Airalo eSIM review 2024: world’s first eSIM for travelers
An eSIM with comprehensive coverage in 200+ countries
Airalo is the first eSIM solution which allows you to enjoy Internet access in more than 200 countries around the globe. Thanks to it, roaming costs became part of the past.
Like with other eSIMs, Airalo doesn’t require you to utilize a physical SIM card. Instead, this amazing provider enables you to install your preferred eSIM deal and successfully get an Internet connection in its 200+ covered countries. The best part is that there are local, regional, and global plans that reduce your roaming costs.
So, if you’re intrigued to learn more, keep on reading my Airalo eSIM review. I’ll reveal more about this eSIM provider, check out its pricing and coverage, teach you how to use it, and a lot more.
What is Airalo eSIM and how does it work?
Airalo is the world’s first eSIM provider, and it is perfect for all types of travelers. This eSIM comes with local, regional, and global plans, allowing you to choose the best one that suits your needs and stays within your predetermined budget. On top of this, Airao lets you reduce the costly roaming costs and comes with no hidden fees.
Airalo’s working principle functions in the same way as all eSIMs. It’s entirely prepaid, meaning you purchase your plan, download the app on your mobile device, and get an instant Internet connection. In other words, it will connect you to a local carrier’s network while enabling you to keep your existing phone number.
What’s even better is that you can either activate the eSIM plan before or after arriving at your dream destination.
| Airalo eSIM price: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | Starts at $4.50/week for 1GB |
| Country coverage: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | 200+ |
| Data plans: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | Between 7 to 30 days, 1GB to 20GB |
| Support: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | Live chat, email, knowledge base, FAQs, blog |
| Compatibility: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | All devices that work with eSIMs |
Airalo eSIM pros and cons
| What our experts like about Airalo eSIM: | What our experts don’t like about Airalo eSIM: |
| ✅ Available in 200+ countries | ❌ Local and regional plans are data-only |
| ✅ Offers local, regional, and global plans | ❌ Lacks pay-as-you-go option |
| ✅ Lets you keep your existing phone number | |
| ✅ Affordable eSIM deals | |
| ✅ You can upgrade your mobile data plan at any time | |
| ✅ 24/7/365 customer support |
Airalo eSIM plans and supported countries
Airalo offers a wide range of supported countries. In fact, it connects you to the Internet in 200+ countries. Our experts tried this eSIM provider in a few countries (including top summer destinations: Greece, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, and France), and they didn’t face any issues.
You can go for Airalo’s local plans that come with data-only services for one country. More so, the regional plans also include only mobile data and allow you to use the eSIM in more countries within the same region. Lastly, its global eSIM deals that cover 124 countries have data-only or data/texts/calls plans.
Now, let’s break down the packages so you can see Airalo’s supported countries:
| Airalo local plans (most popular countries) | North Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Albania, Malta, Italy, France, Kosovo, Croatia, Spain, Bulgaria, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, United Kingdom, Serbia, United States, Japan, United Arab Emirates |
| Airalo regional plans | Africa (37 countries), Asia (18 countries), the Caribbean Islands (24 countries), Europe (39 countries), Latin America (19 countries), the Middle East and North Africa (15 countries), North America (3 countries) |
| Airalo global plans | Europe: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Sweden, TurkeyAmericas: Argentina, Bolivia, United States, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Macao, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, JerseyAsia & Oceania: Australia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, China, French West Indies, Georgia, Guernsey, Guinea-Bissau, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel,apan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mali, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Réunion, Saudi Arabia, Singapore South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Åland Islands, Africa: Algeria, Botswana, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Egypt, Eswatini, Ghana, Gibraltar, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Gabon, Republic of the Congo |
How much does Airalo cost?
As I explained above, Airalo comes with local, regional, and global plans. However, this eSIM provider is pretty affordable. Still, there is one thing that you should keep in mind. When purchasing local or regional eSIMs, the cost will depend on the country, although most of its local plans start at $19.55/week.
