Name: Airalo: eSIM Travel & Internet
Rating: 4.66948 (41483 reviews)

User Reviews for Airalo: eSIM Travel & Internet

4.67 out of 5

41.5K Ratings

1 year ago, fred83838

It’s great to be connected!

I bought a new iPhone SE last fall and my physical sim from my old phone was fighting with an eSIM that I must have downloaded from my carrier so I had no phone service. I went to my service provider to find out what was wrong and they reinstalled the eSIM and told me to wait 24 hours for it to become active. 24 hours later there was no change. I ended up removing my SIM card and I now had a phone that worked. That got me interested in eSIMs since I saw ads about using them in other countries. I had a trip to Australia and New Zealand coming up but still wasn’t sure they would work. None of my traveling friends used them. After being in Australia for 5 days living on public WiFi and trying to do Geocaching Adventure Labs I decided $14 wasn’t too much to lose so when I got to New Zealand I signed up and downloaded my first eSIM. It installed right away and after turning a few things on or off I was ready to go. When we got back to Australia for a few days I bought the Australian eSIM which I should have done right away. I was traveling with 4 other people and became the go between since I was the only one connected. I told them next time we take a trip we will all have an eSIm. I have a trip to Switzerland coming up and my husband will be getting a new iPhone so he can have an eSIM too and be connected.

11 months ago, Ria.DJ

Useful with some quirks

Update: Airalo has gotten back to me with some suggested items such as a global SIM which can be used. I’ll try them out. I’ve used this on two trips so far, one to Germany and another to Japan (I live in the US). iPhone 14 pro max has no sim slot so I’m stuck using eSIMs. The good is that you will get data connectivity. I had no problems activating the eSIM and using them. Everything worked ok and even my US provider worked via cellular data. Pricing is ok. Not great but ok. But this app has an appeal to those who want an easy on-ramp to getting connected to many countries. Now the quirks. In Tokyo Japan it connected only at 4G. Not even LTE, but 4G, as in 3G that is labeled as 4G. This was with SoftBank. That’s fine for google maps and other stuff but it’s not very fast. The other eSIM app I used, Ubigi connected via 5G and was pretty fast. You don’t get a native in country sim in some cases. This mostly won’t matter but it could mess with geofencing and geolocation via IP. For example in Japan my eSIM was from Singtel and as such some apps thought I was in Singapore. In Germany it used a SIM from Play (Poland) and some apps thought I was in Poland. The final quirk is that for each country you need to install the eSIM. Some apps like Ubigi just let you install one eSIM and just add in data packs. This one you need to install a SIM for each country. If you travel a lot you could end up with a lot of eSIMs.

6 months ago, EGG12345678

Works Great

This is my first time using Airalo eSIM and it’s great. I got myself and my partner the euro eSIM for the whole region. We’ve been in Germany and Amsterdam and it’s working great. I got 5 GB of data for 30 days. Our trip is 16 days. We are driving everywhere and using GPS to do it. So far we’re a week in an I still have a little over half my data. My partners data is still in the upper 4s. I will definitely be using their eSIM again. We usually get SIM cards in other countries to help with navigation and translation but this was by far the easiest choice. We landed and had data right away. The only slight uh-oh moment where we lost data was when we crossed the border, but because I had already read reviews saying that you have to choose your network when crossing borders it was an easy fix and we got the next network chosen after turning the phone on an off again. After that no problems and the data has worked great. I even used hotspot for a bit for a movie for my kids on my laptop and it worked great. I love the ease of buying it online and not having to go anywhere. I will try it again in Vietnam in a month and hopefully it’ll work just as good there.

2 months ago, LJJ7

Cost effective for international travel!

Very happy I found out about Airalo on a Paris Facebook page. Would have spent $10/day with my internet plan! I suggested it to my daughter who travelled to England and Scotland for 10 days. Her boyfriend installed it for her no problems. When it was my turn to install it on my phone, I wasn’t quite so fortunate. I thought I’d botched it and couldn’t tell if it had actually installed. I spent the better part of the day via emails going back and forth with customer service. I’d give them five stars for the app if that experience had been better. In the end I finally got someone who directed me to see that it actually was on my phone. The next day I installed it easily on my husbands phone. When we landed in Paris, turned our phones on following the instructions I’d received and got us both connected with no glitches. Have been using it for four days now. Funny thing is I can only text other iPhone users but can WhatsApp anyone else I want to connect to. Another thing though is that I can’t send email, but can receive it. I’m not sure this has anything to do with Airola as it seems to be a problem with my outgoing Charter email service. I just haven’t had the time to deal with it and sending email on this trip doesn’t really matter.

1 month ago, NY Gamecock

First experience

In preparation for a trip overseas my brother highly recommended Airalo. I’ve used the app and purchased an eSIM in preparation for the trip. I’ve installed the eSIM and it was mostly pretty straight forward. I personally would like more information regarding WHY you do the actions the directions tell you to do. Also it talks about 2 steps, installation and activation. It seems however that once installed the eSIM pretty much “activates” on its own. That, to me, wasn’t very clear. I am using an iPhone XR, so not the newest phone and iOS 17.5. I will update after using. After a few days at my first destination overseas my Airalo eSIM has functioned flawlessly. I am in a large European city so I suspect coverage is quite good and I have had no lapses or drops. I continue to be satisfied and impressed with the product. Interestingly I had a young woman next to me on the airplane who asked me if I had any experience with eSIMS. I told her I had just installed my first and it was Airalo. She had purchased a competitors eSIM and was having quite a bit of difficulty installing it. When we landed at our first destination my phone immediately connected to the local network provider and I showed her. She said she was going to purchase an Airalo eSIM as soon as she got to a Wi-Fi connection. My first sale!!

1 year ago, JerseyFirst

My First Try- It worked Instantly

I tested this with an unlocked I phone 12 pro max ( I bought second hand inUSA) on Groupon. I really wanted to see how it worked in prep for an upcoming trip to Europe. I bought a USA 7 day 1 GB e- sim to use in the USA for 7 days. I was using my home internet connection. You need a secure connection to get the E sim from Airolo. The tricky part but they flashed the instructions was to assign this E/ Sim to the second spot and turn off The Primary Cellular Data spot. I guess it can’t get two internet signals at the Same time? My primary physical sim had an Orange SIM card in place ( expired) from a former trip that had no data on it but must have still been active. I turned it off. I am picking up T- Mobile 5 G in my local area on the -E-sim from Airolo. My future plan is to purchase another E- Sim from them when I travel to Europe in several months. I think I will purchase it in advance but activate it when I reach my destination because you need an internet connection or I guess you can use any free wifi at airport arrival to activate it. May even consider on plane internet ( purchase on flight) to activate it on route. This is Data only. No voice phone calls.

