Airalo eSIM review 2025: world’s first affordable eSIM for travelers
An eSIM with comprehensive coverage in 200+ countries
Airalo is one of the first eSIM providers to make international travel more affordable, offering budget-friendly data plans in 200+ countries. With instant activation and no physical SIM required, it keeps you connected worldwide while avoiding expensive roaming fees.
With local, regional, and global eSIM plans, Airalo provides flexibility for both short trips and long-term travel. However, some users have raised concerns about inconsistent performance and slow support responses, which we’ve tested firsthand.
That said, in this Airalo eSIM review, I’ll cover its pricing, coverage, setup, and key features – so you can decide if it’s the right eSIM for your travels.
| What our experts like about Airalo eSIM: | What our experts don’t like about Airalo eSIM: |
| ✅ Available in 200+ countries | ❌ Most 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 (on select plans) | |
| ✅ Affordable eSIM deals | |
| ✅ You can upgrade your mobile data plan at any time | |
| ✅ 24/7/365 customer support |
What is Airalo eSIM and how does it work?
Airalo is the first affordable eSIM provider, offering prepaid mobile data plans in 200+ countries. This eSIM provides local, regional, and global plans, allowing travelers to choose the best option for their needs and budget. On top of this, Airalo lets you avoid costly roaming fees and comes with no hidden charges.
However, keep in mind that some Airalo eSIMs require activation upon installation, while others allow activation before arrival. So always review your plan’s Activation Policy in the Airalo app under “Additional Information.”
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+ countries and regions |
| Data plans: | Between 7 to 30 days, 1GB to 50GB (some countries have unlimited data eSIM plans) |
| Support: | Live chat, email, knowledge base, FAQs, blog |
| Compatibility: | All devices that work with eSIMs |
Airalo eSIM plans and supported countries
Airalo provides mobile data in 200+ countries, making it one of the most widely available eSIM providers. Our experts tested Airalo in several destinations, including Greece, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, and France, and experienced fast, reliable connectivity without any major issues.
You can choose from three types of Airalo’s eSIM plans: local, regional, and global. Local plans are usually data-only eSIMs for a single country. Regional plans cover multiple countries within the same region. Lastly, global plans cover 137+ countries, with some including calls and texts for an extra fee.
Now, let’s break down Airalo’s packages and supported countries:
| Airalo local plans (most popular countries) | United Kingdom, Turkey, United States, Thailand, Lithuania, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Japan, China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Switzerland, Spain, Mauritius, France, Germany, Indonesia, Northern Cyprus, Italy, Philippines |
| Airalo regional plans | Africa (36+ countries), Asia (18+ countries), the Caribbean Islands (26+ countries), Europe (42+ countries), Latin America (17+ countries), the Middle East and North Africa (13+ countries), North America (3+ countries), Oceania (8+ countries) |
| Airalo global plans (Europe) | Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jersey, 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, Turkey. |
| Airalo global plans (Americas) | Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, United States, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay. |
| Airalo global plans (Asia & Oceania) | Antilles, Australia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Fiji, French Polynesia, Georgia, Guernsey, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor - Leste, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam. |
| Airalo global plans (Africa) | Algeria, Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Réunion, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda |
How much does Airalo cost?
The cost of Airalo’s local, regional, and global eSIM plans vary based on the country and data package. Nevertheless, this eSIM provider is affordable, with most local plans starting at $4.50 per week, while regional and global plans have different pricing tiers.
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, 2GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 20GB, 50GB, 100GB, unlimited | 7, 15, 30, 30, 30, 30, 90, 180, 10 days | $5, $9.50, $13, $20, $37, $49, $100, $185, $35 |
| 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 |
On top of that, you can use our Airalo coupon codes to get a better deal.
