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Disclosure. We are The SIM Shop and we sell travel eSIMs. This guide explains what to compare in a refund policy and links to each provider’s own terms. Check the policy that applies to your exact order and situation.
Here are three examples of why the conditions matter. For a direct Holafly purchase, its six-month change-of-plans route requires an unactivated eSIM. Saily’s one-off route uses thirty calendar days and has separate activation, remaining-data and Extras conditions. With Ubigi, the conditions mention an unscanned QR while the help page uses an unused-data test, so send the receipt and say whether you scanned or used it when asking which rule applies.
Compare the same refund situation
| What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| When the clock starts | A period measured from purchase is different from one measured from activation. |
| Installation and activation | A policy may treat installing a profile differently from connecting to a network. Read its definitions. |
| Data already used | Check whether use affects eligibility and whether a partial refund is considered. |
| Change of mind or a fault | These can have different routes, conditions and evidence requirements. |
| The deadline to ask | Find the request deadline, not just the time quoted for processing. |
| How the money comes back | Check whether the stated remedy is the original payment method, credit or a choice. |
| Decision, submission and bank time | These describe different stages. A shorter quoted number is not proof of faster money back. |
Read the exact policy before installing
If you are uncertain whether you will need a plan, read the current cancellation and refund terms before buying or installing it. Do not assume that “unused” means the same thing as “uninstalled” or “unactivated”.
Keep the order confirmation, plan description and the applicable policy. If two pages appear to disagree, ask the provider which terms apply to your exact order before relying on the more favourable sentence. A difference between two pages is a reason to clarify the terms, not enough on its own to predict how a claim will be decided.
Find the route for your provider
Use the provider’s route below, with the order reference, purchase date, installation status and what went wrong. For a connection fault, add the phone model, country, exact error and checks tried. That gives support the details to assess the actual request, rather than leaving you to choose a refund category from a headline.
- The SIM Shop: our refund policy sets out the applicable request routes, conditions and supporting information. If a promotion applies to your order, check its specific terms as well.
- Airalo: read the refund provisions in its Terms of Use. Check the difference between an unused purchase and a reported service problem.
- Saily: read its Terms of Service. Check the applicable request window, any usage condition and the available refund method.
- Ubigi: read its Terms and Conditions. Check the effect of installation and use before scanning a QR code.
- Nomad: compare its terms and conditions with the relevant refund help article. Confirm the terms that apply to your exact order.
- Holafly: read the refund policy alongside its terms and conditions. Distinguish a change of plans from a connection problem.
- SimCorner: read its refund policy and the terms applicable to the eSIM you are buying. Do not assume a physical SIM return process describes an eSIM purchase.
- Simify: check the refund policy and help-centre guidance. If their wording differs, ask which terms apply to your order.
If a connection problem happens during the trip
Contact the provider through its published support route and keep a record of the problem. Include the order reference, phone model, location and useful error information. Follow the provider’s troubleshooting instructions and avoid deleting the profile unless support expressly tells you to do so.
If you cannot reach support while away, save what you can: the time and place of the problem, relevant settings and error screenshots. Check the policy’s deadline and contact the provider as soon as you can. Having evidence does not guarantee a particular outcome, but it makes the problem easier to assess.
Never send a bank password or verification code as refund evidence. Use the provider’s secure process for any personal information it actually needs.
For a SIM Shop order
Start with our refund policy and the order’s exact plan details. The plan’s use-by date and installation rules still matter; a refund request period does not automatically extend the date by which you must start the eSIM.
The current Black Friday terms explain the upcoming 20 to 30 November campaign. Its extra refund promise applies to qualifying paid orders placed during that window. Check the purchase date and the terms that apply to your order.
If you are unsure which route fits, contact us with your order number and a brief description of what happened. We can look at the order and point you to the relevant next step. Our published policy also explains the consumer-guarantee information relevant to purchases from us.
Questions to ask before choosing on refund terms
Which provider has the longest refund window?
Compare the exact policies for the same purchase and the same situation. A longer change-of-mind period is not automatically a wider remedy after installation, activation or use. This guide does not claim a current category winner.
Is unused the same as uninstalled?
Do not assume so. Read the provider’s definitions and conditions before installing the profile.
Does a processing estimate tell me when the money reaches my account?
A review, an approved refund and money arriving in your account are separate steps. For example, a case marked “submitted” is still waiting for a decision; “approved” means you should keep the amount and payment reference to follow up if it doesn’t arrive within the provider’s stated processing period.
Should I delete the eSIM before requesting a refund?
Do not delete it unless the provider expressly instructs you to do so. Keep the order details and ask support for the correct next step.
Sources and scope
The linked provider policies are the primary places to check current terms. Check the current policy for the plan and purchase date you are considering. The SIM Shop policy and Black Friday terms were read on 15 September 2026. This guide does not replace any provider’s applicable terms.
