Is Airalo eSIM worth it? Will your Hong Kong iPhone work, what Japan and the mainland cost, and US$3 off with JIMMY2336: 10 things to know before you buy

Fail this one and you can skip everything below. Airalo's terms say your phone must be "unlocked and eSIM-compatible", and its help centre adds that it can't be jailbroken (iOS) or rooted (Android). Airalo's own list (September 2026 version) says none of these have eSIM: iPhones from mainland China; iPhones from Hong Kong and Macao (except the 13 mini, 12 mini, SE 2020 and XS); every Samsung Galaxy originating from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan; and Huawei phones bought in China.

Apple's support article from 17 September 2026 is more up to date: the Hong Kong/Macao XS, 12 mini, 13 mini, SE (2nd and 3rd generation), 16e, 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, 17e, Air, 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max have eSIM; Hong Kong models of the iPhone 11 to 16 (except the mini and 16e), the XR and the XS Max take two physical nano-SIMs and can't install any eSIM at all.

The quickest check: type *#06# on your phone's dialler. If a 32-digit EID shows up, you've got eSIM. Want to keep your Hong Kong number for bank OTPs at the same time? Your phone needs to be dual-SIM too.

Airalo has three types: local plans work in one country or region; regional plans cover several places on one eSIM, like Asialink with 18 destinations (mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand are all in there) and Eurolink with 41 countries (the UK, Switzerland and Turkey included); and the global one is called Discover. Every plan is "this many GB for this many days", and the data is shared across the whole period, not handed out daily.

Most are data only. Airalo says only the "Data/Calls/Texts" ones come with a number; the local plans for Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the mainland, the places Hongkongers go most, are all data only. The ones with a number have limits too: global Discover+ gives you a US +1 number with no call forwarding or voicemail, and the cheapest is 1GB, 10 texts and 10 minutes for 7 days at US$9; the UK plan only calls local numbers; the US plan can't make international calls.

With a data-only eSIM, leave your Hong Kong SIM on and you'll still get calls and texts, while data runs on the Airalo line. Airalo warns that if data roaming is still on for your Hong Kong line, your carrier may still charge you roaming, so you're better off switching it off; whether receiving texts or taking calls costs anything is one to ask your own carrier.

US dollar prices we saw on Airalo's site on 13 October (at about HK$7.8 to US$1): Japan 5GB for seven days US$10 (about HK$78), 10GB for seven days US$17 (about HK$133), unlimited for seven days US$26.50 (about HK$207); South Korea 5GB for seven days US$10 (about HK$78); Taiwan 5GB for seven days US$11 (about HK$86); Thailand 5GB for seven days US$7 (about HK$55); mainland China 5GB for seven days US$14.50 (about HK$113); Asialink 5GB for seven days US$14 (about HK$109). Going further: UK 10GB for thirty days US$19 (about HK$148), Eurolink 10GB for thirty days US$31 (about HK$242). In most places the smallest plan, 1GB for three days, is US$4.

Heads-up: Airalo supports 16 currencies, and the Hong Kong dollar isn't one of them. If your card's currency is different from the one you pick, your bank's exchange rate applies and you may pay a foreign transaction fee; listed prices already include tax. You can pay with Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, UnionPay, JCB, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay (not in every country), Alipay (app only) and Airmoney.

Take seven days in Japan: csl's Main Asia Pacific daily pass is HK$88 a day for 1GB, dropping to 512kbps once that's used up, so seven straight days adds up to HK$616; the Selected Asia Pacific pre-purchase pack is HK$338 for seven passes, each with 3GB for 24 hours, all to be used within three months; and there's the HK$168 Main Asia Pacific data bundle, with 6GB to use within 30 days. Airalo Japan 10GB for seven days is US$17 (about HK$133), or US$14 (about HK$109) on your first order with the referral code; unlimited for seven days is US$26.50 (about HK$207).

On price alone, Airalo beats the daily pass by a mile and isn't far off the data bundle. Roaming's upside is that you don't need an eSIM phone or to install anything, you just keep using your own SIM; Airalo needs eSIM and payment in a foreign currency. Other carriers charge differently, and we're only using csl as an example; if your monthly plan already includes roaming data for where you're going, Airalo doesn't bring much to the table.

Validity starts the moment the eSIM activates. Airalo says most eSIMs only activate once you reach your destination and connect to a supported network, so you can install before you leave as long as you have a stable connection; but a few packages start counting the second you install, even if you're still in Hong Kong. Before buying, check "Activation Policy" under "Additional Information". On 13 October we checked the page details for the Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and mainland packages, and all of them start on first use after landing, but what's shown when you buy is what counts.

There's also a "recycling" deadline: some eSIMs must actually connect and get used within a set time after purchase (just installing doesn't count), commonly within 90 days of buying, or they get recycled and you have to buy again. Data can only be used within the validity period, and whatever's left at expiry is gone.

For eSIMs that can be topped up, go to "My eSIMs" and tap "Top up" to add a package; no button means no top-ups, so you'll need a new one. With automatic renewals on, another package is bought automatically when your data drops to 10%, using your saved payment method; Airmoney can't be used for that. If a top-up doesn't kick in, try restarting your phone or switching airplane mode on and off.

Airalo's fair use policy spells it out: pass 3GB in a day and you drop to 1Mbps for the rest of that day, resetting every 24 hours (counted from activation time); the Japan unlimited plan page says the first 3GB is full speed, up to 20Mbps. 1Mbps is fine for messages and maps, but not for streaming shows. Long stretches of heavy uploading or downloading, P2P and reselling the line all break the rules, and Airalo can stop your package without notice and without a refund; networks may also slow you down at busy times.

