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Published: 28 August 2026
Airalo eSIM Review: How To Cut Mobile Roaming Costs by 55%
Since the UK left the EU, many mobile phone contracts no longer include free European roaming, while using your phone further afield can be even more expensive.
An eSIM can be a much cheaper alternative. I’ve used Airalo on numerous trips across Europe, the US, Africa and the Middle East, buying a separate data package for my destination rather than paying my UK network’s roaming charges.
For this review, we compared Airalo with roaming packages from EE, Vodafone and Three. In four examples, Airalo was on average of 55% cheaper than EE, which generally offered the cheapest comparable packages of the three major networks.
So how does Airalo work, how much does it cost and are there any catches?
£2.50 off your first Airalo eSIM
New to Airalo? Join here and if you use referral code MATT5845 when you sign up, you’ll receive £2.50 off your first eSIM purchase.
Code: MATT5845
For transparency, I also receive £2.50 of Airalo credit if you use this code
What do Vodafone, EE and Three Charge for Overseas Data Packages?
Unfortunately individual country packages are not offered by the main networks meaning that you need to buy a regional add-on, even if you are just visiting one country. Depending on your network (unless you have overseas data already included), adding a data package for a fortnight in Europe can cost up to £33. For a Worldwide package, the charges can be even steeper – £50 minimum for 2 weeks (and a lot more if you are on Vodafone).
Europe:
- Vodafone: 8 days for £16, 15 days for £21 (25GB cap each)
- EE: 7 days for £16.50, 15 days for £30 (50GB fair use cap each)
- Three: 7 days for £16 (18GB data), 14 days for £33 (40GB cap)
Worldwide:
- Vodafone: No package but charged at £8 a day, so 7 days for £56, 14 days for £112 (25GB cap each)
- EE: 7 days for £30, 15 days for £50 (50GB fair use cap each)
- Three: 7 days for £26 (18GB data), 14 days for £54 (40GB cap)
Note that whilst most Worldwide data packages cover the most popular tourist destinations, the list of countries covered by the main 3 mobile networks is by no means comprehensive.
Roaming mistakes can be extremely expensive
A former colleague of mine once returned from a holiday in Japan only to discover that he had managed to rack up £3,000 of data roaming charges (mainly through using Google Maps to navigate around) on his company mobile phone. Admittedly, this was before eSIMs became commonplace, but it is a pretty good illustration of why you should understand your roaming costs before leaving home!
eSIMs
An eSIM (apparently short for “embedded Subscriber Identity Module”) is a digital SIM card built into your phone which allows you to connect to a mobile network without a physical plastic chip.
eSIMs can be purchased from a variety of suppliers, they can be installed in literally minutes and can be used to conned to local mobile networks when you are away from home. The major advantage of eSIMs is the cost, they are usually significantly cheaper than using your home network to roam.
Introducing Airalo
Airalo is a company offering eSIM services covering 200 different countries and territories around the world. eSIMs can be purchased for individual countries, regions or even globally. Packages start at £3.50 for 3 days coverage in most countries but do vary based on the number of days coverage and the amount of data required. Airalo also offer voice/SMS packages in around 20 countries including the US so you can make & receive calls on a local phone number.
My Experience of Airalo
In the past year or so I have used Airalo in South Africa, Italy, Greece, Jersey, Spain, Qatar and on 4 different trips to the United States.
On each occasion, I have been able to get connected easily and have been able to use data services in the same way as at home without having to worry about getting a big bill. Whenever I have got down to 25% of my data remaining, I have received email and app alerts advising me and I have found it super quick if I have needed to top up my data package.
How much data to purchase?
Clearly this depends on the amount you use your phone and if you are streaming videos or playing data intensive games. I think I am a reasonably heavy data user, although I do not usually stream TV shows or films, and have found that generally 5GB a week is more than enough for my data needs whilst away from home.
How much does Airalo cost?
Pricing is based on the geographic area covered, the number of days required and the amount of data purchased. There are many different combinations to choose from but here are some options for various popular destinations:
| Country/Region | 3 days/1GB | 7 days/5GB | 15 days/10GB | 15 days/unlimited |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | £3.50 | £6.50 | £10.50 | £33.00 |
| France | £3.50 | £8.00 | £14.00 | £34.50 |
| Turkey | £3.50 | £7.00 | £11.50 | £30.00 |
| Pan-Europe (41 countries) | £4.00 | £14.50 | £21.50 | £37.50 |
| UAE | £3.50 | £8.50 | £14.50 | £37.50 |
| Thailand | £3.50 | £5.50 | £8.00 | £30.00 |
| United States | £3.50 | £9.50 | £17.00 | £35.00 |
| Australia | £3.50 | £8.00 | £13.50 | £34.50 |
| 7 days/1GB | 15 days/2GB | 15 days/unlimited | ||
| Worldwide | n/a | £6.50 | £12.50 | £73.00 |
Airalo loyalty – earn credit too!
