Airalo eSIM Review

There are three installation methods: direct, manual or via a QR code. On that note, some devices don’t support camera roll scanning, so you might need a second device for display purposes if you choose the QR code option. Also, direct installation may not be possible on all devices. 

We installed and activated our data-only Airalo eSIM using the direct method on an iPhone. Once you’ve purchased your Airalo eSIM from the in-app store, follow these steps to install it.

We completed this procedure on an iPhone. The steps and settings for Android will look somewhat different, but the process is similar and Airalo has dedicated guides for Android. In addition, this tutorial is for a data-only plan. If you purchase a data, calls and texts plan, please check the instructions on the “details” page in case they differ slightly.

1. Open the Installation Guide

   Make sure you have an internet connection before starting. Tap “my eSIMs” at the bottom of the app, then select the plan you want to install and tap “details.” On the eSIM’s “details” page, open “view instructions” under “eSIM installation.”

   

2. Select “Install eSIM”

   On the next page, tap “install eSIM” to start the direct installation process. Alternatively, choose a different installation method at the top. Go to the tutorial below to continue the installation and activation process.

   

After tapping “install eSIM,” you’ll need to follow some prompts to set up and activate Airalo on your device. This is what you can expect from the process. 

1. Allow Activation

   When prompted, allow your device to activate your Airalo eSIM. The wording may differ depending on your device; for example, words like “allow” or “download” may appear.

   

2. Tap “Continue”

   When you see the “activate new eSIM” prompt, tap “continue” twice. After that, tap “done.” Again, the wording and steps might differ on Android.

   

3. Name Your Plan

   To help distinguish between your main line and your Airalo plan, you can opt to label each profile. We picked “cellular data” for our Airalo plan, but you can choose anything you want.

   

4. Set Your Lines

   Set your primary line (your usual phone number) as your default line. You can also set this for iMessage and Facetime. Tap “continue.” If you’re ready to use your data, then set your Airalo eSIM as your cellular/mobile plan on the next page. If you’re not at or en route to your destination yet, then you can do this later in the settings (see the next steps).

   

Finally, to make sure you can use your Airalo data, you’ll need to follow a few more steps. You can find the “access data” instructions in the “view instructions” tab under “eSIM installation” in the Airalo app (see step 2). You must view the access data instructions to complete some of the steps below. Once you go through these steps, your data should be ready to use. 

1. Check That Airalo Is Your Cellular Line

   To access your Airalo cellular data, go into your phone’s “cellular” settings — also called the “network & internet” or “connections” settings — and ensure Airalo is set as your cellular data provider. To do this, tap your Airalo plan and activate “turn on this line.” Toggle on “data roaming” for the Airalo plan too.

   

2. Adjust Network Selection Settings (Optional)

   If you want to change networks, go to “network selection” and toggle off “automatic.” Go to the “access data” instructions in the Airalo app to check available networks in your location, then go back and choose one in “network selection.” 

   

3. Turn Off Data Switching

   Go back to the “cellular data” tab and toggle off “allow cellular data switching.” 

   

4. Check APN Settings

   Your APN (access point name) is usually set by default. In the Airalo app, check the “view instructions” and “access data” sections to see if you need to update your APN in your device’s “cellular data network” settings.

   

When you travel, it’s key to avoid accidentally using your primary line for data as this could rack up roaming fees. Before jetting off, here are some steps you can take to prevent unexpected charges. 

• In the cellular/mobile data settings, toggle off “allow cellular data switching.” 
• Make sure “data roaming” is toggled off for your usual local SIM.
• Turn on “airplane mode” to prevent network connections.

Airalo supports eSIM-compatible phones, which are mostly models that were manufactured in recent years. These include — but are not limited to — iPhone XR, XS, 11 and higher, as well as various Samsung Galaxy, Huawei and Google Pixel models. Here’s how to check if your phone is eSIM-compatible. 

iOS

There are various ways to check if your iPhone is eSIM-compatible: 

• Check for IMEI: Go to “settings,” then select “general” and “about.” If you see an IMEI number when you scroll down, you can use eSIMs. You can also look for the “no SIM restrictions” phrase in the “carrier lock” field.
• Check for “add eSIM”: Under “settings,” go to “cellular” and look for the “add eSIM” option. If it’s there, your device is eSIM-compatible. 

