Airalo has been offering eSIMs since 2019 and serves 2 million users (myself too). But with so many new competitors, I wanted to know if they still keep their standards high. For this Airalo eSIM review, I tested its speeds and networks in the USA, Thailand, and Qatar. I also measured how long it takes to reach a human agent (spoiler: it takes a while), stress-tested their apps, and compared my findings with customer feedback on Trustpilot and Reddit. In this article, I will show you my exact experience and explain why it deserves a 3.7/5 rating.
Airalo eSIM review TL;DR
After testing the provider in 3 countries and reviewing the terms and user agreements, here’s a brief overview.
- Trustpilot rating: 3.9/5 (actual for February 2026).
- Best for travelers who need convenience and want to manage their connections in one app, even if this means paying more.
- My rating: 3.7/5.
Pros: the apps are easy-to-use. I liked that I can see my data usage and remaining balance in real time. Both iOS and Android apps have low data push notifications. This is helpful when you want to avoid sudden internet cut-offs.
Cons: if you accidentally delete your profile, change or lose your phone, you can’t reinstall an eSIM and need to buy a new plan. The price per gigabyte is higher than that of local carrier plans. When I tried to contact support, it was several minutes of bot replies. I went through several rounds of questions before reaching a real human agent.
My experience with Airalo
To use the service, I downloaded their mobile app, available on both Google Play and App Store. Although they offer their eSIMs in more than 200 regions, you get data-only plans. Thus, you won’t get a local phone number for calls, and to communicate by voice, you need to use messaging apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime.
Plans
The provider doesn’t offer pay-as-you-go. Instead, you should purchase a package that can be available for 7 to 30 days. They advertise unlimited plans, but I noticed that they don’t always clearly describe their fair-use policies and speed limitations at the time of purchase.
If you travel between several countries, you can use regional and global plans. This will prevent you from buying several profiles in different destinations. Just keep in mind that unused gigabytes don’t roll over, and they will expire at the end of your plan’s validity period.
eSIM setup
I installed the test eSIM profiles on two devices.
On iOS (iPhone 15 Pro), the eSIM profile installed automatically after I went to the ‘My eSIMs’ section and clicked on the ‘Install or share’ > ‘Start installation’ buttons.
On an Android device (Google Pixel 10), I needed to scan a QR code. The latest Android phone models can scan QR codes on click. However, if you have an older Android (produced before 2020), you will need to display the QR on a different device’s screen and scan it with your phone’s camera, or use manual installation.
Important reminder: never delete your eSIM, as Airalo doesn’t allow reinstalls. You will waste your money if you update your phone to a newer model or accidentally delete the profile.
One more good thing about Airalo is that the validity timer starts only once you connect to a network in your destination country for most plans. You can safely buy an eSIM in advance, long before your trip.
Network and performance
We all know that connection quality depends on the local mobile operator within a given location. So it is very important to see the options, because this way you can check the network coverage maps using nPerf or similar services and get prepared.
Airalo has roaming agreements with the most common network operators in 200 countries. But previously, they didn’t disclose the networks before you made a purchase. So users could only see the network post-factum in their smartphone settings. Luckily, after the site redesign in 2025, they finally displayed the networks on the global plans and country eSIM pages.
What I liked about the networks is their abundance per country. In the USA, for example, they display that T-Mobile and Verizon are two possible networks. T-Mobile is stronger across all US states. And if you are connected to a weak one, you can switch the network manually in your mobile settings.
What I didn’t like was when it was in auto mode, I was connected to Verizon, and the service was lost every once in a while, but auto mode never switched me to T-Mobile, so I did it manually anyway.
Tethering worked well for country plans. I shared the internet via hotspot with my laptop and tablet and didn’t notice speed throttling. However, with global plans, even though I was still able to share Wi-Fi with other devices, after 2-3GB, the speed was severely throttled, so I could barely use the internet until the next day.
Customer support review
The company has a 3.9/5 rating on Trustpilot, and users often complain about slow responses. For this Airalo review tested it via in-app chat and email.
Surprisingly, their automated system was smart. The bot answered complex technical questions quickly, retrieving answers from its knowledge base. However, I had to skip 2 rounds of bot suggestions and wait about 6 minutes in the queue to reach a human agent. That’s fine for simple questions, but if you’re stuck in an airport with no signal, this can feel long.
