My last trip to Europe I bought an Orange sim card for 2 weeks. When it ran out I ordered an e-sim plan online. I couldn't figure out how to get it working, so I just relied on spoty wi-fi at my hotel and in cafes. I got by, but this time I am going to order 'Airalo' before I go. I'm not sure how much to get. If I use whatsapp, does it take a lot of data? Also, has anyone used it and can you give me tips on getting it started when I arrive in Europe? Sometimes the directions are not clear.
Posted by
Washington DC
27112 posts
Airalo sells very many different eSIMs, and the activation instructions vary.
I find I use about 1 GB of data per week, and my mapping software uses quite a bit of that. Some people use less; others use more. I do pay some attention to my data usage, holding off on data-hogging activities until I'm back in my hotel room and have access to Wi-Fi.
Posted by
Singapore
304 posts
WhatsApp is generally quite data efficient. Text based WhatsApp messages use very little data; video calls use about 5MB per minute.
I use my phone a lot overseas, but rarely go over my data allowance, even when I'm travelling for work.
Posted by
Connecticut
610 posts
For GB amount you’ll be bound by the eSIM that is available for where you’re traveling. It will vary between 7, 15, 30, 60, 90, 180 days etc with varying data amounts. I use the Airalo eSIM data (and other providers) almost exclusively rather than the WiFi. For me that translate into a ton of data listening to music, watching videos, web surfing, navigation, etc. typically over a 30 day period. Maximum data usage has regularly been less than 5 GB.
Posted by
I don't know!
16 posts
I used Airalo last year in multiple countries. I downloaded a cheap US Esim before I left to practice the download and activation. In Europe it was easy to add more data as needed.
Posted by
SoCal
320 posts
If you haven't yet ordered your Airalo eSIM, I'd encourage you to also consider Nomad. I've used their eSIMs multiple times and found their instructions to be extremely clear. I've used them throughout much of Europe, from Italy to Estonia and most places in between. Just make sure you select a plan that covers everywhere you plan to travel.