Airalo’s loyalty programme allows repeat customers to earn Airmoney (ie credit against future eSIM purchased), based on their cumulative spend:
- Traveller (entry level): 5% cashback in Airmoney
- Silver ($20 or equivalent cumulative spend): 6% cashback in Airmoney
- Gold ($70 or equivalent cumulative spend): 7% cashback in Airmoney
- Platinum ($200 or equivalent cumulative spend): 10% cashback in Airmoney
We Found Airalo Was Up to 73% Cheaper
Exact comparisons are hard to do as the main networks generally only sell regional packages, whilst most people are usually only visiting one country at a time. However we have compared a few different scenarios with EE, which was generally the cheapest of the 3 main networks for data packages, and found an average saving of 55% across 4 examples, and a 73% saving on a trip to Australia:
| Country/Region | Airalo | EE | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| France (week) | £8.00 | £16.50 | 51.5% |
| Pan-Europe (2 weeks) | £21.50 | £30.00 | 28.3% |
| United States (2 weeks) | £17.00 | £50.00 | 66.0% |
| Australia (2 weeks) | £13.50 | £50.00 | 73.0% |
| Average | 54.7% |
How do I install an Airalo eSIM on my phone?
- Download the Airalo app from your app store
- Find and purchase the eSIM that is right for your trip (you can do this before you leave home)
- Install your eSIM by following the instructions in the Airalo app (note you need to be connected to WiFi to do this) – there are 2 different types:
- If the eSIM you have purchased activates on connection, you can install the eSIM you have purchased before you leave home
- If the eSIM activates on installation, either install it just before you leave or on arrival so you do not waste the time you have purchased
- Switch on your eSIM when you arrive at your destination and you will be connected
Important: Once you’ve activated Airalo, check that Mobile Data/Data Roaming is being routed through your Airalo eSIM rather than your UK SIM. You can keep your normal SIM active for calls and texts if required, but check your network’s roaming charges first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my phone have an eSIM?
Most modern smartphones are eSIM compatible (you should see an eSIM option in your phone settings). Airalo has a support page in case you are not sure.
Does my Phone need to be unlocked?
Yes, but all new phones sold in the UK since December 2021 should be unlocked (ie not tied to one specific network) anyway. If your phone is older than this, contact your mobile provider to get it unlocked (as you should be out of contract by now!)
Can I use the eSIM just for data?
Yes can just use the eSIM for data and use your home mobile network for receiving voice calls (although check if your network charges for receiving). Alternatively, turn off your home network whilst you are away and just use the Airalo data services.
Airalo Pros
- Considerably cheaper than many UK roaming packages
- Packages available for individual countries
- Regional and global eSIMs also available
- Easy to install and activate
- Top-ups available if you run out of data
- No risk of unexpectedly using hundreds of pounds of roaming data
- Loyalty credit for repeat customers
Airalo Cons
- Your phone must support eSIMs & be unlocked (although this is unlikely to impact many people)
- You need an internet connection to initially install the eSIM
Our Take
I’ve now used Airalo on numerous trips across Europe, the US, South Africa and the Middle East, and have found it easy to install, reliable and considerably cheaper than paying my UK mobile network’s standard roaming charges.
Our price comparison reinforces that. Across the four examples we researched, Airalo was an average of 55% cheaper than EE, with the biggest saving being 73% for a two-week trip to Australia.
That doesn’t mean everyone needs an eSIM. If your existing mobile contract includes roaming at your destination, there may be little reason to use Airalo. But if your network wants £30, £50 or even more for a roaming package, it is certainly worth comparing the cost of an eSIM before travelling.
I particularly like the ability to buy and install the eSIM before leaving home, switch it on when I arrive and then use my phone without worrying about an unexpected roaming bill. The alerts when your data is running low and ability to top up through the app are useful too.
For me, Airalo has now become one of the apps I routinely use when travelling overseas.
Want to try Airalo?
You can join Airalo here.
Customers can use referral code MATT5845 to receive £2.50 off their first eSIM purchase. I also receive £2.50 of Airalo credit when the code is used.
