Review: Airolo eSIM to use your call phone abroad

How did we travel before cell phones existed? Especially the smartphones that are mini computers equipped to help you research everything anytime and anywhere. Back in the day, we used to have a pay-as-you-go Nokia phone that we used in Hawaii and elsewhere in the US, and had to painstakingly dedicate a lot of time to download Google Maps before venturing out to be able to use them when we were outside of wifi zones. Now, we are better equipped than ever with a Google Pixel phone with eSIM capabilities on every trip. 

We don’t normally like to promote a particular product or brand, but in this post – we share information about eSIMs and our favorite one, Airolo.

What is an eSIM?

eSIM stands for “embedded SIM card.” Like a traditional SIM, it’s a tiny chip that identifies you as a mobile subscriber and connects you to a network. Unlike a traditional SIM, it’s built into your device and works 100% digitally.

Do eSIMs work with all phones?

No. You need to check if your phone has eSIM capabilities. Most phones manufactured since 2018 are eSIM-compatible. You can check this list of eSIM-compatible devices created by Airolo.

eSIM vs physical SIM cards:

For us, eSIMs are preferred because they’re cheap, easy to install (once you get the hang of it), and they save time by not having to go to a store to buy them and then have to fiddle around when activating them. We often load the eSIM when we land at our destination using the airport WIFI or even load it the day of travel from home.

We have tried a few companies but Airolo has been our favorite so far. The best feature about Airolo are all the options:

• Location (e.g., local, regional, global)
• Data (e.g., 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, etc.)
• Validity Period (e.g., 7 days, 14 days, 30 days, etc.)
• Price (dependent on the package you choose)

It is also easy to reload or buy a new package if you run out of data or extend your trip.

We have used Airolo in Greece, Belize, Colombia, Fiji, Costa Rica, South Africa, Mauritius, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, Morocco, and Japan so far, and no issues were experienced!

Installing the ESIM:

Overall, it is pretty easy to install and activate the eSIM but it does get easier with practice. The only issue we encountered was a slight delay in the sim being activated but overall, it’s always been quick and easy. One thing we find makes the process easier, is taking a photo of the QR code with another phone.

Summary:

Once you get used to eSIMs, you will appreciate how easy and quick the whole process is. No more Googling which SIM cards and packages to buy and then realizing you bought the wrong one and can’t get a refund, so you need to buy a new one, like what happened to use in Mexico.

If you are interested in trying Airolo you can get $3 off your first esim using our referral code: JASON756 

And if you need help with the eSIM, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!