Airalo

Airalo launched in 2019 as the first company to sell eSIMs directly to consumers through an app, and it's still the name most people recognize when they start looking for travel data. Rather than running its own network, Airalo strikes deals with local mobile operators in each country and resells their data as a fixed-size, fixed-validity package, so a 5GB plan for Japan behaves differently in fine print than a 5GB plan for Peru. The app itself is the main draw: installing an eSIM, checking how much data is left, and topping up all happen without leaving it, and a free 100MB "app-only" eSIM sits on the store for anyone who wants to test their phone's compatibility before paying for anything.

Pricing runs from about $4 for a small short-trip package up to well over $100 for large regional bundles, and Airalo doesn't offer a flat unlimited plan, so heavy streamers should look elsewhere or budget for a bigger bundle. Every eSIM is data-only, with no phone number attached, which is standard for this kind of plan but worth knowing before you rely on it for calls. Airalo gives EU consumers a 14-day right of withdrawal before activation and a 30-day refund window if a plan fails to connect due to a fault on Airalo's end, though once you've used the data, it's gone. It suits almost anyone taking a single international trip who wants one familiar app rather than hunting for a new SIM at every stop.