Airalo: eSIM Travel & Internet Reviews

by AP-Petite

I hate writing negative reviews about anything but Airalo concerns me. I installed it with the hope of being able to use my phone while abroad but quickly ran into issues. First off, it’s not user friendly whatsoever. There are a lot of things to toggle on/off… switch this, don’t switch that etc… after following their instructions I still couldn’t make outgoing calls properly. A lot of little bugs started popping up. I couldn’t use the internet while the phone was on… couldn’t text properly etc… for a lack of better words, it was a mess.

The most alarming thing was that my contacts started to disappear and names were going missing. And a completely random and concerning issue was that my phone started to think it was in Russia… tik tok started showing me all Russian pages and at that point, enough was simply enough.

Sorry for the negative review but hope this helps someone or the developers. I was genuinely excited to have a solution to using my phone while abroad.

by Djb 12334455

I bought esim cards for both Jordan and Turkey. Upon landing in Jordan I couldn’t get my esim to connect so I bought a physical SIM card while still at the airport. I contacted support in the hopes that they could help me with the Turkey esim before I landed. They were able to give me clear instructions and I was able to use the product in Turkey, which I'm very happy with. But the information they provided is NO WHERE on their website, I wouldn’t have been able to connect without emailing customer support and this makes no sense. They just need to have clear instructions with the exact APN settings that you need in each country. If this information was readily available, everyone would have a much easier time with the product. I don’t understand their reasoning in keeping this a secret. If they provide better clarity and transparency in how to use their product, this would be a 5 star service.

by ItsKatMartin

I bought a 7-day eSIM and it stopped working out of nowhere halfway through. I got an email saying that they transferred me to a “better network” provider which is fine. But then they proceed to not tell me I had to buy a whole new 7-day eSIM and they “refunded” me the remaining data of my plan. So now with only 3 days left of my trip they want me to buy a new 7-day eSIM and they didn’t even give me enough to cover it, I have to pay extra for the original 7-day service I wanted.

Update: I’m now giving them more stars are they finally decided to work with me and give me back my eSIM and the original network. So I now have the original network I started off with before they took it away. So my data works as it did before now and I’m happy once again! I do recommend Airalo. It’s only 4 stars because they made it so complicated to finally give me back my original plan and I went almost 2 whole days without data because of this ordeal.

by Dre Travel

Tried UK esim on iPhone and pixel with no issues over the last couple weeks. Got LTE on both. Streamed music and videos with no hiccups. On my way to UAE so will test but I’m not seeing the benefit where everywhere has Wi-Fi but it’s not really cost effective for those times you’re not connected to Wi-Fi. We will see but it’s been fairly easy to set up and get going quickly. I’d suggest setting up prior to travel so all you have to do it turn on when you land in the country you’re expecting to roam in. Safe travels.

Update on 20/12
Roaming in the UAE on 4G as I’m typing this via an iPhone.
No issues other than a bit of lag but that’s basically being connected to Hong Kong apparently. So latency is in the upper 400’s for me. Usable though but plan ahead if you are doing something that requires a little instant response time and updates.

by SScinica

I upgraded my ancient phone for a trip abroad and discovered its eSIM capability. I didn’t want to pay the high rates of my provider’s international plan nor buy a disposable when I landed, so I googled, saw the this app blog, and decided to experiment. The eSIM connectivity was a life-saver, and with WhatsApp one can even make voice calls. It took about five minutes to get the settings adjusted for the eSIM to work, but the instructions were clear and helpful. Only two things keep this from 5 stars: when I contacted customer service with a question I never got a response and the eSIM I bought could not be topped up when it expired two days before the end of my trip. No problem—I bought and installed a different eSIM—but there should have been an indication of this issue before I bought the eSIM. Despite this, I’m recommending this app to all my friend.

by Joe Tilley

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 this app 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 this app 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 Airalo 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 this app 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.

by JadeitMalgorzata

The eSim from this app was so easy to use, and has a wide variety of locations covered! I’ve purchased the European eSIM as well as the local Morocco, and Egypt ones. The regional eSIM for Europe worked wonderfully transiting through even the countrysides of Northern Europe, and perfectly on the islands of Greece. The Egypt local eSIM worked in some of the most remote places. You do need wifi to enable the eSIM, which most airports have. The instructions for installation are clear and it makes traveling a breeze! Also, it’s very easy to add more data to your coverage, and switch back and forth between plans. I really enjoyed that my eSIM allowed me to still have my United States number active, making it easier to stay connected to work, friends and family at home.

