Traveling is synonymous with planning and for us at GSMArena this also means understanding how to manage roaming charges when we move abroad as we need an uninterrupted internet connection at all times.
With embedded SIM (eSIM) support now widely available on phones, tablets and smartwatches, acquiring a travel data plan is a quick and easy process, and we had the chance to test out Airalo and Yesim’s travel eSIM plans during a week-long trip in London.
The convenience of downloading a travel eSIM plan and instantly having mobile data as soon as you step off the plane is a great way to start any trip. Not having to deal with unreliable hotels and public Wi-Fi networks is another benefit.
Activating an eSIM is a simple process but there are some pitfalls you may encounter. In this article we will try to cover the entire process, from selecting and purchasing a travel eSIM to actually using it.
Installation process
The first step you need to take is to make sure your device supports eSIM. You can use our database to see if your device has eSIM. These are all smartphones with eSIM support from our database. We also have a listing for tablets here.
Airalo supports 200 countries and regions while Yesim covers 120 countries. Both services offer local eSIMs for visiting specific countries, regional eSIMs for visiting multiple countries in the same region or continent, and global eSIM profiles which are the most expensive but cover all supported countries in case you travel between continents in a short period. There are no contractual obligations as both services are pay-as-you-go.
The validity of travel eSIMs varies by country and plan, from 7 to 365 days. The minimum amount of data you can purchase on Airalo is 1GB while the limit for most countries is 20GB. Yesim plans start at 3GB and go up to 20GB. More expensive plans have a longer validity, keep this in mind.
One area where Yesim has an advantage is unlimited data packages which are more expensive but will serve you without any data caps, which is great if you plan on downloading large files and hotspot data to other devices.
Most Airalo and Yesim plans do not include SMS or calls, although both services offer virtual international numbers that allow you to receive incoming SMS for account activation. You can get a valid virtual number from Yesim for the United States, Netherlands, Canada or Israel for the equivalent of $2.75 per month or $33 per year.
Airalo’s Discover+ Global eSIM plan (supported in 125 countries) includes a valid Austrian phone number that can be used to send and receive texts and calls. Calls and texts on that plan are fixed with the cheapest plan offering 10 minutes of calls and 10 SMS messages.
The setup process for Airalo and Yesim is quite similar: you select and purchase your eSIM plan from their websites or through their respective apps from the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Once you have successfully purchased your plan, it will appear within the app. You can then follow the guided setup process to activate your eSIM. This involves scanning the QR code that was sent to your account. Once scanned, you will automatically be transferred to the setup page in the settings menu. If you prefer, you can also manually enter the activation codes.
It’s a good idea to activate your travel eSIM before your trip, so you save yourself the hassle of going through the setup process once you land at your destination. Having a stable internet connection during the setup process is important and you obviously shouldn’t turn off your phone during this period. During the setup process you will then be asked to assign a default SIM for calls and data where you can enable the new travel eSIM for the latter.
Another crucial step here is to activate the data roaming option for the new eSIM profile. Otherwise, your travel eSIM will not automatically connect to your destination’s networks.
If you run into any issues during the setup and installation process, both services have support chats to help you with any issues.
Experience
We tested both Airalo and Yesim in London on the O2 network with 5G connectivity. We followed the onscreen activation instructions and installed both eSIMs on two iPhone 15 Pros before we arrived. Once we landed in London, our phones automatically connected to the O2 network and we had mobile data.
We purchased 5GB data plans on both services with the Yesim plan being valid for 15 days while the Airalo plan was valid for 30 days. Each plan cost us the equivalent of $12 after applying a promo code.
In our experience, both services worked well for basic social media, browsing, and music streaming. Less demanding tasks like using Google Maps navigation, search queries, and instant messaging worked without any issues.
Some data-intensive video apps like Instagram and TikTok sometimes take a few seconds to update, but this has more to do with the actual network coverage of the local operator which in our case was O2. When the network connectivity was correct, everything worked perfectly.
We also tested the Airalo and Yesim plans as hotspots that proved reliable especially if your hotel’s Wi-Fi is slow.
We carried out our initial network speed test at Stansted Airport, located 68km from central London. Coverage here wasn’t the best as on Yesim we got an upload speed of 12.6 Mbps and a download speed of 1.01 Mbps. Our Airalo eSIM managed an upload speed of 9.27 Mbps and a download speed of 0.15 Mbps at the same location. Both services have been rated as suitable for maximum 1080p video resolution by Ookla Speedtest.
Ookla Speedtest results from Stansted Airport and central London.
Once we arrived in central London, our network speeds were noticeably better as we hit peaks of 87.9Mbps upload and 21.4Mbps download on both eSIMs. That’s more than enough for 4K video streaming, online gaming, and anything else you could want from a mobile Internet connection.
Conclusion
Travel eSIMs are a reliable, easy-to-set-up service that helps you avoid overpaying roaming charges when traveling abroad. Airalo and Yesim are two of the leading suppliers in this field and served us well during a week-long trip to London.
Whether it was exploring the city’s attractions with Google Maps, ordering food or doomscrolling on social media, both services provided us with uninterrupted connectivity as soon as we landed on UK soil. They also come with well-optimized apps with easy-to-follow setup instructions.
Network speeds and coverage will depend on local operators who have agreements with Airalo and Yesim. Having the ability to purchase an eSIM plan for almost any country with just a few clicks and knowing you’ll have mobile data available when you arrive is great peace of mind.
One of the disadvantages of travel eSIMs is their price, which is usually higher than that of local data plans from established operators. You can’t switch eSIM profiles between devices like you can with a physical SIM card, and most plans provide mobile data only, so you won’t receive calls or text messages.
That said, we can recommend both Airalo and Yesim for your next trip abroad. Both apps offer great service, an easy-to-follow setup process, and are a valuable tool for frequent travelers.
If you want to try Airalo or Yesim, you can use our code GSMARENA for a 10% discount on your purchase.
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