When traveling to Saudi Arabia, you will have to consider which is the best option to enjoy an internet plan wherever you go. Thanks to multiple possibilities of eSIM for traveling, you can choose between different data plans of shorter or longer duration at different prices to connect to the internet in Saudi Arabia, depending on what you need. But which brand offers the best eSIM cards?
In this article we will tell you how to find the best eSIM for Saudi Arabia depending on your type of travel. You can find a wide variety of brands with different features such as speed, data limit, technical support, price or duration of the plans. In this post you will discover the main brands such as Holafly, Airalo or Simoptions, among others, and we will discuss their advantages and disadvantages to help you make a decision. We can already tell you that the unlimited data eSIM cards like those from Holafly are a safe bet with no extra charges and 24/7 support.
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Comparison of eSIM for a trip to Saudi Arabia
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 summary table with all the essential information about Holafly, Airalo, Maya Movile, Simoptions and Ubigi to help you choose. We’ll delve deeper into each eSIM brand later on 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 | 7 and 15 days | No | No | Yes | 3 GB and 6 GB | In English and other languages, direct chat and WhatsApp | 34€ -54€ | 4,6 | 4,3 |
| Airalo | 7, 15 and 30 days | Yes | No | Yes | 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 5GB and 10GB | In English, via a bot | 5$ – 26$ | 3,9 | 3,8 |
| Maya Mobile | 30 days | Yes | No | Yes | 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB | In English, via email | 12€ – 41€ | 4,2 | 4,1 |
| Simoptions | 15 days | No | No | No | 6GB | In English, via chat | 39$ | 3,5 | 3 |
| Truphone | 1 and 30 days | Yes | No | Yes | 1GB, 2GB, 5GB | In English, by email or the App | 15€ – 45€ | 3,1 | 3,6 |
1. Holafly, eSIM for Saudi Arabia with unlimited data and customer support in English
| 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. You can pay in euros, dollars and Mexican pesos. Flexible duration of data plans: 5 and 15 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 or have to recharge. Holafly’s eSIM card for Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia. |
Holafly is one of the best companies to hire an internet plan in Saudi Arabia, as it offers a 24/7 customer service in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Japanese that responds in less than a minute by chat or WhatsApp. It is currently the company with the best customer rating on Trustpilot with a score of 4.6.
On the website of Holafly you can find 2 data plans ranging from 19€ to 34€ depending on the duration of the contract, which can be 7 and 15 days. It is perfect for a vacation, for digital nomads, and students abroad or express trips to Saudi Arabia.
| Data plan | Price in Euros | Price in Dollars | Price in Mexican Pesos |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days – 3 GB | 19€ | 19$ | $339 |
| 15 days – 6 GB | 34€ | 34$ | $699 |
To install the Holafly eSIM, you only have to scan the QR code that you will receive by email once you have completed the purchase. The other alternative is the manual installation, which you can do without a computer. You will only have to type 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.
After testing Holafly eSIM cards we can say that they are one of the most expensive options on the market, but the quality offered is reflected in the price and you will not need to recharge at any time during your trip. Here we leave you this ranking where we evaluate from 1 to 5 all the features of Holafly’s eSIM cards for Saudi Arabia based on our experience.
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?
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 4,8 | 3,5 | 3,5 | 4,8 | 3,5 | 4,5 | 4 |
2. Airalo, the cheapest eSIM brand to travel to Saudi Arabia
| 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 100GB or less and do not have unlimited data cards. Short-term plans have very limited gigabytes of 1 GB and 5GB. Their eSIM cards do not include calls and sms. The duration of most plans is more than one month. Their services and technical support is exclusively in English and takes a long time to respond. |
Airalo is a company founded in Singapore in 2019 by Turkish entrepreneurs Abraham Burak and Ahmet Bahadir Özdemir. It is considered, along with Holafly, one of the world’s best-known brands for buying an international travel eSIM. It was also one of the first to offer these services, and has a wide coverage of countries where eSIM cards are offered.