by Gnrkeiffer

After using AT&T’s free mobile service in Mexico four a few months and having absolutely terrible data speeds, I switched over to using this app for local SIM cards. The first install can be a bit tricky because there are several steps (tip: I took screen shots of the step-by-step tutorial this app provides when setting up a new SIM, and the tutorial is very thorough and easy to follow). I’ve had great data speeds and have been able to use data-based calling via Google Voice without any issues. Plus, it’s easy to manage how much data you’ve used so you can top it up when needed. I highly recommend this solution for digital nomads and other long-term travelers.

by Jrdgu

Airalo and service was recently recommended to my by a friend and it makes traveling to foreign countries so much easier because you don’t need to worry about not being able to use your phone , which as we know is very needed in this day and age. For me I always need Google maps when I travel to figure out how to get somewhere, or check the bus/train schedule. And then of course if trying to reach people, iMessage or another messaging app. Anyway, this service is so convenient and the connection was always reliable for me. It’s inexpensive too! Well done to these guys for finally omitting the need to find a physical sim in a foreign country (for short-term stays or traveling at least).

by Lienel S

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!

by Jersey Is Not An Armpit

This was such an easy experience. I set up. My esim before my trip and then when I landedjust went to mobile data settings, switched off my primary sim and turned on my esim. It was so simple, and my phone never had any trouble connecting to the international network. Note that this is only data, and will not give you a local phone number for calls, but honestly with FaceTime and WhatsApp audio calls, i never felt like I needed it.

My only feedback for the developers would be, it would be nice to have a notification when you are low on your data balance, so that you can top up before you run out. But honestly this product is amazing and I cannot thank this app enough!

by WG129

I’ve used this app abroad when I have traveled from USA to Australia and to Chile. It is extremely convenient and it has a simple process in order to purchase a data plan in the country I am traveling in. I am able to connect to home or coworkers without having to locate and activate a physical SIM card when I land in a different country. I am also able to still receive phone calls and text messages at my normal number but use the Esim data plan to answer the calls and respond back to messages with my dual sim capable phone. (You just have to make sure to turn the data roaming off and prevent data switching in order to avoid any accidental international charges on your normal sim.) It is awesome and I would highly recommend Esims for travel!

by Cat In The Hat 7

I am using this app esim on my current short trip to India. Most friends, family buy local SIM card but I wanted ability to get messages email etc on my primary US phone# when on WiFi and not have hassle of getting a new number. So I took a chance based on good reviews. It’s worked very nicely for me and no hiccups. I followed the installation guidelines in their video. Once I got off from airport I was able to connect to Vodafone and have been getting 4g connection equivalent to my parents mobile service. I didn’t have to call/email any customer service and in Airalo I can see my active data usage

At home I use WiFi so data usage is low but no complaints and I highly recommend using this app in India.

by RTaylor187

My wife and I bought eSIMs from this app for cellular data when we recently toured Portugal. Prices were good - better than renting a WiFi hotspot. We both have iPhone 12’s - very easy to install the eSIM.

When arriving there (from US) it took a few minutes of changing settings to enable data on the eSIM and ensure that data roaming was turned off for our regular carrier (Xfinity Mobile) - this app could help by documenting this process better (admittedly challenging given so many different phones and o/s versions). We were glad to find that we could still use WiFi Calling for our regular cellular carrier - but over the this app data service instead of international data roaming ($$).

Good experience overall - will look for their offerings whenever we travel in the future!

by FirewallFrank

My use case: I live in the middle of nowhere. And verizon USED to have decent coverage. But with the purchase of the iPhone 12 mini, the 5g chip blocked Verizon's old 3g network... so now I have dead spots all over the place. The this app (AT&T/T-Mobile) data lets the phone switch to AT&T/T-Mobile's data, which seems to be stronger where Verizon's is weaker. Airalo and its service completely fills this void.

