Planning a solo trip this year and looking for the best eSIM to download? Look no further. After a decade of solo travel experience, and almost half of which was spent trying and testing eSIMs, I’m here with a verdict. I’ve written this Airalo review to break down exactly why it’s the best choice for you, whether you’re a first-time solo traveler or you’re just looking for an eSIM that matches your travel style.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will earn a small commission if you purchase through my link at no extra cost to you. Please see full disclosure for more information.
What Is an eSIM?
If you’re completely new to this, let me get you all caught up. An eSIM, short for “embedded SIM”, is a digital form of the traditional SIM card. But instead of swapping physical SIM cards, an eSIM can be installed on your smartphone using an app that provides you with network connectivity. This is usually done through an eSIM provider, which in this case is Airalo.
Downloading an eSIM saves hefty roaming charges and the hassle that comes with switching physical SIM cards.
Airalo Review: My Quick Verdict (TLDR)
Before I dive into my detailed and honest Airalo review, let me start by sharing all the important highlights.
Ideal for: budget travelers, first-time solo travelers, and first-time eSIM users.
| Ease of Setup | 8/10 |
| Coverage | 9/10 |
| Pricing | 8/10 |
| Speed | 9/10 |
| Customer Support | 7/10 |
| My Overall Rating | 8.5/10 |
Grab my Airalo discount code for 10% off: CURLSENROUTE
Airalo Review: My Experience With Airalo
I’ve been using Airalo on my solo trips for a little over 4 years now, and I’ve tested it in various destinations across Europe and the SWANA region.
When I first downloaded the app, it didn’t take me long to figure out how it worked. Airalo’s interface is user-friendly, and the setup process is pretty straightforward. They even offered a step-by-step guide, as well as a video tutorial on the app that you can follow to easily install and activate your eSIM.
As a solo female traveler, reliability was an important factor, as I often needed to stay connected to the internet for safety and navigation. Most of the time, the coverage was absolutely amazing; sometimes even better than physical eSIMs. For instance, I had trouble topping up my physical SIM card in Jeddah, so downloading Airalo saved me big time. And in Dubai, downloading Airalo beforehand allowed me to actually use Facebook Messenger.
The only time I faced any technical difficulties was during my trip to Portugal, but that was mainly due to two reasons. Some destinations don’t offer lots of network providers to eSIM companies, and that was the case at the time. Also, I was traveling to attend AfroNation, and given the enormous amount of travelers in The Algarve there at the time, the occasional network failures were inevitable. For complete transparency of this Airalo review, it’s worth mentioning that their tech support was pretty helpful but not super responsive at first. Other than that, the rest of my experiences in other destinations went smoothly.
One reason I keep choosing Airalo is that they offer a variety of plans. Aside from offering data packages for over 200 countries, there are both standard and unlimited plans. They also offer local, regional, and global eSIMs. So, if you’re planning a multi-destination trip, this is huge upside. The biggest perk of global eSIMs? They don’t just offer data; they offer texts and calls as well.
As for the pricing, most plans are reasonably priced, and for a solo traveler, staying on budget is pretty essential. Just make sure you choose the right plan for you, and if you’re going on a multi-destination trip, the local or global eSIMs can be quite cost-effective.
Another way this can be money-saving for budget travelers, specifically, is that Airalo offers loyalty benefits through its “Airmoney”. So basically, the more you spend, the more “Airmoney” you earn, which is Airalo’s reward currency. This allows you to get a percentage of cashback (up to 10%); you can use it to buy eSIMs and top-ups.
Airalo Review: Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| ✔️Easy to set up. ✔️Offers a reliable connection. ✔️Topping up is very easy. ✔️Standard and unlimited plans available in 200+ countries. ✔️Local, regional, and global eSIMs. ✔️Global eSIMs offer data, calls, and texts. ✔️Reasonably priced plans. ✔️Loyalty benefits available. | ❌Tech support could be more responsive. ❌Some destinations don’t offer lots of network providers. ❌Calls and texts are not available for local and regional eSIMs. |
Check Coverage and Current Prices on Airalo
How Does an Airalo eSIM Work?
If it’s your first time downloading an eSIM, this might be your biggest concern, but like I mentioned earlier, setting up an eSIM, especially Airalo’s, is very straightforward and beginner-friendly.
I’ve written a step-by-step guide on how to install an eSIM on your smartphone. Make sure you read it before downloading Airalo. It’s a pretty extensive guide, so it should walk you through the whole process and simplify things for you.
Final Verdict
To me, the pros outweigh the cons big time, and Airalo definitely guarantees the things I need the most as a solo female traveler: reliable connection for safety and navigation, as well as reasonable prices and loyalty benefits to stay on budget.
After reading my full Airalo review, what are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments if this sounds like the right eSIM for you.
Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance!
Travel (solo or not) isn’t always rainbows and butterflies – things might go down south sometimes. You might fall ill or lose your luggage, and that’s when you’ll thank me for having your back covered with travel insurance.
SafetyWing offers different travel insurance packages, tailored to your needs, but their Nomad Insurance is my favorite option.
This travel medical insurance is perfect for frequent travelers. It covers lost checked luggage, travel delay, doctors, hospitals, and more. It even covers the COVID-19 emergency quarantine period if deemed necessary by a physician.
Explore SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance Essential and Complete plans now.
OR REGISTER FOR FREE!
Booking a trip soon? Here are some useful travel resources:
- Book your flight with Skyscanner, Kiwi, CheapOair, or WayAway.
- Book your hostel with Hostelworld.
- Book your hotel with Booking.com.
- Get your travel insurance with SafetyWing.
- Hire a car with Skyscanner, Discover Cars, Rentalcars, or AutoEurope.
- Book your tours with Get Your Guide, Viator, Tiqets, or Klook.
- Download an eSIM from Airalo or Jetpac.
- Check out my trip planning tools for more travel resources.
Sharing is caring!
You might also like:
- Why You Must Download a Global eSIM on Your Next Solo Trip
- How to Install an eSIM: A Step-by-Step Guide for Smart Travelers
Meanwhile, if you like my content and would like to see more of it, subscribe to my newsletter here.
Nadine is an Egyptian curly-head who decided to quit the norm because it just doesn’t suit her. She ditched her 9-5 as a magazine editor to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time digital nomad and to inspire aspiring travelers to embark on their own solo adventures.
