57€ | 57$ | $1199 |
There are two options for installing the Holafly eSIM. One is scanning the QR code that you will receive by email once you have completed the purchase. And the other is the manual installation that you can do without a computer, simply by writing 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’s eSIM cards for the Philippines based on our experience.
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Sharing data | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 4,8 | 3,5 | 3,5 | 4,8 | 4,5 | 4,5 | 4,5 |
In this post, you can read about our experience with Holafly eSIM cards and some users’ opinions: Our opinion of Holafly eSIM.
| 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. A wide variety of eSIM cards with different prices and contract durations. They have eSIM cards for 160 destinations. All of their eSIM plans have unlimited data. Technical support 24/7 in Spanish, English, German, French, Italian and Japanese. Very flexible prices. Payable in euros, dollars and Mexican pesos. It has an App where you can check consumption and the days remaining on the contract. |
| Disadvantages | 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 you don’t have to recharge. Holafly eSIM card for the Philippines does not allow data sharing. You cannot do the installation through their App. |
2. Nomad and its App
Nomad is a company dedicated to selling eSIM cards so that you can have internet while travelling. Its main feature is that in addition to its website, it has an App with which its customers can contract data plans easily and quickly. It is also a marketplace like SimOptions, but the website is more intuitive and easier to use.
The brand offers data plans in more than 100 countries and also by continent, so
we can make use of our internet connection even if we are moving between different countries. In the case of the Philippines, the data packages have durations of 7, 5, 30 and 60 days, which is quite flexible. In addition, they have data limits ranging from 1GB to 100GB. The fact that they don’t have unlimited data plans is a big disadvantage, as we will be forced to top up.
| Data plan | Price in Dollars | Price in Euros |
|---|---|---|
| 7 days – 1 GB | 4$ | 4€ |
| 30 days – 3GB | 7$ | 7€ |
| 30 days – 5GB | 10$ | 9,5€ |
| 30 days – 10GB | 17$ | 16€ |
| 30 days – 15GB | 21$ | 20€ |
| 30 days – 20GB | 27$ | 25,5€ |
| 30 days – 30GB | 35$ | 33€ |
| 30 days – 40GB | 40$ | 37,5€ |
| 30 days – 50GB | 49$ | 46€ |
The Nomad App is very useful for monitoring your usage and recharging in case you run out of data. You can also use it to contact customer service, which is unfortunately only in English.
Here you can see our ranking of Nomad’s eSIMs.
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 3,5 | 3,5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3,6 |
| Advantages | They offer regional, country or global data packages. Nomad’s eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install. The App is very convenient and allows you to recharge the eSIM. They offer a wide variety of eSIM cards with different prices and amount of gigabytes. They have eSIM cards for 112 countries. Technical support both in the app and on the web. The duration of the data plans for the Philippines is 7 and 30 days. Very affordable prices. |
| Disadvantages | Gigabytes are limited to 50GB or less and they 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. |
3. Maya Mobile, one month data packages
This company makes eSIM cards available for 5, 10, 15 and 30 days in the Philippines. In this case, the price of data packages varies according to gigabytes. They have 4 packages of 3, 5, 10 and 20 gigabytes in total, and another with unlimited gigabytes. The unlimited data plan is relative since the maximum browsing speed is 5Mbps and after having used the daily 2GB of the plan, it drops to 1Mbps. The price ranges from €9 to €55.
If you plan to travel to several countries in Asia including the Philippines, Maya Mobile’s website offers an eSIM for £55 for 12 countries on the continent.
Like Holafly, Maya Mobile is characterised by the speed and simplicity of the sign-up process and installation, 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 the event that the data does not work, which is not usually the case as they have a minimum of two data providers in each country where they offer their services.
| Data plan | Price in Euros |
|---|---|
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – 1 GB | 9 – 11€ |
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – 3 GB | 12 – 15€ |
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – 5 GB | 18 – 23€ |
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – 10 GB | 27 – 34€ |
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – unlimited data* | 18 – 55€ |
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – unlimited* (Asia) | 18 – 55€ |
On Trustpilot, you can see that the brand has an average rating of 4.7, but there are hardly any reviews. Here’s a table showing how they rate each of their eSIM card features.
