Our review of Truphone eSIM: is it worth it?

If you are organizing your next trip abroad and you checked different brands of eSIM cards to have internet, you probably heard about the Truphone eSIM card and wondered what advantages this brand offers. That is why we have prepared this Truphone review for you to be able to read about our experience and compare it with other brands.

At Passporter we know that eSIM cards are the best option to have internet when traveling, so we tested Truphone eSIM cards on a trip to Japan and we want to share our experience and the information you need to decide if their cards are for you.

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, since 2016 they have been a technology partner of Apple, which gives it a great competitive advantage and makes it easier to install eSIMs on its devices.

There are currently numerous brands on the market that offer eSIM cards to have internet abroad such as Holafly, Airalo or Truphone. The main differences you will find between brands are the gigabyte limit, customer support, contract duration and price. That’s why in this post we compare several brands and give you our opinion on which are the best options for different trips.

Comparison table with Truphone eSIM features

In this table you can see all the features of the Truphone eSIM cards that we will discuss in details below. We have also scored each aspect from 1 to 5 based on our experience.

Features	Details	Score (1-5)
Plan duration	1 or 30 days	3
Price	4€ – 80€	3,5
Speed	500MB, 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB ,20GB and 100GB, does not offer unlimited data	3,5
Payment currencies	Can be paid in dollars, euros, yen, pounds and other currencies	4,5
Customer support	English by mail and via App	4
Data sharing	Occasionally	3
App	Yes	3,5

1. Truphone review: eSIM speed and data limit

The main drawback of Truphone’s eSIM cards is that they do not have plans with unlimited data. All of their plans have a data limit between 100MB and 100GB. This means that, if you haven’t calculated your connection needs for the trip properly, you will most likely run out of data and have to top up your eSIM and pay again.

Here is the table to help you make an estimate of the gigabytes that you will need during your trip, although from Passporter we recommend you to get an eSIM card with unlimited data like the ones offered by Holafly.

Plataform	GB consumption per hour
Instagram	0,12 GB – 0,18 GB
Facebook	0,12 GB – 0,18 GB
Twitter	0,06 GB
Tiktok	0,18 GB – 0,8 GB
Netflix	0,3GB – 7GB
Youtube	0,14 GB – 1,7 GB
Amazon Prime	0,8 GB – 6GB

2. Duration of Truphone plans

On the Truphone website you can see data plans for over 100 countries with a duration of 1 day or 30 days. These cards are fine for long trips, but not for a conventional vacation. If you travel for a week, for example, you will have to buy 7 times a 1-day plan or buy the 30-day plan and resign yourself to paying for unused days.

A good alternative to travel without worrying about running out of data is Holafly’s eSIM. In this company you will find eSIM options with unlimited data and you only pay for the days you are going to use the service (1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20 days…).

3. Truphone review: eSIM pricing

Although at first glance Truphone may seem like a cheap option as it offers 30-day data plans for less than €25, the truth is that there is a catch. The cheapest plans have a very low data limit and you will probably have to recharge it at some point during your trip. What seems cheap will be expensive in the end.

The brand is offering a data plan with 100MB and a duration of 24h for free for you to try its eSIM on the go.

4. Truphone Customer Support

Truphone’s customer service works through an email that you can check on the web or the app, and that claims to answer in less than 60 minutes, which is not really efficient. If we have any problem with internet abroad, we usually need an immediate solution. On their web page you can also read answers to frequently asked questions.

5. Ability to share data

Truphone allows data sharing in some cases, when the cell phone is compatible and the eSIM in the destination country allows it. You can check this information in the settings of your smartphone and the Truphone website.

6. The Truphone App

Truphone has an App from where you can buy your eSIM plan and install it directly on your mobile phone. This is a point in favor of the brand since it speeds up the purchase and installation process. In the App you can also monitor the remaining gigabytes and recharge your eSIM if you run out of data.

Since you can’t make a purchase on the webpage, you will find buttons there continuously redirecting you to the Apple Store or Google Play.

7. Truphone review: eSIM purchase and installation process

Truphone is the only brand that only allows the purchase through the App, which is available on both IOS and Android. Here are the steps you will need to follow to get a Truphone eSIM:

• Download their App. There you will be able to securely checkout and complete the installation in a few minutes.
• Register by filling in your details directly or via Google or Facebook. You can then choose the country and data plan you need for your trip and pay securely.
• The eSIM is installed directly from the App, which greatly simplifies the installation process as you won’t even have to scan a QR code. In addition, in the App you will be able to see your gigabyte consumption.
• Activation is also done in the App. It is usually recommended to make the purchase, installation and activation before embarking on your trip as you will need internet connection. The best time is just before leaving home.

