If you traveled internationally before eSIMs became normal, you probably remember the options: buy an overpriced airport SIM, fight with a local mobile operator, or use roaming and discover the financial consequences later.
I managed the last option myself in Switzerland in 2026 when I temporarily forgot Switzerland isn’t in the EU.
Then eSIMs entered the game, and I still consider them one of the biggest improvements to modern travel. You land, switch on the eSIM, and have data. No physical SIM, no phone shop, no unnecessary drama.
Yes. Completely.
Maps, hotel reservations, WhatsApp, translation, Uber, and generally being able to solve problems immediately after landing are basic travel infrastructure now.
After using eSIMs on dozens of trips, I wouldn’t voluntarily return to physical tourist SIMs.
My standards are unnecessarily high for someone reviewing mobile data, so I’ll concentrate on what actually matters: price, app design, installation, connectivity, and whether Airalo deserves your money.
The app promises coverage in 200+ locations, I've personally tested a fraction of that, and it held up
Airalo was actually my first eSIM provider.
I discovered it in Israel in 2022, when installing an eSIM still felt far more technical than it does now. I remember the setup being kind of complicated—there were enough settings and instructions for me to wonder whether I had done something stupid.
Four years later, the experience is miles away.
Since Israel, I’ve used Airalo in Argentina and South Africa in 2024, and Switzerland, Wales, and Rwanda in 2026, among other trips.
So I’ve had plenty of opportunities to test it in completely different environments.
And it is still probably my most frequently used eSIM provider.
Part of that is quality. Part of it is simply habit.
It was my first, and apparently I’m loyal to eSIM companies now.
My quick Airalo ratings:
The biggest improvement is installation. What felt technical in 2022 is now almost idiot-proof.
I’ve also had very few connectivity problems. When the signal disappeared around Fitz Roy in Argentina or in remote parts of South Africa, the problem was much more likely due to geography than Airalo.
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One regional eSIM instead of five country ones; this is exactly what I want on a multi-country road trip
Airalo is generally fairly cheap, although it isn’t automatically the cheapest provider in every country.
That’s normal with eSIMs. Pricing depends heavily on local network agreements, so one company can be excellent in Rwanda and mediocre somewhere else.
Most eSIM providers compete in three areas:
Airalo does well in all three without necessarily winning every comparison.
For Europe, Airalo sits close to competitors such as aloSIM, Saily, and Ubigi. Some competitors can undercut it slightly on certain package sizes, particularly larger ones.
But when the difference is USD 1 or 2, I normally choose the provider I already know instead of conducting an international procurement tender for 5 GB of vacation data.
For price competitiveness, I give Airalo 9/10.
And with NXTLVL giving 15% off your first Airalo eSIM purchase, up to USD 10, the first eSIM is even easier to justify.
Naming it "light" versus "heavy" instead of just GB numbers is a small touch that actually helps you pick what suits you
I almost always use more data than I expect.
Usually for stupid reasons.
For example, sitting in a hotel watching YouTube and discovering later that I never connected to the Wi-Fi.
I therefore recommend buying slightly more data and for slightly longer than you initially think you’ll need.
I also prefer this over repeatedly topping up small packages, because several smaller purchases can become more expensive overall.
If I’m choosing between two sensible package sizes, I normally take the larger one.
Monitoring every remaining megabyte on vacation is not my idea of fun.
Checking a map in the middle of nowhere in Wales and still getting a signal, that's the whole point of an eSIM
For European road trips, I’d consider a regional Airalo plan instead of buying separate eSIMs for every country.
The main advantage is obvious: one package can cover several European countries plus the UK, depending on the specific regional plan.
That’s exactly what I want on a road trip.
I don’t want to cross a border and suddenly start thinking about which eSIM is active.
Just check that every country on your route is included before buying.
Pro tip: if you're still deciding where to go, I've ranked my favorite cities to visit in Europe. If you’re spending almost the entire vacation in one country, compare the regional price against a local country package first.
But for a genuine multi-country road trip, convenience matters.
The onboarding screens actually explain what you're buying instead of just asking for your card
This is where Airalo has improved massively since 2022.
Once you open the app, the process is straightforward:
Choose the country, choose the package, pay, and follow the installation guide.
Destination, duration, amount of data, three questions, and Airalo gives you the best offer
That’s basically it.
Airalo also supports a huge number of languages and lets you manually change the language.
I speak English fluently, but for technical phone settings I definitely prefer Czech.
I don’t particularly want to translate mobile-network terminology in my head while simultaneously wondering whether I just enabled roaming on the wrong SIM.
Changing currency inside the app is useful too.
None of these features sound revolutionary individually, but together they make Airalo feel like a mature travel app.
They really stepped up their app during the four years I’ve been using it.
The help section looks almost suspiciously simple.
But I like it.
Most of the questions seem like exactly the sort of things actual users ask: installation, activation, connectivity, data usage, and what to do when something doesn’t work.
That is much more useful than a help center written by engineers for other engineers.
For design and UX, Airalo gets 9/10.
Apple Pay, one tap, and I'm already earning Airmoney back before I've even left the house
Airalo supports the usual payment options, including cards and Apple Pay.
But I also like that PayPal is available.
Getting money out of PayPal is occasionally more annoying than spending it, so I’m happy whenever someone gives me an opportunity to empty the account.
Apple Pay is obviously the quickest option if I just want to buy a package and continue with my life.
The payment process is exactly how it should be: choose, tap, pay.
And again, NXTLVL gives you 15% off your first Airalo eSIM, up to USD 10.