Networks in each place (from Airalo's pages): Japan Softbank and KDDI, South Korea SK, Taiwan Taiwan Mobile, Thailand True and AIS, mainland China Unicom. The installation settings for the Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and mainland plans all need you to turn on "Data Roaming" for the eSIM line.

Hotspot: Airalo says you can turn it on if your phone and the network support it, and some eSIMs need the APN from the installation details entered in the hotspot APN field. If you land, see a signal but can't get online, first check that mobile data is set to the Airalo line, data roaming is on for that line, and the APN is right.

Airalo says you don't need a VPN with its China, Asia regional or global eSIMs, because data goes out through gateways outside the mainland, so Google, WhatsApp and the like still work. But hop on hotel Wi-Fi or another local network and you get filtered just the same.

Note that the mainland local plan doesn't cover Hong Kong and Macao. If one trip takes in Macao or other places in Asia too, Asialink 5GB for seven days is US$14, even cheaper than the mainland plan's US$14.50.

Sign up through the link on this page and you'll land on Airalo's sign-up page with the referral code already applied; or enter JIMMY2336 yourself when signing up or at checkout. Airalo's "Refer and earn" page says friends who use a referral code get US$3 off their first order. At checkout, tap "Use Airmoney or code", choose "Code" and enter it; check that the US$3 has come off before you pay.

A few limits: first order only; if you've used another Airalo promotion, you might not get the referral discount; and only one discount per order, so it's the referral code or Airmoney, not both. The referral page doesn't mention a minimum spend, and we couldn't find more detailed referral terms, so we can't verify any other limits. There's no Hong Kong dollar option, so the discount is in US dollars too.

Do the maths: Japan 10GB for seven days goes from US$17 to US$14, saving about HK$23. After that, every purchase earns Airmoney back: everyone starts at Traveler (5%), moves up to Silver (6%) after spending US$20 in total, Gold (7%) at US$70 and Platinum (10%) at US$200.

Full disclosure: JIMMY2336 is our referral code. When you complete your first order with it, we get US$3 in Airmoney, which can only be used at Airalo and isn't cash.

Airalo's terms of use say consumers can withdraw within 14 days of buying, but that right ends once the eSIM is activated, whichever comes first; an eSIM in use can't be withdrawn. If it's activated but doesn't work because of an Airalo error, you have to ask within 30 days of the problem and give Airalo 10 days to fix it; if you've used part of the data, only the unused part gets refunded.

In "My eSIMs", tap "Request Refund" on the package and pick a reason: "Wrong purchase" or "Plans changed" refunds Airmoney only; only "Installation issues" or "eSIM not working" let you choose a refund to the original payment method. Airmoney arrives instantly; card refunds usually take 7 to 10 working days, up to about 30 days depending on your bank (the terms of use say up to 30 working days). No refunds once it's expired or the data's used up. An eSIM you haven't installed can be passed to a friend by sharing its installation QR code.

Airmoney is pegged to the US dollar, can't be used if you have less than US$1, and can't pay for automatic renewals. The whole balance expires together, but every purchase or Airmoney you receive (a referral reward, say) resets the expiry date to a year later.

Airalo is run by AirGSM Pte Ltd, registered in Singapore, which calls itself an "aggregator and marketplace" for connectivity: it buys data from networks around the world and sells it through its website and app, says it covers 200-plus countries and regions, and the Hong Kong App Store version comes in Traditional and Simplified Chinese. The terms follow the law of England and Wales, with disputes handled by the courts there; you also give up the right to join class actions, and Airalo pays out US$100 at most. We couldn't verify whether it holds a Hong Kong telecoms licence; an eSIM is prepaid data with nothing like deposit protection, so just buy what you need for your next trip.

As of 13 October 2026: App Store (Hong Kong) 4.5 (476 ratings); Google Play's Hong Kong page 4.1 (about 190,000 reviews), while the UK page shows 4.6, with over 10 million downloads and the latest update on 23 September; Trustpilot 4.1 (over 47,000 reviews), with 62% five-star and 16% one-star, and Airalo replied to 93% of negative reviews.

The most common gripes: setup and activation hassle (APN, the data roaming switch, dual-SIM settings); signal but no data after landing; speeds below what's advertised (4G instead of 5G, for example); slow, scripted-sounding customer service that you need a connection to reach; refunds coming back as Airmoney; small data plans running out fast; and it working out pricier than a local SIM for long stays. Fans mostly say it's easy to buy, you're online as soon as you land, coverage is wide and it's cheaper than roaming.

You can reach customer service by in-app chat, WhatsApp or email at [email protected], and Airalo says it's 24-hour and multilingual. If you can't get online abroad, you'll need to hop on hotel or airport Wi-Fi first to reach anyone. The terms also say Airalo can suspend or close your account at any time for security and other reasons; if you see an order you didn't make, tell customer service right away.

Use it: if your phone definitely has eSIM (dial *#06# and you see an EID) and you take lots of short trips to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand or the mainland; if one trip covers several places in Asia and you want one Asialink to handle it all; or if you don't want to mess with a VPN on the mainland.

Skip it: if you've got a Hong Kong iPhone 11 to 16 (except the mini and 16e), XR or XS Max, or a Hong Kong, mainland or Taiwan Galaxy; you need a local phone number; your monthly plan already includes roaming data; you have to pay in Hong Kong dollars or need refunds back to your card; or you'd rather get problems sorted in Hong Kong.