A great advantage of the App is that it detects if your mobile is eSIM compatible before allowing you to make the purchase.

8. Recharge Truphone eSIM (if you run out of data)

If you decide to use TruPhone, you should know that it allows you to recharge data from its App in a very simple way. Running out of data in the middle of your trip can be a big inconvenience, so we recommend that you keep an eye on the application to check the consumption and if necessary to recharge your eSIM.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Truphone eSIM cards

Advantages

They offer regional, country or global data packages. TruPhone eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install in the App. They offer a wide variety of eSIM cards with different price points and gigabytes. 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. They offer data plans for Apple Watch and Ipad. 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). You cannot make purchases on the web, only from a mobile phone. The data plan duration is limited to 1 or 30 days. Their service and customer support are exclusively in English.

What are the opinions about the Truphone eSIM card on Trustpilot?

One of the best places on the internet to find out what users think about a brand is Trustpilot, where you can see thousands of reviews about all kinds of brands. In the case of Trustpilot has few reviews (100 reviews) and the average score is low (1.9 / 5). Here are some reviews on Trustpilot from users who have used Truphone eSIM cards.

I got an e-sim plan for an Apple Watch and the first three months it worked fine then it stopped functioning and they didn’t give me an answer but every month they charge me for a service that they are not providing. You can only contact them by email and they say they are looking into it and never respond.

Andres, Trustpilot

Terrible customer service. I tried to subscribe to their service but could not sign up for an account. They wanted me to verify my email address by clicking on a link in an email. The link did not work and I reported it 10 days ago and reported it repeatedly since then. No response. I will spend my money somewhere else.

Leslie, Trustpilot

First of all, my bank could not process my monthly payment because Truphone does not use 3D Secure. So I terminated my plan and got another plan and now I have no network connection. You can’t talk to anyone because their phone lines don’t work (oh, the irony) and they don’t respond to e-mails.

Zoe Smith, Trustpilot

Very simple setup on iPad pro. I used truphone several times during the testing period and it worked fine. In the end, I used 3 as my service provider because the offer was better than truphone’s in terms of data and cost.

David Eves, Trustpilot

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Our opinion on Truphone eSIMs

At Passporter we tested Truphone eSIMs on a trip to Japan and these are some of the conclusions we reached.

The first thing that strikes us is that you can’t make purchases from the web. We feel more confident doing this type of procedure on a computer, although you won’t have any problems with the App.

Once you have downloaded the App, it is convenient that it says if your smartphone is compatible with their eSIM, that saves you a lot of time. It is also an advantage that it accompanies you during the installation process.

When choosing the data plan, we would like to point out that the gigabyte limit is generally low (20GB or less). At Passporter we prefer cards with unlimited data like those from Holafly to avoid wasting time and worrying about recharging the eSIM. At least with Truphone you can recharge the eSIM before the contract time runs out.

On the other hand, Truphone’s eSIM cards offer very little flexibility in terms of contract duration (1 or 30 days) and do not adjust to your trip. You’ll have to decide if you’d prefer to have days left over or days without internet.

All in all, the Truphone cards are a good option for one month trips if we are not going to use a lot of data, but at Passporter we always we recommend Holafly’s unlimited data cards for worry-free travel.

What alternatives are there to Truphone eSIMs?

Truphone eSIM cards are a good option for internet when traveling abroad, however, there are many other brands on the market with different eSIM plans that may be more suited to your trip.

At Passporter we have tested Truphone eSIMs and those of other brands such as Airalo, Holafly or Nomad and we want to share our experience with you.

Today there are several brands that offer eSIM cards so you can use the Internet while traveling abroad. Basically, most of them share features such as the simplicity of their installation or purchase process. However, they also have some differences in terms of country coverage, gigabyte limits or price. That is why in this Truphone review we have prepared this section where we compare some of the main eSIM card brands so you can choose the one that suits you best: Holafly, SimOptions or Airalo.

Brand	Plan duration	Data sharing	Unlimited data	App	GB per plan	Support	Price	Trustpilot	Score
Airalo	7, 15 and 30 days	Yes	No	Yes	1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB and 20GB	In English, via a bot	5€ – 185€	3,9	3,8
Holafly	5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 60 and 90 days	No	Yes	Yes	Datos ilimitados en todos los planes	In English (and other languages), direct chat and WhatsApp	19€ -99€	4,6	4,3
Truphone	1 or 30 days	Sometimes	No	Yes	1GB, 2GB, 5GB, 10GB and 20GB	In English, via email	5€ – 45€	1,9	3,8
Nomad	7, 30 days	Yes	No	Yes	1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 20GB, 30GB, 40GB, 50GB and 100GB	In English via email	15€ – 225€	3,1	3,6

1. Holafly, eSIM cards with unlimited data and support in English and other languages

Advantages	Disadvantages
– Unlimited data. – 24/7 technical support in English, Spanish, German, French and Japanese. – You can pay in euros, dollars and Mexican pesos. – Many data plan options: 5, 10, 15, 15, 20, 30, 60 and 90 days. – App where you can check the remaining days of the contract.	– Their eSIM cards do not include calls or sms. – They are one of the most expensive options on the market, but it is worth it because they do not run out of data and do not need to be recharged. – They do not allow data sharing with other devices. Installation cannot be done through their App.

