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FlexiRoam Review
A good eSIM plan can be a game changer for those heading overseas, but picking one can be tough. We’ve put together this detailed FlexiRoam review to help you decide if this is the eSIM provider for you.
Traveling is fun, but data roaming charges aren’t. To quell worries about such fees and avoid the hunt for a local physical SIM on arrival, some travelers turn to prepaid mobile data eSIM providers like FlexiRoam. If you’re weighing whether or not to use the service on an upcoming voyage, we give the full breakdown in this detailed FlexiRoam review.
Along with FlexiRoam, we’ve tested a number of international eSIMs to create our own standard for what an excellent service looks like. Keep scrolling to find out if FlexiRoam measures up and how it compares to other eSIM providers.
What Is FlexiRoam eSIM & Who Is It For?
FlexiRoam is an Australian eSIM service that has been operating since 2011. It covers more than 200 destinations, broken down into local, regional and global mobile data plans. FlexiRoam is for people who want to prepay for mobile data for a trip abroad, and it’s ideal for those who want to share data with traveling companions.
Release date: 2011
Owner: FlexiRoam Ltd
Operating systems: Android, iOS
Devices: Most modern iPhones and Androids
Notable features: Data sharing
Pricing: From $6
The Cloudwards Expert Opinion: FlexiRoam eSIM
The Cloudwards Expert Opinion: FlexiRoam eSIM
Kit Copson is a Cloudwards expert in eSIM technology and international travel.
I love how quickly FlexiRoam’s customer support team responds and its nifty in-app data-sharing feature, and I’m impressed by its global coverage. However, if you’re not splitting data with travel companions, there are much cheaper eSIM alternatives, like Airalo and Saily. I also wish FlexiRoam showed carrier information on its plan pages.
FlexiRoam eSIM works when users buy a mobile data plan online that’s valid for a period of time for a certain region and comes with a number of gigabytes. There’s no need to buy a physical SIM card from a local vendor to stay connected, like travelers would have to in the past. You manage everything from the FlexiRoam app, which is designed for convenience.
Credit card, Debit card, Alipay, Google Pay, Apple Pay
OS
iOS, Android
Device support
Modern iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, Huawei, Xiaomi
Global
150
Regional
39
Country
122
Ad-blocker
Virtual location
Web protection
Features: What Makes FlexiRoam Different From Other eSIMs?
In the somewhat crowded eSIM market, FlexiRoam’s data-sharing option, called Flexi Share, is its standout feature. However, it does have other features worth mentioning, including data roll-over (called Flexi Roll), automatic plan switching (Flexi Stack) and delayed activation (Flexi Start).
FlexiRoam is pricey, but it does come with some unique perks.
Many fixed FlexiRoam plans allow users to share data with traveling companions who have the same plan. For example, if both you and a friend have a local France plan and your friend is running low on data, you can donate a minimum of 100MB of yours. So though FlexiRoam is expensive, you can save money by teaming up with friends or family.
Flexi Share: Data Sharing
To share data, you must have exactly the same plan type as your friend. For example, if you have a regional Europe plan and your friend has a single Spain plan, you can’t share data. However, you don’t both need to buy the same amount of data — you just need to have a plan for the same destination.
You can check your plan’s detail page to see if it supports FlexiShare. Unlimited plans aren’t supported.
Flexi Roll: Data Roll-Over
This feature lets you roll over data from an old global plan to a new global plan. However, you need to have purchased a new global plan that has at least the same amount of data as what’s left over on the old plan.
If you meet this criterion, your former global plan data’s expiration date is extended to match the new plan’s expiration date. Bear in mind that you’ll have to activate the new plan before the end of the old plan’s validity period.
Flexi Stack: Automatic Plan Switching
If you have multiple active plans, the Flexi Stack feature makes sure you’re using the most suitable one based on pricing, the plan expiration date and the location. This means you don’t have to manually switch plans. For example, if you’re in Spain and have a regional Europe plan and a global plan, FlexiRoam will default to using the Europe-specific plan.
Flexi Start: Delayed Activation
If you don’t want to activate your plan right away, you can set it up to start at a later date. Activation time is midnight on your selected date.