3 years ago, CommonMerganser

A Traveler’s Dream

Airalo is a game changer. The stressful days of trying to buy a data plan with a physical SIM card abroad, in an unknown town, in a foreign language, are now gone. With Airalo it was a breeze to find the right data package. Their regional plan was even better covering almost everywhere I visited. Cost wise it’s a no brainer: cheaper and more data than what my cellphone company was offering. I only ran into one problem when I initially tried to connect. At first my phone couldn’t find service, but I had googled potential problems and this seems to be common. By turning off automatic network connections and manually selecting the network I was able to get it work. I then turned automatic back on and the rest is history. Crossing borders and changing network providers was almost instantaneous. I don’t normally write reviews, but the thought of this service not existing because it’s unknown (like it was to me before this last trip) is terrifying - thanks to Airalo I no longer have to spend my entire trip panicking about whether or not I am going to lose my normal SIM card while a foreign one takes it’s safe spot inside my phone. Instead I just have data, no assembly required.

2 years ago, Upanddown31

so helpful!!

I was just on a trip to Switzerland and Croatia for about three weeks total and Airalo was perfect to use! The design of the app is really easy to navigate and had very straightforward instructions for downloading the eSIM. Definitely cheaper than my provider’s international plan and nice to not have to take out my existing SIM card. I did call my provider before installing it because my phone said my SIM was locked even though it shouldn’t have been, but I called them to make sure and I had no issues after that. I’m not sure how this would fair if you’re going across multiple countries for just a few days, but for only 12 days in each country 3 GBs was a great amount to get around when I couldn’t find wifi. The only downside is that you do have to turn off your regular number so I couldn’t send or receive SMS (and any that were sent in the time you don’t see when you turn it back on) nor call — my texts and FaceTime calls just went through iMessage, but that might be a capability I just missed when setting up the eSIM. Either way I definitely recommend Airalo if you’re looking for a simple and easy way to stay online during your travels!

1 month ago, Fangchi Gato

Unstable connection + data runs out quickly + China = Panic!

I got a 20GB China package for a second time. My first data package from 6 months ago provided me smooth internet connection, personal hotspot and APN. But this time, I couldn't even get a stable connection. I had to constantly turn on and off airplane mode to search for signal. The signal bar on the top right corner was ALWAYs empty even when there was actual connection. Searching for signals all the time, my phone ran out of battery in just three hours. Personal hotspot wasn't available, which was a surprise so I had to figure out how to work on the laptop. The 20GB was gone in less than a week despite a fact I was on a WiFi most of the time. Talking to customer support was not helpful. They gave me just some bland advice "turn off data for some apps". The customer support chat itself crushed all the time. Guess what I did? I turned on my AT&T line and it worked! Super fast LTE internet with unlimited data. So why bother with Airalo? I like the app for its design and effectiveness. But anyone who has traveled to China would understand the panic of being cut out from the outside world. Even more panic when the phone is always running out of battery. I will not choose Airalo again for my next trip. Airalo's customer support is appreciated but I sincerely hope they will not tell people something silly like "1GB has less data than 20GB" again.

1 year ago, terr1967

Save money with Airalo eSIM

I am an American residing in Costa Rica. For some time I’ve maintained my US mobile number with an AT&T prepaid account, which includes wi-fi calling, to handle US business and to have service when traveling to the States. I also have a Costa Rica number which requires a physical SIM card. I recently purchased an iPhone 13 (iPhone 14 doesn’t have a physical SIM card slot) and the world of eSIM was opened to me! After doing a bit of research I found that if I ported my number from AT&T to Google Voice for only $20 (there’s no monthly fee for Google Voice) and install an eSIM from Airalo I no would no longer have a monthly fee. All I have to do is top off my installed eSIM prior to traveling to the US. An extra added bonus is that while I’m in Costa Rica my US number is no longer dependent on wi-fi because of my Google Voice App which works using my Costa Rica SIM data! This change is a win win! I no longer have a monthly fee, I can use my US number anytime I want and the service is fantastic! As inexpensive as the Airalo data is I am pretty sure that if I returned permanently to the US I would likely continue using an Airalo eSIM and Google Voice.

1 year ago, AlexM703

Pass! Buy another esim

Me and 7 other friends bought this esim for a trip to Bali Indonesia. I typically buy Holafly, but this esim was a little bit cheaper and had great reviews. I have never had issues with an esim before with Holafly, and the service was always great. Skip to Airalo, and my esim stopped providing service for exactly 24 hours. I did absolutely everything I could, reset my network, turned off/on my phone, switched off/on the network etc… I know my way around an iphone and I was able to deduce the issue being on the Airalo esim. After contacting support and getting a reply 7 hours later, they were of no help. Finally my esim started working again magically 24 hours after it stopped working. Airalo provided no assistance or compensation because “they were unable to run troubleshooting steps” (maybe if they replied quicker they would have told me to do exactly what I already did). I had to pay the $10 for my personal cellular data to kick in for the data to make up for the lack of internet I had for the 24 hours. 2 of my friends had the same issue, although 1 of them had the issue for 72 hours. I would stay away from Airalo, the product is subpar, and if I’m paying for service, I would rather ensure it work for the entirety of my trip. Also a support chat that would allow me to have the issue fixed/ get a new sim card within an hour would be nice.