Airalo networks, speed, and prices in the USA, Qatar, and Thailand
To see how it works, I tested the eSIM during my trips in the United States, Qatar, and Thailand in early 2026.
I measured speeds with both the iPhone 15 Pro and a Google Pixel 10 on streets, inside residential buildings, and in the subway with Ookla Speedtest. Here is a brief table with the results.
| Country | Networks | Speed | Price for 10 GB | Validity |
| USA | T-Mobile, Verizon | 125 Mbps | $22.00 | 7 days |
| Qatar | Vodafone | 230 Mbps | $24.50 | 7 days |
| Thailand | AIS | 65 Mbps | $10.00 | 7 days |
Results vary by supported network and location (city vs. rural).
USA
When we traveled across the country, the connection was stable in metropolitan areas, but it dropped in remote regions. Since Airalo had two supported mobile carriers in the United States, we had access to 5G/4G almost all the time.
- Cost: 10 GB plan for $22.00 ($2.20/GB).
- Location: New York City, NY, and rural upstate New York.
- Device: iPhone 15 Pro (iOS 26) and Google Pixel 10 (Android 16).
- Networks and speed: T-Mobile, Verizon, averaging 125 Mbps.
- How we used it: Google Maps navigation, Uber ride-hailing, WhatsApp voice calls, Google Meet, Slack chats, social media.
- Notes: performance was good for cities, although speeds sometimes dropped to 4G LTE.
Qatar
Qatar surprised me. I know it is modern, but I didn’t expect a regular Airalo tourist SIM to deliver 230 Mbps speeds. Honestly, we experienced the fastest and most stable connection of our trip, and it worked well both in the city and at the airport.
- Cost: 10 GB plan for $24.50 ($2.45/GB).
- Location: Doha city center and Hamad International Airport.
- Device: Google Pixel 10 (Android 16).
- Networks and speed: Vodafone, around 230 Mbps on average.
- How we used it: Hotspot for a laptop, handling large email attachments, and Zoom video calls.
- Notes: 5G signal worked strongly, even inside shopping malls and at Hamad International Airport. No lag at all.
Thailand
In Thailand, the speed wasn’t as quick as in Qatar, but it was enough for everyday use. I called a taxi, looked up places to eat, and browsed social media with ease. In Bangkok, the connection worked well; on the islands, the internet sometimes slowed down, especially in the evenings. Nonetheless, it never completely dropped.
- Cost: 10 GB plan for $10.00 ($1.00/GB).
- Location: Bangkok and Phuket.
- Device: iPhone 15 Pro (iOS 26).
- Networks and speed: AIS, 65 Mbps on average.
- How we used it: grab rides, restaurant searches, and social media scrolling.
- Notes: excellent in Bangkok. On Phuket, I noticed speed drops in the evenings when everyone was online, but it never stopped working.
Airalo alternatives
While this provider is one of the well-known names, it’s not the only travel eSIM. Knowing its disadvantages, you can try other options. Some of the popular Airalo alternatives are Ohayu eSIM (human support, up to 5 eSIM reinstallations, wide network choice), Saily (200+ covered countries, high ratings), and Nomad (affordable global and regional packages).
Ohayu eSIM
The main advantage of Ohayu eSIM is transparency. Every country page shows which network you’ll be connected to before the purchase. It also allows up to 5 eSIM reinstallations on the same device, which is extremely important if you occasionally delete it. Support is provided by a human team that has positive TrustPilot ratings (4.5-4.6/5).
Saily
Saily is a good alternative with an app, and it covers a similar list of countries (200+ destinations). Airalo forces you to communicate with their bots; Saily currently has better reviews due to the availability of human agents.
Nomad
Nomad is very similar but often runs aggressive sales. If you travel to Europe or Southeast Asia, the price per gigabyte can be lower. They also have Global-EX plans with 6-12 months’ validity.
Final Verdict
Preparing this Airalo eSIM review, I concluded that Airalo offers convenience, but its prices are higher than those of its competitors. This provider can be a good choice if you travel occasionally and want a single app that works everywhere without changing SIM cards.
Nonetheless, I don’t appreciate their ‘no reinstall’ policy, as well as their support system, which relies on chatbots too much. If you work while traveling or consume gigabytes quickly, consider other digital nomad eSIM providers as a cheaper and more flexible alternative. For regular vacations, this provider does its job.
Based on network choice, speed, and customer feedback, we give Airalo a 3.7/5 rating.