Holafly is a Spanish company with more than 100 employees and offices in several countries around the world, which makes available to the customer eSIM with unlimited data and 24h technical support in English and other languages. Holafly cards are a good option for traveling abroad as they have coverage in 160 destinations. Besides, their packages have unlimited data, which means you won’t run out of connection at any time during your trip or have to monitor your internet usage. In addition, 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 check in your App.

Another advantages of Holafly is that the duration of the plans is very flexible and you can choose between 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 60 and up to 90 days in most countries. This is a great point in its favor since the packages are adapted to each type of trip, whether for pleasure or business. Finally, it should be mentioned that Holafly provides its customers with 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 is the 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

Data	Duration	Support	Price	App	Speed	Data Sharing	Currencies	Total
5	5	4,8	3,5	3,5	4,8	3,5	4,5	4,3

2. Nomad y their App

Ventajas	Desventajas
– Quick and easy purchase and installation process. -Your eSIM allows you to share data with other devices. – Allows you to recharge the eSIM. – Purchases and installation from the App.	– Gigabytes are limited to 20GB or less. – They 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 plans is limited to 7 and 30 days. – Its technical support is only in English. – It is one of the most expensive brands in the market.

Nomad is a company dedicated to the sale of eSIM cards. It is also a marketplace like SimOptions, but its website and App are much better developed and it is a bit easier to compare between eSIM cards. One of the advantages of the brand is that it has an App with which its customers can easily and quickly sign up for data plans.

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.

The vast majority of Nomad’s eSIM plans have a duration of 7 or 30 days, which is not very flexible and you will most likely have days left over or short. Also, their plans have a data limit ranging from 1 GB to 20 GB, and they do not offer plans with unlimited data. The price range is wide and moves between €5 and €125

The Nomad App is very useful for monitoring consumption and recharging in the event of running out of data. Through it we can also contact customer service, which unfortunately is only in English.

In this post we leave more information about Nomad: Our opinion of Nomad’s eSIM and 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

3. Airalo, the cheapest eSIM brand

Ventajas	Desventajas
– It is the cheapest brand on the market. – They have an App and you can buy and install the eSIM from it. – They allow you to recharge the eSIM. – Their eSIM card allows sharing data with other devices. – They have eSIM cards for 190 countries.	– Gigabytes are limited to 20GB or less. – They 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 plans is limited to 7 and 30 days. – Their customer support is only in English and takes a long time to respond.

Although Airalo is one of the cheapest brands on the market, the truth is that it can be expensive in the long run as its data plans have very limited gigabytes that can run out at any time, and their customer support takes a long time to respond.

Airalo along with Holafly is one of the world’s best-known brands for buying an international travel eSIM. This company, founded in Singapore in 2019 by Turkish entrepreneurs Abraham Burak and Ahmet Bahadir Özdemir, was one of the first to offer these services, and has a wide coverage of countries where they support eSIM cards.

Airalo’s eSIM card data plans typically have a duration of 7, 15 and 30 days, and prices range from $5 to $185. The brand has an App where you can buy and install the eSIM, and later recharge it when you run out of data.

We’ve 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 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

What is our favorite eSIM card for our travels

As you may have seen, there are a lot of possibilities in the world of eSIM cards, and we’re not just talking about the number of brands, but also the variety of data plans with different duration, price and amount of gigabytes. We know that all this data can be overwhelming, so we want to make it easy for you by sharing our experience with you in our Truphone review.

After testing eSIM cards from Truphone and other brands such as Holafly, Airalo or SimOptions, we have come to the conclusion that we want to avoid worries at all costs. And one of the main problems is data limits, which makes you have to control your mobile usage if you don’t want to run out of data in the middle of your trip.

At Passporter we consider eSIM cards with unlimited data to be more practical when traveling. 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, and in their online store you can also find a wide variety of data plans with very flexible durations and for many destinations. Another advantage that Holafly has is that they offer a service of 24h technical support in English and other languages. In conclusion, Truphone cards are perfectly valid to have internet abroad, but if you want to go quiet and carefree, we recommend Holafly’s unlimited-data eSIM cards.

Questions to consider before buying a Truphone eSIM card