VoaSim vs Airalo: truly unlimited vs by-GB packages
Key facts
- Airalo prices eSIMs by gigabyte through its app; VoaSim prices by days with truly unlimited data.
- VoaSim charges the same for every destination: USD 18.90 for 5 days up to USD 106.90 for 60 days (USD 1.78/day).
- One VoaSim Europe eSIM covers 39 countries, including Switzerland, the UK, Turkey, Norway and Iceland.
- A by-GB brand is the better pick for very light users, for tethering needs, or for the island Caribbean, where VoaSim has no coverage.
- VoaSim adds human support, invoice by email, the free eSIM Rescue tool and a 100% refund if the eSIM can't connect.
See the exact price for your dates
This is a comparison of two business models, not a lab speed test. We do not publish Airalo's prices, ratings or reviews here: those change often and you should check them in Airalo's own app or site. What we can compare fairly is how each brand charges you and what that means on a real trip.
The short version: Airalo sells gigabytes, VoaSim sells days. If you know exactly how much data you use, buying GB can be cheap. If you'd rather stop counting, unlimited by duration is simpler.
How each model works
Airalo is a Singapore-based eSIM marketplace. You pick a local plan (one country), a regional plan or a global plan, choose a data bundle in GB and a validity window, and install the eSIM from its app. When the GB run out, you top up. Everything is self-service through the app.
VoaSim removes the GB variable. You choose only the number of days. Data is truly unlimited: no data cap, no speed throttling, no hidden "fair use" clause. The same price applies to every destination in our coverage list — 170 destinations, including Brazil — so a week in Japan costs exactly what a week in Portugal costs.
Both are data-only eSIMs. Neither gives you a local phone number or traditional voice calls. WhatsApp, FaceTime, Zoom, maps and rideshare apps all run over data, and your own number stays on your physical SIM.
VoaSim prices: one table, every destination
Today's prices already include the 15% promo. No early-booking discount, no destination surcharge, no hidden fees.
| Duration | Price (USD) | Per day |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days | 18.90 | 3.78 |
| 7 days | 23.90 | 3.41 |
| 10 days | 30.90 | 3.09 |
| 15 days | 42.90 | 2.86 |
| 30 days | 61.90 | 2.06 |
| 60 days | 106.90 | 1.78 |
Trips of 1 to 4 days pay the 5-day package. Maximum is 90 days per eSIM. A second eSIM in the same order gets an extra 10% off, which is the usual setup for couples and families. The longer the trip, the lower the daily rate — USD 1.78/day on the 60-day plan is the floor. Run your dates through the price simulator to see the exact total.
Side-by-side checklist
| Item | VoaSim | Airalo |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing unit | Days | Gigabytes |
| Data limit | Unlimited, no throttling | Bundle size you choose; top up when it ends |
| Price by destination | Same everywhere | Varies by country/region |
| Purchase | Website, QR by email in minutes | App-based |
| Hotspot/tethering | Not allowed | Check current terms in the app |
| Support | Human, chat and hola@voasim.com | Check the app |
| Refund | 100% if it won't connect and support can't fix it | Check the app |
Everything in the Airalo column is a "go and read it yourself" item on purpose. Terms change; ours are the only ones we can state as fact.
When Airalo is the better pick
We'd rather you buy the right thing than the wrong thing from us. Airalo — or any by-GB brand like Nomad, Saily, Ubigi or Jetpac — probably makes more sense if:
- You barely use data. A weekend where you only need maps and WhatsApp may cost less as a 1 GB package than as a 5-day unlimited plan.
- You need tethering. VoaSim does not allow hotspot or tethering: if you share the connection, the local carrier may block the line. Check each brand's terms if sharing is essential.
- You're going to the island Caribbean. VoaSim currently has no coverage in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Aruba or Curaçao. Puerto Rico does work, on US networks.
- You want to top up mid-trip in small amounts instead of buying a fixed window.
For everything else — streaming on the plane home from the gate, uploading video, long trips, several countries — unlimited by day usually wins on peace of mind. See more options on our best eSIM roundup.
Multi-country trips and Europe
This is where the two models diverge most. With GB packages you normally choose between a local plan (cheapest, one country) and a regional plan (broader, usually pricier per GB). Crossing a border with a local plan means buying again.
VoaSim's Europe plan covers 39 countries with a single eSIM, including Switzerland, the UK, Turkey, Norway and Iceland — the four that often sit outside "EU" bundles. One QR code, one price, one install. The eSIM connects automatically to local networks on 4G and, where available, 5G.
Same logic for long trips across continents: 30 days at USD 61.90 covers whatever route you take within our 170 destinations, without recalculating a data budget every time you land.
Buying, installing and getting help
You pay with an international credit or debit card in USD through Stripe — no hidden fees, invoice by email. There's no cash option and no local-currency billing. The QR code arrives by email within minutes (plus a WhatsApp heads-up if you left a number at checkout).
Install before you fly. The days only start counting at the eSIM's first connection to a network at the destination, so keep the eSIM line switched off until you land — on Android, don't enable the eSIM's data before the trip. Your physical SIM and your number keep working; just turn off your home carrier's data roaming.
Compatibility: iPhone XR or newer, Galaxy S20 or newer, Pixel 3 or newer, and most phones from 2020 on. Dial *#06# — if an EID appears, your phone supports eSIM. Carrier-locked phones must be unlocked. We do not sell physical SIM cards.
If anything goes wrong, support is human, and our free eSIM Rescue tool diagnoses an eSIM with no signal — any brand, including Airalo's. If we can't get you connected, you get a 100% refund. More on how we work.
Why trust VoaSim?
Registered company with an invoice on every purchase, USD payment via Stripe with no hidden fees, human support and a guarantee: if the eSIM will not connect and support cannot fix it, you get 100% back.