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4,5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4,5 | 3 | 3 | 3,7 |
| 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 and 20GB that can run out quickly Flexible pricing. They have plans with unlimited data. You can set up auto-recharge after 30 days. They allow data sharing with other devices. Data plans for 5, 10, 15 and 30 days. |
| Disadvantages | Their eSIM cards do not include calls or sms. No App. The unlimited data plan is limited to 2GB per day at a speed of 5Mbps. Technical support only in English via a bot. |
4. Airalo and its cheap data plans
The 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, it can be expensive in the long run, as its data plans have very limited gigabytes that can run out at any time, and its technical support takes a long time to respond.
Airalo’s eSIM card data plans for the Philippines have a duration of 7 and 30 days, and prices range from $4.5 to $32. The brand has an App through which you can buy and install the eSIM, and later top it up when you run out of data.
| Data plan | Price in Dollars |
|---|---|
| 7 days – 1 GB | $4,5 |
| 30 days – 3 GB | $9,5 |
| 30 days – 5 GB | $13 |
| 30 days – 10 GB | $21 |
| 30 days – 20 GB | $32 |
On Airalo’s website, you can choose from 5 data plans ranging from 1GB to 20GB. We compared customer reviews and feedback on Trustpilot and found that Airalo has one of the lowest ratings at 2,6. Here you have the ranking of each aspect of Airalo and in this post you can also read about our opinion of the brand: Our opinion of Airalo: is it worth it?
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 4,5 | 4 | 4 | 4,5 | 3 | 3,8 |
| Advantages | They offer regional, country or global data packages. Airalo’s eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install. The cheapest brand on the market. A wide variety of eSIM cards with different duration, price and gigabytes. They have eSIM cards for 190 countries. You can share data with other devices. They allow you to top up the eSIM. They have an App and you can buy and install the eSIM from it. |
| Disadvantages | The gigabytes are limited to 20GB or less and they do not have cards with unlimited data. Short-term plans have very limited gigabytes. Their eSIM cards do not include calls and sms. The duration of the data plans is limited to 7 and 30 days. Their services and technical support is exclusively in English and takes a long time to respond. |
5. SimOptions and its eSIM for the Philippines
SimOptions is an eSIM card marketplace where local mobile phone companies in each country sell their eSIM cards. The brand, with offices in Paris, Thailand and Hong Kong, offers data plans for eSIM cards in more than 160 countries and they also have regional and global plans.
For the Philippines you’ll find 5 data plans of 7, 10, 15 and 30 days with data limits of 1GB, 3GB, 6GB , 10GB and 20GB and priced between 7,9$ and 64,9$.
The main drawback of SimOptions is that its website is a bit chaotic and the data plans, being from different brands, are very disparate, and their features vary a lot, not only price, speed or duration, but also technical support, rechargeability or data sharing. This will force you to look in detail at each brand and will make it harder for you to make a decision.
| Data plan | Price in Dollars |
|---|---|
| 10 days – 6 GB | 17,9$ |
| 7 days – 1 GB | 7,9$ |
| 30 days – 20 GB | 64,9$ |
| 30 days – 10 GB | 39,9$ |
| 15 days – 3 GB | 14,9$ |
Our personal experience is that with SimOptions cards, you waste a lot of time comparing cards. In addition, the price is high, you can only pay in dollars, and they don’t give you the guarantee of 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 Sim Options: is it worth it?
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3,2 |
| Advantages | Offering 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. |
| Disadvantages | Gigabytes are limited to 20GB or less and do not have unlimited data cards. Short-term plans have very limited gigabytes. eSIM features for the same country vary depending on the brand contracted. The duration of data plans is limited to 7, 10, 15 and 30 days. No eSIM cards for the Philippines 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. No App to control data consumption. |
Conclusion on which is the best eSIM for the Philippines
In this post we have seen that there are many important factors to take into account when comparing eSIM cards as, for each type of travel, you will have different connection needs. That is why we have prepared this section where we tell you based on our experience which eSIM card is best for the Philippines.
When we travel, we don’t want to run out of data in the middle of our holiday, so eSIM cards with unlimited data are the best option if we want to travel without worries. In this case, only Holafly offers real unlimited data plans, as Maya Mobile’s plans run out at 2GB.
The other brands offer so few gigabytes that you’re likely to run out mid-trip and have to pay again to top up. In this table, you can estimate how much data you will need on your trip 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 quick, but it is true that some companies make it even easier. The first thing to do is to check if your mobile is compatible with the brand’s eSIM. You can check this information on each provider’s website.