2 years ago, SeuChris

Live in the US with Family in Germany & Brazil

This app is a complete game changer! I have an iPhone 12 mini which has an eSIM. I keep my physical US SIM card installed in my phone, and via this app, I have both a German eSIM and Brazilian eSIM installed for INTERNET DATA ONLY (I just chose which of the 2 eSIMS I would like to have active depending on the county I’m in and purchase the 1-time data package that works best for my visit. No contacts!). With this setup, I keep my American line active in case an important call comes in, and pay for that call according to my Verizon plan. But I typically only answer the call if it’s important. For the rest of my time abroad, I just use data-based apps like WhatsApp (or Apple Facetime and Apple Messenger of communicating with another iPhone user) and all of this is covered by the data. Very practical since I don’t live in Germany or Brazil and it’s not worth getting a different number there. The data rates are very reasonable and it works perfectly if you follow the installation and setup instruction closely and thoroughly. Total setup takes about 5-10 minutes, maybe a little longer if it’s you’re first time.

7 months ago, Marco R Beainy

Easy to use and great connectivity all over the world

I recently had the pleasure of using AirAlo's eSIM platform, and I must say it exceeded my expectations in every aspect. The platform is excellently designed, making it incredibly easy to use. What impressed me the most was the seamless automation of processes, ensuring a hassle-free experience from start to finish. Furthermore, I was particularly impressed by their exceptional customer service. On one occasion, I encountered an issue on the 31st of December, a time when many services might be less responsive due to the holiday season. However, the AirAlo team was not only available but also went above and beyond to promptly assist me, resolving the issue with utmost professionalism and courtesy. In summary, AirAlo offers a top-notch eSIM platform backed by an outstanding customer support team. Whether you're a tech-savvy individual or someone new to eSIM technology, I highly recommend AirAlo for its user-friendly interface, automated processes, and exceptional customer service. They have certainly earned my trust and appreciation, and I look forward to continuing to use their services in the future.

2 years ago, Joe Tilley

Easy Button for International Data

I used to switch to T-Mobile or Google Fi when traveling internationally, which meant stopping my Cricket service, porting my number, and paying a higher rate for a month of service when I might only need the international data for a few days. My wife and I traveled to Aruba recently, and decided to try out Airalo instead. Since it uses the internal eSIM, we were able to keep our existing cellular plans untouched and just add a 1GB/week plan for under $10! The Airalo app made it super easy to install the eSIM on our iPhones, then we had to make some small modifications to the cellular settings (which the app provides instructions for) and it worked great after that! I have wifi calling enabled, and my iPhone indicated that my Cricket service was running over the Airalo data connection, just like it does when I’m connected to wifi, so I was still able to use my main phone number as if I was still on domestic coverage. This will definitely be our main travel data option going forward, as long as they have coverage for the country we’re traveling too.

7 months ago, selgee

This eSIM is very unreliable. Feels like a scam

Airalo’s eSIM is as unreliable as it gets. I got the eSIM for me and my family once we got to Zermatt, Switzerland. For all 4 of us, it worked for half a day. This confirms that I followed their instructions. Then on a day of excursions, the family split up to different activities and when we tried to reach other, none of our eSIMs were working from different locations. The cell signal showed good strength though. We lost half a day in trying to reconnect with each other, and had to go through anxiety and frustration. Later that evening I tried to work with the customer service after several hours of waiting (precious vacation time) went through each setting in detail, sent them screenshots of each setting and this service did not work. After almost 2 hours, I gave up and said just give my money back. Though it was only $5 each, and the vacation cost us several orders of magnitude more, I felt cheated for being sold a product that was never tested to be reliable and felt severely victimized to a scam. I insisted on getting a refund. They were generous enough to offer a non expiring credit for unused data. I asked then why would I get their service again after this experience. This company is a scam. Don’t even consider buying their product or services ever.

12 months ago, BJeanB2023

Worked great for me!

I installed Airalo esims on an IPhone 14 pro max a few days before I left for my trip. I’ve never used an esims for travel before but I found this to be easy to install (as long as you follow the instructions) and even easier to use. I bought the Eurolink 30 days/10gb and used it mostly for maps, searches for things to do, as well as WhatsApp. It worked seamlessly in Ireland, England, Scotland, Norway, Iceland, and the Netherlands. As I travelled from one country to another the service moved from one network provider to another without me having to do anything. I ended up using about 9gb of my data - another person in my group used 8gb. If you are traveling to multiple countries check the regional esims that are offered. That is what I purchased (Eurolink) and fortunately it covered all of the countries I planned to go to. Also keep in mind that this is for data only, not voice and text, but if you use WhatsApp you can still do all of those things. There may be less expensive esims to purchase, I don’t know. But this one worked great for me - no complaints at all.

2 months ago, dina_g

Instructions Poor

Updated to 3 stars because after over 45 minutes on WhatsApp with tech support the third time I reached out, I was able to get it installed to use data. The support agent was very patient and went through all the screenshots to make sure it works. So 5 stars to the patient when! But support told me steps that weren't in the original instructions, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to install one without support's help the next time I travel, and it took forever, so minus stars. (Side note, I still only have it with WhatsApp for my personal phone number and not iMessage, as I completely turned off my personal SIM to ensure I don't get any roaming charges. I believe that must be the case with all e-sims, though, not just this one.) Original review: I've tried twice now and I must be an idiot despite the fact that my actual job is writing instructions for software, because twice I haven't been able to get it to work correctly. The first time I was out over $500 in e-sim payments and carrier charges. This time thankfully it's only $5 for trying to get the e-sim to work, which it didn't, but it's still frustrating. I'll try another service since you need a PhD for this one.

2 years ago, Lienel S

Impressive

We went to Portugal and upon our arrival my T-mobile (US) Cellular data wouldn’t pull out Waze. We were circling around outside the airport with our rented car trying to find signal - to get to our Airbnb (Imagine how tired and exhausted we were after a long flight, we just want to relax but we couldn’t get there) and Waze never worked. We even called T-mobile technical support trying to make the data work but it didn’t. We were helpless. But for some reason the Iphone maps worked (at least to get to our Airbnb). So when we arrived to our Airbnb, I immediately searched for eSIMS and found this. This is my first time using eSIMS, my husband used it as well. To our surprise, it’s perfect for all our needs. All the apps worked fast (even 5G) without using too much data. We purchased 30 GB - $19 for 15 days and on the last day there was still 29 GB left unused. It was reliable, powerful search and best eSIM ever. I will definitely used it again the next time we travel abroad. It totally made our trip hassle free and memorable. I would absolutely recommend it!

