Best eSIM guide · 2026
Top Asia eSIM Plans in 2026: Full Matrix
5 providers scored across coverage, pricing, speed, app quality, and support. All data verified June 2026.
The comparison
eSIM providers compared for Asia
All 5 providers ranked by weighted composite score. Color-coded by value.
| Provider | Rating | From / GB |
|---|---|---|
 AiraloHighest scoreTop composite rating | 4.5 / 5 | $4.50/GB |
 HelloRoam | 4.3 / 5 | from $3.50/GB |
 HolaflyStrongest unlimited tier | 4.3 / 5 | $2.99/day |
 SailyLeading privacy integration | 4.2 / 5 | $3.99/GB |
 NomadMost competitive per-GB rates | 4.2 / 5 | $3.00/GB |
Prices verified June 2026. Equal-weight score: Coverage Breadth 20%, Pricing Tiers 20%, Speed Consistency 20%, App Features 20%, Support Channels 20%.
Feature matrix
Spec-by-spec breakdown for Asia
Every measurable dimension compared side by side.
| Feature | Airalo | HelloRoam | Holafly | Saily | Nomad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.3/5 | 4.3/5 | 4.2/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Countries | 200+ | 186+ | 178+ | 150+ | 112+ |
| Starting Price | $4.50/GB | from $3.50/GB | $2.99/day | $3.99/GB | $3.00/GB |
| Per-GB Floor | $4.50 | $3.50 | $2.99/day | $3.99 | $3.00 |
| Founded | 2019 | 2025 | 2017 | 2023 | 2020 |
| Headquarters | Singapore | United Kingdom | Murcia, Spain | Vilnius, Lithuania | Santa Clara, CA |
| Support | Email + in-app chat | 24/7 chat + email | Email only | Email only | |
| Guarantee | 14-day refund | Refund policy | 6-month refund | 30-day refund | 30-day refund |
| Coverage Score25% weight | 4.9/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.3/5 | 4.0/5 | 3.9/5 |
| Pricing Score25% weight | 4.1/5 | 4.4/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.0/5 | 4.8/5 |
| Speed Score20% weight | 4.4/5 | 4.3/5 | 4.2/5 | 4.4/5 | 4.3/5 |
| App Score15% weight | 4.7/5 | 4.2/5 | 4.1/5 | 4.5/5 | 3.9/5 |
| Support Score15% weight | 4.2/5 | 4.1/5 | 4.7/5 | 4.1/5 | 3.9/5 |
| Weighted Composite | 4.45/5 | 4.30/5 | 4.35/5 | 4.20/5 | 4.15/5 |
Score breakdown
Provider scores for Asia
Weighted composite score across 5 dimensions.
Methodology
How we score eSIM providers
Five dimensions, weighted by impact on traveler experience.
Country count, carrier partnerships, regional bundle availability
Per-GB floor, plan tier spread, value at common data amounts
Carrier routing quality, LTE/5G availability, median download speeds
Store ratings, installation flow, data tracking, interface quality
Channel availability, response time, refund policy
All scores are editorial assessments based on verified data. Pricing checked weekly. See our full scoring methodology for details.
Airalo -- Best Overall Coverage
Airalo scores highest on Coverage at 5.0 in this matrix, and its Asialink bundle is the only eSIM in this comparison covering 16 Asian countries on a single install, an edge over the single-country plans HelloRoam, Saily, and Nomad sell here. That breadth costs $4.50/GB, well above Thailand's $0.29/GB floor and Japan's $0.61/GB rate for single-country legs.
Pros
- 200+ countries with the widest coverage breadth in the market
- Regional multi-country bundles (Asialink, Eurolink, Discover Global)
- Highest-rated app (4.8/5 iOS, 4.6/5 Android) with real-time data tracking and hourly runtime estimates
- Airmoney cashback rewards (5-10% depending on loyalty tier)
- Established brand since 2019 with proven reliability
Cons
- Per-GB pricing higher than budget alternatives
- Unlimited plans available in select markets only, not all 200+ destinations
- Customer support slower than premium providers (4-6 hour email response)
HelloRoam -- Best Coverage + Value
HelloRoam scores 8.6/10 overall and prices Asia from $3.50/GB through 204+ carrier partnerships, undercutting Airalo's $4.50/GB and Saily's $3.99/GB while still listing all nine countries in this comparison's Asia set, including India, where Airalo and Holafly sit blocked from Google Play. Its 4.6 Coverage score trails Airalo's 5.0 only slightly, mostly on total country count rather than anything specific to this region.
Pros
- 186 countries with 204+ carrier partnerships for reliable local routing
- Fixed plans from $3.50/GB across popular destinations
- Unlimited plans from $5 for short stays, scaling by duration
- 31+ local currencies supported at checkout
- 63-language interface for non-English travelers
Cons
- Email-only support with 12-24 hour response times
- Newer brand (launched August 2025) with shorter track record
- App store ratings still building compared to Airalo
Holafly -- Best Unlimited Data
Holafly scores highest on Pricing at 4.8 with unlimited daily plans from $2.99/day, a structure that fits South Korea and Singapore's 2.0GB average daily usage better than tracking gigabytes against Thailand's $0.29/GB floor. Its 4.4 App score trails Airalo and Saily, and the post-threshold speed drop matters less in Japan or South Korea's near-universal 5G coverage.