Airalo’s eSIM card data plans for Saudi Arabia have durations of 7, 15 and 30 days, and prices range from $5 to $26. In addition, Airalo is characterized as one of the cheapest brands on the market. However, its technical service leaves much to be desired and takes a long time to respond. In addition, their data plans have very limited gigabytes, so it could happen that you run out of data in the middle of the trip and have to recharge. This means that in the end the costs will increase and what seems cheap will be expensive in the long run.
| Data plan | Price in U.S. Dollars |
|---|---|
| 7 days – 1 GB | 5$ |
| 15 days – 2 GB | 8$ |
| 30 days – 3 GB | 11$ |
| 30 days – 5 GB | 15,5$ |
| 30 days – 10 GB | 26$ |
Although Airalo is cheap and offers a wide variety of eSIM cards that can be controlled through its App, it is not one of the best options because of what we told you earlier about its technical service, as you can see on Trustpilot in the comments and ratings from users.
Airalo has one of the lowest scores with 3.7. 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 |
3. Truphone and their App
| 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 5GB, 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-based company known for offering eSIM cards to connect to the internet in more than 160 countries. It was a pioneer in the sector and the first global operator to launch eSIM for iPad, Apple Watch and Google Pixel devices. In addition, since 2016it has been a technology partner of Apple, which gives it a great competitive advantage and makes it easier to install eSIMs on its devices.
In the case of Truphone, it does not offer exclusive internet plans for Saudi Arabia, but it does offer global plans that will be able to serve you on your trip to the country, with options from 1 to 30 days with a data limit of 1GB, 2GB and 5GB. Prices can range from €15, €30 or €45 depending on the amount of data. However, one of the problems with this brand is that their data plans have very few gigabytes (maximum 5GB), so you could run out of internet in the middle of your trip.
| Data plan | Price in Euros | Price in Dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day – 1 GB | 15€ | 16$ |
| 30 days – 2 GB | 30€ | 32$ |
| 30 days – 5 GB | 45€ | 48$ |
Although on the website you can check the data plans and all the details about their eSIMs, to buy the eSIM card you will need to download the mobile application. Once downloaded you will need to create an account by entering 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. A great advantage of the App is that it detects if your mobile is compatible with eSIM before allowing you to make the purchase.
The installation and activation processes are done through the App, so you won’t need to scan any QR codes. Just keep in mind that you will need internet to perform the operation.
If you go to Trustpilot you can see that Truphone has over 100 reviews and a score of 1.9, one of the lowest among eSIM card providers. We have also rated the Truphone eSIM card based on our experience and these are our findings.
| 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?
4. SimOptions y 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 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 14 and 30 days. Not all eSIM cards allow recharging data. Technical support depends on each brand and customer service cannot be guaranteed. Speed depends on each brand of eSIM card. There is 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 Saudi Arabia you’ll find a single 15-day data plan, with data limits of 6GB. The fixed price is $39.9. Some of the cards available also include calls.
The main drawback of Simoptions is that its website is a bit chaotic and the data plans, being from different brands, are very diverse and their features vary a lot, not only price, speed or duration, but also technical support, the possibility of recharging or data sharing. This will force you to look in detail at each brand and will make it harder for you to make a decision.
| Data plan | Price in U.S. Dollars |
|---|---|
| 15 days – 6 GB | 39,9$ |
Our personal experience is that with SimOptions cards you waste a lot of time comparing between them. 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 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 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 |
5. Maya Mobile, 30-day data plans for your trip to Saudi Arabia
| Advantages | They offer data packages by continent and for countries. 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. 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 Saudi Arabia. In this case, the price of the data packages varies depending on the gigabytes. In total they have 4 offers of 1, 3, 5 and 10 gigabytes.The prices range from 12€ to 41€.
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 | 12€ |
| 30 days – 3 GB | 17€ |
| 30 days – 5 GB | 24€ |
| 30 days – 10 GB | 41€ |
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 |
Conclusion: what is the best eSIM for Saudi Arabia
In this post we have seen that there are many important factors to consider when comparing eSIM cards as, for each type of travel you will have different connection needs. After testing several brands of eSIM cards for Saudi Arabia we have drawn our own conclusions, and we have prepared this section where we tell you which eSIM card is best for each type of travel.
When we travel we don’t want to run out of data in the middle of our vacation, that’s why eSIM cards with unlimited data are the best option if we want to travel without worries. In this case, the only brand that offers unlimited eSIM data plans is Holafly. With some companies like Ubigi, Nomad or 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. And remember, you can only top them up while the card is still active.