Please note that iPhones purchased in Mainland China and most devices manufactured in Hong Kong and Macao do not support eSIMs.

Android

How you check for eSIM compatibility on Android depends on the phone model. Here are some examples (see Airalo’s guide to view all methods): 

• Samsung Galaxy: Go to “settings,” then “connections” and look for “add eSIM” in the “SIM manager.”
• Google Pixel: Go to “settings” and open the “network & internet” tab. Click “+” on “SIMs” and look for the “download” option. If you see this, you’re good to go. 

This table represents the pricing for some of the countries that Airalo covers, including many of its most popular destinations. Please note that the plans marked as “free” are offered as part of the “Free Welcome eSIM” package. You can get a free eSIM only once and for one destination. Unlimited plans are available in a few locations, such as China. 

Country:	500MB (3 days)	1GB (7 days)	2GB (15 days)	3GB (30 days)	5GB (30 days)	10GB (30 days)	20GB (30 days)	Unlimited
U.S.	Free	$4.50	$8	$11	$16	$26	$42	N/A
U.K.	Free	$5	$7.50	$10	$15	$22.50	$36	N/A
Italy	N/A	$4.50	$8	$10	$14.50	$24	$33	N/A
Japan	Free	$4.50	$6.50	$8.50	$11.50	$18	$26	N/A
China	Free	$5	$8.50	$11.50	$16.50	$28	$49	$35 (10 days)
Costa Rica	N/A	$9.50	$15	$20	$30	$35	$45	N/A
Australia	N/A	$4.50	$8	$9	$12.50	$20	$40	N/A

Unlimited data plans are available in the following countries:

• 🇨🇳 China
• 🇮🇩 Indonesia
• 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
• 🇪🇸 Spain
• 🇹🇷 Turkey
• 🇩🇪 Germany
• 🇪🇬 Egypt
• 🇰🇷 South Korea
• 🇹🇭 Thailand
• 🇲🇦 Morocco
• 🇮🇳 India

Each plan has a limit on the number of texts and calls, which can vary by country. For example, the cheapest U.S. plan comes with 20 minutes and 10 SMS, while the cheapest U.K. plan comes with 10 minutes and 10 SMS. The data, calls and texts plans don’t cover every country individually, but there are global plans for this purpose.

Country:	1GB (7 days)	2GB (15 days)	3GB (30 days)	5GB (30 days)	10GB (30 days)	20GB (30 days)
U.S.	$7	$12.50	$16	$22.50	$34.50	$49
U.K.	$5.50	$8.50	$11	$16	$27.50	$49
Costa Rica	$12	$17.50	$22.50	$32.50	$38.50	$46.50
Global*	$15	$27	$36	$50 (60 days)	$79 (180 days)	$89 (365 days)

If you plan to travel to several countries, Airalo has regional plans with bundles of destinations. Regional plans are data-only, but the Discover+ Global plan comes with calls and texts too (see the table above.) This table represents the starting price for each region.

The data limits and validity periods vary by plan. We’ve included the maximum amount of data and validity possible for each region — these do not correspond to the starting prices listed in the table and will be more expensive if selected. 

Region:	Pricing From	Coverage	Max GB	Max Validity
Global	$9	136 countries	20GB	365 days
Africa	$27	36 countries	3GB	30 days
Asia	$5	18 countries	100GB	180 days
Caribbean Islands	$8	26 countries	5GB	30 days
Europe	$5	42 countries	100GB	180 days
Latin America	$15	17 countries	5GB	30 days
Middle East & North Africa	$7.50	13 countries	20GB	30 days
North America	$6.50	3 countries	10GB	30 days
Oceania	$4.50	8 countries	20GB	30 days

Nomad eSIM offers data-only plans in over 200 countries. Airalo also serves more than 200 countries, but it has data, calls and texts plans as well as data-only ones. Another difference is that Nomad eSIM offers “day plans” with a minimum of one day, which might be ideal if you want more flexibility. Airalo is cheaper on some plans, while Nomad has better rates on others. 

Holafly offers more unlimited data plans than Airalo, but it is more expensive overall. You can also choose the number of days and travelers when you purchase a Holafly plan. Both providers cover more than 200 countries.