Comparison · verified 5 Sep 2026
eSIMify vs Airalo
If you are buying from India and want the purchase to behave like every other Indian purchase, eSIMify is the easier of the two: rupee pricing with UPI, cards or net banking, a GST invoice on the order, and 24x7 human support on WhatsApp and email in English and Hindi. Airalo is the larger marketplace and the better answer when your itinerary runs through places most sellers do not list, when you already keep an account and credit balance in their app, or when you prefer everything to live inside one app you have used before. Both sell prepaid, data-only eSIMs that leave your home SIM in place for calls and OTPs, so the decision is about the shop and the after-sales, not about the technology.
Price check: eSIMify vs Airalo
Our cheapest plan of 7 days or more per destination, against the latest Airalo price for a comparable plan (USD, checked automatically). Prices change — the date shown is when we last checked.
| Destination | eSIMify plan | eSIMify price | Airalo | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai / UAE eSIM | 1 GB · 7 days | ₹349.00 ($3.70) | $4.00 1 GB · 7 days | 5 Sep |
| Thailand eSIM | 1 GB · 7 days | ₹349.00 ($3.70) | $4.00 1 GB · 7 days | 5 Sep |
| Saudi Arabia eSIM | 1 GB · 7 days | ₹349.00 ($3.70) | $4.50 1 GB · 7 days | 5 Sep |
| Singapore eSIM | 1 GB · 7 days | ₹349.00 ($3.70) | $4.00 1 GB · 7 days | 5 Sep |
| Malaysia eSIM | 1 GB · 7 days | ₹299.00 ($3.17) | $4.00 1 GB · 7 days | 5 Sep |
| Indonesia eSIM | 1 GB · 7 days | ₹349.00 ($3.70) | $4.50 1 GB · 7 days | 5 Sep |
| United States eSIM | 1 GB · 7 days | ₹299.00 ($3.17) | $4.00 1 GB · 7 days | 5 Sep |
| United Kingdom eSIM | 1 GB · 7 days | ₹349.00 ($3.70) | $4.00 1 GB · 7 days | 5 Sep |
| Vietnam eSIM | 1 GB · 7 days | ₹349.00 ($3.70) | $4.00 1 GB · 7 days | 5 Sep |
| Turkey eSIM | 1 GB · 7 days | ₹349.00 ($3.70) | $4.00 1 GB · 7 days | 5 Sep |
The two products look identical on paper. Both deliver a prepaid, data-only profile that installs over Wi-Fi before you fly and connects to a partner network when you land, and neither gives you a local phone number, so your Indian SIM stays in the phone for calls and one-time passwords. What differs is everything around the eSIM: how you pay, what lands in your inbox, and who answers when the profile does not attach at the airport.
Airalo is app-first by design. You create an account, browse one of the longest destination catalogues in the category, pay in US dollars, and then live inside the app — checking the remaining balance, buying a top-up, and opening a support conversation in the same place. That is genuinely convenient once you are set up, and the catalogue depth is the real reason people keep the app installed: obscure island territories and small African and Central Asian markets tend to appear there before they appear anywhere else.
eSIMify is built for the checkout rather than the app. You buy on the web, pay in rupees with UPI, a card or net banking, and the order email arrives with a QR code and, on an iPhone running iOS 17.4 or later, a direct install link that skips scanning entirely. A GST invoice comes with the order, which matters if you are claiming the trip on a company account. Support is not a ticket queue inside an app — it is WhatsApp and email, staffed around the clock, in English and Hindi, which is the difference between sorting out a failed install in five minutes and waiting for a reply while you stand at immigration.
Top-ups behave differently too. Airalo's model is to add more data to the eSIM you already hold, usually through the app and often against a stored balance or credit. eSIMify's model is simpler and needs no account: buy another plan whenever you want and it queues behind the one running, so you are never mid-trip without data because a card declined in an app.
