I’m heading to New Zealand for about three weeks in April, mostly Auckland, but also planning a few days in Wellington and maybe a quick stop in Queenstown. Since I work remotely as a freelance designer, having a good internet is pretty much make or break for me. I’m not doing anything too crazy bandwidth-wise—just emails, Slack, and video calls with clients—but I’ve learned the hard way that even a few dropped calls can throw off my whole day.
A friend who travels a lot for work mentioned PrimaSIM to me recently. She’s used it a few times in the Middle East and said their 20GB plan (around $28) was noticeably faster and more stable than what she’d experienced with other eSIMs. She specifically said it held up well even during peak hours, which is honestly all I really care about.
I’ve used Airalo before and have no major complaints, it always worked. But I did notice the speeds would dip at certain times of day, especially in the evenings. From what I’ve heard, PrimaSIM might be a bit more consistent that way, maybe because of the networks they partner with locally? I’m not sure, but that’s the impression I got.
Has anyone here actually tried PrimaSIM in NZ?
Posted by
Mondumo Tours (Australia & New Zealand)
12 posts
I don’t know much about PrimaSIM but have you considered the option of just buying a local eSIM when you get here?
The biggest NZ operator is Spark. They have a store as soon as you enter the arrivals hall at Auckland Airport
https://www.spark.co.nz/online/shop/mobile-plans/travel-pack?srsltid=AfmBOooSFjQgRtmWwwJcEcrxpilV7MgQj15gJ-L0HmVKjaBCIKahB3eu
Posted by
Victoria, Australia
67 posts
PrimaSIM is a newer smaller company than others with less reviews & tests. It could be risky to try them if using for work.
I would go with a more reliable well known eSIM seller such as GigSky. They are very well regarded and have a variety of plans including a free trial to make sure it works! They are also currently having a sale.
Apart from that try looking up eSIM comparison sites that test the latest offerings and give ratings based on different criteria.
I cannot find or remember which one, but previously I was looking at an eSIM which covered both AUS & NZ. In NZ it used all 3 networks, but only in 4g, whereas in AUS it was on the Optus 5g network.
You could also ask on the Tripadvisor New Zealand forum, which network is best for Wellington, Queenstown & Auckland, though I suspect they will all be strong in those places.