The overall experience has been great. The rates are extremely reasonable, the data plan allows me to purchase a bucket that's plenty for my needs, and the eSim fills a void - namely with Verizon - that allows me to work remotely and in a mobile environment where I otherwise would not be able to.

PS. If you ever should need help, customer service is awesome. Responsive, helpful, friendly.

by Abby0040

I just recently used an this app esim for my five week trip to Europe. I was a little confused at first about how to actually use the esim, since I was not familiar at all with the technology, but it was fairly straightforward after doing some reading online and looking at this app’s instructions online. The esim worked really well and allowed me to have data connection in all of the five countries that I visited(only noting that sometimes I had to manually select the network in a city because the network that I was automatically connected to did not work). Using the esim was definitely much easier than purchasing and installing a local SIM card. I was able to top up my data at the end of the month without any problems. Overall, I had a great experience with this app and definitely would use it again!!!

by HelloGello

Having traveled for the past 20 years, it’s been incredible to see how much technology has progressed to make the experience ever more enjoyable. I’m so thrilled to have found this app to purchase an eSIM cellular data plan to use while I travel abroad. I hadn’t heard of them before, so I was hesitant to try them out. However, the reviews seemed good and the prices were attractive.

Instead of paying high prices for international data passes from your home carrier, it’s much cheaper and better to instead install an eSIM with a prepaid data plan that works at high-speed and allows you to choose how much data you want to have and for how long.

Installation was straightforward and simple. Should you run out of data, it’s easy to top it off by purchasing another pass.

My only suggestions that would make Airalo and experience better would be to have a troubleshooting guide. For instance, I had to turn off data roaming on my eSIM plan to actually be able to use it. It would have been nice to know that the carrier I was using wasn’t actually local or based in the countries I was visiting. Also, it would be great to be warned or notified when you’re close to running out of data as once you do, you can’t top it off or buy more unless you connect to wifi. Other than that, the experience was perfect!

by Jake2488

Purchased a cheap data plan in the States via this app 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 this app!

by Mattdenney07

I probably use this app 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 this app, 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 this app 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.

by Wanderlustduo

Traveling in Iceland, my wife and I tried three different connectivity options 1. this app Nenna eSim, 2. Local network SIM card, and 3. Roaming Day Pass with US carrier. this app eSim was the simplest and most reliable of the three. The local SIM showed up at our hotel via mail on day 3 of our visit vs day 1 as planned and ran out of load by day 4. The roaming day pass at an extra $10 a day was a bust after exceeding the 512mB of bandwidth threshold per day causing my wife great frustration posting photos to her social media by each afternoon. I used my phone with this app eSim to navigate around Iceland and to stream music and to post the whole trip without interruption from landing to return takeoff. I am hoping the experience is same when we head to Aruba this month. Easy to install and use.

by Alabama Doc

I was one of the many people who lost AT&T service after the Christmas Nashville bombing.
I loaded this up and bought a short term data package and I was able to maintain connectivity and communication for the next few days without any problem.
When I begin to travel abroad again I intend to use this as the rates are very reasonable and the support was very good.

by Kzbigboss

Make sure you read the instructions on how to use the esim you bought. I messed up but Customer Service was kind enough to help me not let my purchase go to waste. Will be buying esims again from them for my next trip!

by Tantan4

I have used this service in a couple of different countries now and it’s been fantastic, also I share a family cellphone plan, not unlimited so if I need extra data it’s cheap to just add a few extra gigs for the month.

by Beverly26

When I’ve been to NYC I was using Airalo to get internet. My first install wasn’t correct because something went wrong and I couldn’t connect to internet but this app support team refunded me money for my first purchase (wrong installed plan) and I could buy another one, second one installed properly. Good Job this app!

by K1dw41

So very very convenient. I think being out of connectivity for people who are traveling (and don’t want to spend crazy amounts on roaming) is a thing of the past. Simply get an eSim and load a cheap data package for your destination before leaving, and voila you’re on the net as soon as you land. Just great.

by Weasel57675443

I was in Nassau Bahamas Dec 2020 and the hotel’s wifi stopped working for days until I had to leave. I got the Island Hopper esim and it was great. this app support was so responsive when I had questions, they got things done with the local carrier and hardly anyone else was around so the network was fast! I will definitely use the esim next time.