User-Friendliness & Hands-On Testing
95 % – Excellent
The FlexiRoam app is neatly organized and, unlike some eSIM competitors, doesn’t feel cramped at all. Everything from plans to language settings to your user ID is easy to find, and this tidy aesthetic makes a big difference when it comes to managing your plan. The setup process is quick and easy.
FlexiRoam eSIM Mobile Compatibility
Your phone must be carrier-unlocked for your FlexiRoam plan to work. FlexiRoam is compatible with a range of modern phone models, including:
iPhone 11+, XR, XS, SE 2 (2020) and SE 3 (2022)
Various Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, Sony, Sharp, Xiaomi, Motorola, Huawei, Rakuten, Oppo and other Android models
However, phones sold in some locations aren’t eSIM-compatible. For example, Chinese iPhones don’t have eSIM support, nor do certain phone models from Hong Kong, Macau and the U.S. The same goes for some Android devices. Check the full list of compatible devices to find this information.
How to Install FlexiRoam eSIM
You can install FlexiRoam directly via the app, by scanning a QR code or by installing your profile manually. The process is easiest via the app. We used an iPhone, but you can check out the Android steps on FlexiRoam’s website. Full iOS steps are also available.
Go to “Account”
Once you’ve bought a plan, open the FlexiRoam app and go to “account,” then “my SIMs.”
Tap the “Install” Prompt
In “my SIMs,” find your plan and tap the “install” prompt. Then, simply follow the prompts until installation is complete. Keep your default line as “primary” and set your “cellular” or “mobile data” source to FlexiRoam if you plan to use it immediately. If not, you can set it as your data source in the settings later.
We recommend labeling your plan as “FlexiRoam” when promoted, as this helps avoid confusion if you have multiple eSIM profiles installed.
How to Activate FlexiRoam eSIM
When it’s time to use your FlexiRoam data, you’ll need to go into your phone’s settings and make some adjustments. We explain below how we did it on an iPhone — activation process steps are available for Google Pixel and Samsung devices on FlexiRoam’s website. Avoid activating your plan too early, because this starts the validity period.
Tap “Activate”
In the FlexiRoam app, go to “my plans,” then tap “activate plan.” If you’re not due to travel yet, you can schedule a later start date when prompted.
Turn On FlexiRoam
Go into your cellular or mobile data settings and look for the SIM management area. Toggle on FlexiRoam and data roaming. Keep your primary line as the default.
Set the Cellular/Mobile Data Source
Set FlexiRoam as your cellular (iOS) or mobile data (Android) source. Toggle off the data-switching option to prevent an accidental switch back to your primary SIM. If you’re in the right country or region, your plan should now be working. If it isn’t, enabling and disabling airplane mode can sometimes help. If you have no luck, reach out to support.
Coverage
85 % – Very Good
Like many of its eSIM competitors, FlexiRoam covers more than 200 destinations in total (this includes both countries and territories) and has a global plan covering more than 150 countries — an above-average number.
To put this into perspective, the typical global plan coverage range is anywhere from around 96 to 137 countries. For example, Jetpac’s global plan covers 96, Saily’s covers 113 and Airalo’s covers 137.
Flexiroam has a broad variety of plan types, including inflight data plans.
However, though individual and global plans cover countries in Oceania like Australia and New Zealand, there’s no regional Oceania plan.
Flexiroam does have something not many competitors do, though: in-flight data plans, available for certain airlines and aircrafts. Examples include Emirates (B777) and Cathay Pacific (A330, B787).
Be sure to check the “coverage” tab when you buy an in-flight data plan for full details and to find out if your airline supports this feature. You’ll also want to check which connectivity options your flight supports before you buy a plan.
You can also get a voice and text add-on, covering more than 110 countries. Find out more about this in the pricing section below.
Pricing: How Much Does FlexiRoam eSIM Cost? (65/100)
65 % – Decent
There’s no denying that the pricing FlexiRoam offers is more expensive than other eSIM providers on the market, especially with pricier-than-average regional plans.
For comparison, FlexiRoam’s regional starting prices are often more than double what competitors offer (e.g., Saily’s Europe pricing starts from $5, while FlexiRoam charges $14 for the same plan.)
