Howdy Insiders!

As more of you start travelling, we know that eSIMs are a hot topic these days and we've always meant to do a breakdown. Ahead of a future article, we'll share with you our thoughts as we tested them quite extensively while in Asia.

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eSIMs

Everyone seems to be using eSIMs these days but I wanted to really dive into who has the best deal and is it all it's hyped up to be?

Also, we know that eSIM companies are popping up daily it seems. We won't be able to cover them all so we'll stick to the ones we've tried.

eSIMs vs. Wifi Hotspots

For the longest time, we've primarily used Pokefi and Solis as our main way to get data when on the road.

Price comparison:

Pokefi - $30 (Global)
Solis - $35 (Global)
Airalo - $18 (Japan) / $59 (Global)
Ubigi - $22 (Japan) / $270 (Global)
AloSIM - $18 (Japan) / No global package
KnowRoaming - $17 (Japan) / $131 (Global)

Advantages/Disadvantages of eSIMs:

Pro - They're super easy to install and enable
Pro - Keeps your primary line available for voice while the eSIM is used for data
Pro - Cheaper for country-specific coverage
Con - Every traveller needs to get their own eSIM unless you're creating your own hotspot from your phone
Con - Not the best for global coverage so this mean you need to buy packages for individual countries or regions. If you don't use it all, you end up forfeiting what's left when it expires

Advantages/Disadvantages of wifi hotspots:

Pro - Multiple devices can share one package
Pro - Cheaper for global coverage
Pro - Once activated, it works pretty seamlessly across multiple countries
Con - It's easy to accidentally burn through a lot of data if you don't have Low Data Mode activated
Con - It's a separate device you have to carry, it gets hot, and is another device you have to charge every night
Con - Initial upfront cost of buying a device

For global coverage, play close attention to the number of days it's valid. Pokefi is great because their packages are valid for 2 years. In KnowRoaming's case, they're only valid for 15 days.

Airalo

Airalo is the darling of the eSIMs it seems like. They've done a really good job of marketing and I'm a big fan.

They use 4G networks, have their own app, and overall is a very polished experience.

Experience:

Consistent speed. Throughout Hokkaido, I topped out 143 Mbps up and 173 Mbps down. In poor signal areas, we experience 50 Mbps up and 24.4 Mbps down.
They have a loyalty program where at the highest level, you can get 10% back in credit back for every purchase you make.

Ubigi

The big draw for us to try Ubigi was that they were offering 5G access as a baseline for their eSIMs.

Experience:

Measured wildly fast speeds, topping out at 394 Mbps down and 248 Mbps up while in Tokyo
However, I kept experiencing moments where I kept wondering "why is it so slow?". In those moments, I would quite often get Speedtest results like 41.5 Mbps down and 45.7 Mbps up
Overall, the upload speed was quite often very slow
I don't think this is a Ubigi issue bot something I hear quite often with those that are on 5G - it's just not that consistent
Crazy expensive prices for global coverage
Without an app, I found the install and top-up experience to be a bit worse

AloSIM

I heard about AloSIM because StackSocial was running a pretty sweet promotion where you could buy $50 credit for $25. Unfortunately that promotion is over.

The weird thing about AloSIM is that they're almost an exact copycat of Airalo, not only in name but also how their app looks 🤔.

Experience:

They're a bit of a blend of Ubigi and Airalo because they can offer 5G in certain countries. For instance 5G is available in Japan but in Hong Kong, only LTE (4G)
While they claim to have 5G in Japan, I only seemed to get 4G speeds, measuring 87.6 Mbps down and 7.38 Mbps up in Kobe
Price-wise, they're almost identical to Airalo
They've partnered with Hush and each SIM also comes with a free phone number for calling and texting (separate app and account required)

KnowRoaming

You might remember these guys as the SIM sticker guys. KnowRoaming has changed ownership and they've also pivoted fully to eSIMs.

Experience:

4G performance and was relatively stable with speeds like 42.0 Mbps down and 6.29 Mbps up.
They don't have an app so they're similar to Ubigi in that way.
A dollar cheaper for 10GB package in Japan.
Doesn't really offer a good global solution but does have decent prices for regional packages (10GB for $37 for all of Asia).

Conclusion

These days, it's really hard to make a case for wifi hotspots. eSIMS are just so easy and convenient.

Between all eSIM companies, Airalo really has the leg up over the other companies with their app and loyalty program. Their prices are also quite competitive. 5G is also a bit of a bust in my opinion so no need to try to chase that feature.

I still think there's a case for pocket wifi devices especially if you already own one. Pokefi's global plan is the cheapest out there where $45 gets you 18 GB of data that's valid for 2 whole years.

eSIM Discounts

Airalo - Use our referral code WILLIA9500 to get $3 off your first purchase. They also have monthly coupons where APR15 gets 15% off for new customers and 10% off for APR10 for existing customers. It's safe to assume that each month will follow the same pattern 😉.
Pokefi - Use code GAP23200 to save $25 off the purchase of a device bundle.
KnowRoaming - Use code GAP10 to save 10%. You can use this as many times as you wish.
Ubigi - Use code AWESOME10 to save 10% on your first purchase.
AloSIM - Use code GOINGAWESOMEPLACES to save 5% on your first purchase

Make sure to check your professional organizations for discounts. For instance, in travel writing, we get discounts as a member of TMAC and SATW.

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New Video On The Channel

The last leg of my trip last year was 7 days in Hong Kong. Check out this video that covers all of the things that we did. My parents make a cameo as well!

You'll recognize a few familiar places but there are quite a few new places that you'll want to know about!

Watch Now

This Month's Travel Deals

Here are some of the top travel deals that we spotted in April.

Remember, the most up to date page is the deals page and we also share the really good ones on our special FB group.

Europcar: Upcoming May Flash Sale – Save up to 20% off car rentals for bookings between May and August. This goes live May 3 – 7, 2024 so make sure to mark your calendars!
Enterprise: Save 10% off car rentals this summer. This runs until the end of July 2024 and is available for UK, Ireland, France, Germany and Spain.
MEC: Spring sale is now live including 30% the Arc’teryx Atom Hoody which we swear by and the Arc’teryx Thorium AR Hoody.
Columbia Sportswear: Extra 20% Off Sale with Code APRILSAVE. Code expires May 1, 2024
Mountain Hardwear Canada: Get 65% off select apparel with coupon code SAVE65 until May 5, 2024.
Mountain Hardwear US: Use code MHWAPR65 to get 65% off select apparel, tents, and sleeping bags from now until May 5, 2024.

What's Next at Going Awesome Places

In May, we'll be at U.S. Travel Association's IPW in Los Angeles, a conference dedicated to US travel destinations.

We'll be headed back to Disneyland also hoping to add more detail to how to do Universal Studios Hollywood in one day. Is anyone planning on going this year and is there anything you'd like for us to confirm/check out?

This Month in Travel

Here are a few interesting articles we found this month. This sure inspires wanderlust and could be your ticket to awesome ;)

Airlines with Stopover Programs - These are 10 airlines that allow you to add a stop in between at no extra cost.
Canary Islands Mass Tourism - Locals have begun a hunger strike in the city of Tenerife to halt the construction of a hotel and beach resort.
Before You Quit Your Job To Travel - This couple shares their candid thoughts on what they wish they knew before they quit their jobs to travel for a year.
Mt. Fuji Bans - This is sad but the Lawson in Kawaguchiko has been overrun with way too many poorly behaved tourists that they had to put up a black barrier to obscure views of Mt. Fuji.