Looking for an Airalo alternative? Here are seven, and when each one wins

Why people look for an Airalo alternative

Usually one of four reasons, and the right alternative depends on which one applies to you.

Price. Airalo is mid-priced rather than cheapest. Three providers undercut it on most destinations.

The refund window. Airalo’s withdrawal right “expires on the earlier of 14 days after making the purchase, or the date on which the eSIM is activated.” If you book early, that is gone before you fly.

Too much choice. Their USA page alone lists 28 distinct packages. That is depth if you know what you want and a problem if you do not.

Currency. Airalo prices in Australian dollars, but their terms also say “we usually process payments in US Dollars”, and we could not confirm what actually settles on an Australian card.

If none of those is your problem, Airalo is a good product and staying put is a reasonable answer. We have set out why in is Airalo worth it.

The seven, at a glance

Ten gigabytes over thirty days, against Airalo.

Holafly does not sell gigabytes: their ladder is A$6 for one day, A$43 for seven and A$117 for thirty, unlimited.

Nomad was removed from this dated table because its Australian storefront switched to AUD. On 25 August 2026, its live 10GB/30-day examples included China at A$23.73 sale, Canada at A$23.73 sale and a 14-country Asia Pacific plan at A$29.31. Compare the live destination rather than carrying its old US-dollar figures forward.

Full nine-provider table with every tier, re-checked monthly: travel eSIM prices in Australia.

Ubigi, if you want better fair-use terms

When it wins: you are a heavy data user, or you are going to Europe.

Ubigi is a brand of Transatel, part of NTT, and publishes the best fair use terms in the category on the product page next to the price: 25GB to 60GB of full speed data per plan, then a floor of 2 Mbps. Airalo’s is 3GB a day then 1 Mbps, which is good disclosure but a less generous deal.

They are also cheapest in Europe by a wide margin at A$26.00 against Airalo’s A$44.50, allow five reinstalls of the eSIM profile where Airalo allows none, and let you top up with no data and no wifi.

What you give up: Ubigi publishes two contradictory refund tests, and under one of them scanning the QR code ends your refund rights. Do not scan until you are committed. They also publish no support hours and no response commitment.

SimCorner, if you want a physical SIM or an Australian contract

When it wins: your phone does not support eSIM, or you are going to Thailand.

SimCorner is the only alternative here that will post you a physical SIM card. They have traded since 2012, hold 345 reviews on ProductReview.com.au at 4.2 stars, name the carrier on each plan, publish an ABN, and put their contract under Victorian law and Victorian courts with the Australian Consumer Law named in their refund policy.

They are also cheapest in Thailand at A$14.00.

What you give up: their published refund policy covers “Sim cards and/or Accessory” and never mentions eSIMs, while asking you to return the faulty item at your own cost. And their Europe Unlimited plan throttles to 128 kbps, which will not run maps reliably.

Nomad, if you want a competitive live price and rewards

When it wins: its live AUD price is lower for your exact destination, or its rewards suit how often you buy.

Nomad’s live prices can be among the lowest, and their rewards programme is one of the strongest for ordinary buyers: 5% back, a US$2 bonus on repeat purchases of 10GB or more up to five times a month, US$5 each way on referrals, and a free starter eSIM nobody else offers. Their Global-EX range runs to 365 days of validity, and their UK plans include minutes and texts.

What you give up: their throttle is published three different ways and their terms mention it nowhere. Their refund terms also provide no cooling off after activation unless the fault is theirs. Nomad now shows Australian dollars to Australian shoppers, so compare the live plan rather than an old US-dollar example.

Saily, if you want security extras and an Australian contract

When it wins: you want the throttle published clearly and you value an Australian entity on the paperwork.

Saily publishes its fair use terms in full, with the best reset design in the category (local midnight, following your time zone). They include an ad blocker and web protection free, sell a phone number add-on for verification codes, and contract Australians through CyberQuay Pty Ltd, Sydney, with a clause acknowledging local consumer law can override their governing law. Airalo contracts through Singapore under English law with a US$100 liability cap.

What you give up: US dollars only. Their currency configuration has no Australian dollar option at all. And their activated refund threshold requires more than 99% of the plan unused, which on a 5GB plan is about 51 megabytes.

Holafly, if you use a lot of data or might cancel

When it wins: you use several gigabytes a day, or your trip is one to four days, or you are booking a long way ahead.

Holafly’s six month unactivated refund window is the most generous anyone in this category publishes, against Airalo’s fourteen days or activation. They price in fixed Australian dollars, have WhatsApp support, and sell a single day of unlimited for A$6, which is the cheapest useful entry point anywhere.