1 year ago, Abe-SD

5 week Greece travel using Airalo

Installed the esim on my iPhone-12 a few weeks prior to our departure from USA, and activated it as soon as plane landed at the Athens airport. It did not find the carrier right away even though all the settings seemed to be set correctly. After turning on and off the esim several times I found out that the roaming was not turned on. Turned the roaming on, and everything worked fine. We moved from cities to cities on mainland as well as went to several islands such as Milos, Corfu and Crete. I saw some case where the carrier was not found after we got out of WiFi in the hotel room to the local cities, or the speed became E or LTE, in which cases I had to reboot the iPhone. Afterwards the local carrier was selected at high speed, some in 5G. Overall pretty happy and satisfied with the esim. We bought the 30-day/5GB package for $15, and used around 4.5 GB for 4 week, mostly for navigation on the highway, cities, and to find places to visit. My suggestion is to highlight the main settings in a list, instead of screen shots of settings

2 weeks ago, Chance62518

It works…kind of

It works…kind of I bought the 1 month plan because I was traveling Japan for 3 weeks. I went to the country side of Hokkaido and it says I had signal, but not of the map functions worked and couldn’t get directions. Signal wasn’t strong enough to find my location so I couldn’t hail a cab by app. I’m sure because of the positive reviews, the app works in some countries, but I don’t think it works it Japan. I ended up buying an E-Sim at the airport and that is what I’m using right now to to write this review. I don’t know if I’ll get a refund. As of this review these Cities in Japan have low non functioning signal or no signal at all: Sapporo, Biei, Asahikawa, Furano, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kanazawa. Now the next 3 I haven’t used it yet but they are even more country side so I don’t know if I’ll get any signal: Tottori, Okayama, Hiroshima. It might work in Tokyo, where most people go their first time to Japan, but as I started to explore elsewhere I think the better option is renting a portable Wi-Fi, or buying an e-sim at one of the vending machines when you exit the airport. Yes it’s twice to 4 times as much, but you will definitely get signal. I usually do pocket Wi-Fi but I wanted to give this app a try. Tried and it failed me. Hopefully they update it.

1 year ago, Soofle

Non functional and no support

Decided to try an esim for a trip to the UK. Had issues immediately when trying to purchase before I left the states which should have been my sign to just buy a physical sim on arrival. Contacted support and received a boilerplate response which suggested I check all the things I told them I had checked already and never received a follow up reply to my response. Was finally able to purchase and install the appropriate esim upon arrival to our destination so I thought all would be well but now can’t connect to the cellular network using the esim. Thinking it might be my phone, I enabled my regular sim and was able to connect immediately proving network availability and phone compatibility. Attempted to contact support without any response except an incoming call offering me travel insurance within 5 minutes of sending my support request. Maybe a coincidence but seems a bit suspect. Thankfully WiFi seems to be pretty broadly available but a local physical sim is in my near future and as well as a transaction dispute to my credit card company to attempt to get my money back. I couldn’t resist the promised convenience of an esim for my trip but the time wasted trying to get it to work has definitely turned me off Airalo for any future travels.

2 years ago, Justin4233

Really terrible experience

I don’t write reviews ever but people need to hear my experience. I’m sure this doesn’t happen much as it seems many people really like this company, but they really failed me. I arrived in Italy and turned on my esim as I was supposed to. It said it was connected, but I could not access any data. After struggling for an hour to get the data to work or to connect to public wifi I sucked it up and paid international fees for my plan back home. After HOURS talking to customer service they realized there was an issue with their provider and told me it would be fixed. The next day It was working, except for the fact that iMessages wouldn’t send. One of their recommendations involved me turning on my plan back home (with them saying it wouldn’t charge me anything), which worked but charged me in full on my home plan. Don’t worry though, they offered me a refund if I returned their esim (which would leave me completely without connection abroad) or they gave me 25% off a future purchase done by the end of May (capped at $7 while the international fees Alone cost me $30+). Again, I’m sure this doesn’t happen for everyone as most people love this company - I’ve just had a really really bad experience with them and would not recommend them to anyone.

3 years ago, Mattdenney07

Excellent!

I probably use Airalo in an unconventional way. Where I live, my T-Mobile service is awesome. However, I also hunt and fish in some pretty remote locations that are lacking in T-Mobile service. Now with Airalo, I can access data on other networks and still use iMessage and internet when my T-Mobile service is nonexistent. On iPhones, you can set your Airalo eSIM to automatically or manually choose a network... it usually defaults to AT&T in my area, but if I switch it to manual it will generally give the option to choose from several different carriers depending on your location. As an example, I currently have a choice between 9 different networks, including T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and a few smaller providers. I seriously can’t recommend this service enough!! Their customer service team is also extremely fast in responding to emails. I accidentally deleted my eSIM profile on my phone. After sending them an email, I had a response within an hour with a new eSIM and my new plan transferred over to it.

3 weeks ago, BearEnigma

Consistent and Great service

I love Airalo when I am traveling. The Regional SIM cards have been amazing to have when going between numerous European countries. Even the individual country sims are great for a short term need, or aren’t able to get access to a local SIM. I have been using without issue for 2 years now as needed. Price is higher than what you can get locally $/GB, but the ease of use pays for the extra time, and not having to deal with sales pitches. One recommendation/warning I do have is trying to set up an agreement with the providers and you used up your data is that they allow use of the Airalo app to top up data. Otherwise you have to wait until you’re on WiFi if you don’t. Also, as these cards are third party, if the network you’re using is congested, you will get the lowest priority and speed. This has only been an issue where their isn’t enough infrastructure for the total number of people trying to use. Nothing much Airalo can do about that without also increasing costs.

1 year ago, shadowfletcher

Does what it needs to, but…

Look, this worked pretty well when I went to the UK (although it did constantly go between LTE/3G, and the fact my phone was constantly searching for a good signal absolutely killed my battery). However, it ended up being wildly unhelpful to not have the ability to make calls with a UK number. Obviously, this would make the service more expensive, and I don’t know how feasible it is. However, when you end up with a flat tire on the side of the highway, it’s pretty important for you to have the ability to call roadside assistance. I won’t be using this service again for that reason alone. Having a local number gives me significant peace of mind. If having an emergency and needing to call someone for help doesn’t concern you, I would still recommend Airalo, but bring along a battery pack for your phone so it doesn’t die in approximately five seconds. Also, don’t be stupid like me. Please bring a USB-A to plug your phone into the rental car to charge because unfortunately I forgot my USB-A, and my USB-C doesn’t plug into any car I know of.

