Airalo and MobiMatter are two Marketplaces for eSIM cards aimed at tourists or international travelers.
In this comparison we will impartially show you all their pros and cons, prices, data packages and everything you should know about these companies.
We know that your time is valuable, so below we leave you a summary with the conclusions of this comparison.
Summary
- MobiMatter offers more data plans than Airalo.
- MobiMatter data plans are usually cheaper than Airalo.
- Airalo offers a 15-day data plan for some destinations, which is cheaper than what MobiMatter offers.
- The Airalo App for iPhone has the advantage of being able to install the eSIM directly from there. MobiMatter does not have this feature.
- MobiMatter also resells the same Airalo data packages, most of them at the same price, with some exceptions.
- Airalo has a rating of 4.7 and MobiMatter has a rating of 4.8 on the App Store.
- Both MobiMatter and Airalo have 4G, LTE and 5G coverage, availability varies depending on the destination.
- MobiMatter and Airalo offer calling service in Europe.
- Airalo has an eSIM with coverage in 130 destinations and includes calls. MobiMatter also sells a global eSIM, although it covers 119 countries and has no calling.
- Airalo has more payment methods than MobiMatter.
- Airalo customer service is via live chat, while MobiMatter has a troubleshooter via ticket.
About Airalo
Airalo is a startup founded in 2019 in Singapore. Provides eSIM cards for international travel. These cards mostly include a data plans to use the smartphone abroad.
This company has a website and Apps for Android and iPhone devices from which you can contract its services. In some countries, it offers local eSIMs , with Airalo being a reseller of these cards.
About MobiMatter
MobiMatter is also a startup founded in the United Arab Emirates in 2018, it is dedicated to offering prepaid eSIM cards that provide Internet connection to international travelers.
It stands out for allowing the comparison of the data plans available from different local and international eSIM providers.
Like Airalo, MobiMatter has a website, App for Android and iOS from where you can request its services.
Coverage and performance
Both Airalo and MobiMatter have coverage of their services in more than 200 destinations around the world.
The networks to which they connect are similar; in developed countries such as the US and the United Kingdom, among others, they have a connection to 5G networks. On the other hand, in developing destinations, such as Latin or African countries, Airalo and MobiMatter offer Internet connection on 4G, LTE and 3G networks . In both cases, coverage is conditioned by the operator of the country to which they connect.
Rating: Airalo and MobiMatter are similar in coverage.
Payment methods
Airalo allows you to pay through credit and debit cards from Visa, UnionPay, Mastercard and American Express. You can also use PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Alipay from your App.
MobiMatter, for its part, allows you to pay with Apple Pay, Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards.
Rating: Airalo has a larger amount of payment methods than MobiMatter.
Rates and prices
If the payment method is not a restriction for you, we will now evaluate their rates and prices for five featured destinations.
Europe
| Data Plans | Airalo Price | MobiMatter Price |
| 1GB for 14 days | – | 3.49 USD, 4.99 USD |
| 1 GB for 7 days | 5 USD | 3.99 USD, 4.49 USD, 5 USD, 5.99 USD, 6.99 USD |
| 6GB 15 days | – | 37.99 USD |
| 3GB for 30 days | 13 USD | 4.99 USD, 5.99 USD, 7.99 USD |
| 5GB for 30 days | 20 USD | 6.99 USD, 7.99 USD |
| 10GB for 30 days | 37 USD | 11.99 USD, 12.99 USD, 19.99 USD |
| 20GB for 30 days | – | 22.99 USD, 35.99 USD |
| 50GB for 90 days | 100 USD | 100 USD |
| 100GB for 180 days | 185 USD | 185 USD |
| 30GB for 365 days | – | 39.99 USD |
Number of countries:
- Airalo has coverage in 39 European countries.
- MobiMatter has coverage in 35 European countries (excluding Albania, Andorra, Gibraltar and Montenegro).
Rating: MobiMatter offers cheaper data plans for Europe than Airalo. Likewise, a greater variety of plans.
As for the amount of data, both include from 1GB to 100GB for Europe.
USA
In the following table we compare the data packages and prices Airalo and MobiMatter offer for the USA.
| Data Plans | Airalo Price | MobiMatter Price |
| 1GB for 14 days | – | 3.49 USD |
| 1 GB for 7 days | 4.5 USD | 4.49 USD |
| 2GB for 15 days | 8 USD | 17 USD |
| 6GB 15 days | – | 37.99 USD |
| 3GB for 30 days | 11 USD | 4.99 USD |
| 5GB for 30 days | 16 USD | 6.99 USD |
| 8GB for 30 days | – | 19.99 USD |
| 10GB for 30 days | 26 USD | 11.99 USD |
| 20GB for 30 days | 42 USD | 21.99 USD |
| 50GB for 60 days | – | 49.99 USD |
| 100GB for 90 days | – | 89.99 USD |
Rating: MobiMatter has lower prices than Airalo for the same amount of data.
Likewise, MobiMatter offers a greater amount of data in its packages for 60 and 90 days.
