Ten rounds, prices checked in three countries, speed tests and a final score: we settle it.
Ubigi and Airalo are two of the most talked-about eSIMs for getting online abroad from your iPhone or Android phone, with coverage in more than 200 destinations. Their plans look alike on paper, but they work in very different ways. Ubigi sells its own eSIM as a carrier: it's the brand of Transatel, part of the Japanese NTT group. Airalo is an eSIM store that resells plans from dozens of carriers, by country, as regional plans or as a global plan (Discover).
We checked the official prices on October 22, 2026 in Japan, South Korea and Australia, and compared the unlimited plan rules, the networks, speed tests, refunds, support and reviews. The result: an Ubigi vs Airalo comparison in 10 rounds, with one winner per criterion. Ubigi wins 5-4, with one draw, and a third eSIM costs less than both on every plan from 1 to 50 GB compared.
Rony
Updated: November 2026
16 min read
Ubigi wins 5 rounds out of 10: cheaper on 10 GB in all three countries and on every comparable plan in South Korea, cheaper unlimited plans on all 7 durations compared, three networks in Japan including NTT Docomo, faster in 3 of the 4 cities tested, and a single eSIM for all your trips.
Airalo wins 4 rounds: calling minutes and texts in some destinations, more flexible refunds, chat and WhatsApp support 24 hours a day, and loyalty rewards with Airmoney (5% to 10% of every purchase).
What they have in common: more than 200 destinations, an app rated at least 4.5/5 on the App Store, setup in a few minutes, and Trustpilot reviews that are almost neck and neck (4.1/5 and 4.2/5).
Choose based on your trip: Ubigi for South Korea, one- or two-week stays and multi-stop trips; Airalo if you go over 60 GB in a month, or if you need to make calls.
The alternative: voilà eSIM, our own eSIM, costs less than both on every plan from 1 to 50 GB compared, with excellent value for money, an easy-to-install eSIM, an easy-to-use app and 24/7 human customer support.
Before we get into the details, here's the winner of each criterion. Prices were checked on October 22, 2026 on the official websites, in US dollars, without any promo code, in Japan, South Korea and Australia.
Final score: Ubigi wins 5 rounds to 4, with one draw. Ubigi wins on price, unlimited plans, the network in Japan, speed and multi-stop trips. Airalo wins on calls, refunds, support and loyalty. The app and reviews round ends in a draw.
We checked the prices shown on both official websites on October 22, 2026, the ones you actually pay, without any promo code. Ubigi is cheaper on 10 GB in all three countries, and on every comparable plan in South Korea.
Ubigi is cheaper on 1 GB and 10 GB in Japan and South Korea, and on 10 GB in Australia. Its 1 GB plan in Australia costs the same as Airalo's, but lasts 7 days instead of 3. It sells a 50 GB plan in Japan, but no 20 GB plan.
Airalo is the only one of the two to sell 20 GB for 30 days in Japan ($25.00) and Australia ($30.00), a handy tier for three weeks. In Australia, it pulls ahead on 50 GB: $45.00 versus $55.00 at Ubigi.
| Plan | voilà eSIM | Ubigi | Airalo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan, 1 GB | $1.40 (7 d) | $3.50 (3 d) | $4.00 (3 d) |
| Japan, 10 GB, 30 d | $9.60 | $16.50 | $18.00 |
| Japan, 20 GB, 30 d | $16.80 | No plan | $25.00 |
| Japan, 50 GB, 30 d | $34.90 | $55.00 | No plan |
| South Korea, 1 GB | $1.90 (7 d) | $3.00 (7 d) | $4.00 (3 d) |
| South Korea, 10 GB, 30 d | $13.50 | $14.00 | $19.00 |
| South Korea, 50 GB, 30 d | $34.90 | No plan | $49.00 |
| Australia, 1 GB | $1.40 (7 d) | $4.00 (7 d) | $4.00 (3 d) |
| Australia, 10 GB, 30 d | $9.60 | $16.00 | $18.00 |
| Australia, 20 GB, 30 d | $16.80 | No plan | $30.00 |
| Australia, 50 GB, 30 d | $34.90 | $55.00 | $45.00 |
Price per GB, the real tiebreaker: on 10 GB, you pay $1.65 per GB in Japan at Ubigi, $1.80 at Airalo and $0.96 at voilà eSIM. In South Korea, it's $1.40 at Ubigi, $1.90 at Airalo and $1.35 with us. voilà eSIM costs less than both on every plan compared in these three countries. You'll find all our offers on our South Korea eSIM and Australia eSIM pages.
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Travel abroad with confidence: no more roaming fees, connection struggles, or unexpected top-ups. With a travel-friendly eSIM, stay connected everywhere, stress-free and surprise-free.
