eSIMs have been popping off lately, with more and more companies springing up online. Since the discovery of eSIMs (and eSIM providers), I almost never use physical SIM cards when I travel now. I recently came to know about SimOptions and their competitive prices pushed me to give them a try and so here’s my SimOptions review.

In This SimOptions Review

Introduction to eSIM Technology

I’m sure everyone has heard of eSIMs by now, but if you’re new to the eSIM technology, an eSIM is like a digital SIM card of sorts; eliminating the need for a physical SIM card. As such, you are able to have multiple eSIMs installed in your phone, while also accessing your physical SIM card’s data. This is especially convenient when you need access to your physical SIM card’s line.

What is SimOptions?

SimOptions is an online marketplace, established in 2014, selling physical SIM cards online, and started their eSIM marketplace in 2018.

At the time of writing, SimOptions that carries eSIMs for over 200 destinations.

SimOptions eSIM Products

SimOptions offers both regional and local eSIMs.

Local eSIMs – these cover 1 country
Regional eSIMs – these cover all countries in a region, like the entire Asia or Africa.

Coverage (No. of Countries)

At the time of writing, SimOptions has prepaid eSIMs for over 200 countries.

Cost

For many countries, especially the popular tourist destinations in Asia and Europe, SimOptions’ eSIMs start around USD $5, which is very affordable for countries that are known for expensive data plans.

Advantages of SimOptions

Customer Support

You have access to 24/7 customer support, accessible through the chat function on the website, which is great if you need help with your eSIM.

Variety of Providers

As SimOptions is a marketplace, they carry eSIM products from various telcos, which gives you more options to choose from. However, I notice that this is only so for Europe. Asia, especially Southeast Asia, does not have telco options and is limited to SimOption’s own brand of eSIM.

Availability of eSIMs with Calls and SMS

This may not be important to most people, since Whatsapp and Telegram calls are now a thing, but can be useful if you have to make calls locally. However, not all destinations have eSIMs with calls & sms.

Cons of SimOptions

The downside of the SimOptions eSIM is that it’s not easy to check your data usage, as they do not have an app or any form of account for tracking your usage. You can track your data usage in your mobile phone, but you’ll likely have to reset your phone’s data usage statistics.

You can check out SimOptions blog on how to reset your phone’s data usage.
For iPhone | For Android

Availability Only In Selected Destination

Unless it’s a regional eSIM, the eSIM will only be usable in the selected country. This means that if you start the activation process in a country outside of the selected country, the activation process will look incomplete; and you’ll have no way to verify if the eSIM is working until you reach your destination. However, most eSIMs work this way, since they only offer connection in the country you purchased it for.

How to Purchase and Activate

1. Choose Your Plan

Head over to the SimOptions website and search for your destination. With coverage for over 200+ countries, I’m sure SimOptions will have something for you.

Note: be sure to also check if your mobile device is eSIM compatible.
Full list of compatible devices

2. Make Payment

Once you’ve decided on the plan, make payment for it and you should receive a QR code and activation instructions.

4. Scan the QR code

Scan the QR code and follow the instructions on your mobile device for the eSIM activation. Do note that you have to be in the designated country and you will need connection to the Internet for the eSIM to be activated.

If you are unable to scan the QR code, you can also set up the eSIM manually with the instructions provided.

SimOptions Review — My Experience

The Good – Great Connectivity and Speed

I tried out SimOptions for the first time during my recent trip to Cebu, Philippines. The coverage was way better than I’d imagine and I managed to get great connectivity even when I was not in the city. The only time I did not have any connection was when we were in a rural area, where there wasn’t any infrastructure, but to be fair, my filipino friend also did not have any connection on her local land line either.

Loading speed for commonly used apps such as Instagram, Whatsapp and Grab were also top tier. To add, I had 5G connection whenever I was connected.

The Not-so-good – Lack of Data Usage Tracking

The only gripe I had with SimOptions was the lack of tracking options for data usage. As there was no app for tracking and I could only rely on the in-built settings function in my phone, I ended up not tracking the data usage at all. As such my data got cut off, without any warning or alerts, because I had finished all the data I had mid-trip. This could potentially cause problems if you are not in an area with wifi.

Overall Rating

I’d say SimOptions is a great eSIM company for the budget-conscious. It’s really straightforward and fuss-free to use — just pay and you’ll get the product. However, if you’re looking for something with more features such an accompanying app to track usage and your purchases, this may not be the brand for you.

Cost: 4/5
Connectivity: 4/5 (location dependent)
Ease of use: 3/5
Able to hotspot: YES

You can get your SimOption eSIMs from the website.

SimOptions Facebook | SimOptions Instagram

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is SimOptions legit? Is SimOptions a Scam?

SimOptions have been in the space since 2014, selling physical SIM cards and started offering eSIMs in 2018. Having been in the space for a number of years, they are experienced and should there be any problem, you can drop their customer support a text through the chat function on their website.

Can I set up SimOptions eSIM without Wifi?

You’ll need to have Internet connection in order to set up your eSIM. That can be via Wifi, or cellular connection (if you have a SIM card or other eSIMs installed).

Is there call and SMS feature on SimOptions’ eSIMs?

Some eSIMs do have the call and SMS feature, but it’s location dependant.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. SimOptions invited us to try out their service, but all opinions in this piece are strictly our own.