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: 16 / 16e / 16 Plus / 16 Pro / 16 Pro Max; 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 A56 / A55 5G / A54 5G, Galaxy A36, Galaxy A35 5G, Galaxy A23 5G, Galaxy Z Flip / Z Flip 5G / Z Flip 3 5G / Z Flip 4 / Z Flip 5 / Z Flip6 / Z Fold / Z Fold 2 5G / Z Fold 3 / Z Fold 4 / Z Fold 5 / Z Fold 6, Galaxy Note 20 / Note 20 5G / Note 20 Ultra / Note 20 Ultra 5G, Galaxy S20 / S20 5G / S20+ / S20+ 5G / S20 Ultra / S20 Ultra 5G, Galaxy S21 5G / S21+ 5G / S21 Ultra 5G, Galaxy S22 5G / S22+ 5G / S22 Ultra 5G, Galaxy S23 / S23 5G / S23 FE / S23+ / S23 Ultra, Galaxy S24 / S24+ / S24 Ultra / S24 FE, Galaxy S25 / S25 Edge / S25+ / S25 Slim / S25 Ultra, Galaxy Fold Google: Pixel 9 / 9a / 9 Pro / 9 Pro XL / 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 8 / 8a / 8 Pro, Pixel 7 / 7a / 7 Pro, Pixel 6 / 6a / 6 Pro, Pixel 5 / 5a / 5a 5G, Pixel 4 / 4a / 4a 5G / 4 XL, Pixel 3 / 3a / 3 XL / 3a XL, Pixel 2 / 2 XL, Pixel Fold ZTE: Blade 3, Blade 5G Hammer: Explorer PRO, Blade 3, Blade 5G, myPhone NOW eSIM, myPhone Hammer Construction Honor: Magic7 Pro, Magic7 Lite, Magic6 Pro, Magic6 Pro RSR, Magic Vs3, Magic V2, Magic V3, Magic5 Pro, Magic4 Pro, Honor 90, Honor 200, Honor 200 Pro Huawei: P40, P40 Pro, Mate 40 Pro, Moto G54 Motorola: G34, G35, G53 / G53 5G, G54 / G54 Power, G55, G60, G75, G85, G (2025) / G (2024) / G Power (2024) / G Stylus 5G, Edge Fusion, Edge 50 / 50 Fusion / 50 Pro / 50 Neo / 50 Ultra, Edge 40 Neo / 40 Pro, Edge+ / Edge+ (2023) / Edge (2024) / Edge (2023) / Edge (2022), Razr 40 / 40 Ultra, Razr 50 / 50 Ultra, Razr 2024 / 2022 / 2019, Razr+ 2024, Razr 5G, ThinkPhone 25 Nokia: G60, XR21, X30 OnePlus: OnePlus 13 / 13R / 12 / 11 / Open OPPO: Find N2 Flip / Find N3 / Find N3 Flip / Find N5 / Find X3 / Find X3 Pro / Find X5 / Find X5 Pro / Find X8 / Find X8 Pro, Reno 5A / Reno 9A / Reno13 / Reno13 Pro / Reno6 Pro 5G, A55s 5G Rakuten: Rakuten Big / Big S / Mini / Hand / Hand 5G SHARP: AQUOS R6 / R7 / R8 / R8 Pro, Sense 4 Lite / Sense 6 / Sense 7 / Sense 8 / Sense 9, Wish, Zero 6 Sony: Xperia 1 IV / 1 V / 1 VI, Xperia 5 IV / 5 V, Xperia 10 III Lite / 10 IV / 10 V / 10 VI, Xperia Ace III TCL: 20E / 20S / 20Y / 20 5G / 20 R 5G / 20 SE, 30 SE / 30+, 306, 10 5G / 10 Plus / 10 Pro / 10 SE / 10L, 50 5G / 50 NxtPaper / 50 Pro NxtPaper, 40 XL, Alcatel 3 / 3V / 3X, PLEX T-Mobile: Revvl 7 / 7 Pro VIVO: X200 Pro / X200, X100 Pro, X90 Pro, V29 (Europe and Latin America versions), V29 Lite 5G (Europe version), V40 / V40 Lite (Europe version), V50 Xiaomi: Xiaomi 15 Ultra / 15 Pro / 15, Xiaomi 14T Pro, Xiaomi 14 Pro / 14T / 14, Xiaomi 13T Pro / 13 Pro / 13T / 13 / 13 Lite, Xiaomi 12T Pro, Xiaomi Poco X7, Redmi Note 14 Pro+ / 14 Pro, Redmi Note 13 Pro+ / 13 Pro Others: Fairphone 4, Fairphone 5, Gemini PDA 4G+Wi-Fi, Nothing Phone (3a) Pro, Nuu Mobile X5, Realme 14 Pro+, ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra, ZTE nubia Flip2 |
| 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 generation and up) iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and up) iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and up) iPad (7th generation and up) iPad Mini (5th generation and up) |
| Other | Gemini PDA 4G+Wi-Fi |
How to activate and use Airalo eSIM?