Local Plan Pricing Breakdown
FlexiRoam eSIMs cover around 122 countries on individual local plans. This table shows a few examples of popular local fixed plans and how they’re priced. In the far-right column we show a pricing range for unlimited plans — please check FlexiRoam’s website to see all plans. We do not include limited-time offers in these tables.
Country:
20GB (5 Days)
50GB (10 Days)
100GB (15 Days)
Unlimited Plan
U.S.
$24.99
$49.99
$74.99
$38-$94 (5-15 days)
Japan
$24.99
$49.99
$74.99
$38-$128 (5-30 days)
France
$24.99
$49.99
$74.99
$38-$128 (5-30 days)
Greece
$24.99
$49.99
$74.99
$38-$128 (5-30 days)
UAE
$24.99
$49.99
$74.99
$76-$144 (5-10 days)
The service recently significantly decreased the price of some fixed local plans, but the validity periods for these plans are very short despite being data-heavy. This is shown in the table above.
There are exceptions, though. For example, some plans are lighter on the GB and are still valid for up to 30 days but remain pretty expensive. We’ll add some examples below to put this into perspective.
Country:
1GB (7 Days)
2GB (15 Days)
3GB (30 Days
5GB (30 Days)
10GB (30 Days)
Unlimited Plan
India
$7
$16
$21
$30
$50
$58-$158 (5-30 days)
Canada
$11
$22
$30
$36
$70
$54-$122 (5-15 days)
Global and Regional Pricing
FlexiRoam covers seven regions and also offers a global plan with extensive coverage (150 countries). Here’s what pricing looks like in each region:
Region & Countries:
1GB (7 Days)
2GB (15 Days)
3GB (30 Days)
5GB (60 Days)
10GB (180 Days)
20GB (180 Days)
30GB (180 Days)
50GB (365 Days)
70GB (365 Days)
100GB (365 Days)
Unlimited Plans
Global (150)
N/A
N/A
N/A
$66
$108
N/A
$187
$229 (360 days)
N/A
N/A
N/A
Asia (14)
$14
N/A
$34
$54
$94
$134
$174
$274
$354
$454
$54-$158 (5-30 days)
Africa (25)
$38
$74
$110
$170
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Caribbean (24)
$38
$72
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
$98 (3 days)
Europe (39)
$14
N/A
$34
$54
$94
$134
$174
$274
$354
$454
$38-$128 (5-30 days)
Latin America (15)
$30
$56
$78
$120
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
$108-$198 (5-15 days)
Middle East & North Africa (14)
$30
$56
$78
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
North America (3)
$14
N/A
$34
$54
$94
$134
$174
$274
$354
$454
$54-$198 (5-30 days)
For comparison, competitor Airalo charges $59 for a global plan (137 countries) with 10GB and 180-day validity, while FlexiRoam charges $108 for its 10GB plan. This demonstrates how pricey FlexiRoam’s global and regional plans are.
Voice & Call Plans
Some eSIM services offer data, voice and text packages bundled together. FlexiRoam sells voice-and-text plans as add-ons. You can choose from seven, 15, 30, 60, 180 or 365 days, and each package comes with a certain number of local and international minutes and texts.
Pricing starts from $9 and goes up to $39. The maximum you can get is 150 local minutes, 50 international minutes and 200 SMS messages. The plans cover more than 110 countries.
In-Flight Plans Pricing
FlexiRoam has in-flight plans for some airlines — including Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and more — and some aircraft types (see “coverage” when you click the link). There are three plans: 1GB ($10), 2GB ($18) and unlimited ($25). All are valid for 24 hours.
Payment Methods
You can pay for FlexiRoam plans via credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Alipay. You can also add funds to your FlexiRoam wallet in the FlexiRoam app and pay that way.
Speed
75 % – Good
FlexiRoam supports 3G, 4G, LTE-M and 5G data speeds depending on the country and availability. While we experienced a smooth connection with FlexiRoam (instant 5G speeds in a French city), network availability and where you are can definitely have an impact on speeds.
For example, in major cities, you might have excellent data speeds, but if you’re somewhere more remote, those speeds could drop to as low as 3G or even 2G.