2 years ago, mkdewolff

Very affordable

Very happy I found out about Airalo. I bought two Esims one for Switzerland and one for Rurope, Italy and Spain. Both work really well. You just switch back and forth. Much easier than having to find a kiosk in country and buying a physical SIM. Also a fraction of the cost I would’ve been paying for Verizon my carrier in the US. Just search for hints and tips from Airalo as well as other bloggers who written about some difficulties they’ve encountered getting connected. I had to wait a gre minutes before each were activated. but once they were everything was smooth sailing. I will end up paying under $30 for 830 months day. Under Verizon that would’ve bought me three days. The only issue I had was when I was in the states and downloaded the ESims. I had a question and it took a long time for Airslo to get back to me. Turned out my question was irrelevant when I got in country and everything went fine after landing at Charles De Gaule airport in Paris. It’s eSIM all the way when I travel from here on out.

8 months ago, Plips558

Works, but customer experience could be better

When I tried to install my eSIM, I got an error message saying it had not been installed properly, but I knew *something* had been installed because I had new options in the Cellular area of my settings and the contact names had been replaced by phone numbers in my Messages app. My phone asked me some questions that I did not recall being in the instructions provided by Airalo. I contacted Airalo through the app’s built-in support chat, and it took about half an hour to get a representative. They assured me that my eSIM had been installed. After I got to my destination, I fiddled around with the eSIM configuration until I got service, which fluctuated between 4G and 3G and EDGE. This isn’t Airalo’s fault, but having EDGE service at an international airport in a major urban center was surprising. I don’t know if maybe there’s another carrier with better coverage in that location that Airalo could use instead. Maybe I overcomplicated things, but the app and the documentation could do better at guiding you through the process of installing, configuring, and then uninstalling and reverting to your regular eSIM.

2 years ago, Mr. T. Grizzly

eSIM worked

The company is pretty good. They respond to text messages from a chat module within the APP pretty quickly. Not lightning fast, but within 15 mins. So if you are in a jam, you won’t get out right away. They respond to emails only about once a day, so keep that in mind, but they are always friendly and thorough. I used one eSIM for Portugal and one for Spain. It only took about 30-60 secs for the eSIM to activate and connect to the network. One thing: I needed to use other settings than their instructions indicated in order to make iMessage work on an iPhone. Their instructions indicate to deselect your phone number and just chose your email as the preferred contact info associated with iMessage. I found I did have to select my actual primary phone number (I selected it in addition to selecting one of my emails associated with iMessage) in order for things to work properly and for the menu options to appear more like they appear in their help pages and videos. But once configured thusly, iMessage worked!

11 months ago, ruthis2cool4u

BEST DATA SERVICE EVER!!!

The person who created this app deserves all the flowers! So typically I go through my phone service to pay for International data whenever I travel ( which was always costly 100$ or more) ever since I discovered Airlo I pay SIGNIFICANTLY LESS and the data speed is way faster than any USA international data plan. I honestly want to call T-mobile and cancel my service because Airlo data is literally so much faster & cheaper . If you are traveling internationally DOWNLOAD THIS APP ASAP!! I have used Airlo when traveling to Europe ( Paris, Spain, sweden, Denmark, Oslo, london) and Latin America( Colombia, Mexico). Idk how Airlo does it but the data speed is so much faster than any other USA plan you have. I honestly found this app out of random and upset I didn't know about it sooner. If you’re from America and you like to travel abroad THIS IS A MUST HAVE APP. Also the App is super simple and easy to navigate takes less than 5 mins to download your e-sim. So many more great things about this app but ill let you discover on your own😉

2 years ago, Neil4Jrsus

Convenient

The eSIM had made accessing the internet in Turkey more convenient for me. The first one I bought without the app. But with the app you can track how much data you have, something I couldn't figure out how to do with the SIM card I bought in Turkey. I can also top the data... It is important to note that this does not give you texting and phone calls, only internet access. I use an app to do phone calls. And texting using iMessage mostly... When you first load the SIM, you have to find a way to scan it. I would just ask a person, using Google translate since there is not much English here, and have them take a photo of it so I can scan it. I thought afterward that maybe you could scan it in a mirror. I think once it's loaded I can just top up without having to scan again, but I haven't run out of data on the second one yet.... It works great though and the price is reasonable compared to an actual SIM, as long as you don't need the phone service with it.

2 years ago, RamsQuince

My new favorite travel hack!

I had never even heard of eSIMs before planning a recent trip to France. In the past, I’ve used Verizon’s Travel Plan ($10 a day for service), which worked reliably but was very expensive on a long trip. And when I go to France, I tend to stay for as long as I can manage. As soon as I learned of Airalo, I read all the how-to’s and watch all the tutorial videos the site provides, then I immediately called Verizon to have my phone carrier unlocked. Airalo was remarkably easy to use from there. The eSIM I chose ended up being a far larger data allowance than I actually needed even though I used my phone absolutely constantly to navigate while I was there, but it was still only just over $20. An enormous difference in price! And the service was excellent the whole time in both Paris and Strasbourg. With hardly a hiccup in service, I am thrilled and very excited to have this inexpensive and easy new way to keep my phone service when I travel. I couldn’t be happier with this product 😊

2 years ago, SamandJam

Beats US International Phone Plan Charges

Airalo E-SIM and our new dual SIM phone will make our upcoming trip so much better. The last time we purchased a physical SIM in country and paid way too much for what we used. Airalo has a good selection of data and time to meet most peoples needs. I imagine it is difficult for companies to provide instructions due to the variety of phones available. We managed to download and install the E-SIM and align our settings without too much trouble. I would recommend waiting to install until after you read the tutorial provided with the purchase receipt! That answered questions after the fact that would have been helpful with the install. We plan to make the E-SIM line our primary data source and leave our regular SIM for Voice and Text. So, family can call us or text us and not use data from our regular plan. We have our phones set up so it will be a simple transition when we are jet lagged. Sure beats carrying 2 phones. Thanks Airalo!

