aloSIM Review

Known for its simplicity, aloSIM isn’t the most feature-rich eSIM we’ve tested. For example, it doesn’t have special security features like Saily, a free trial period like Airalo and Nomad, or travel perks like Jetpac. However, it does provide a free phone number via a sister app, something not all providers offer. 

aloSIM’s plans are data-only, but most plans give you the option to get a free international phone number via aloSIM’s sister app, Hushed. When you buy an aloSIM plan that supports this feature, you’ll receive an email with instructions on how to redeem your free phone number, plus $1 of credit to start with.

You add credits as needed, with increments ranging from $2 to $130. The phone number is yours for the duration of your aloSIM plan’s validity period. If you want to continue using the number after your aloSIM plan expires, you can go into the Hushed app’s settings tab and tap “extend number.” 

We set up our Hushed number and started making calls in just a minute or two, so it’s a simple pay-as-you-go option if you plan on calling. You can also send messages.

Most modern smartphones support eSIM technology, including:

• iPhone: iPhone 11 and up, XR, XS and SE (some models)
• Android: Various models, including Samsung Galaxy, Huawei, Google Pixel, Motorola and more

There are exceptions, though. For example, iPhones purchased in mainland China and, in some cases, Hong Kong and Macau, don’t support eSIMs, nor do some Samsung Galaxy models purchased in the U.S. and Hong Kong. Check aloSIM’s full compatibility list to find out if you can purchase eSIM data packages on your device. 

To find out if your phone supports eSIMs:

• Go into your device’s “cellular” (iOS) or “connections/network & internet” (Android) settings. 
• Look for the SIM management area.
• Check for an option to add or download an eSIM. 

Once you’ve bought your aloSIM plan, you’ll need to install it on your phone. How you do this will depend on whether you’re using an iPhone or an Android phone such as Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy.

We used our aloSIM plan on an iPhone, but you can check out aloSIM’s guides to learn how to install your eSIM profile on Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy or other devices.

1. Tap the “Install” Prompt

   Presuming you’ve already bought a plan, tap “install your eSIM” in the aloSIM app. iPhone users can then choose from automatic (we recommend this option), QR code or manual installation. Android users can choose from QR code or manual installation.

   

2. Allow Installation

   Tap “allow” (iOS), “add” (Samsung) or “download” (Google Pixel) to start the installation process. Follow the prompts and label your aloSIM plan. If asked, keep your usual SIM as the default line.

   If you’ve already embarked on your travels, set aloSIM as the cellular/mobile data source. Otherwise, leave your primary SIM as your cellular source for now and adjust the settings later (see below).

   

After installing aloSIM, you’ll need to tweak certain phone settings to get a data connection and start using your plan. If you do this properly, your aloSIM plan should start to work automatically once you’re in the new country. Just follow the steps below.

These steps look different on Android devices. We recommend checking the full activation guides for Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy. These guides detail how to activate aloSIM if you don’t want to use your primary phone number while abroad. Steps for using aloSIM in addition to your usual phone number are also linked within the guides. 

1. Toggle aloSIM On

   Go into the “cellular” (iOS), “connections” (Samsung) or “network & internet” (Google Pixel) settings. Find the SIM management area and enable aloSIM. Turn on “data roaming,” too.

   

2. Set aloSIM as the Data Source

   In the SIM area, select aloSIM as your cellular or mobile data source. If you don’t plan to use your primary SIM to make calls while abroad, we recommend toggling it off to make sure you don’t accidentally use any of that data.

   

3. Toggle Off Data Switching

   Turn off “allow cellular data switching” to prevent accidental roaming charges.

   

If you have issues using aloSIM in your target location, we recommend considering the following: 

• Make sure aloSIM is turned on and set as the cellular/mobile data source. 
• Check that data roaming is toggled on. 
• Confirm in the aloSIM app that the plan hasn’t expired. 
• Go into your phone’s APN settings to make sure it’s labeled “aloSIM.” 
• Note that if you’re in a remote area, you’re more likely to experience connection issues. 

If you continue to experience problems, try rebooting your phone. If that doesn’t help, reach out to aloSIM’s customer service team. 

Another difference between aloSIM and many competitors is that aloSIM breaks its Europe coverage down into smaller plans — helping aloSIM rank in our best eSIMs for Europe guide.

While there’s a standard Europe plan covering 35 countries, you can also get plans focused entirely on Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Scandinavia, the British Isles or the Mediterranean. That said, the smaller plans have less variety in terms of GB capacity — see the table in the next section.

The table below shows a few examples of local plan prices. We selected the countries based on aloSIM’s list of top destinations, several of which are also top destinations for competitors like Airalo and Saily.