If in the end you opt for an eSIM with limited data, we leave you this table that will help you to make the estimate of the gigabytes you will need based on your usual consumption.
| 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 check this information on the website of each provider.
Purchasing the eSIM for Saudi Arabia can be done through the web for some brands such as Holafly or Simoptions, or through the app such as Nomad or Ubigi. The Holafly website is very intuitive and easy to use, while the Simoptions website 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 Nomad and Ubigi, 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 in the mail 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 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 English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Japanese via web chat or WhatsApp.
Many times when we travel we want toshare data with other devices and only some providers like Airalo, Ubigi and some Simoptions brands make it possible. However, you have to keep in mind that the eSIM data of these brands is limited, and if you share it will run out even sooner.
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’s why it’s sometimes advisable to pay a little more and get a unlimited data eSIM card like Holafly’s for peace of mind and no need to recharge again.
In short, Holafly’s eSIM cards are the best choice for travel to Saudi Arabia because of 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 Saudi Arabia
ESIM cards are our preferred option for traveling abroad because of all the advantages they offer and which we detail in this table. However, there are many other alternatives that you can also consider and that we tell you below so you can decide.
| Comfort | 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 24h 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 | Avoid using public wifi networks vulnerable to hacking. Avoid entering personal data in endless forms to get Wifi. No need to open or manipulate your mobile as with eSIM cards. |
1. SIM cards for Saudi Arabia
On your route through Saudi Arabia you can purchase aSIM card in each European city you land in. In the airports and commercial areas of the cities you will find stores of the main international cell phone companies such as: Lobster, Travelsim or Things Mobile. Prices vary depending on the country.
| 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 in Saudi Arabia
Another alternative for connecting to the Internet in Saudi Arabia is to rent a Pocket WiFi device, a portable router that allows you to connect to many devices at once as long as they are near the device.
| 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. |
Some companies providing this service are Mio WiFi or Hippocket WiFi. The price ranges from €6 per day plus device rental and insurance. And most have a limit on the number of devices that can be connected.
This option is interesting when we only need internet in a very specific space or for a long period of time. They are usually recommended for business trips.
3. Free WiFi networks in Saudi Arabia
This is undoubtedly the most frequent and also the cheapest option. Who hasn’t wandered desperately around a foreign city in search of free Wifi? If it’s happened to you, then you’ll know how complicated it can be to find Wifi networks that work well, that don’t ask you to fill out endless forms or that don’t have limited time.
Although it is true that it is becoming easier to access public Wi-Fi networks in museums, hotels, cafes and on transport, the truth is that this option should be used with great caution. The public Wifi points are very vulnerable to hacks and cyber-attacks through which they access your private data. It is therefore recommended to spend as little time as possible connected, to use it for specific queries and not to expose personal 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. |
4. Activate roaming for Saudi Arabia
One of the options that is losing more and more popularity due to its high costs is 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. The cost of MB can be up to 6€ for 1MB, which is quite extreme.
In Spain there are several companies that offer roaming service abroad as Movistar, Vodafone or Orange. If in the end you choose this option, we recommend you to get information about the cost of roaming beforehand from your usual company in order to compare with other services such as eSIM cards.
| 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 Saudi Arabia
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.
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 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 popular 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 indicate all the compatible models.
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.
Most carriers offer packages with data limits. Holafly, unlike the rest, offers a wide variety of unlimited data packages.
It is best to activate it just before your trip as you will need an internet connection.
Data packages usually have a duration of 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 has been marketing eSIMs since 2019.
Holafly has over 10,000 positive experiences published on Trustpilot, with a rating of “Excellent” and an average score of 4.6.
SIM Options has both positive and negative reviews, and a lower average Trustpilot rating than Holafly at 3.8. SIM Options is a Hong Kong based company.
Maya is owned by a US company, Maya Virtual Inc. Maya’s reviews on Trustpilot are good, with an average rating of 4.5.
No, Maya actually limits the speed on its unlimited plans to only 5mbps. Once 30GB is consumed, Maya further limits the speed to 1mbps.
Airalo reviews on Trustpilot are good, with an average score of 3.9.
The price varies depending on the provider, the number of gigabytes and the duration of the contract. The price range is between €5 and €190.
The reviews of Flexiroam on Truspilot are good, with an average score of 4.2.
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