| Feature | eSIMify | Airalo |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing currency | Rupees on the Indian store; USD, GBP or AED on the other stores | Priced in US dollars |
| Payment methods | UPI, cards and net banking in India; cards elsewhere | Cards and common international wallets; check their current terms for UPI |
| Data model | Prepaid, data-only; you pick a data allowance and a validity of one to thirty days | Prepaid, data-only packages bought per destination or region |
| Hotspot / tethering | Works on most plans; the plan card states it when it does not | Supported on many packages; check the package page for the one you want |
| Top-ups | Buy another plan at any time; it queues behind the active one, no account needed | Top up the existing eSIM inside the app, typically against your account |
| Coverage breadth | Wide single-country and regional coverage across Asia, Europe, the Gulf, Africa and the Americas | One of the largest destination catalogues available, including many small territories |
| Support | 24x7 on WhatsApp and email, in English and Hindi | In-app chat and help centre; check their current terms for hours and languages |
| KYC / registration | None for any foreign destination; only the India visitor eSIM needs KYC by law | No passport registration for its travel eSIMs |
| Keeping your home number | Yes — the eSIM carries data only, so the home SIM stays live for calls and OTPs | Yes — the same data-only arrangement |
| Invoice / GST | GST invoice issued with every Indian order | Check their current terms for Indian GST invoicing |
Who should pick Airalo
Pick Airalo when the catalogue is the deciding factor. If your route takes in a small Caribbean island, a Pacific territory or a landlocked market that most sellers skip, the odds of finding a plan there are simply better with the biggest marketplace, and one seller across a complicated multi-country trip is worth something in itself. Pick it too if you already use the app on every trip, have credit sitting in the account, and value the habit of managing eSIMs in one list. Frequent travellers who buy several eSIMs a year and are comfortable paying in dollars often find that the app relationship is the whole benefit, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Who should pick eSIMify
Pick eSIMify if you are buying from India, or buying for someone travelling from India. Paying in rupees by UPI, card or net banking removes the foreign-currency card charge and the failed-authentication loop that international checkouts sometimes trigger, and the GST invoice arrives with the order rather than after a request. Support is a real conversation with a person on WhatsApp or email, 24x7, in English or Hindi — the channel most Indian travellers already have open. Installation is direct on iPhones from iOS 17.4 onwards, with a QR code and SM-DP+ details for Android. Your home number stays live for banking OTPs because the plan is data-only, and no foreign destination asks for a passport or any KYC step.
If you are still deciding, look at the plans for the country you are actually flying to rather than at the brands. The pages for Thailand, Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom show the live options for each destination, and the full destination list covers everywhere else.
FAQ
Is eSIMify or Airalo better for an Indian traveller?
For most travellers flying from India, eSIMify is the more straightforward purchase because you pay in rupees by UPI, card or net banking and receive a GST invoice with the order. Airalo prices in US dollars. If your itinerary includes a destination only Airalo lists, that catalogue advantage outweighs the payment convenience.
Do both keep my Indian number working?
Yes. Both sell data-only eSIMs with no local number attached, so your Jio, Airtel or Vi SIM stays in the phone and keeps receiving calls and banking one-time passwords. Leave data roaming switched off on the Indian line and set the eSIM as your data line once you land.
Does Airalo cover more countries than eSIMify?
Airalo runs one of the largest destination catalogues in the category and lists many small territories that other sellers skip. eSIMify covers the destinations Indian travellers actually fly to across Asia, Europe, the Gulf, Africa and the Americas. For mainstream routes both will have a plan; for unusual islands, check the bigger catalogue.
Can I get a GST invoice for a travel eSIM?
eSIMify issues a GST invoice with every order placed on the Indian store, which is what you need if the trip is being claimed on a company account. For Airalo, check their current terms, as invoicing arrangements for Indian buyers vary between international sellers and change over time.
How does support differ between the two?
eSIMify answers on WhatsApp and email around the clock in English and Hindi, so a failed install at the airport is a message away. Airalo handles support inside its app through chat and a help centre. If you prefer talking to a person on a channel you already use daily, that is the practical difference.
Do I need to install an app to use eSIMify?
No. The QR code and, for iPhones on iOS 17.4 or later, a direct install link arrive by email, and the profile installs from your phone's own settings. Airalo is designed around its app, which is where you manage packages and top-ups. Neither approach affects how the data itself performs.
What happens when my data runs out mid-trip?
With eSIMify you buy another plan at any time and it queues behind the one you are using, so there is no gap and no account to sign into. Airalo tops up the existing eSIM through its app. Either way, buy the top-up while you still have data or find Wi-Fi first.
When should I install the eSIM?
Install it at home on Wi-Fi a few days before you fly, label the line clearly, and leave it switched off. Validity starts when the eSIM first connects to a network at the destination, not at purchase or install, so an early install costs you nothing and removes airport stress.