Japan
In the table below we compare the data packages and prices Airalo and MobiMatter offer for Japan.
| Data Plans | Airalo Price | MobiMatter Price |
| 3GB for 5 days | – | 6.99 USD |
| 1GB for 7 days | 4.5 USD | 6.99 USD |
| 6GB for 10 days | – | 16.99 USD |
| 5GB for 14 days | – | 9.99 USD |
| 2GB for 15 days | 6.5 USD | 17 USD |
| 6GB 15 days | – | 37.99 USD |
| 3GB for 30 days | 8.50 USD | 10.99 USD |
| 5GB for 30 days | 11.50 USD | 14.99 USD |
| 10GB for 30 days | 18 USD | 13.99 USD |
| 20GB for 30 days | 26 USD | 23.99 USD |
| 30GB for 60 days | – | 37.99 USD |
| 50GB for 90 days | – | 66.99 USD |
Valuation:
- Airalo’s Japan data plans of 1 to 5GB for 30 days are cheaper than MobiMatter.
- MobiMatter has lower prices for the same amount of data than Airalo on Japan plans of 10GB for 30 days and up. Likewise, this company offers plans with greater amounts of data, reaching up to 50 GB for 90 days.
Türkiye
In the table below we compare the data packages and prices Airalo and MobiMatter offer for Turkey.
| Data Plans | Airalo Price | MobiMatter Price |
| 1GB for 14 days | – | 3.49 USD |
| 1GB for 7 days | 4.5 USD | 3.99 USD |
| 2GB for 15 days | 6.5 USD | 17 USD |
| 3GB for 30 days | 8 USD | 4.99 USD |
| 5GB for 30 days | 12 USD | 6.99 USD |
| 10GB for 30 days | 18 USD | 11.99 USD |
| 20GB for 30 days | 26 USD | 21.99 USD |
| 50GB for 60 days | – | 49.99 USD |
Rating: MobiMatter has lower prices with the same amount of data than Airalo on eSIMs with data plans for Turkey. Although there is one exception, in the 2GB for 15 days package, Airalo is priced lower than MobiMatter.
Spain
In the following table we compare the data packages and prices Airalo and MobiMatter offer for Spain.
| Data Plans | Airalo Price | MobiMatter Price |
| 1GB for 14 days | – | 3.49 USD |
| 1GB for 7 days | 4.5 USD | 3.99 USD |
| 2GB for 15 days | 6.5 USD | 17 USD |
| 3GB for 30 days | 8.5 USD | 4.99 USD |
| 5GB for 30 days | 11.5 USD | 6.99 USD |
| 10GB for 30 days | 18 USD | 11.99 USD |
| 20GB for 30 days | 26 USD | 21.99 USD |
| 50GB for 60 days | – | 49.99 USD |
Rating: The same thing happens as in the case of Turkey, both companies offer the same data packages, with MobiMatter having lower prices with the same amount of data as Airalo, except in the 15-day package with 2GB.
Mobile apps
Now let’s see what their mobile applications offer, their advantages and disadvantages.
Both Airalo and MobiMatter have an App to purchase and manage eSIMs . They are available for Android and iOS operating systems .
Among the functions that Airalo and MobiMatter offer in their applications are the following:
- Buy prepaid eSIM cards
- Recharge data packages
- Know data usage
An advantage that Airalo has in its App over MobiMatter is the possibility of starting the iPhone eSIM installer from the App , which makes it unnecessary to scan a QR code to install the product. In the rest of the characteristics, both companies are similar.
Websites
The Airalo and MobiMatter websites allow you to search for the eSIM and find out details of the data packages. They also have the option to purchase and recharge the eSIM.
In this case, for those who do not wish to register, MobiMatter has the advantage of purchasing an eSIM as a guest . This makes the purchasing process easier.
Installation and activation
The installation and activation methods are similar in Airalo and MobiMatter, although Airalo offers more options in addition to scanning the QR code, this company allows you to install the eSIM from the App or by manually entering the installation code from the smartphone settings.
Customer service and help
Both companies have a Help Center with general information about the eSIM.
In case you want to contact Airalo or MobiMatter to ask for help or make any queries, the process is different.
Airalo has a live chat service, initially through a Bot and later with people.
For its part, MobiMatter has a problem solver that allows you to file a query or complaint, which will assign you a ticket.
The support language in both companies is English.
MobiMatter has a rating of 4.8 and Airalo has a rating of 4.7 on the App Store. This means that both companies are trustworthy.
If you travel to areas far from cities, we recommend that you consult their customer service because you may have coverage problems, especially in jungle or desert areas.
Likewise, both companies will ask you for screenshots and your cooperation to help you solve problems you have with the eSIM cards and to offer you a refund if they cannot solve it.
Compatibility
MobiMatter and Airalo have the same compatibility on mobile devices , they are compatible with all mobile phones that have the eSIM enabled and that are free to use on any mobile operator.
Verdict
As you could see, both options have good features for connecting to the Internet abroad.
The differential points are in the lower prices offered by MobiMatter compared to Airalo, in some destinations this variation is significant, in other cases the difference is minimal.
In terms of ease of installation, Airalo has the advantage of being able to install the eSIM directly from the App on iPhones, which makes it a more convenient option.
Finally, Airalo has an eSIM that has coverage in 130 countries and offers calls. MobiMatter, for its part, has a global eSIM with coverage in 119 destinations, although it does not include calls.
If you need calls in Europe, MobiMatter has an eSIM from the French operator Bouyuges Telecom, which includes calls and up to 30 GB per month. Airalo also has calls in Europe, but on the global eSIM, which offers less data at a higher price.
That’s all for now, if you have an experience to share with these companies, let us know in the comments!
