Travelers will agree – a stable connection abroad is everyone’s pain in the neck. Whether you connect to roaming or sneak into cafés for free Wi-Fi, you always lack the Internet when you need it the most. As a solution, eSIM is the advice of many. This virtual technology allows us to use the local cell data and pay for it as a local – all this without buying a physical SIM card. Activate it for one day, month, or half a year, it doesn’t matter. eSIMs are helpful all over the globe and for any term.
So, why not search for one? According to customer reviews, Airalo eSIM is the most popular eSIM provider in 200+ regions. In this detailed review, let’s see if that option is helpful. For a fair Airalo review, we’ll gather real reviews on pricing, coverage, Internet speed, and Airalo quality in different parts of the world.
What’s eSIM and Airalo Particularly?
First things first, let’s not hurry. What’s eSIM? Why do travelers choose it over sim cards? Do YOU need it? We’ll find out.
Imagine that you travel over the globe, and the Internet is available anywhere. You just open your smartphone and use the cell data in the US, France, Japan, Turkey, Jamaica, and so on. Practically, that was possible for years with roaming. But you pay huge fees – about a dollar for each 500 MB. Not the best idea for vacation if you are not a millionaire.
But what if you utilize the local Internet and pay a fair price for it? Plus, you don’t need a physical SIM card on your smartphone. Finally, you can activate the Internet for a certain period and avoid overpaying for the whole month. That’s what eSIM does.
This technology allows using buy local Internet plans in any part of the world and activates them in advance. With Airalo, you can buy connections in 190+ destinations for a week, 15 days, or a month. The advantages are clear.
| Airalo | Simple SIM cards |
|---|---|
| No need for a plastic card | But plastic cards pollute the planet |
| Buy 1GB or more depending on your needs | Plans are created for 30 days and contain more data |
| Activate the plan before arriving in the country | Arrive, buy the SIM card at the airport, and spend hours connecting to it |
Still, be attentive – not all devices support eSIM technologies. But we’ll talk about it later.
How Does Airalo Work?
Just like other eSIM providers:
- Visit the official website of Airalo. Here, find your destination and see available plans.
- Select the tariff. Choose the amount of data or the number of days, depending on what’s your priority.
- Pay online. No need for physical stores. Add the tariff to the cart and pay with your card/e-wallet/Google Pay.
- Activate the tariff. Do it in advance, while you’re connected to the Internet in your home country. Airalo offers three ways: enter the plan’s details manually in your phone settings, scan the QR code, or activate the app.
Now, you’re ready! Once you arrive at the destination, remember to turn on the mobile data and enable roaming. Don’t worry, you won’t pay for it. This is needed for Airalo to start working.
Returning to compatibility, that’s a tough issue. Some phones simply don’t have a chip to activate the eSIM plan. In this case, physical cards are your best friends. Check Airalo’s compatibility list before buying a plan. Note that smartwatches and tablets are also included. Nice news for digital nomads who work on their laptops abroad!
Real Reviews and Complaints: Let’s Analyze Airalo
One user cannot fully explain the pros and cons of Airalo. Instead, let’s see what other customers say about its opportunities. We’ll also compare the company’s claims and real Airalo experiences to see the whole truth. Finally, let’s find out why this popular company has only 2.5 stars at Trustpilot.
| Coverage |      | It seems that Airalo shows perfect 5G connection only in several countries, including the US. Customers from Asia and the Middle East claim to use 2G or 3G during their stay. Not the best idea if you’re a digital Nomad. Indeed, Airalo doesn’t guarantee 5G. Instead, it usually claims the Internet speed to be “LTE” (which practically can be both 4G or 2G) |
| Regional and global plans |      | Apart from single-location plans, Airalo offers regional tariffs. See how it works: you buy a single plan, and it works in a certain number of countries (European ones, Asia, South America, etc.). The reviews are indeed contradicting. Some experience no trouble, and others cannot connect at all. According to some hints in reviews of Airalo, Airalo regional plans are good in big cities. Meanwhile, in distant regions and borders, you simply disconnect. That’s not a 100% case, however. Some users thank the provider for excellent coverage. |
| Price |    | Here, Airalo remains an absolute leader. You can say anything about its quality, but the price is indeed good. Paying only $1-$2 per GB, you cut off on roaming charges. Compared to other eSIM providers, Airalo is one of the cheapest. |
| Plans versatility |    | In terms of tariffs, Airalo is something in between. They are indeed versatile – buy 1GB or 20 GB, activate for a week or a month, etc. However, you cannot make calls, and unlimited Internet is not available for most destinations. Basically, you pay only for mobile data. |
Advantages and Disadvantages of Airalo
So, what can we say? Airalo is perfect in terms of pricing, but other aspects are contradicting. Some customers claim the coverage to be poor, especially in Asia. Plans include only data, and you must buy a virtual number separately. Plus, you cannot buy unlimited Internet – no wonder for a budget-friendly provider.
| Pros | Cons |
| no need for physical cardsversatile plansbudget-friendly tariffsdifferent duration, from 7 to 30 daysregular discounts activation via the phone applicationno roaming fees | poor coverage in most regions5G is rarely availableno phone callsno tariffs with unlimited data use |
That’s still good compared to traditional SIM cards, though. Airalo works digitally, which is much more convenient. Nothing to say about pricing – eSIM providers are much cheaper.
Compare Airalo to Other Providers
The advantages of Airalo over SIM cards are obvious, but what about other eSIM companies? According to reviews, these 4 are no less popular, and customers sometimes choose them over Airalo:
- Yesim. This provider focuses on both pre-paid and unlimited data plans. Plus, you can choose a 1-day connection, which is not available at Airalo. A nice alternative for a short trip!
- Holafly. For fans of large data volumes, this one is for you. Holafly has ONLY unlimited Internet plans. Buy and use any data volume. No more stress about running out of data.
- Saily. Talking about pricing, Saily is quite cheap. But it lacks regional plans – so, focus on your priorities.
- Instabridge. Do you like special offers and free apps for clients? Instabridge offers VPN, GPS, and even a map with free Wi-Fi. As for data plans, they are more expensive compared to Airalo.
As you see, no one can beat Airalo in terms of pricing. If you’re into cheap trips – don’t even hesitate and buy this one.
Is Airalo Good For You?
Besides personal opinion, let’s focus on other clients and what they say. According to Trustpilot, App Store, and Google Play, Airalo is cheap, but everything has its price. The number of negative Airalo eSIM reviews shows – there’s something wrong here. Don’t expect a stable connection. Don’t wait for 5G speed as well. But if you need a provider to chat with friends and Google information from time to time, Airalo is more than enough. You see, that’s all about priorities, and many clients prioritize price. If you’re one of them, don’t hesitate and choose Airalo for your international trips.
On average, you pay about $2-$4 per 1GB. It also depends on the data volume. If you buy a 20 GB tariff, the price per 1 GB can lower to $1 or even less.
The company uses reliable SSL encryption, so no one can steal your data. But be attentive and don’t show your activation QR code to anyone. Otherwise, someone can steal your data plan.
The company positions itself as a budget-friendly provider, and that’s true. Customers choose it for cost-effective trips, where they don’t need an especially fast connection.
That’s a reliable and cost-effective company with 200+ destinations. If you are ready for some connection losses, buy its plans for international travel with no worries.