by Draver

I installed this and purchased a 1 Gb, 7 day, USA esim to test with. It is very easy to install Airalo and understand how it works. The process to switch from one esim to another couldn’t be easier and within 10 seconds your new carrier is in service. I’ve tried just about every roaming sim service out there over the years, and this is the best I’ve ever seen. Do yourself a favor and drop $3 on this for a test if you travel internationally and hate paying carrier rates or hunting for a bargain local sim and dealing with that mess. Customer Service responded to my questions quickly on a Sunday!

by Shahid Hasan Ridom

I have been using esim for the last 1 year & found this app is the best in this sector. Before purchasing any data plan I look for all other operators & always find this app is the cheapest. Thanks for this great service with affordable price. I hope you will bring more exciting packages. I miss the sim4crew global sim on this app. I hope it will be back again or something better will appear.

by Electrochain

I enjoy using the this app app as it provides excellent data service for a reasonable good price. Easy straightforward instructions, worldwide coverage at a fraction of the “euro per Gigabyte” cost of regular SIM cards.

Multiple esims can be installed on the same phone and switching between each esim is very simple.

Airalo receives frequent updates and also hints you on special discounts and offers...

by Thea Danha

I use to travel a lot because of my career and this eSims are coming in handy at a good price...all seafarers know that the price for internet sim cards was most of the time double or triple and sometimes didn’t even work...this app team is solving all this issues like it is nothing...their support team is very professional and always helpful with advices or even reimbursements when the problem cannot be solved otherwise...thank you this app Team! Youmake the world a better place! And you guys are just amazing!😘🤗

by Ht55645

After a week of trying to find a decent eSim app that would let me roam affordably. I decided to give this a try and the first thing I did was talk to their customer support to all a few questions and make this was a good fit. Let me just say, they have extremely good support which is something you don’t very often these days! They had all the answers I needed and went above and beyond my expectations to get me the info I needed. On top of that the service is flawless and I may even use this as a permanent data plan for me instead of just travel. Wish I could give more than 5 stars for sure!

by Watkl011

I've been a digital nomad for 2+ years now. I discovered this app when I found myself in a lurch where I almost lost my phone number that I use for my business (I was able to port it over to Google Voice, thank God), and needed a data solution. I've been using this app full time for nearly a year now, both in Mexico and the US. My data service is usually solid, and their customer service is really fantastic. I'm back Stateside for the foreseeable future now, and I just don't really see any reason to switch from this app back to a traditional cell provider, because I'm paying so much less than I would with one of them!

by Shockingman

I’ve been using this app since October 2020, 4 months by now. Installation is easy, and once you got your eSIM configured is super easy to get more data.

I’ve got the Eurolink Region eSIM, I installed it the first time in London then I had the opportunity to fly to Munich, after that, Istanbul and finally to Croatia. Every time I landed at the airport, I just had to turn my “Airplane Mode” off and automatically I had data in my mobile, nothing else to do.

Speed and reception depends on the roaming network, which always is the best data network available in the city.

I’m very happy with this app, it has saved me a lot of bucks in data roaming, and another great feature is that you keep your original SIM in your mobile. For me that is very important, some apps send verification codes to your mobile by SMS because you are logging in from different countries.

Support team gets back to you very fast, I had a consultation about “Personal Hotspot” and got fixed in minutes. Another great feature 👍

I absolutely recommend this app to everyone who needs to be online abroad. Easy to get and smooth on the move. ☺️

by Chwebb1

Great service. I am currently using this service while travelling in the UK, and the rates charged by this app are very affordable, and the service has also been very reliable for me. I wish that this service would also work on an iPad in addition to an iPhone, but I understand why it doesn’t (iPads use Apple SIMs instead of eSIM). But if this ever became available on the iPad, I would definitely use it there too.

One quick wood of caution: this app appears to be based in Singapore, so if your card charges a foreign transaction fee, this is something to be aware of. I couldn’t find this information anywhere online, and I had a different card I would have used if I had known that.

by Sagar1086

I simply love this. An best customer service
Very easy to install an you are good to go moment you install it. I would recommend everyone to try this you will not go back to any other roaming service