Interestingly, aloSIM has exactly the same pricing as Airalo in the U.S., Canada and Turkey, and very similar pricing in some other destinations, like Japan and the U.K. The key difference in the latter two countries is that aloSIM offers unlimited plans in addition to standard plans, while Airalo doesn’t.

Unlimited data plans still come with a daily high-speed data limit. For example, we noticed that the Japan plan caps high-speed data at 1.5GB per day. You can check this limit by clicking the country’s or region’s unlimited plan option and going to “see limitations” on the left.

Country:	1GB (7 Days)	2GB (15 Days)	3GB (30 Days)	5GB (30 Days)	10GB (30 Days)	20GB (30 Days)	Unlimited (10 Days)
U.S.	$4.50	$8	$11	$16	$26	$42	N/A
Japan	$4.50	$6.50	$8.50	$11.50	$18	$26	$35
Mexico	$6	$11.50	$15.50	$23.50	$42	N/A	$45
Turkey	$4.50	$6.50	$8	$12	$18	$26	$35
Canada	$6	$11	$15	$18	$35	$49	N/A
U.K.	$5	$7.50	$10	$15	$22.50	$36	$35

Like the local plans, the pricing for aloSIM’s regional plans is similar to that of Airalo and Saily. For reference, regional plans for Asia and Europe typically start from around $5 to $6, but plans in other regions, like the Caribbean and South America, often cost more.

As we touched on earlier, the difference between aloSIM and some of its competitors is that aloSIM lacks global, Africa and Middle East plans, and several of its regional plans are concentrated in Europe.

Region:	1GB (7 Days)	2GB (15 Days)	3GB (30 Days)	5GB (30 Days)	10GB (30 Days)	20GB (30 Days)	50GB (90 Days)	100GB (180 Days)	Unlimited (15 Days)
Asia	$5	$9.50	$15	$20	$37	N/A	$100	$185	N/A
Caribbean	$6.50	$15	$20	$28	$39	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Central America	$10	$15	$21	$31	$39.50	$47.50	N/A	N/A	N/A
North America	$6	$11.50	$15.50	$23.50	$26	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Eastern Europe	$5.50	N/A	$10.50	$15	$25	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Europe	$5	$8	$13	$20	$37	N/A	$100	$185	$35
Western Europe	$5	N/A	$10	$15	$25	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Scandinavia	$5	$7	$8.50	$13	$19	$33	N/A	N/A	N/A
British Isles	$4.50	N/A	$9	$13.50	$20	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Mediterranean	$7	N/A	$13.50	$19.50	$32	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
French West Indies	$8.50	N/A	$16.50	$25	$45	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
South America	$6.50	$12	$14	$20	$36	$52	N/A	N/A	N/A

You may notice that some starting plan prices are more expensive than others despite covering fewer countries. One example is the aloSIM Eastern Europe eSIM plan, which starts at $5.50 and covers just 11 countries, while the Europe plan covers 35 countries and starts at $5.

This is because pricing is based on specific carrier agreements and data rates rather than simply how many countries are covered.

However, plans covering fewer countries sometimes turn out to be cheaper if you opt for a higher-GB plan. For example, the 10GB Europe plan (35 countries) costs $37, while the 10GB Scandinavia plan (four countries) costs $19. This means someone who needs data only in Scandinavia would pay $18 less than if they were to buy the 10GB Europe plan.

In addition to regular data-only plans, aloSIM specializes in business plans. Business plans are different from regular plans in that the account owner can add members as needed and monitor how much data members are using. They can also receive travel cost reports and set a data spending cap for members. 

To sign up for a business plan, fill out the form on aloSIM’s website.

aloSIM accepts credit or debit cards and Google Pay. However, we saw only the Google Pay option when paying via the website rather than the app. aloSIM also offers a reward system that gives you 5% cashback on each purchase, which goes into your aloCASH fund. You can use aloCASH to make purchases.

There’s also a referral program that rewards you with $3 in aloCASH each time you get someone to sign up with your code. 

aloSIM offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for certain situations like purchasing a plan you can’t use because you discover that your phone isn’t eSIM-compatible. All you need to do is contact the support team and provide the email receipt. 

Despite being priced similarly, Airalo’s inclusion of Africa, Middle East and global plans makes its regional coverage broader than aloSIM’s. 

Airalo also has an edge because it offers a free trial in eight countries, whereas aloSIM offers no free trial. Additionally, Airalo has built-in call and text plans, while aloSIM provides a phone number via another app. We have a full Airalo review for you to check out.

We noticed that Saily is a little cheaper than aloSIM on several plans, including the U.S., Japan and Turkey plans. Like Airalo, Saily offers Africa, Middle East and global plans, while aloSIM doesn’t. 

Saily also comes with security features such as an ad blocker, virtual locations and web protection, and we received faster responses from its customer support. Learn more in our Saily review.