Jetpac vs The SIM Shop: travel extras and data compared

The data comparison on Japan

Jetpac displayed Australian dollars on the Japan page when we re-checked, including on the checkout button. We publish in Australian dollars too, so there is no conversion hiding inside the comparison below. You should still read the final checkout before paying, because that is the amount that matters. More on the general currency problem: travel eSIMs priced in Australian dollars.

Read that ladder with some caution. The discounts were uneven when we looked, ranging from around 30% on the smaller packs to more than half off the larger ones, and the 20GB plan was priced above the promotional 30GB plan. That kind of inconsistency usually means a promotion in motion rather than a settled price list, so check it yourself on the day.

The useful comparison is the 10GB row. Jetpac’s Japan 10GB over 30 days listed at A$36.50 and was selling at A$25.50. Ours is A$19.95. On that checked plan we were A$5.55 below their promotional price and A$16.55 below their list price.

Our dated multi-provider table is here: travel eSIM prices in Australia.

This is the most interesting idea we have come across in this category, because the worst moment on any trip is being out of data in an unfamiliar city with no way to call a car or find your hotel. We do not offer anything like it. Two caveats worth knowing: it applies to eligible packs of 3GB and above rather than every plan, and it is access to those specific apps rather than normal unrestricted data.

3. A published daily allowance on the unlimited plan. Their unlimited product describes the first 3GB every 24 hours at standard network speeds, then up to 1 Mbps until the allowance refreshes in the next 24 hour cycle. That is a clear, checkable statement of what you are buying. Our comparison across providers: what “unlimited” actually means.
4. Clear activation timing, with a different setup preference from ours. Their page tells you to install before you fly and switch the eSIM on once you have landed. We take the more conservative route for our own customers: buy before travel, save the setup email, then install after landing once airport Wi-Fi or another steady connection is working.
5. Unactivated plans stay available for three months from the date of purchase, so buying ahead does not cost you.

The travel extras, and what we could and could not verify

This is the part most people want settled, and it is the part where we have to be careful.

What Jetpac publishes as three separate things:

• Smart Delay, which involves registering a flight and can provide complimentary lounge access following an eligible delay.
• Lounge passes, sold separately.
• Fast track passes, sold separately.

What the lounge page says. Jetpac advertises access to more than 1,300 lounges. One pass covers one entry for one person. The page headline says “No booking needed”, while its redemption instructions also say to redeem, register and book the pass 24 hours before the flight. We would check the airport and the booking step directly before relying on the headline.

What the fast track page says. Jetpac advertises more than 80 locations and says to book fast track access at least 24 hours before the flight. Coverage varies by airport, so check the actual terminal rather than assuming the airport name is enough.

What remains unverified. The Japan product page says to register a flight in the Jetpac Global app to use SmartDelay and receive lounge access following a delay. We did not find a live detailed SmartDelay page setting out the delay threshold or full eligibility conditions, so we have not invented either one. No pass price is stated here because it was not displayed on the public lounge or fast track pages we captured.

What to do: if the extras are your reason for choosing Jetpac, open those pages and read the current terms before you buy. Work out which of the three you would actually be getting, and whether it depends on a delay, a registration or a separate purchase. If the answer does not suit you, then you are buying a data plan at a data plan price, and the table above is the comparison that matters.

Where we may suit you better

A lower checked Japan price in the same displayed currency. Both pages showed Australian dollars. Our Japan 10GB over 30 days was A$19.95 against Jetpac’s A$25.50 promotional price and A$36.50 list price.

An Australian business you can look up and email. The SIM Shop Pty Ltd, ABN 50 699 035 704, ACN 699 035 704, in Brisbane. Support is email, answered by me.

Plan information published up front. On the Japan plan compared here, we publish the supported local networks directly on the product page. We do that per plan, where our supplier evidence supports it, rather than making a blanket claim across every destination.

Public terms. Our SIM Shop Credit terms and our refund policy are pages you can read before you buy. Our refund policy generally addresses the original payment method unless another remedy is selected.

A simpler purchase. One plan, one price, no passes or perk tiers to work through. That is a drawback if the extras are what you want and an advantage if they are not.

Our current AUD plans, for context:

The 35-area plan does not include France. If Paris or anywhere else in France is on your itinerary, take Europe 30+ Areas instead: it covers 34 destinations including France and Turkey, and 10GB over 30 days is A$29.95. The 35-area list also leaves out Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia, Gibraltar and the Channel Islands.

Worth being upfront: we sell three Europe footprints. A$24.95 buys 10GB across 35 areas without France, A$29.95 covers 34 destinations including France and Turkey, and A$49.95 covers 41 destinations. If Europe is your trip, check the area list against your itinerary before you compare anyone on price, including us.

Refunds, and one thing worth clarifying before you buy

Jetpac’s published terms and conditions contain two provisions that are not easy to read together.

