Airalo vs World eSIM User Review: Which Is Better for a Japan Trip?

Popular eSIMs for Traveling in Japan: Airalo and World eSIM

In recent years, eSIMs have become popular as a method of internet connectivity while traveling in Japan.

There are various eSIM services, but particularly popular ones are Airalo and World eSIM.

In this article, we have actually used and compared Airalo and World eSIM. Please use this as a reference when purchasing an eSIM.

What are the Benefits of eSIMs?

eSIM stands for Embedded SIM. It is a service that can be purchased and used with just an online setup, eliminating risks such as losing the physical SIM card, which has contributed to its growing popularity in recent years.

Airalo and World eSIM: User Review

Comparison of Airalo and World eSIM
1. Ease of Purchase and Activation
2. Variety of Prices and Plans
3. Communication Speed
4. Usability
Conclusion

Comparison of Airalo and World eSIM

First, let's take a look at the companies that provide each service.

Picture courtesy of Airalo Official Website

Airalo is a Singapore-based company that was the first in the world to sell eSIMs. With a total of over 10 million users, it is utilized in many countries.

Picture courtesy of World eSIM Official Website

On the other hand, World eSIM is a service offered by the Global WiFi brand, which provides internet services worldwide. Based in Japan, its long-standing history adds to its reliability.

This time, we compared Airalo and World eSIM based on the following criteria:

- Ease of Purchase and Activation
- Variety of Prices and Plans
- Communication Speed
- Usability

For the comparison, I used my Android device, the Galaxy A23 5G, and the location for the testing was Kagawa Prefecture in Japan.

1. Ease of Purchase and Activation

Key Point: Both services send an email immediately after application. You can use it right away after setting the APN.

On the left is the screen for Airalo, and on the right is the screen for World eSIM. Both use QR codes.

Let's first compare the process from purchase to activation. Overall, the evaluation is that "both are equal."

Time from Application to Receiving the Activation Email

For both Airalo and World eSIM, I received an email containing the QR code necessary for activation within 5 minutes of placing the order.

Both services are very quick in their response.

Ease of Activation

For both services, activation could be easily started by scanning the QR code and setting the APN. While there are differences in the screens, there is no significant difference in this regard.

Note that both require scanning a QR code. Therefore, you can either use two smartphones or utilize apps like Google Lens for assistance.

Is a Dedicated App Necessary?

Both Airalo and World eSIM have dedicated apps, but you can use the eSIM without them.

Is your smartphone cluttered with apps? If you prefer not to accumulate too many applications, using the service without a dedicated app is also recommended.

2. Variety of Prices and Plans

Key Point: The prices are similar. However, World eSIM offers a significantly greater variety of plans.

Airalo

	Data Amount	Duration (Days)	Price
Fixed Data Plan	1GB to 20GB	7 to 30 days	4.5 USD and up

Airalo offers six plans. All of them are Fixed Data Plans (plans with a predetermined amount of data that can be used within a specific period).

For those who find it confusing to have too many plans, this simplicity might be appealing. On the other hand, because there are fewer options, it may be challenging to find the plan that suits you perfectly.

World eSIM

	Data Amount	Duration (Days)	Price
Unlimited Data Plan	Unlimited	5 to 15 days	29.95 USD and up
Fixed Data Plan	5GB to 20GB	15 to 30 days	11.95 USD and up
Fixed Data Plan	500MB to 3GB per day	5 to 10 days	8.95 USD and up

On the other hand, the distinctive feature of World eSIM is its diverse range of plans.

In addition to Fixed Data Plans similar to those of Airalo, it offers three types of plans: the Unlimited Plan with unlimited data usage, and the Daily Data Plan, where the amount of data you can use is determined on a daily basis, totaling 12 plans.

As will be explained later, World eSIM allows tethering. Therefore, purchasing the Unlimited Plan is convenient for using both a PC and a smartphone.

Price Comparison

Since Airalo and World eSIM have quite different plans, a simple comparison is challenging. However, the following plans have similar conditions for reference:

Airalo: 5GB Fixed Data Plan for 30 days at 11.50 USD
World eSIM: 5GB Fixed Data Plan for 15 days at 11.95 USD
Looking at it this way, it seems that Airalo may be slightly cheaper in some cases.

Discounts

However, both services offer discounts through MATCHA.

Airalo provides a 15% discount for the first purchase and a 10% discount for subsequent purchases.
World eSIM offers a constant 15% discount.

When applying these discounts, for subsequent purchases, World eSIM provides a 5% higher discount rate. Therefore, the final costs for both services are likely to be similar.

Airalo Discounts
- First-time users: Use "MATCHA15" for 15% off
- Repeat users: Use "MATCHA10" for 10% off
https://airalo.pxf.io/kO0gVn

3. Communication Speed

Key Point: World eSIM feels smoother

This time, we measured the communication speeds of Airalo and World eSIM using the app SpeedTest.

In early January, measurements taken in Kagawa Prefecture, where I live, yielded the following results:

Airalo: Download 10.9 Mbps, Upload 2.37 Mbps
World eSIM: Download 47.4 Mbps, Upload 15.8 Mbps

There is quite a noticeable difference in speed. In numerical terms, World eSIM is more than four times faster than Airalo. However, personally, I did not feel such a significant difference. Airalo was still sufficiently smooth for browsing social media and watching videos.

That said, there were instances when Airalo's speed slowed down during use. In contrast, World eSIM consistently provided a comfortable experience. It may be that World eSIM, being a company based in Japan, offers slightly better performance.

Please note that communication speeds can vary significantly depending on the time of day and location. Consider this as a reference.

Video Streaming

I watched a few YouTube videos while both services were activated, and the streaming was smooth with no issues during playback.

Tethering

Both services support tethering, and the connection was smooth.

4. Usability

Key Point: Airalo makes it easy and convenient to check the remaining data amount

On the left is the screen for Airalo, and on the right is the Data Usage screen on an Android smartphone.

Checking Remaining Data

With Airalo, you can check the remaining data amount from the same screen (My Page) where you placed your order. Additionally, I received alert emails when the remaining data reached 25% and then 10%.

On the other hand, with World eSIM, the only way to check the remaining data amount is through the "Settings" screen on your smartphone.

In terms of checking remaining capacity, Airalo is more convenient.

After Exhausting the Specified Data Limit: Can You Use Google Maps?

Some eSIMs and pocket Wi-Fi devices allow for low-speed internet use even after the specified data limit has been exhausted.

Unfortunately, both Airalo and World eSIM do not offer this functionality at all. It is recommended to purchase additional data before completely running out.

Choose World eSIM for Smooth Connectivity and Airalo for Usability

In my experience using both services, I found them to be very user-friendly.

Considering the smoothness of connectivity and the ease of choosing plans, World eSIM may be the better option. On the other hand, if you want to prioritize usability, then Airalo could be a suitable choice as well.

Refer to this article to help select the service and plan that is perfect for you!