Jetpac vs Airalo: Which eSIM to Choose?

Comparing Jetpac vs Airalo for your next trip? Dive into pricing, coverage, speeds, and exclusive features to help choose your perfect eSIM for any adventure.

Planning your next international adventure and wondering which eSIM will keep you connected without breaking the bank? You're definitely not alone. With the number of eSIMs going up to 600 million in 2024 alone, more and more travelers are switching gears to avoid high roaming fees. Picking the right provider can seriously change your whole travel experience.

In the world of travel eSIMs, two names often pop up: Jetpac and Airalo. Both promise global connectivity, but they offer pretty different experiences. Let’s take a close look at everything from pricing to perks to see which one is the right option for you!

Jetpac vs Airalo: Pricing Comparison

You’ll want to get the best value for your eSIM, so let’s break down exactly what you’ll pay with each provider.

Jetpac

Diving into Jetpac’s pricing, you’ll quickly see it’s built to give you more for your money. New to Jetpac? You can kick things off with 1 GB worth of data for just $1 (valid for 4 days), with coverage in 200+ destinations. This carries over to all Jetpac’s data options, whether you’re sticking to one country, exploring a region, or going truly global.

Where Jetpac really shines is in flexibility. While most plans are good for 4 to 30 days, our Global eSIMs are ideal for extended adventures, offering validity from 180 to 365 days with data pools from 10GB to 100 GB. And for the data heavyweights, we’ve got unlimited data packs valid for 7 or 10 days with coverage in ~40 countries, including Japan, Australia, and the United States.

The beauty of our system is how simple it is: all your data packs live on one eSIM. No need to constantly swap profiles or manage multiple eSIMs as you travel!

Airalo’s Pricing Approach

Airalo pricing starts at $4.50 for basic plans for most single-country packs. As for regional packs, Airalo pricing starts at $5 for 1 GB (valid for 7 days), with their Discover Global plans starting at 1 GB for 7 days at $9. If you want to try out Airalo before you commit to a purchase, they also provide free 1 GB eSIMs for 8 popular destinations, such as the United States, Japan, and Spain.

Plans have 7, 15, 30, and up to 180 days validity periods, with data options ranging from 1GB to 100 GB. Airalo’s global eSIMs cover over 130 countries, but are limited to 20 GB.

The pricing transparency is solid, though the entry point is higher than Jetpac’s newcomer-friendly $1 starter pack.

Beyond Connectivity: Exclusive Features That Matter

Raw data is just the beginning. What extra value do these providers bring to your travel experience?

Jetpac’s Travel-Centric Perks

Jetpac recognizes that travel involves more than just internet access. Every eSIM purchase includes complimentary airport lounge access during flight delays exceeding one hour. This covers over 1,000 lounges worldwide - just remember to register your (and one travel companion’s) flight details at least 24 hours before departure!

The game-changer is Jetpac’s Voice feature, which enables you to place outgoing direct calls to local numbers in 50+ countries. No more relying solely on WhatsApp or dealing with expensive international calling rates. Whether you’re booking restaurant reservations, calling hotels, or coordinating with ride-sharing services, Voice makes calling easy and affordable.

With every Jetpac eSIM, you’re also set up with dual network access. Think of it as having a reliable backup, ensuring you stay connected even if one network goes down. We also know how frustrating it is to be in a new place with no way to message friends or figure out directions. To solve that, we’re adding free WhatsApp chat and Google Maps to every data pack that’s 15 GB and above, giving you that extra peace of mind and convenience, even when you run out of data.

Airalo’s Loyalty Program

Airalo focuses primarily on reliable data connectivity without extensive additional perks. The platform offers instant activation through their user-friendly app, with flexible options catering to various needs and budgets, plus transparent pricing with no hidden fees. For frequent users, you can get free data via their Airmoney loyalty program.

You can earn Airmoney through purchasing eSIMs, topping up your data, making referrals, and any other promotional offers. You can use your Airmoney at checkout to purchase a new eSIM, even when combined with another payment option.

Do keep in mind that your Airmoney balance can expire, but you can extend its validity period for another year by purchasing more data packs from Airalo. The more you buy, the more you’ll save, so as you spend more, the Airalo rewards you’ll earn can get up to 10% for every purchase made.

While Airalo excels at its core function - providing affordable international data - it doesn’t match Jetpac’s comprehensive travel perks.

How Easy Is It to Install Your eSIM?

A big worry for folks new to eSIMs is just how tough the setup process might be. We’ll break down what sets Jetpac and Airalo apart when it comes to installing and activating your eSIM.

Jetpac’s User-Friendly Experience

With Jetpac, it’s all about a one-and-done setup. Seriously, you get it set up once, and then you’re ready to roll. You’ve got options for getting started: either download the app for a super smooth experience or go old-school and install it manually through your phone’s settings.

Once you’re in the app, you’ll immediately see if your eSIM is active and how much data you’ve used. Need more data? Topping up is a breeze with quick options right on the homepage and more packs just a tab away. Plus, you’ll even get handy SMS notifications to keep you in the loop about your remaining data.

Airalo’s Activation Process

Airalo also focuses on a straightforward activation process. Typically, you’ll scan a QR code or download their app to get connected. Once you’ve got your Airalo app and eSIM sorted, it’s easy to buy or top up more data if you need it.