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Go 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 to keep in mind is that eSIM activation depends on the plan’s policy.
Some eSIMs activate only when you connect to a local network, so you can install them at home without worry. These eSIMs are ideal since they only start working automatically upon arrival, saving time during your trip.
However, if your eSIM activates immediately after installation, regardless of your location, then you should wait until you arrive at your destination so you don’t waste its limited validity.
Airalo customer service
Airalo offers multiple customer support options, including a live chat, email support, an extensive knowledge base, FAQs, and an active blog. The only thing they don’t provide is phone support.
Live chat is perfect for quick, 24/7 assistance from an Airalo representative. Email support is an alternative to this, but you might need to wait a bit longer for a response. You’ll need to submit a ticket explaining your issue and wait for Airalo’s support to get back to you.
If you prefer self-service, you can explore Airalo’s detailed knowledge base, FAQs section, and blog section, which covers common questions and troubleshooting tips.
Conclusion: is Airalo legit?
Since entering the market, Airalo has become one of the most reliable eSIM providers, offering flexible local, regional, and global data plans in 200+ countries. So whether you’re on a short trip or traveling long-term, Airalo makes staying connected effortless and reduces roaming costs.
Being beginner-friendly, Airalo is an excellent choice for first-time eSIM users and travelers looking for seamless, hassle-free international connectivity. Plus, with its easy setup and competitive pricing, it remains one of the best-value eSIM providers today.
FAQ
Is Airalo safe to use?
Yes, Airalo is safe to use. It provides secure mobile data and helps travelers avoid risky public Wi-Fi networks. By connecting to trusted local carriers, Airalo ensures private, hassle-free connectivity worldwide. Plus, Airalo uses the same encryption standards as traditional SIM cards.
When to activate Airalo eSIM?
Airalo eSIM activation depends on the plan. Some activate instantly upon installation, so it’s best to install them after arriving in your destination country. Other plans allow delayed activation. To check your plan’s policy, open the Airalo app, select your eSIM, and check “Activation Policy” under “Additional Information.”
Does Airalo give you a new number?
Yes, Airalo gives you a new number, but only with specific plans. The Discover+ plan includes calls and SMS in select regions. Additionally, some country-specific eSIMs, like those for Guam, also offer local numbers. However, most Airalo eSIMs are data-only and do not come with a phone number.
Can I use WhatsApp with Airalo?
Yes, you can use WhatsApp with Airalo. Since Airalo eSIMs provide mobile data, you can send messages, make voice and video calls, and use WhatsApp as usual. Your existing WhatsApp number remains unchanged, even if your Airalo eSIM doesn’t include a phone number.
Does Airalo allow phone calls?
Yes, Airalo allows phone calls, but only with specific plans. The Discover+ plan includes a phone number for calls and SMS in select regions. Additionally, some country-specific eSIMs also support calls and texts. However, most Airalo eSIMs are data-only, meaning you’ll need to use VoIP apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime for calling.
