Ultimate Travel eSim Comparison: Price, Data, Network Coverage & More

Do you remember scrambling down the arrival hall trying to find THE store where you ordered your SIM card?

Because I do. And it’s definitely not fun when your airport transfer driver is waiting for you.

Gone were the days. We’re in an age where there are many other data options including Data Roaming and Pocket Wi-Fi. And now, eSIM.

This means you don’t have to collect your SIM cards anymore! Yes, you can purchase and activate eSIMs online, even before you arrive at your travel destination.

How does it work? What’s the best eSIM in the market? Are they cheaper in general?

Let’s find out!

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TL;DR: Ultimate Travel eSIM Comparison Across Price, Data Capacity, Coverage, And Pros & Cons

We’ve ranked the top eSIMs to use based on travel habits and most affordable options:

• Best for one-time trips: WeFly
• Best for long trips (more than 30 days): Eskimo, HolaFly
• Best for Asia (South Korea, Japan, China, etc.): Airalo, Alosim, ByteSIM, Maya mobile, Xplori
• Best for Australia and New Zealand: Maya mobile, Xplori, ByteSIM
• Best for Americas: Alosim, Maya mobile, Onesim
• Best for Europe: Airalo, Maya mobile, Alosim,
• Best for Middle East: Airalo
• Best for Nordic: Maya mobile

Click here to jump:

• Best for Regional Travels
  • Africa
  • America and Latin America
  • Asia
  • Australia and Newland
  • Caribbean
  • Middle East
  • Nordic
  • Europe
• Best for one-time trips
• What is an eSIM?
• How to choose an aSIM?
• Pros and cons of using an eSIM

Disclaimer: Prices are obtained from the brands listed, and can be subject to change without prior notice. Information provided by Seedly does not constitute an offer, affiliation, or solicitation to buy or sell any product(s). It does not take into account the specific objectives or particular needs of any person. We strongly advise readers to do their due diligence before making any purchases.

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Best for Regional Travels

Some of us may travel to a few countries within a certain timeframe and getting a regional travel eSIM would make sense as it’s convenient and ensures you have adequate coverage throughout.

For this article, we’ve identified regional travel eSIMs that are 5 days and above.

Best for Africa

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Best for Asia

Travelling in Asia and Southeast Asia is especially common these days given that countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines are getting increasingly popular.

For those who are looking to travel within Southeast Asia, WeFly provides unlimited data at affordable prices, subject to the daily data limit and the number of days required.

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Best for Australia & New Zealand

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Best for Canada, the United States of America, South America, and Central America

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Best for The Caribbean

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Best for Europe

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Best for the Middle East

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Best for Nordic

Maya Mobile

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Best for One-Time Trips

According to Channel NewsAsia and Google, here are the top 10 destinations Singaporeans want to visit this year according to their Google searches:

1. Denpasar, Indonesia (Bali)
2. Tokyo, Japan
3. Bangkok, Thailand
4. London, United Kingdom
5. Seoul, South Korea
6. Taipei City, Taiwan
7. Osaka, Japan
8. Melbourne, Australia
9. Paris, France
10. Sydney, Australia

Just based on this list alone, here are some of the best eSIMS 👇🏻

Best for Indonesia

Resorts, cafes, beaches, surfing, massage, what’s there not to love about Bali?

After all, it’s one of the top destinations Singaporeans want to go to, and the Seedly team worked from Bali this year. If you’re on a budget, here are some eSIMs to consider:

Best for Malaysia

Singaporeans love crossing the borders to Johor Bahru (JB) and will definitely need an eSIM when we are there. These are the best options:

Best for Thailand

And for those who’re looking to travel to other ASEAN countries, these are the rates you need to know:

 

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Best for Australia

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Best for Japan

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Best for France

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Best for South Korea

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Best for the United Kingdom

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What Is An eSIM?

For the uninitiated, eSIM stands for “embedded SIM” or “electronic SIM.”

In short, it replaces physical SIM cards in mobile devices with a programmable chip soldered directly to the device’s motherboard. This chip can store multiple SIM profiles and be remotely provisioned with carrier information.

What’s The Difference Between Local eSIM and Regional eSIM?

A local eSIM plan offers service within a single country (e.g. Malaysia). In contrast, a regional eSIM plan extends coverage to multiple countries within a defined area, like Europe. Meanwhile, a global eSIM plan encompasses various countries across the world, including Germany, Thailand, Brazil, and more.

What’s Unlimited Data And Daily High-Speed Limit?

You might be confused when you see terminologies such as “Unlimited Data” and “1GB Daily Limit/1GB Daily High-Speed Usage” all on one single eSIM.

So, do you get unlimited data or not?

Yes, you still do.

An unlimited data plan typically means that you have access to a large amount of data for a fixed fee, and there is no specific limit on how much data you can use within a billing cycle.

When there is a “GB Daily Speed Data” on your Unlimited data plan, this type of plan provides you with a specific daily allocation of high-speed data, for example, 1GB.

This means you can use up to 1GB of data at high-speed (fast) internet rates each day. Once you exceed this 1GB limit, your data speeds may be reduced (throttled) for the remainder of the day, but you can still access the internet at a slower speed or with data usage limitations.

And for most eSIMs, the maximum daily speed limit is 2GB. For example, a 15-day unlimited data eSIM has a 30GB high-speed data limit, and its daily high-speed data is 2GB. After 2GB is used, you can still use unlimited Data, but the speed will slow down, and it will back to high speed again the next day.

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How to Choose An eSIM Card That Suits Your Needs

Choosing the right eSIM card that suits your needs involves considering several factors, including your usage patterns, travel plans, device compatibility, and budget.

Mainly, you need to determine if you are a frequent traveller, a remote worker, or simply looking for a flexible mobile data solution.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you make an informed decision:

1. Know your typical data, voice, and text usage
2. Check Device Compatibility
3. Identify Your Coverage Needs
4. Consider Data Limits and Speeds
5. Compare Plan Costs
6. Read Reviews and Recommendations
7. Consider Long-Term vs. Short-Term
8. Check Plan Flexibility: Look for plans that offer flexibility, such as the ability to switch plans or add more data as needed. Avoid long-term commitments if you’re unsure about your future needs.

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Advantages And Disadvantages of an eSIM

Here’s a summary of the pros and cons of using an eSIM:

Now, if you are in for using an eSIM and are a budget traveller, here are the best eSIMs that suit different traveling patterns.

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Get eSIM for Free

Do you know that you can get a free travel eSIM when you purchase travel insurance?

Built from the ground up based on what users want in a travel insurance plan, Seedly Travel insurance includes COVID-19 coverage, personal accident benefits per child, and all your travel essentials covered!

Sign up now to enjoy 50% off and an additional 5% off with promo code: ‘SeedlyCommunity‘. You’ll also receive a 3GB Airalo travel eSIM (worth US$10) and up to S$50 worth of Grab Vouchers. This promo is valid till 31 January 2024. T&Cs apply.

Plus, each plan purchase will entitle you to the following:

• 1x chance to win a 64GB Apple iPad 10.2″ 9th Gen (worth S$508.30). This promo is valid till 31 January 2024. T&Cs apply
• Every 88th buyer will score a Samsonite Volant Spinner 68/25 EXP worth S$480. The promotion runs from 22 Jan – 31 March 2024. T&Cs apply.
• Huat Huat Hour Giveaway: Be the first to purchase any insurance product via SingSaver at every hour from 1pm – 8pm each day, to receive an S$88 eCapitaVoucher! The promotion runs from 8 Jan – 11 Feb 2024.

Apply Now

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