One states that “Once you have installed the eSIM, it will be considered used and no refunds will be offered”, alongside a support process where a refund request “must be made within thirty (30) days from the date of your purchase”.

Another describes a money back guarantee covering a device that turns out not to be eSIM compatible, or network connectivity problems, where “The eligible refund period is from the date of purchase of the relevant Jetpac product until 15 days after the expiry of the relevant Jetpac product validity period.”

We are not saying either clause is unfair. We are saying that a customer trying to work out where they stand after an eSIM will not connect has to reconcile them, and that is a clarity problem rather than a generosity problem. If a refund matters to you, ask Jetpac in writing which provision applies to your situation, and keep the answer.

Our own position is set out at our refund policy, and we compare the published policies across providers here: travel eSIM refund policies compared.

Independent reviews, with the sample size attached

Jetpac’s ProductReview.com.au listing showed 1.0 from 3 reviews when we checked on 27 August 2026.

Three reviews is far too small a sample to conclude anything from, and we are not going to build an argument on it. A company operating across a claimed 200-plus destinations will have vastly more customers than three, and whatever those three experienced does not represent the product.

Our own position, stated plainly. We are not listed on ProductReview.com.au, checked 27 August 2026. We have a claimed Trustpilot profile at au.trustpilot.com/review/thesimshop.com.au, claimed in June 2026, which had no reviews when we checked on the same date. Those are two different platforms and we would rather say exactly where we stand on each than blur them.

While that record builds, what you can actually check about us is this: our company details are public, our plan information including supported networks is on the product pages, our Credit and refund terms are public, and every price in this article is dated and linked back to its source.

Which should you buy

Buy Jetpac if the travel extras are the point and you have read their current terms and they suit how you travel.

Buy Jetpac if sharing your connection matters most, given their no-stated-limit hotspot description.

Buy Jetpac if the essential apps feature appeals, remembering it applies to eligible packs of 3GB and above.

Buy Jetpac if their promotional pricing works out ahead on the exact plan you need. On the checked Japan 10GB plan, ours remained lower.

Buy from us if you want the lower checked Japan 10GB price and a straightforward data purchase, with an Australian company on the contract, published plan details and public terms.

Questions people actually ask

Does every Jetpac plan come with lounge access?

No, and this is the thing most worth understanding. Jetpac presents data plans, Smart Delay (which involves registering a flight and can provide lounge access following an eligible delay), and separately purchased lounge and fast track passes. Read their current terms to see which applies to you.

What is Smart Delay?

Jetpac describes it as a benefit connected to registering your flight, providing complimentary lounge access following an eligible delay. We could not capture the eligibility rules on 27 August 2026, so we have not stated a delay threshold. Check their page.

Does Jetpac charge in Australian dollars?

The Japan product page and checkout button displayed Australian dollars when we re-checked on 27 August 2026. Confirm the amount on the final checkout before paying.

What happens when Jetpac data runs out?

On eligible packs of 3GB and above, they describe complimentary access to WhatsApp chat, Uber, Grab and Google Maps navigation. That is access to those apps rather than normal data. On our plans, or most others, you top up or you have no connection.

Which is cheaper for Japan?

On 27 August 2026, Jetpac’s 10GB over 30 days listed at A$36.50 and was selling at A$25.50, while ours was A$19.95. On those checked prices, ours was A$5.55 below the promotion.

Is Jetpac a real company?

Yes. Jetpac was launched in 2022 within Circles. Circles announced on 6 December 2024 that Jetpac was being spun off as a high-growth venture, supported by a partnership with KDDI Corporation.

Can I keep my Australian number?

With any travel eSIM, yes. It installs as a second line, so your Australian SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts while the eSIM carries data. Turn data roaming off on your Australian line before you go.

Sources

Jetpac Japan prices, the unlimited plan’s 3GB per 24 hours and up to 1 Mbps description, the hotspot statement, the essential apps feature and its 3GB-and-above eligibility, and the activation and three month unactivated guidance from their Japan eSIM page, checked 27 August 2026 with promotions running. Refund and money back wording quoted from Jetpac’s published terms and conditions, checked 27 August 2026. The 1,300-plus lounge footprint, one-entry and one-person pass terms, and the page’s differing booking cues came from Jetpac’s lounge page. The 80-plus location statement and 24-hour booking instruction came from their fast track page. No SmartDelay threshold or pass price is stated because neither was available on the public pages captured. Corporate history from Circles’ announcement of 6 December 2024, which describes Jetpac as being spun off as a high-growth venture supported by a partnership with KDDI Corporation. Jetpac’s rating and review count from their ProductReview.com.au listing, checked 27 August 2026, with the sample size stated. The SIM Shop prices and published supported networks from our Japan eSIM page; our Credit terms and refund policy are public. Trustpilot observation from our claimed profile, checked 27 August 2026. Prices and promotions change without notice.

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