Pros
- Unlimited daily data from $2.99/day with no data caps
- 178+ countries covered including all major destinations
- Simple per-day pricing: know exactly what you pay before you leave
- 6-month refund policy on unused plans
- 24/7 chat support with fast response times
Cons
- Speeds reduce to 256 Kbps-1 Mbps after daily fair use threshold on most plans
- Hotspot tethering limited to 1 GB/day on select destinations
- Not cost-effective for light data users (under 3 GB/trip)
- Fewer countries than Airalo
Saily -- Best for Privacy
Saily scores 4.6 on App, second only to Airalo's 4.9, and bundles VPN access on every Asia plan, a relevant spec in Vietnam, where authorities restrict some VPN use at the ISP level. Its $3.99/GB rate sits above HelloRoam's $3.50/GB, and its 150-country list covers the region's major stops while skipping a few smaller markets HelloRoam still carries.
Pros
- Backed by NordVPN parent company Nord Security with proven privacy infrastructure
- Integrated VPN protection included on every plan at no extra cost
- Clean, privacy-focused app with VPN toggle inside the eSIM interface
- 150 countries with strong European coverage
- 30-day refund policy
Cons
- Email-only support with no live chat or WhatsApp for urgent help
- Fixed data plans only; no unlimited daily tier
- 150 countries, a narrower footprint than Airalo
- 12-24 hour support response times
Nomad -- Best Budget Option
Nomad scores highest on Pricing at 4.9 in this matrix, and its discounted tier concentrates in Thailand, Vietnam, and the rest of Southeast Asia, where rates undercut Airalo and Saily on the same data tier. Its Support score of 3.5 is the lowest of the five providers compared here, and its 112-country list skips India and other markets that HelloRoam's 186 countries still cover.
Pros
- Competitive pricing starting from $3.00/GB in Southeast Asia
- Simple, fast checkout with no account required in many cases
- Lowest per-GB rates for Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan
- Plans start at a low entry price for short trips
Cons
- Email-only support with 24-48 hour response times
- Basic app compared to Airalo and Saily
- 112 countries, the narrowest footprint among the five providers
- Limited plan variety in some countries
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about eSIMs for Asia
Which provider has the best coverage in Asia?
Which provider has the best coverage in Asia?
Airalo and HelloRoam both list all nine countries in this comparison, with Airalo's Asialink bundle covering 16 Asian countries on one eSIM install and HelloRoam reaching the region through 204+ carrier partnerships. Saily and Nomad cover the larger markets well but list fewer of the smaller destinations in this data set.
How do eSIM speeds compare across Asia?
How do eSIM speeds compare across Asia?
Singapore posts the fastest network in this comparison's Asia set at a 355 Mbps average, ahead of Japan's 225 Mbps and South Korea's 218 Mbps. Indonesia trails at 32 Mbps despite wide carrier reach. Every provider sees the same speed ceiling per country, since speed depends on carrier infrastructure, not provider.
Which eSIM has the cheapest per-GB rate for Asia?
Which eSIM has the cheapest per-GB rate for Asia?
Thailand prices as low as $0.29/GB in this comparison's data, the cheapest in the region, ahead of Japan's $0.61/GB and Singapore's $0.74/GB. HelloRoam's general $3.50/GB rate beats Airalo's $4.50/GB and Saily's $3.99/GB on single-country legs outside these discounted Southeast Asia markets, where Nomad also undercuts the fixed-data field.
Why is a travel eSIM for India pricier than India's own local data rates?
Why is a travel eSIM for India pricier than India's own local data rates?
Jio's local rate runs near $0.17/GB for Indian residents, but travel eSIM providers price India from $2.42/GB in this comparison's data, since travel plans route through roaming agreements rather than Jio's domestic network. Airalo and Holafly were also blocked from India's Google Play store in January 2024, so an e SIM needs activation before arrival.
Which provider offers unlimited data for Asia travel?
Which provider offers unlimited data for Asia travel?
Holafly is the only provider in this comparison with unlimited daily Asia plans, priced from $2.99/day. HelloRoam also sells unlimited tiers starting at $5 for short stays. Airalo, Saily, and Nomad sell fixed-GB plans only, which price lower for the region's lighter 1-2GB daily usage.
Does any Asia eSIM cover multiple countries on one install?
Does any Asia eSIM cover multiple countries on one install?
Airalo's Asialink bundle is the only regional multi-country option in this comparison, covering Thailand, Japan, and 14 more Asian countries on a single eSIM. HelloRoam, Holafly, Saily, and Nomad sell single-country plans for the region, which suit travelers staying within one country's borders.
Which eSIM app has the highest rating for Asia travel?
Which eSIM app has the highest rating for Asia travel?
Airalo's app rates 4.8 on iOS and 4.6 on Android, the highest combined score in this comparison, useful for tracking data across a multi-country Asia itinerary on one Asialink bundle. Saily follows at 4.5 on iOS with its built-in VPN toggle, relevant given Vietnam's restricted VPN environment.
Compare all 5 providers for Asia
Side-by-side scoring. Plans from $2.99/day to $4.50/GB. Verified June 2026.