Let’s have a better look at the Airalo cost in the table below:
| Data Size | Duration | Price | |
| Local USA plan | 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 20GB | 7, 15, 30, 30, 30, 30 days | $4.50, $8, $11, $16, $26, $42 |
| Local Japan plan | 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 20GB | 7, 15, 30, 30, 30, 30 days | $4.50, $6.50, $8.50, $11.50, $18, $26 |
| Local UK plan | 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 20GB | 7, 15, 30, 30, 30, 30 days | $5, $7.50, $10, $15, $22.50, $36 |
| Regional Europe plan | 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 50GB, 100GB | 7, 30, 30, 30, 90, 180 days | $5, $13, $20, $37, $100, $185 |
| Regional Africa plan | 1GB, 3GB | 30, 30 days | $27, $59 |
| Global eSIMs | 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 20GB | 7, 15, 30, 60, 180, 365 days | $9, $17, $24, $35, $59, $69 |
Additionally, you can use our Airalo coupon codes to get a lower price.
Airalo supported devices
Airalo supports almost all devices and their models. However, while I was searching for more detailed information, I found out that Airalo disclosed that compatibility of Airalo eSIM with specific devices may vary based on the device’s region or its firmware or software updates.
So, let’s go through our complete list of the Airalo compatible phones and devices:
| Smartphones | iPhone: 15 / 15 Plus / 15 Pro / 15 Pro Max; 14 / 14 Plus / 14 Pro / 14 Pro Max; 13 / 13 Mini / 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max; 12 / 12 Mini / 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max; 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max; XS / XS Max; XR; SE (2020); SE (2022) Samsung: Galaxy A55 5G / A54 5G / A35 5G, Galaxy S24 / S24+ / S24 Ultra, Galaxy S23 FE, Galaxy A54 5G, Galaxy S23 / S23+ / S23 Ultra, Galaxy S22 5G / S22+ 5G / S22 Ultra 5G, Galaxy S21 5G / S21+ 5G / S21 Ultra 5G, Galaxy S20 5G / S20 / S20+ / S20+ 5G / S20 Ultra / S20 Ultra 5G, Galaxy Z Flip / Flip 3 5G / Flip 4 / Flip 5, Galaxy Z Fold 2-5, Galaxy Note 20 / 20 5G / 20 Ultra / 20 Ultra 5G Google: Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel Fold, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel 7, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 6, Pixel 5a, Pixel 5, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 3 & 3 XL, Pixel 3a & 3a XL ZTE: Blade 3, Blade 5G myPhone: myPhone NOW eSIM, myPhone Hammer Construction Honor: Magic5 Pro, Magic4 Pro, Honor 90 Huawei: P40, P40 Pro, Mate 40 Pro, Moto G54 Motorola: Edge 40 Pro, Edge 40 Neo, Edge+, Razr 40 Ultra / 2022 / 2019 / 5G, G53 5G, G60, XR21, X30 OnePlus: OnePlus 12 / 11 OPPO: Reno6 Pro 5G, A55s 5G, Find N2 Flip, Find N2 Flip, Find X5, Find X5 Pro, Reno A Rakuten: Rakuten Big / Big S / Mini / Hand AQUOS: AQUOS Sense 8 /Sense 7 / Sense 6 / Sense 4 Lite / R8 Pro / R8 / R7 / R6 / Wish / AQUOS Zero 6 Sony: Xperia 1 V, Xperia 1 IV, Xperia 5 IV, Xperia 10 III Lite, Xperia 10 IV VIVO: X90 Pro, V29 (European Version), V29 Lite 5G (European Version) Xiaomi: Xiaomi 14 Pro, Xiaomi 13T, Xiaomi 13T Pro, Xiaomi 13, Xiaomi 13 Pro, Xiami 13 Lite, Xiaomi 12T Pro Redmi: Note 13 Pro, Note 13 Pro +, Note 11 Pro 5G |
| Laptops | Acer: Swift 3, Swift 7, TravelMate P2, TravelMate Spin P4, TravelMate P6 ASUS: Mini Transformer T103HAF, NovaGo TP370QL, Vivobook Flip 14 TP401NA Dell Latitude: 7440, 7210 2-in-1, 9410, 7310, 7410, 9510, 5410, 5411, 5511 HP: Elitebook G5, Probook G5, Zbook G5, Spectre Folio 13 ThinkPad: X1 Titanium Yoga 2 in 1, X1 Carbon Gen 9, X1 Fold, X1 Nano, X12 Detachable Lenovo: Flex 5G, Yoga C630, Miix 630, Yoga 520, Yoga 720 (2-in-1 models) Surface: Pro 9, Go 3, Pro X, Duo 2, Duo |
| Tablets | iPad Air (3rd / 4th / 5th generation) iPad Pro 11-inch (1st / 2nd /3rd generation) iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd / 4th / 5th /6th generation) iPad (7-10th generation) iPad Mini (5-6th generation) |
| Other | Gemini PDA 4G+Wi-Fi |
How to activate and use Airalo eSIM?
