Overview

If the travel eSIM market has an Amazon, it is Airalo. With coverage spanning over 200 countries and more than 700 operators, Airalo offers the widest selection of local, regional, and global data plans of any eSIM provider. Since launching in 2019, it has served over 30 million eSIMs and built a marketplace model that lets travelers pick precisely the plan they need -- whether that is 1GB for a weekend in Portugal or 20GB for a month-long stint across Southeast Asia.

Airalo's strength is flexibility at scale. No other provider gives you this many options, and the per-GB pricing on small data packs is among the cheapest in the industry. The Discover+ global plan uniquely includes calls and SMS alongside data, a feature competitors have not replicated. But the marketplace breadth comes with trade-offs: there are no unlimited data options, customer support leans heavily on AI chatbots rather than humans, and initial connectivity can be sluggish when landing in a new country. Airalo is the default choice for a reason, but it is not without rough edges.

Features Deep-Dive

Marketplace Breadth and Plan Variety

Airalo's catalog is unmatched. For popular destinations like Thailand, you might find a dozen plan options ranging from 1GB for 7 days at $4.50 to 20GB for 30 days at $42. Local plans connect you directly to in-country carriers for the best speeds and pricing. Regional plans cover multi-country areas like Europe (39 countries), Asia (18 countries), or Africa. Global plans work in 130+ countries simultaneously. This granularity means you are never forced into a one-size-fits-all plan that either wastes money on data you will not use or leaves you short.

The practical advantage is most apparent for travelers who know their usage patterns. If you consume 2-3GB on a typical week-long trip, you can buy exactly that amount instead of paying a premium for unlimited data you do not need. But the sheer number of options can be overwhelming for first-time eSIM users, and comparing plans across local vs. regional vs. global requires some homework.

Discover+ Plans with Voice and SMS

Airalo's Discover+ plans are genuinely unique in the eSIM market. While virtually every competitor offers data-only service, Discover+ bundles voice minutes and SMS alongside data in a single global eSIM. This means you can make and receive calls with a real phone number in over 100 countries -- useful for hotel reservations, restaurant bookings, or any situation where WhatsApp calling is not practical.

The pricing is higher than data-only global plans (roughly $15-50 depending on data and duration), but for travelers who need a working phone number abroad, Discover+ eliminates the need to juggle a separate VoIP app or purchase a local SIM just for calls. Business travelers in particular benefit from having a single number that works across multiple countries without switching plans.

Airmoney Loyalty Program

Airalo's Airmoney system credits a percentage of every purchase back to your account as reusable balance. The reward rate typically ranges from 3-5% of each transaction, and credits apply automatically to future purchases. For frequent travelers, this compounds meaningfully -- a dozen trips over two years could accumulate enough credit to cover a free plan.

The loyalty program also includes referral bonuses (typically $3 per referral) and occasional promotional multipliers. While the individual rewards are modest, Airalo is one of the few eSIM providers that rewards repeat customers at all. Combined with the already-competitive per-GB pricing, Airmoney gives regular users a tangible reason to stick with Airalo rather than shopping around for each trip.

Pricing Analysis

Airalo's per-GB pricing is among the most competitive in the market, especially for small to medium data packs. A 1GB local plan for popular destinations like Japan, the UK, or Thailand typically costs $4-5, while 5GB plans run $14-18 and 10GB plans $23-30. Regional plans carry a modest premium: a 5GB Europe plan covering 39 countries costs around $18, roughly 20% more than a single-country equivalent.

Where Airalo excels is value for light-to-moderate users. If you consume 1-5GB per trip, Airalo consistently undercuts competitors like Holafly (which charges $11.70 minimum for unlimited data you may not need) and GigSky (premium pricing across the board). Saily matches or beats Airalo on some routes, but Airalo's breadth of options means you can almost always find a plan sized to your actual needs.

The weakness is for heavy users. Without unlimited plans, a data-hungry traveler consuming 3-5GB daily would need to buy and manage multiple top-ups, which gets expensive and inconvenient. For that profile, Holafly's flat-rate unlimited plans deliver better value despite the higher sticker price.

Who Is This For?

Airalo works best for:

• Budget-conscious travelers who know their data needs and want to pay for exactly what they will use. The granular plan options mean you are never overpaying for a 10GB plan when 3GB would suffice, and the per-GB rates beat most competitors for small to medium packs.
• Multi-country travelers seeking flexibility who want the option to buy local plans in each country for best speeds or a single regional plan for convenience. No other provider offers this many ways to slice your connectivity.
• Business travelers needing voice and SMS through Discover+ plans, which remain the only major eSIM product bundling calls and texts with global data coverage. If you need a real phone number abroad, Airalo is the only mainstream option.

Who Should NOT Use This

Airalo might not be the right choice if:

• You are a heavy data user: Without unlimited plans, anyone consuming more than 3-5GB daily will find themselves buying multiple top-ups or running out entirely. Holafly's unlimited plans are a better fit for remote workers, streamers, and heavy social media users.
• You want hands-off simplicity: The marketplace model requires comparing dozens of plans, choosing between local vs. regional vs. global, and managing top-ups manually. If you just want to buy one thing and forget about it, Holafly or Saily offer simpler experiences.
• You need reliable customer support: Airalo's support is heavily automated, with AI chatbots handling first contact and a refund policy that users frequently describe as restrictive. Its 3.7 Trustpilot rating reflects genuine frustration. Maya Mobile or Holafly offer significantly better support experiences.

Bottom Line

Airalo remains the default recommendation for most travelers because no one else offers this breadth of coverage and plan options at these prices. It is the Swiss Army knife of travel eSIMs -- versatile, reliable, and cost-effective for most use cases. Just know that the marketplace model demands some comparison shopping, the lack of unlimited data is a real limitation for heavy users, and customer support is not its strong suit.

FAQ

How long does Airalo take to activate in a new country?

Activation times vary. Most users report connectivity within 5-10 minutes of landing and enabling their eSIM, but some destinations can take up to 30 minutes for initial network registration. Installing and configuring the eSIM before departure (while still on Wi-Fi) is strongly recommended. The plan's validity period does not start until you activate data in the destination country, so there is no penalty for early installation.

Can I top up my Airalo plan if I run out of data?

Yes, Airalo supports in-app top-ups for most plans. You can purchase additional data without installing a new eSIM, which is a significant convenience advantage over providers that require a fresh installation for each plan. However, top-ups are only available while your current plan is still active -- once it expires, you will need a new eSIM entirely.

Is Airalo safe to use for banking and sensitive apps?

Airalo routes traffic through local carrier networks, which means your connection is functionally identical to using a local SIM card. Banking apps, two-factor authentication, and other security-sensitive services work normally in most cases. This is a meaningful advantage over providers like Saily and Maya Mobile, which route traffic through intermediary servers and can trigger security warnings on banking apps or cause latency issues with authentication flows.

What is the difference between local, regional, and global plans?

Local plans connect to carriers in a single country and offer the best speeds and lowest per-GB pricing. Regional plans cover a group of countries (like Europe or Asia) under one eSIM -- convenient for multi-country trips but slightly more expensive per-GB. Global plans work in 130+ countries and are the most expensive option but eliminate the need to think about coverage boundaries. For single-country trips, local plans are almost always the best value.