Unfortunately, FlexiRoam doesn’t provide up-front information about available mobile carriers and the speeds they support. You’ll be able to see which carriers are available only when you receive the confirmation email post-purchase or if you reach out to support and ask.
Most competitors are transparent about this when you check out the plan details pages, so FlexiRoam loses points in this category for that reason.
Customer Support
95 % – Excellent
Support options vary by eSIM provider, with some offering live chat features and others going old-school with an email submission form. We prefer providers with a live chat option, and FlexiRoam offers this in a number of ways.
Support options include:
FAQ pages
In-app chat
How-to guides
WhatsApp support
Facebook direct message (DM) support
You can reach out to FlexiRoam via in-app chat, Facebook DM, Instagram DM or WhatsApp.
Live Chat Support Speed & Quality
The FlexiRoam support team is one of the best we’ve come across. We spoke with a human via in-app live chat in a matter of seconds each time, and the agents were always friendly, clear and efficient. With some other providers, we’ve had to wait much longer to get a reply, so FlexiRoam sets the bar high in this area.
In the in-app chat, click the three dots in the top-right corner to see more support options.
FlexiRoam eSIM vs Other eSIM Services
Here, we’ll take a brief look at how FlexiRoam compares to similar eSIM services.
None of these competitors have a data-sharing feature like FlexiRoam does, though it is possible to share data via a hotspot.
Airalo is cheaper than FlexiRoam, and its global coverage is only slightly more reduced. Plus, it has an Oceania regional plan, which FlexiRoam lacks. However, FlexiRoam’s support team consistently responded faster than Airalo’s each time we reached out.
Another difference: A few of Airalo’s plans, like the U.S. plan and the global plan, come with built-in call and text functionality, while FlexiRoam offers this feature only as an add-on. We have a full Airalo review if you’d like to learn more about the service.
Like Airalo, Saily is the more budget-friendly provider, and it has extra security and privacy features: virtual location, web protection and an ad blocker. Our Saily review discusses these features more. On the other hand, FlexiRoam’s global plan is more expansive (150 vs 113 countries) — though not everyone will need such a comprehensive global plan.
Most Jetpac plans are much cheaper than FlexiRoam’s, with one exception being the similarly priced 100GB global plan. FlexiRoam’s regional plans have longer validity periods, but if you need a budget option, Jetpac is the way to go.
Jetpac also offers various paid and free perks, including free airport lounge access if you experience flight delays. We discuss these perks and more in our Jetpac review.
Community Feedback: FlexiRoam eSIM Reviews on Reddit & Social Media
FlexiRoam has been praised on Trustpilot for helpful and timely support when customers were experiencing connection or installation issues. As for negative reviews, some say the service has become too expensive, and others say the eSIM didn’t work at all in certain countries.
The Verdict: Is FlexiRoam eSIM Good?
FlexiRoam worked perfectly well for us, and we rate its customer support and user-friendly app highly. Nonetheless, there are much cheaper alternatives that work just as well. Due to its high pricing, it wouldn’t be our first choice for solo trips, but its data-sharing feature might come in handy for those traveling in groups.
Are you thinking of using FlexiRoam on your next sojourn overseas? Have you used this service before? If so, share your experience in the comments. Thanks for reading.
We prefer Airalo overall because it’s cheaper and has a free trial in eight countries, but FlexiRoam is ideal for those who want to share data. FlexiRoam’s support is also better.
Our top eSIM recommendations are Airalo, Saily, Nomad and Jetpac. Holafly is our top recommendation for unlimited data.
You can get a virtual phone number with the voice-and-text add-on plan.
Yes, you can text if you get the voice-and-text plan. Alternatively, you can use your FlexiRoam data to access messaging apps like WhatsApp.
Kit hails from the West Midlands, UK, close to the rock caves that are rumored to have inspired Tolkien's "The Hobbit." She completed her BA in English & Creative Writing in 2012 and spent several years as an international school teacher in Beijing, where she experimented with a range of VPNs. She is now settled in the Parisian suburbs and is a fan of ‘80s films, classic English literature and can usually be found with a cup of tea in hand.
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