1 year ago, MJ251279

Reasonable price and very practical

I have been traveling for work and leisure for long time. International SIM plan always has been a headache. I spent nearly $200 for the international plan for about 12 days in my previous trip and the data package was awful. I bought a local sim card for my current trip but that wasn’t good nor cheap either. I found Airalo online and compared with the others. I purchased the 5gb/30 days plan for Costa Rica which was cheaper than the other providers. I took me about less than 10 minutes to purchase and install all together. It saved my trip. It’s been working perfectly in every area I have been in last 10 days. I didn’t have to pay anything to my provider for roaming nor I didn’t have to deal with the local providers like which one shall I chose or how do I top it up for prepaid when I run out of money. It’s very practical, convenient and works smoothly. Price wise it’s better than the other companies. I am very happy about it. Thank you!

2 years ago, Mohanad Issa

Highly recommended

I have been traveling across Europe for the past 3 weeks. I have been to 4 countries so far and the regional bundle was amazing. It saved me a lot of time, money, and headache of purchasing Sim cards upon arrival to expensive roaming options on my local courier. The service worked great and even when I am on the train crossing borders, the service stops for a while (due to losing signal) then reconnect to the other country available networks. There was one time that the internet wasn’t fast and the signal wasn’t good, but the solution was very simple which was that I manually selected the network and service was great. I had no interruption with service (only in very few places that didn’t have signal). Setting up e-sim was very straightforward and I recommended to get it if you are traveling to multiple countries or one country for few days. It surely felt good to have internet upon landing to a foreign country. Airalo made everywhere I travel feel like home. Get Airlo and stay connected.

1 year ago, PRZEMEK00

Finally future is here

Great idea. Finally no more switching SIM cards. I found out about Airalo reading travel article. Was skeptical at first but it’s really the greatest thing that I tried recently. You simply purchase desired plan for particular country or region and install e-SIM card on your phone. The process looks complicated at first but if you follow detailed instructions it’s not that difficult. You cannot actually activate the new SIM card while in US but once you arrive to your destination your phone is ready to use. Just make sure you switch from your primary line to travel or whatever you name the new line. You actually don’t have phone number associated with this line so can’t make regular phone calls. But if you have iPhone you can use FaceTime to call or any other app(WhatsApp or Viber). It’s truly great app. Rates are very affordable and you can refill any time. I will definitely use it every time I travel abroad. No more buying SIM cards Thank you Airalo

4 weeks ago, Unhappy & uncompensated

Don’t waste your time

I have attempted to use Airalo in two countries with terrible results in both instances. In Switzerland, the eSIM would not connect to the network at all, and it was impossible to get any signal for data. Airalo did refund my money in this case, which was nice since support identified that they could not resolve the issue. Because of this past helpfulness, I decided to try Airalo again on my next international trip—this time to Mexico. Once again, my eSIM did not work as described, although this time I at least had network connectivity with data. I reached out to support again and although they were very responsive, they did nothing to resolve my issue. I ended up having to use another carrier for phone data and this time Airalo did not issue me a refund. They claimed it was because I used some of my data, what amounted to a few megabytes—the equivalent of 2 or 3 webpages loading. The eSIM purchased through Airalo was not capable enough to load a basic webpage under data in less than 3 minutes (rendering internet usage mostly useless when not under wifi). Google maps was completely useless under data with this eSIM. I could not possibly voice my disapproval of this service more.

10 months ago, Srinisuja

Global Connectivity Made Easy: An Airalo Experience

Airalo has become an indispensable tool for my international travels. As a reliable and secure eSIM provider, it has consistently delivered seamless mobile data connectivity in various countries. My spouse and I recently ventured to Turkey and were thoroughly impressed with Airalo's performance. The app's installation process is straightforward, and its user-friendly interface ensures a hassle-free experience. One standout feature is the built-in loyalty program, "Airmoney," which offers rewards for every purchase, adding to the overall value. While there are occasional hiccups in connectivity, a quick toggle of the airplane mode or manual network selection usually resolves the issue. The pricing is competitive, often providing a more cost-effective solution than local SIM cards or international roaming plans. For travelers seeking an efficient and fairly priced way to stay connected internationally, Airalo is a top choice. Highly recommended for the modern globetrotter!

2 years ago, Anngrl69

Would definitely recommend, just has some headaches

Overall, have really enjoyed my experience using Airalo while traveling to Iceland, Ireland, and Italy. My carrier, Verizon, doesn’t have affordable packages for long-term international travel. But I can’t give five stars cause I’ve definitely dealt with some headaches figuring the process out. These problems can definitely come from my lack of knowledge on telecommunications, so I don’t think it’s inherently Airalo’s fault. But from an accessibility standpoint I do want to mention these problems. I never figured out how to have a working phone number. Sometimes my data and network would cut out for 5 minutes at a time. Not often but maybe twice in a month. And the set up process was definitely a head scratcher, I spent an hour trying to understand what was wrong until I realized I just needed to switch Iceland off while Ireland was on. Overall, this service has been fantastic and affordable! I would definitely recommend, just give yourself an hour on Wi-Fi to figure it out for the first time.

5 months ago, top casts

Amazing!! A lifesaver 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🤸‍♂️

When I was traveling in the middle east, I was having a lot of trouble finding Wi-Fi in the larger public areas that functioned. I depended on it to connect with drivers and my host. My host then mentioned this app, and I was easily able to buy a very inexpensive package for my few remaining days in her country. It was incredible how simple it was to purchase and use and I was able to relax and do everything I needed to do. It saved me continued panic about not being able to connect with her and drivers when I needed to coordinate with them. I am pleased to see it is offered in many of the countries where I visit and live, and I feel so happy I will be able to use it when I need it and not wait in line at the airport or try to figure out where to go to buy a Sim card and wait several hours for the service to activate. I’m going to try again in another Middle Eastern country next week! Thank you airalo, you are brilliant! 🙏🏻🥰