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Navigate to the official website of Airalo.
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Select the eSIM plan for the country you’ll be visiting.
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Purchase your preferred Airalo eSIM plan.
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Download the Airalo app on your device.
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Open the app and follow the installation prompts.
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Activate the eSIM.
- Connect to a local network.
- That’s it. You can now start using Airalo eSIM without an issue!
The only thing you should keep in mind is that you can either activate your eSIM plan immediately or before you arrive at your destination. This depends on your eSIM activation policy.
So, if your chosen eSIM activates only when you connect to a local network, you have nothing to worry about, and you can install it at home. Also, these eSIMs are much better, as you only start using them without wasting time on your trip to activate them.
However, if the eSIM activates immediately, regardless of your location, then you should wait until you arrive in the country where you’re traveling so you don’t waste its limited services.
Airalo customer service
I always tend to test the customer service of eSIM providers, so that’s what I’ve done with Airalo. I really liked that they offer various support channels, including a live chat, email support, an extensive knowledge base, FAQs section, and an active blog. The only thing they lack is a phone number.
The live chat is perfect if you would like to get in touch with some of their experienced employees and resolve your issue at any time. The email support is an alternative to this, but you might need to wait a bit longer. You basically submit a ticket in which you explain your issue, and that’s it.
Airalo also offers solutions for those who don’t prefer talking to an expert directly. That said, you can always browse through their knowledge base and FAQs section or read some interesting articles in their blog section.
Conclusion: is Airalo legit?
Airalo is the first eSIM provider, and it definitely got only better. Thanks to it, you will be able to choose from its 200+ local plans, regional deals, or even global eSIMs and find the plan that fulfills all of your needs.
With a reputation of five years, Airalo proved that it’s excellent for beginners due to its simple installation and straightforward ease of use, reduces roaming costs, and has you covered at all times.
You may also like to read:
Saily eSIM Review
aloSIM eSIM review
Nomad eSIM review
Instabridge eSIM review
Airalo vs Nomad
Airalo vs Ubigi
aloSIM vs Airalo
FAQ
Is Airalo safe to use?
Yes, Airalo is safe to use. It allows you to avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, which endanger your online privacy, and instead use mobile data without any roaming costs.
When to activate Airalo eSIM?
This depends on the activation policy of the Airalo eSim you purchased. Some Airalo plans require immediate activation, meaning you should install them after you arrive in the country where you’ll be traveling, while others allow you to postpone the activation process. To check which one you have, go to the Airalo app > select the eSIM you purchased > tap “buy now” > “Additional information” > “Activation policy.”
Does Airalo give you a new number?
Yes, Airalo gives you a new number, but only if you utilize the global eSIM deals. Its local and regional deals are data-only.
Can I use WhatsApp with Airalo?
Yes, you can use WhatsApp with Airalo. This is because the provider allows you to keep your regular phone number, and if your plan is data-only, you won’t have any issues.
Does Airalo allow phone calls?
Yes, Airalo allows phone calls. However, you either need to use the data-only plans with applications like WhatsApp, Viber, or Telegram or go for the global plans and enjoy your new phone number for free international calls.