The purchase of the eSIM for the Philippines can be done via the web for some brands such as Holafly or Simoptions, or via 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 do a lot of reading.
The only brands that allow installation through the App are Airalo and Nomad, and in the case of Holafly, from the App you can get the code to install the eSIM manually without using a computer. You can also install the eSIM by scanning a QR code that you will receive by email as soon as you have completed the purchase with Holafly, Airalo, Simoptions 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 chatbot 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. In the case of the Philippines, only Airalo and Maya Mobile.
But one of the most important aspects is price. The cheapest brands are Airalo and Maya Mobile, but their service is slow and inefficient. Therefore, sometimes it is better to pay a little more and make sure that everything will be fine, as with unlimited Holafly’s eSIMs.
All in all, Holafly eSIM cards are the best choice for travel to the Philippines because of the quality of their eSIM cards, unlimited data and their multilingual technical support that responds in less than a minute. With Holafly you will travel with peace of mind.
Other options for getting internet in the Philippines?
There are a number of ways to get internet when travelling abroad, however, eSIM cards are our favourite option due to the number of advantages they offer, which we will detail below.
| 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. Connection 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 phone as with eSIM cards. |
There are other alternatives for connecting to the Internet in the Philippines that may also be of interest to you. That’s why we’ve put together this list of other options, their prices, advantages and disadvantages for you to compare and choose the one that best suits your trip.
1. Buy SIM cards for the Philippines from Globe, Sun and Smart
This was the most common option until eSIM cards came along. When you arrive at your destination, you can get your SIM card at the airport or in the shopping areas of the cities. There you will find shops of the major phone companies such as Globe, Sun and Smart. Globe has the best coverage in the country, but Smart provides faster speeds. The price of SIM cards varies depending on the length of contract and gigabytes.
Although this is one of the most widespread methods of getting internet, it does have several disadvantages, as detailed in this table.
| Advantages | There is 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 have to travel to buy it or wait for the card to arrive at home. You will not be able to keep your regular phone number. |
2. Renting a Pocket WiFi for the Philippines
A Pocket WiFi is a wireless router that allows you to connect to the internet from anywhere in the Philippines. These are the advantages and disadvantages of this system, which is considered to be one of the most expensive.
| 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 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. |
Some of the best brands for renting Pockets Wifi in the Philippines are TravelersWifi and Mywebspot. Plans are contracted by the day or by the month, depending on the company. With TravelersWifi for example, a day costs almost €6, and MyWebspost from €9 per day.
To these costs, however, must be added shipping costs, insurance, extra batteries and car chargers.
These devices usually have about 12 hours of autonomy, after that time you will need to recharge it. It’s a good alternative if you use it for work in a fixed location, for example.
This system can be uneconomical for a short trip. It is therefore recommended for longer stays or business trips where the device is always kept in one place and can be shared between several people.
3. Search for free WiFi networks in the Philippines
The Philippines is a very touristy destination where you’ll have no trouble finding free wifi hotspots in places like department stores, cafés, museums and hotels. However, the big disadvantage of public networks is their vulnerability to hacking. It is therefore recommended that you limit their use to a minimum and avoid at all costs making transactions that put your personal data at risk.
| 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. |
4. Enable roaming for the Philippines
Data roaming is a service offered by phone companies to continue using your local data plan when you travel to the Philippines.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.
From Spain there are several telephone companies that offer this service to their customers, such as Vodafone, Movistar, Orange, Jazztel or Yoigo. The price varies depending on the brand, but can be as high as €25 per gigabyte spent, which is really expensive compared to other options such as eSIMs. Consider that Holafly’s eSIM with unlimited data for the Philippines starts at €19.
| 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 phone companies offer this service. |
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Frequently asked questions about having internet in the Philippines with an eSIM
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.
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 common 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 tell you which models are compatible.
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.
Data cards are activated as soon as they are installed in the country of origin, i.e. when the SIM card is inserted or the QR code is scanned.
Only Holafly offers eSIM cards with real unlimited data.
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 posted on Trustpilot, with an “Excellent” rating and 4.7 average score.
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.
Maya is owned by a US company, Maya Virtual Inc. Reviews of Maya on Trustpilot are good, with an average rating of 4.7.
You can buy your eSIM at any time before or during your trip to the Philippines from the online shop of the specialised brands.
Airalo reviews on Truspilot are good, with an average score of 2,6.
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