However, it’s important to note a key difference here: Airalo eSIMs are generally tied to specific regions or countries. This means if you finish your data pack, or if you travel to a new country not covered by your current eSIM, you’ll often need to download and install an entirely new eSIM profile for that region or country. This can become quite cumbersome if you’re a traveler who frequently switches destinations or prefers buying individual country packs over a global plan.

Jetpac vs Airalo: Speed Comparisons

Whether you’re uploading a vlog in 4K or need a stable connection for a remote meeting, consistent data is key. Let’s dive into what kind of performance you’ll generally experience with each of these eSIM providers.

Jetpac’s Data Speeds

Let’s talk about how Jetpac’s network actually performs out in the wild. You can expect a pretty reliable experience, with most users seeing download speeds that often exceed 40 Mbps in many locations. Some reviewers have recorded speeds hitting over 100 Mbps in popular destinations like the UK, USA, and more, showcasing its robust capability. For more remote areas, speeds might dip to about 20 Mbps, but that’s still more than enough for staying in touch with your loved ones.

A key strength of Jetpac is its unwavering connection stability, which is a huge plus when you’re traveling across multiple borders on a single data pack. This stability is powered by Jetpac’s partnerships with premium local carriers, ensuring you’re connected to their best available 4G and 5G networks.

What’s more, Jetpac now includes dual network access in most destinations. If your primary network goes down, you’ll have a backup network to connect to, so your connection won’t drop throughout your trip.

Airalo’s Data Speeds

Compared to Jetpac, Airalo eSIMs have data speeds generally in the 25-100 Mbps range, depending on your location. Their connection tends to be more variable, though, and might involve IP routing depending on where you are. This may result in a different IP address than expected, and consequently impact access to location-dependent websites or services.

Jetpac also does IP routing with several destinations, but with its dual network access and high data speeds in most urban areas, it’s got a clear edge over Airalo.

Customer Support and Availability

Traveling isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, and sometimes you’re just out of luck and out of signal. It’s key to know how your provider will have your back.

Jetpac’s Customer Support

No matter what your question is, Jetpac’s willing to go the extra mile — their 4.7 rating on Trustpilot speaks for itself. If you run into any issues (or just want to clarify something), Jetpac’s support team is available every day from 3 AM to 6 AM UTC time. 24/7 support launches this June, so you can reach out as soon as (or even before) you run into any problems with your eSIM.

Airalo’s Customer Support

Compared to Jetpac, Airalo provides 24/7 customer support through their app, chat, and email. However, responses on X and Reddit show that support can be inconsistent, with users often questioning how to best reach them. While their chat includes an AI chatbot for troubleshooting, reaching a live agent may involve a wait.

While Airalo has round-the-clock support available, the difficulty customers experience when trying to reach them in the first place makes all the difference. If you’re in need of assistance, it’s easier to reach out to Jetpac via any one of their support channels.

Frequently Asked Questions About Jetpac and Airalo

Does Jetpac eSIM allow tethering/hotspot?

Yes! Sharing is caring, so Jetpac allows you to share your connection with other devices. This is super handy when you’re traveling with friends or need to get your laptop online.

You can use both Jetpac and Airalo to share your connection with another device! Whether you’re WFA-ing away at a beach or sharing your data with your travel buddies, you can easily do so by turning on Personal Hotspot in your phone’s settings.

Can I reuse the same eSIM?

Once you’ve installed a Jetpac eSIM, you’re set for life. Regardless of where you’re traveling, your data packs will be allocated to a single eSIM, so you won’t have to remove or install any more eSIMs.

With Airalo, on the other hand, you can only reuse the eSIM you’ve installed if the data pack you’ve bought has top-up options and if you’ll be using your eSIM in the countries or regions your data pack currently supports. Otherwise, you’ll have to install a new eSIM to use data meant for another region or country.

Do Jetpac eSIMs come with a phone number?

Jetpac eSIMs are data-only, but you can get a temporary phone number with Jetpac’s latest feature, Voice. From USD 1.99, you can place outgoing calls to local numbers, which is perfect for when you need to call local businesses – think hotels, taxis, or that amazing restaurant – especially if they don’t use WhatsApp. Voice call packs are sold separately in the Jetpac app, starting from $1.99 for 5 minutes and covering 50+ countries.

Do Airalo eSIMs come with a phone number?

Most Airalo eSIMs are currently data-only and don’t offer any SMS or call capabilities. However, you can get a Discover+ Global eSIM where you’ll be given a US-based phone number for global use, with 75 national minutes and 25 international minutes allocated to your account. However, call forwarding and voicemail are not available.

Is Jetpac a reliable eSIM?

Jetpac’s been used by 300,000+ happy customers! It’s one of the most popular options when it comes to recommended eSIMs, and has a 4.7 rating from 800+ customers on Trustpilot.

Final Verdict: Is Jetpac or Airalo better?

Still can’t decide between Jetpac and Airalo? We’ve got you covered with this handy breakdown:

Pricing may change after publication.

*Only applicable for Jetpac eSIM data packs worth 15 GB and above.

Depending on your needs, either Jetpac or Airalo can be the best choice for your next trip.

Airalo represents the “safe” choice with predictable pricing and features. For travelers prioritizing simplicity over additional perks, it remains a solid option. Plus, if you want a Global pack with call features, Airalo has that too. However, with Jetpac’s affordable prices, added features, and Voice, it’s the better choice overall, as you can get a good deal for all the features mentioned above.

Ready to experience a travel game-changer? Grab a Jetpac travel eSIM now and see the difference for yourself.