Ubigi, cheaper on 10 GB in all three countries and on every comparable plan in South Korea.
Both sell unlimited data, but neither gives you full speed with no limit. Ubigi is cheaper on all 7 durations compared; Airalo keeps the edge if you go over 60 GB in a month.
Ubigi gives you a total amount of full-speed data for the whole plan: 20 to 25 GB over 7 days depending on the country, 30 GB over 15 days, 60 GB over 30 days. Beyond that, speed drops to 2 Mbit/s until the plan ends. It suits people who use a lot of data one day and almost none the next.
Airalo gives you 3 GB a day at full speed, then 1 Mbit/s until the next day. Over 30 days, that's up to 90 GB at full speed, but never more than 3 GB on the same day. It costs more than Ubigi on every unlimited plan compared, but it gives you more full-speed data if you go over 60 GB in a month.
| Unlimited | Ubigi | Airalo |
|---|---|---|
| Japan, 15 d | $39.00 | $48.00 |
| Japan, 30 d | $65.00 | $69.00 |
| South Korea, 7 d | $25.00 | $29.00 |
| South Korea, 15 d | $34.00 | $49.00 |
| South Korea, 30 d | $49.00 | $69.00 |
| Australia, 7 d | $22.00 | $26.50 |
| Australia, 30 d | $65.00 | $66.50 |
Ubigi, cheaper on all 7 unlimited plans compared. Airalo, only if you go over 60 GB in a month.
When choosing an eSIM for Japan, the real question is the network, and how much time you'll spend outside the big cities. Ubigi relies on one more network: NTT Docomo.
Ubigi relies on Japan's three major carriers: NTT Docomo, KDDI and SoftBank. The travel blog Where and Wander, which compared the two in Japan, found it more reliable in rural areas, in Hokkaido or in the Chubu mountains, thanks to the Docomo network, which the blog describes as the most extensive in the country.
Airalo runs on SoftBank and KDDI, with 5G advertised on both. The same blog found it faster in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. It's also the only one of the two to sell 20 GB for 30 days ($25.00), handy for three weeks.
| Destination | voilà eSIM | Ubigi | Airalo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | NTT Docomo | NTT Docomo, KDDI, SoftBank | SoftBank, KDDI (5G) |
| South Korea | SK Telecom, LG Uplus | LG Uplus, SK Telecom | SK Telecom |
| Australia | Optus | Optus | Optus |
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Travel abroad with confidence: no more roaming fees, connection struggles, or unexpected top-ups. With a travel-friendly eSIM, stay connected everywhere, stress-free and surprise-free.
Ubigi, for NTT Docomo and its reliability outside the big cities. According to the same test, Airalo is still faster in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.
Neither one is fast by nature: speed depends on the local network and on how many people are connected to the cell tower. The website Travel eSIM Expert measured both eSIMs in the same spots with Ookla's Speedtest. Ubigi wins three cities out of four.
Ubigi was faster for downloads in Dubai, Singapore and Madrid, with a peak of 517 Mbit/s in Dubai. The website names it the winner on speed.
Airalo clearly wins in Lille, with 567 Mbit/s. In Madrid, it ran on the Orange 5G network. The gap in Lille shows that it all comes down to the local carrier: Ubigi was running on the Free network there, and Airalo on a network the test doesn't name.
| City | Ubigi | Airalo |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai (Marina) | 517 Mbit/s | 181 Mbit/s |
| Singapore (Orchard Road) | 263 Mbit/s | 176 Mbit/s |
| Madrid | 375 Mbit/s | 228 Mbit/s |
| Lille | 148 Mbit/s | 567 Mbit/s |
Ubigi, faster in 3 cities out of 4. These measurements were taken in cities: in rural areas, speed depends above all on the nearest cell tower.
The core difference fits in one sentence: Ubigi sells its own eSIM, Airalo sells other carriers' eSIMs. You'll feel it from your second trip.
Ubigi is a mobile virtual network operator. It gives you a single eSIM that works in more than 200 destinations: you install it once, then add a plan for each trip from the app, even with no Wi-Fi and no data left. It also sells plans for eSIM-compatible laptops running Windows 10 and 11, as well as monthly and annual plans.
Airalo works like a store: each plan has an in-house name that changes with the destination (Moshi Moshi in Japan, Jang in South Korea, Yes Go in Australia). You can top up the eSIM for a second stay in the same country, but a trip somewhere else means a new installation. Its help center only has instructions for iOS and Android.
Ubigi, for its single eSIM, its laptop plans and its monthly plans.