1 year ago, Gpkbng

Reasonable price and very convenient

Having read about Airalo, I decided to try it on my trip to Australia and New Zealand. I purchased the eSim and installed both eSim at the comfort of home. When I arrived at the Australia airport and tried to activate the eSim, it does require an Internet connection. Since I had free airport Wi-Fi, that was no problem. Unfortunately, I could not find a cellular service. This is the only comments that I would have on any eSim is documentation or lack of. The issue was due to me not enabling “Data Roaming”. I thought the eSim was for Australia so no need for data roaming. I was wrong. Once I enabled data roaming, everything worked as expected. When I arrived in New Zealand, I thought I would need to enable data roaming. As it turned out, I didn’t. So my recommendation is to read whatever documentation from Airalo on how to activate the eSim and if in doubt, enable data roaming on the Airalo eSim but do not enable data roaming on your primary cellular provider or you will pay. 😏

10 months ago, SujaSrini

Airalo: Bridging Borders with Reliable eSIM Solutions

Airalo has emerged as an indispensable tool for international travelers. As a reliable and secure eSIM provider, it consistently ensures seamless mobile data connectivity across various countries. During a recent trip to Turkey, my hubby and I were thoroughly impressed with Airalo's performance. The app's installation process is straightforward, and its user-friendly interface guarantees a hassle-free experience. A notable highlight is the integrated loyalty program, "Airmoney," which rewards every purchase, enhancing the overall value. Although occasional connectivity issues may arise, a quick switch to airplane mode or manual network selection usually resolves them. Airalo's competitive pricing often offers a more cost-effective solution compared to local SIM cards or international roaming plans. For travelers seeking an efficient and reasonably priced means of staying connected internationally, Airalo stands as a top choice. We highly recommend it for the modern travelers.

10 months ago, SonyaHQ

Easy, efficient, economical, and EFFECTIVE!

I was skeptical because I'm easily overwhelmed learning a new technology or software or change in my devices (I'm almost 60yo, so I'm in THAT group of digital immigrants -- my kids have always been my in-house IT support). But now traveling on my own internationally, I was tired of paying the $10/day on my US cellphone plan every time I needed/wanted the data service in a new city (especially on travel days when I don't yet know where to find the free wifi). I learned from a friend that it's easier to download the app BEFORE purchasing a data plan (she used the website and then had difficulty figuring out how to transfer her account onto the app, but the Airalo staff were FABULOUS and helpful and took care of it for her). I read through the instructions a couple times, and watched their video tutorial (sent in an email after purchasing a plan), and it was SO EASY! Boom. Just like that, I'm a believer and a fan.

9 months ago, acemanawc

First time user of eSiM abroad and Very Satisfied

I’m traveling abroad in Europe and felt I needed near full time bandwidth to stay connected when WiFi is not available. My USA cell carrier does allow use of data and texting abroad but can be very slow to a crawl. So after much careful research of over 6 eSIM providers, I went with Airalo. I must say I’m very very happy with their service. It has literally worked every place I have been, including the train stations. The only exception so far was traveling by train and entering a tunnel. Not going to count that against Airalo. Also, Airalo’s eSiM catalog seems to cover more of the world than other providers. Finally, Airalo’s app is very comprehensive and can do everything, including managing your account, installing sSIM directly, and see usage status. I highly recommend Airalo for your eSIM needs. Their rates are very comparable to other providers and is very reasonable. I will definitely be using them again on my next abroad trip to Asia.

11 months ago, Lame Millennial

It worked well for me so far

I used the service in Costa Rica in May of 2023. I lost service one time down a side street but the power was out in the city at the time I later learned so that may have been the cause idk. I only lost service for about 5 mins maybe and it was just in that exact spot. It worked again when I got off that street and around the corner. After that I had no issues for the remaining time I was there. I have an iPhone 13 Pro Max. I didn’t use much data so I think I bought the smallest amount and it lasted me for my entire vacation of several days. I would suggest purchasing in the airport on Wi-Fi or data and installing before you leave the U.S. or w/e airport and Wi-Fi if you can. You can Google the best instructions but I did not have any issues with installing, the internet worked etc. I will say that I don’t do much social media and I was too busy to be streaming much so a few gigs is more than enough for me.

9 months ago, fotografieren

Finally connected while traveling

I wanted to write a review because not only was it a game changer to be connected while traveling , but I also wanted to thank the way someone helped me change my settings . I am not very tech savvy to say the least and at first I wasn’t feeling great about the whole texting help, I do prefer a voice, but the customer service person was so incredibly patient with me. I would send screen shots of where I was at and they would just keep directing my next move. Anyway, thank you for that and helping my trip in paris be so easy. I wandered the streets without ever feeling uncomfortable that I would get lost since I had constant access to my map. And all this for the price of what I would pay per day with my normal carrier. I did get a month, even though I was only there for 2 weeks and did have to top it up once, but it was a far cry from what I would have spend other wise. Thank you

11 months ago, onmyway2abs

Travel the world with Airalo

I am so happy that I decided to use Airalo. It was cheap, reliable and convenient. This was my first time using an esim. I found the instructions provided by Airalo easy to follow and I managed to complete the setup in my home country but I was unable to connect to the network as the Nova network was only available in the destination country. I reached out to Aíralo support who confirmed this. I was automatically connected to the network as soon as I landed. It was very very convenient. I could use the personal hotspot to let my kids connect to the network. There is an option to top up if you runout of the data you originally purchased. The network connection was really good I managed to connect even in the remotest parts. This was very essential given we drove and were dependent on the maps. I am very happy with the service and will surely use it during all my travels in the future. Thanks for making my holiday memorable.

1 year ago, TomFromMD

Would definitely use again, but sometimes deprioritized

The first time I used Airalo, I did it through their website. When I set it up for my wife and daughter, I did it through the app, which was easier. The app is clean and intuitive, and lets you see how much data you have left. Airalo’s service worked pretty well - in Italy, I originally had it set to automatically pick a network - however, when I was in a very busy area, I wasn’t getting data despite having a strong signal - I presume I was being deprioritized by the network owner. I manually switched to another network, and was able to get data. I had to do this a few times on the trip. Getting a sim directly from the network owner would avoid this, but it would also be way more complicated. The nice thing with Airalo is that I have one app to deal with getting an esim pretty much anywhere. I’ll definitely be using it again the next time I travel abroad - or even if I run out of data on my main plan at home.

