If you’re about to embark on a trip and need an internet connection, you’ve probably heard of the eSIM card from Airalo and are interested to know about its advantages and disadvantages, and what other users have to say about the brand before you buy.
At Passporter we have tested Airalo on our travels around the United States alongside other alternatives such as Holafly and Maya Mobile, and therefore we know that it is one of the cheapest options, but with the worst technical support. Also, all their plans have limited data, and you may run out mid-trip and have to recharge and pay again.
We have already told you that eSIM cards are the best option for internet when travelling abroad, and that the difference between one brand and another will always be in the amount of data included, the quality of the technical service, the connection speed, the price, and other aspects that we are about to analyse about Airalo eSIM cards.
Do you want to know what we at Passporter think of Airalo and what our experience with their eSIM card has been like? Read on and we’ll tell you all about it.
Comparison table with the features of the Airalo eSIM
In this table you can see all the features of the Airalo eSIM cards, which we will analyse in detail below. We have also scored each aspect from 1 to 5 based on our experience with Airalo cards.
| Features | Details | Score (1-5) |
| Duration of the plans | 7, 15 and 30 days | 4 |
| Price | 5€ – 185€ (cheap option) | 4.5 |
| Speed | 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB and 20GB, does not offer unlimited data | 4 |
| Currencies | Payment can only be made in dollars | 3 |
| Support | In English, via bot | 3 |
| Data sharing | Yes | 4.5 |
| App | Yes | 4 |
1. Airalo eSIM data rate and data limit
One of the biggest drawbacks of Airalo’s eSIM cards is that they don’t have unlimited data plans like other brands such as Holafly, instead all their plans have a data limit of 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB or 30GB. This means that, if you haven’t calculated your connection needs properly during your trip, you’re likely to run out of data and have to top up your eSIM and pay again.
Here is a table to help you estimate how many gigabytes you will need during your trip, although Passporter recommends you get an eSIM card with unlimited data like the ones offered by Holafly.
| 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 |
2. Duration of Airalo plans
Airalo’s eSIM plans have a duration of 7, 15 and 30 days, which is usually quite suitable for most trips. However, the data on the 7 and 15 day plans have data limits of 1GB and 2GB, which is really low, and you will most likely have to top up the eSIM at some point. Airalo does not offer long term plans, so if you are a digital nomad or studying abroad, we recommend the 90-day Holafly cards with unlimited data.
3. Pricing of Airalo eSIMs
Airalo is currently one of the cheapest brands on the market. Prices for its eSIMs depend on each destination, but typically weekly prices are around $5 and monthly prices are around $30. Regional data plans per continent cost around $60 per month.
Although at first glance, Airalo may seem like the cheapest option, we remind you that it’s very likely to run out of gigabytes sooner than expected, and you’ll have to top up data very often. In the long run, this can be more expensive than buying a card with unlimited data.
4. Airalo technical support
Airalo offers its customers technical support in English via a chatbot. You can also communicate with them by email or via social networks such as Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, but the truth is that no matter which channel you choose, the technical support leaves much to be desired as they take a long time to respond.
If you have a problem with Airalo eSIM cards, don’t count on getting help quickly and efficiently.
5. Possibility to share data
One of the advantages of Airalo eSIM cards is that they allow you to share data with other devices. In your mobile settings, you can configure your data plan to allow this option. Please note that data is not unlimited and if multiple devices use the eSIM card at the same time it will run out much faster.
6. The Airalo App
Airalo has an App from which you can buy your eSIM plan and install it directly on your mobile. This is a point in favour of the brand, as it speeds up the purchase and installation process. You can also monitor your data usage and see how much data you have left until the plan runs out.
7. Airalo eSIM purchase and installation process
Airalo eSIM cards can be purchased via their website or App. Once you have chosen your destination and the data plan that best suits your trip, you can pay securely and you will receive an email with installation instructions.
Installation can be done in three different ways:
- Scanning the QR code: after checkout, you will receive a QR code that you can scan with your eSIM-enabled device to complete the installation, which will only take a few minutes.
- Direct installation from the App: Another easy way to install the eSIM card is from the Airalo App. Go to the “My eSIMs” / “Details” section and there you will find the installation button.
- You can use the manual installation data: from the settings section of your mobile phone, you can manually install the eSIM. There you will find a section called “Data plan” or “add mobile” where you will have to select the section to put data manually to write the activation code that you should receive in the confirmation email after the purchase.
8. Recharge Airalo eSIM (if you run out of data)
It is possible to top up some Airalo cards once installed, but not all. When you go to buy the data plan, you can check if they offer this service in the “additional information” section.
If your eSIM card is rechargeable you can add another data plan to the eSIM already installed in the “My eSIMS” section, where you will see the option to “top up”. If this option does not appear it means that your eSIM is not rechargeable.