Most travelers only use data. But if you need to make calls or send texts while you're there, Airalo is the only one of the two that sells minutes.
Ubigi only sells data. Your usual SIM card stays active so you keep your number, and WhatsApp works with the eSIM's data.
In some destinations, such as the United States, Airalo sells plans with calling minutes and texts.
Airalo, the only one of the two that sells minutes and texts.
Both apps are well rated and setup works the same way, in a few minutes. On reviews, the two are almost neck and neck, with nearly 50,000 reviews each. It's a draw.
Rated 4.6/5 on the App Store in France (4,584 ratings). On Trustpilot, 4.1/5 from 49,257 reviews, 12% of them one-star. Positive reviews praise a stable connection on long trips, including three weeks in Japan; negative reviews mention the unlimited plan being throttled once the allowance is used up, and how hard it is to get a refund.
Rated 4.5/5 on the App Store in France (9,323 ratings), available in 53 languages. On Trustpilot, 4.2/5 from 48,158 reviews, 16% of them one-star. Positive reviews praise the help during setup; negative reviews mention weak coverage in some countries and the unlimited plan slowing down after 3 GB a day.
| Platform | Ubigi | Airalo |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot | 4.1/5 (49,257 reviews) | 4.2/5 (48,158 reviews) |
| 1-star reviews on Trustpilot | 12% | 16% |
| App Store France | 4.6/5 (4,584 ratings) | 4.5/5 (9,323 ratings) |
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No blocked apps
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No blocked apps
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24/7 customer support
Travel abroad with confidence: no more roaming fees, connection struggles, or unexpected top-ups. With a travel-friendly eSIM, stay connected everywhere, stress-free and surprise-free.
Draw: Ubigi is slightly better rated on the App Store, Airalo on Trustpilot.
The real difference in reliability between the two shows in their refund terms. Airalo is much more flexible.
With Ubigi, a plan can only be refunded if you haven't scanned the QR code yet, and the request must be sent within 14 business days of purchase. A phone locked to its carrier doesn't qualify for any refund.
With Airalo, you have a 14-day cancellation right, which ends as soon as the eSIM is activated. If the service doesn't work, you have 30 days to report it, and Airalo refunds or replaces the plan if it can't restore access within 10 days, prorated for what you haven't used, in Airmoney or to your original payment method.
Airalo, which also refunds you if the service doesn't work.
When it comes to customer support, Airalo is easier to reach. On the day your connection won't work at the airport, a chat open day and night is more reassuring than a form.
Ubigi has a help center (FAQs, video tutorials), but you contact it through an online form, with no live chat.
Airalo advertises 24/7 support in several languages, via chat and WhatsApp.
Airalo, reachable by chat and WhatsApp at any hour.
Each brand rewards returning travelers in its own way. Airalo gives back part of every purchase.
Ubigi sells monthly and annual plans, useful for a long stay. Airalo only sells one-off plans.
Airalo gives back 5% to 10% of every purchase in Airmoney, a credit you can spend later, and also rewards referrals.
Airalo, with 5% to 10% of every purchase given back in Airmoney.
After 10 rounds, Ubigi wins 5 to 4, with one draw. It wins on price, unlimited plans, the network in Japan, speed and multi-stop trips. Airalo wins on calls, refunds, support and loyalty.
Choose Ubigi if you're going to South Korea, spending one or two weeks in Japan, working on a Windows laptop or often going back to the same region. Choose Airalo if you use more than 60 GB in a month, if you need 20 GB for 30 days, if you need to make calls or if you want a human you can reach by chat at any hour.
And if you simply want to pay as little as possible, neither of them wins: voilà eSIM costs less than both on every plan from 1 to 50 GB compared in these three countries. For other head-to-heads, we also compare Holafly and Ubigi, Saily and Ubigi and Saily and Airalo.
Wins the head-to-head, 5 rounds out of 10
Cheaper than both on every plan from 1 to 50 GB
The easiest to reach, with calls and flexible refunds
Excellent value for money: plans from 1 to 50 GB in more than 190 countries, and the price you see is the final price
An easy-to-install eSIM and an easy-to-use app: you buy, install and track your data usage in one place
24/7 human customer support: a real person answers you, wherever you are in the world
No subscription and no auto-renewal
Cheaper than Ubigi and Airalo on every plan from 1 to 50 GB compared in Japan, South Korea and Australia
Ready to compare prices for your next destination?
See voilà eSIM plansRony is our in-house travel-connected expert. Always curious and never too far from an airport, he explores the latest destinations while testing the newest eSIM solutions. He signs our articles on travel and mobile technology, with a single mission: to turn his discoveries into clear, reliable, and smart advice to accompany you anywhere in the world.
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