3 years ago, jake2488

Great Connectivity in Costa Rica

Purchased a cheap data plan in the States via Airalo before a trip to Costa Rica to familiarize myself with the dual-sim. That worked well, so I bought the Costa Rica eSim and couldn’t have been happier. I will say, it becomes a little tricky avoiding fees with your Stateside carrier as even though I spoke with Verizon representatives 3 times before leaving to make sure my account was setup the best to avoid international fees, I still was charged for one day of TravelPass (oddly at 3am while I was asleep). Verizon credited that back and I’ve found the best approach is to completely remove any international functionality from your phone line before leaving. Even with Data Roaming disabled for my Verizon sim, it somehow still triggered that one TravelPass day. Once they disabled all international roaming, I didn’t incur any additional travel fees. Overall the eSim worked perfectly and I’ll definitely be using it for all future international travel. Thanks Airalo!

1 year ago, 65+ traveler

So much better than physical SIM card

Ok I admit. When I first tried to install an esim it was difficult. I didn’t understand the settings. I went to a phone store in Guatemala and was told I had no data even though I had just bought an esim and 1gb of data. The staffer supposedly made adjustments to my settings but it didn’t work. Finally I found a tour guide that made the settings work and instantly I had service on local networks. The trick is cellular service is now from a secondary source. You can toggle the turn off this line to stop service from your US or whatever country your home is. Think of it as two options. You want to stop the original one and begin using the new one. It’s so much cheaper than my home carrier which wanted $10 a day. I got 3gb fir a month fir about $30. Dont be discouraged if you can’t get the setting right. Just ask a good tour guide who is used to this question. You’ll be happy once it’s working.

10 months ago, Afrienne

Super useful for traveling, esp through different countries. Could have some UX improvements tho

My bf and I used the app for the first time. We flew to Portugal and the UK. My bf got the regional esim and I got 2 local esims just to test. His regional one worked well and was more seamless when switching countries. His service seemed better a lot of the times too, which was surprising. I got the local esim in case I needed to call any restaurants/stores but never used it. If I were to travel to multiple cities again, I’d definitely use this! I’d also get the regional esim so I wouldn’t have to install again. It’s way cheaper than my phone provider costing $10/day. Highly recommend! Also appreciate the UX/UI, most of it is clear and easy to use. Difficulties: 1. Installing the esim and activating it - this was probably the hardest and most confusing step. We got confused with what labeling of the esim and we were not sure whether or not to turn off my original sim. It’d be helpful to have instructions that were currently on the esim. We ended up turning off our original sim just in case. I also had issues activating and had to restart my phone a couple times. They should recommend that when they have certain errors. 2. Topping up - I had to top up my Portugal esim and it didn’t activate automatically like it said it would. I had to restart my phone multiple times and click a button to activate. Wish this was more seamless as it says it should be.

Description

Stay connected wherever you travel. With an Airalo eSIM (digital SIM), you can connect to the internet in 200+ countries and regions worldwide and save up to 10x on roaming fees. What is an eSIM? An eSIM is an embedded SIM card. It's built into your phone's hardware and serves the same function as a physical SIM. But it works 100% digitally. Instead of dealing with a physical SIM card, you can purchase an eSIM, install it on your device, and instantly connect to a mobile network at your destination. No physical SIM cards, spotty Wi-Fi, or surprise roaming fees — just easy, affordable, flexible connectivity. What is an Airalo eSIM plan? An Airalo eSIM plan gives you access to mobile data, call, and text services. You can choose a prepaid local, regional, or global eSIM plan to get online in 200+ countries and regions worldwide. Simply download an eSIM, install it on your device, and connect to a mobile network when you arrive at your destination! How does it work? 1. Install the Airalo app. 2. Purchase an eSIM plan. Airalo has eSIMs for 200+ countries and regions. 3. Install the eSIM. This only takes a few minutes to complete. 4. Connect to a local network. Turn on your eSIM and connect to the internet when you arrive. It's that easy! Available for 200+ countries and regions, including: • United States • United Kingdom • Turkey • Italy • France • Spain • Japan • Germany • Canada • Thailand • Portugal • Morocco • Colombia • India • South Africa • Ireland • Mexico • Egypt • Dominican Republic • Chile Why Airalo? • Stay connected in 200+ countries and regions. • Install and activate an eSIM in minutes. • Affordable eSIM plans with no hidden fees. • Choose from local, regional, and global eSIMs. • Call, text, and access data with a Discover+ global eSIM. • Track and top up data on the go. • Earn cashback rewards with every eSIM purchase. • In a jam? Our support team is available 24/7. Why travelers love eSIMs: • Easy, affordable, instant connectivity. • 100% digital. No need to fuss with physical SIM cards or Wi-Fi devices. • No hidden fees or surprise roaming charges. • Store multiple eSIMs on a single device. • Add and switch eSIM plans on the go. • Keep your existing number for 2FA authentications. • Stay connected wherever you travel. eSIM FAQ What does an Airalo eSIM plan come with? • An Airalo package comes with data (e.g., 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, etc.) valid for a specified time period (e.g., 7 days, 15 days, 30 days, etc.). If you run out of data or your validity period expires, you can top up your eSIM or download a new one right from the Airalo app. How much does it cost? • eSIMs from Airalo start from US$4.50 for 1GB of data. Does an eSIM come with a number? • Some eSIMs, including our Global Discover+ eSIM, come with a phone number so you can call, text, and access data. Check your eSIM's description for details. What devices are ready? • You can find a regularly updated list of eSIM-compatible devices at this link: https://www.airalo.com/help/about-airalo/what-devices-support-esim Who is Airalo best for? • Anyone who travels, whether it's for business or vacation. • Digital nomads who need to stay connected to work while abroad. • Crew members (e.g., seafarers, flight attendants, etc.) who need to stay connected while they travel. Can I use my SIM card at the same time? You sure can. Most devices allow you to use multiple SIMs and/or eSIMs simultaneously. You can keep your primary line active to receive text messages, calls, and 2FA authentication (but remember, they'll be subject to roaming fees). Happy travels! – Learn more about eSIMs and Airalo: Airalo Website: www.airalo.com Airalo Blog: www.airalo.com/blog Help Center: www.airalo.com/help Join the Airalo community! Follow @airalocom on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Privacy Policy www.airalo.com/more-info/privacy-policy Terms & Conditions www.airalo.com/more-info/terms-conditions