This option is useful in case we run out of data during our trip, but in our opinion, it is better to be safe than sorry. That is why we will always recommend unlimited data plans like the ones offered by Holafly.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Airalo eSIM cards?
Airalo eSIM cards offer many advantages, however, that doesn’t mean they are suitable for all types of travel. So here’s a list of advantages and disadvantages to help you decide if Airalo cards are right for your trip and your connection needs.
| 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. You can top up some eSIMs. They have an App and you can buy and install the eSIM from it. |
| Disadvantages | The 7 and 14 day plans are very limited in data with 1GB and 2GB maximum. Short-term plans have very limited gigabytes. Your eSIM cards do not include calls and sms. The duration of data plans is limited to 7, 14 and 30 days. Their services and technical support are exclusively in English and take a long time to respond. |
What are the reviews of the Airalo eSIM card on Trustpilot
Here are some reviews from Airalo customers who have tried their eSIM cards. The reviews are from Trustpilot, one of the most reliable sources of reviews and where you can compare and read what thousands of users think about all kinds of brands. Trustpilot scores brands from 0 to 5, and Airalo has a score of 3.7, one of the lowest scores compared to other eSIM brands.
It worked great for me. I was able to surf and make calls without any problems in Paris and Italy. I highly recommend it!!!
Fernando Revah, Trustpilot
Excellent, super affordable prices, and you can see how your consumption is going and recharge, I had no problems in any country, my husband and I love it. We are from Mexico, and it served us perfectly in Spain, Italy, Malta, Greece and France.
Fer Alor, Trustpilot
A very good experience on my trip. It was very helpful. Maybe the plan rate should be a bit cheaper. But the service is very good.
Daniel, Truspilot
Lousy service, eSim worked 1 day and since then nothing.
Claudio Reininger, Trustpilot
The customer service is non-existent, they don’t respond. I have been sending messages and contacting them for 3 days but nothing. It’s a waste of money, I do not recommend it.
Our opinion on Airalo eSIMs
After testing the Airalo eSIM cards on our travels, we have come to the conclusion that cheap is sometimes expensive. On the website and from the App you can sign up for data plans for more than 100 destinations with a duration of 7, 15 and 30 days, however, all of them offer very limited gigabytes at 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 5Gb, 10GB and 20GB, which means that they are very likely to run out mid-trip. In the Airalo App, you can top up your eSIM card without re-installing it, but this means paying again. So in the end, this option won’t be as cheap as you might have initially thought.
That’s why at Passporter we always recommend Holafly’s unlimited data cards for worry-free travel.
What alternatives to Airalo’s eSIMs are there?
There are several brands on the market today that offer eSIM cards for mobile internet when travelling abroad. Here are some alternative brands to Airalo so that you can choose the eSIM card that suits you best, such as Holafly, SimOptions or Maya Mobile.
| Brand | Plan duration | Data Sharing | Unlimited Data | App | GB per plan | Support | Price | Trustpilot | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airalo | 7, 15 and 30 days | Yes | – | + | 1 GB, 2 GB, 3 GB, 5 GB and 10 GB | In English, via bot | 5€ – 185€ | 3.9 | 3.8 |
| Holafly | 5, 10, 15, 20, 20, 30, 60 and 90 days | No | + | + | Unlimited data on all plans | English, direct chat and WhatsApp | 19€ -99€ | 4.6 | 4.3 |
| Simoptions | 14 and 15 days | No | – | – | 6 GB and 10 GB | English chat | $10.9 – $39 | 3.5 | 3 |
| Maya Mobile | 30 days | Yes | + | – | 1 GB, 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB, unlimited | In English by email | 13€ – 141€ | 4.5 | 3.2 |
1. Holafly, eSIM cards with unlimited data and support in English
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| – They have unlimited data. – 24/7 technical support in Spanish, English, German, French and Japanese. – You can pay in euros, dollars and Mexican pesos. – Many data plan options: 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 30, 60 and 90 days. – It has an App where you can check the days left on your contract. | – 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 need to recharge. – They don’t allow data sharing with other devices. – You can’t do the installation in their App. |
Holafly is a Spanish company with more than 100 employees and offices in several countries around the world, which offers customers eSIM with unlimited data and 24h technical support in Spanish. Holafly cards are a good option for travelling abroad as they have coverage in 160 destinations and their packages have unlimited data, meaning you won’t run out of connection at any point during your trip or have to monitor your internet usage. What’s more, the purchase and installation process is really simple. Once you have chosen the data package that suits you best and completed the purchase on their website, you will receive an email with a QR code to scan and complete the installation. You can also do the installation manually with a numerical code that you will receive by email or that you can consult in their App.
Another advantage of Holafly is that the duration of the plans is very flexible, and you can choose between 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 60 and even 90 days in most countries. This is a great point in its favour, as the packages can be adapted to every type of trip, whether for leisure or business. And finally, it is worth mentioning that Holafly offers its customers a 24h technical support service in Spanish, English, German, French, Italian and Japanese that will help you throughout the purchase and installation process and in the unusual case of having any problems.