What you give up: hotspot is capped at 1GB per day on trip plans, and no throttle figure is published anywhere. If you are sharing a connection, this is the wrong swap.

Simify, if you want one price and no decisions

When it wins: you are buying a global or multi-region plan, or you never want to compare tables again.

One flat price across sixteen destinations, A$49 for 10GB over 30 days. Their global plan undercuts most competitors, their throttled speed of around 3 Mbps is the fastest in the category, and their help centre refund policy is the best-written refund document of any Australian provider here.

What you give up: A$49 in Thailand where Airalo charges A$16. And they publish two contradictory refund policies simultaneously, disagreeing on the window, on physical returns and on sale items.

Us, if you want Australian dollars and Australian law

When we win: Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, the USA, the UK and New Zealand, where we are cheaper than Airalo by six to twelve dollars on the same 10GB. Also our entry plan is A$4.95 for 1GB over seven days against Airalo’s A$6.00 over three.

We are an Australian company, billing in Australian dollars end to end, under Australian law, with someone answering the email in your time zone.

Where Airalo may still suit you better: we are a newer eSIM-only shop. Our claimed Trustpilot profile had no reviews when checked on 25 August 2026, and we are not currently listed on ProductReview.com.au. Airalo has the longer independent track record and puts one tethering rule in writing across its range. Our hotspot and reduced-speed wording depends on the exact plan, and Europe and regional Asia were dearer with us in the checked table. What you can check with us now is our public ABN, the supported networks on each exact plan, dated AUD prices, local refund and Credit terms, and Brisbane support.

Which switch for which problem

And one honest note: if you are a heavy Airalo buyer already past their Platinum tier, their 10% back is better than anything on this list. Switching would cost you that. Airalo’s tiered programme is genuinely good and it is a reason to stay.

Questions people actually ask

What is the best Airalo alternative for Australians?

It depends on why you are leaving. For price on Asian destinations, us or SimCorner. For Europe, Ubigi by a wide margin. For a longer refund window, Holafly at six months. For better fair use terms, Ubigi. For a physical SIM, SimCorner is the only option here.

Is there a cheaper alternative to Airalo?

Several. SimCorner is cheaper in Thailand and Europe, Ubigi is cheaper in Europe and the USA, and we are cheaper on Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, the USA, the UK and New Zealand in the dated table. Nomad now renders AUD, so compare its exact live plan as well.

Which Airalo alternative has the best refund policy?

Holafly, with six months on an unactivated eSIM against Airalo’s fourteen days or activation. Saily allows thirty days. Ubigi’s is the worst in this list because they publish two contradictory tests at once.

Do any alternatives allow unlimited hotspot like Airalo?

SimCorner lists hotspot as uncapped across its Europe range. Ubigi, Nomad, Simify and we permit it without publishing a limit. Holafly caps it at 1GB per day, and Saily’s terms prohibit tethering “beyond occasional personal use” while their marketing says otherwise.

Which alternatives price in Australian dollars?

The SIM Shop, SimCorner, Simify, Ubigi, Holafly and Nomad all showed Australian-dollar pricing to Australian shoppers when last checked. Saily had no Australian-dollar option in its currency configuration.

Is Airalo still worth staying with?

For many people, yes. They have the deepest catalogue, they publish their throttle threshold, they commit to unlimited tethering in writing, and their loyalty programme reaches 10% back at Platinum tier. If price is not your problem, staying is reasonable.

Which alternative is best if I use a lot of data?

Ubigi, comfortably. They publish 25GB to 60GB of full speed data per plan then a floor of 2 Mbps, which is the most generous fair use policy in the category and better than Airalo’s 3GB a day then 1 Mbps.

Which alternative is best for a multi-country trip?

Simify’s flat A$49 global plan if the trip crosses several regions, or Airalo’s own regional catalogue, which is the deepest here. Check the coverage list country by country before you buy either.

Sources

All prices from each provider’s own live pricing, captured 17 August 2026 unless otherwise dated, with full methodology in travel eSIM prices in Australia. Nomad’s AUD storefront examples were rechecked on 25 August 2026. Policy quotes from Airalo’s Terms of Use and fair use policy, Saily’s Terms of Service, Ubigi’s Terms and Conditions, Nomad’s terms, Holafly’s refund policy, SimCorner’s refund policy and Simify’s two live refund policies. SimCorner’s review count from ProductReview.com.au, stated as observed and not characterised. Our review-footprint wording links our claimed Trustpilot profile.

Written by Lachlan, who runs The SIM Shop from Brisbane and answers the support email himself.