Airalo also has a business solution, which makes sense if you have employees traveling internationally.
If you have sales reps constantly crossing borders, normal roaming is a wonderfully efficient method of setting company money on fire.
A centralized eSIM solution can be much easier to manage.
For an individual traveler, this doesn’t matter.
For companies with frequent travelers, it absolutely can.
This is where I can compare Airalo better than most providers because I remember the old version.
In Israel in 2022, installation felt technical.
In 2026, it doesn’t.
Once you buy the plan, the app guides you through the process, and your phone handles most of the setup.
There’s very little room left to make a creative mistake.
Yes.
Today, I’d describe the process as very foolproof.
Choose the destination, choose the package, buy it, and follow the instructions.
For installation, Airalo gets 10/10.
The improvement from 2022 is probably the most impressive part of my experience with the company.
Whoever writes these FAQs actually travels, the questions are the ones I'd ask
Even though installation is easy, I still recommend buying and setting up your eSIM before traveling.
I’ve installed eSIMs at airports using crappy Wi-Fi before.
It works.
It is also completely unnecessary stress.
Do it at home on stable Wi-Fi instead.
Just check the activation rules for the specific package, because some eSIMs activate when installed, while others activate when they first connect to the destination network.
Prepare everything early when the plan allows it.
Inside the app, you can see the usual useful information about your previous eSIMs, including when you bought them and how much data you used.
I like this because it makes the next purchase easier.
Instead of guessing that 3 GB should be enough, I can look at my previous usage and discover that apparently I behave like a teenager whenever hotel Wi-Fi isn’t connected.
Airalo also allows top-ups on eligible eSIMs.
I personally prefer buying enough data from the beginning, so I haven’t relied heavily on this.
One warning: don’t casually delete an eSIM from your phone if you might want to reuse or top it up later.
Switching it off and deleting it are not the same thing.
This is where I found out I use way more data than I think I do
This is probably Airalo’s biggest strength for me simply because I’ve used it repeatedly.
Israel.
Argentina.
South Africa.
Switzerland.
Wales.
Rwanda.
Across all those trips, I’ve had very few genuine connectivity problems.
Yes, I lost signal near Fitz Roy.
Yes, connectivity disappeared in remote South Africa.
But expecting flawless mobile reception in the literal middle of nowhere is slightly unreasonable.
For normal travel—cities, hotels, driving routes, maps, WhatsApp, browsing—Airalo has been reliable enough that it became my default provider almost without me deciding it.
That is probably the strongest compliment I can give it.
I don’t want an eSIM to be exciting.
I want to forget it exists.
Airalo usually lets me do exactly that.
For data and everyday usability, I give it 10/10.
Best price isn't always the best pick, and this table is why
Honestly, most travelers.
I’d particularly recommend it to someone buying their first eSIM because the app is easy to understand now.
It is also great for frequent travelers who prefer keeping everything inside one familiar app rather than installing a new provider every trip to save USD 1.50.
That’s basically how I use it.
Unless another provider is significantly cheaper for a destination, habit usually wins.
And first-time users can use NXTLVL for 15% off their first Airalo eSIM, up to USD 10.
I’d compare alternatives if your only priority is getting the absolute cheapest possible data.
Airalo is usually competitive, but it doesn’t win every country.
Heavy data users should also compare providers such as Ubigi, Saily, aloSIM, Nomad, and Holafly depending on the destination.
And if you’re staying in one country for several months, a genuine local mobile plan may make more sense than a travel eSIM.
But for a normal vacation, I wouldn’t spend an hour comparing providers to save USD 2.
My vacation time costs more than that.
Even in the middle of a Luxembourg castle tour, I had signal to check the map
So, is Airalo worth it?
Yes. And unlike providers I’ve tested once, I can say that after using Airalo repeatedly since 2022.
It was my first eSIM in Israel, and since then I’ve used it across Europe, Africa, and South America.
Maybe I’m slightly biased because it was my first.
You know how that goes.
But I also watched the product genuinely improve.
The installation process that felt technical in 2022 is extremely easy now. The app is better, language options are better, payment is simple, and connectivity has caused me very few problems.
Price-wise, Airalo is competitive rather than universally cheapest.
I’m fine with that.
If another company saves me USD 1 but Airalo gives me an app I already know, quick installation, and reliable connectivity, I’ll usually stay with Airalo.
Airalo is my go-to eSIM provider because it does practically everything well, even if it doesn’t win every individual category.
And if it’s your first purchase, use promo code NXTLVL for 15% off your first Airalo eSIM, up to USD 10.
At least my sentimental attachment to my first eSIM can save you some money.
Get 15% off your first Airalo eSIM with code NXTLVL
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Hi, I’m Jan. I travel fast and intensely, whether I’m exploring the buzz of Tokyo in 3 days or road-tripping through mountains and beaches on a 3-week Thailand adventure. And no matter where I am, you’ll always find me in a comfortable hotel at night and eating the best food.
If that sounds like your kind of journey, hop on board, and let’s explore the world together!
I started this blog after realizing how tough it can be to find reliable, authentic travel info. You wouldn’t believe how many “travel bloggers” never even visit the places they write about! On Next Level of Travel, you can count on my full honesty and insights drawn from my firsthand experiences.
Here’s the deal: not every destination is all superlatives and unicorns. I’ll let you know if a tourist attraction isn’t worth your time, like skipping overrated stops in my 2-week Spain itinerary. And when I find something truly special—like the perfect mix of culture and nature in Cape Town—you can trust that it’s worth adding to your itinerary.
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