Here we leave you this ranking where we evaluate from 1 to 5 all the features of Holafly eSIM cards based on our experience. And if you want to know our opinion about Holafly’s eSIM card, visit this post: Our opinion about Holafly’s eSIM card
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Sharing Data | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
Evaluation of Holafly’s eSIM features
2. Maya Mobile, data packs with as many GB as you need
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| – Have eSIM cards for 194 destinations. – Possibility of internet sharing. – Flexible pricing. – For recharging you can set up auto-recharge after 30 days. – They offer data packages per continent and per country. | – Their eSIM cards do not include calls or sms. – They do not have an App – Technical support only in English via a bot. – Only 30-day data plans |
Maya Mobile is another eSIM card provider with a very good reputation, as reflected by its score of 4.4 on Trustpilot. The company offers 4G and 5G data plans for 194 destinations in Europe, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. Like Holafly, Maya Mobile is characterized by the quick and easy 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 in the event that the data does not work, which is not usually the case, as they have at least two data providers in each country where they offer their services.
The price of its data plans ranges from €5 to €139 and can be chosen for both individual countries and continents, which is a great advantage when you want to travel across several countries.
The downside of this brand is that all their plans are for 30 days, which means that for short trips you’ll have days left over. The price of each plan varies according to Gigas, which range from 1GB to 10GB. In some destinations they also offer unlimited data, but it’s significantly more expensive than other brands such as Holafly.
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 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3 | 3.2 |
Evaluation of Maya Mobile’s eSIM features
3. SimOptions and its wide variety of eSIM cards
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| – Some plans include calls and SMS. – They offer regional, country or global data packages. – They have eSIM cards for 160 countries. – SimOptions eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install. | – No App to control data consumption. – Gigabytes are limited to 20GB or less and they do not have cards with unlimited data. – Not all eSIM cards allow data top-up. – Technical support depends on each brand. |
The SimOptions online shop is a marketplace where you will find a wide range of packages for eSIM cards in more than 200 countries from different local companies. This means that the product is not standardised and the features of each plan can vary a lot depending on the brand, which makes the choice process difficult. We are talking about features such as data sharing, technical support or price.
Although their website is not as intuitive as Holafly’s or Airalo’s, the purchase process is still very straightforward. Once you’ve chosen your preferred data plan, you can check out using these payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, AMEX and Discover.
One drawback of this brand is that its data plans are not very flexible. Although there are several options for each destination, they tend to offer little flexibility in terms of contract length and gigabytes. In addition, data plans are more expensive compared to the brands mentioned above. Worst of all, Simoptions cannot guarantee a quality technical service because it depends on each of the brands they work with.
Here we leave you this ranking where we rate SimOptions eSIM cards from 1 to 5 and if you want more information about our experience with Sim Options: Our opinion of Sim Options eSIM
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 3.5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Evaluation of SimOptions eSIM features
What is our favourite eSIM card for our travels?
Airalo’s eSIM cards are a cheap way to stay connected when travelling abroad. As mentioned above, they have data plans for more than 190 countries and the purchase and installation process on their website or App is simple. However, they have the disadvantage of a gigabyte limit with a maximum of 20GB, which will probably run out in the middle of your trip, forcing you to recharge the eSIM and pay. So in the end it may not be such a cheap option.
At Passporter we find eSIM cards with unlimited data more practical when travelling. This way you will avoid worries, and you won’t run out of data in the middle of your trip. One company with unlimited data eSIM cards is Holafly, which online shop also offers a wide range of data plans with very flexible durations and for many destinations. Another advantage that Holafly has is that they offer a 24h technical support service in English. In short, Airalo cards are perfectly valid for internet abroad, but if you want to go without worries, we recommend Holafly’s unlimited data eSIM cards.
Frequently Asked Questions about Airalo eSIM cards
Airalo is an eSIM card brand with a good reputation in the market and a score of 3.7 on Trustpilot, where you can see both positive and negative reviews.
Airalo cards allow you to connect to the internet without having to install a physical card. All you have to do is scan a code for installation and in a few minutes you will have internet on your mobile.
These are some of the models compatible with Airalo’s eSIM among many others that you can check on their website: iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone XS, Samsung Galaxy Fold, Samsung Galaxy S20, Lenovo Yoga C630, Lenovo Miix 63.
After downloading the Airalo App you will be able to purchase and activate your eSIM card from there quickly and easily.
Holafly’s eSIM card brand has a 4.5 star rating, while Airalo has a 3.7 star rating.
Airalo eSIM cards do not offer unlimited data, but there are other companies that do, such as Holafly.
Internet connection is required to activate Airalo eSIM cards, so it is recommended to activate them before your trip or at the first wifi hotspot at your destination.
Airalo data packages have varying durations of 7, 14 and 30 days.
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