What are travellers really paying for?

Beyond price, an eSIM's true value is defined by reliability, customer service and app access

- Sarah Stanley

In today's hyper-connected world, seamless mobile data is a travel essential - and the market is brimming with options.

On e-commerce platform Shopee, a Japan eSIM from the brand Yoho Mobile valid for three days with 3GB of high-speed data costs just $2.84.

At local travel retail brand Changi Recommends, a similar eSIM goes for $4.90, while eSIM provider Airalo lists it at €7 (S$10.56) nearly four times the Shopee option.

With the stark differences in price, what exactly are you paying for? The Straits Times talks to experts to find out.

HOW DO ESIMS WORK?

An eSIM, short for embedded SIM, is a digital version of the physical SIM card. Instead of inserting a chip, users download a data plan onto their device.

Travellers can purchase an eSIM online and install it with a few clicks or by scanning a QR code. It usually activates automatically at the destination, allowing users to be connected within seconds.

According to London-based research and advisory firm Kaleido Intelligence, the global market for travel eSIMs is expected to grow by 500 per cent between 2023 and 2028.

For eSIM providers like Jetpac Global, the Asia-Pacific (Apac) region is a key market for growth. The company estimates that Apac sales between January and June have increased by almost five times year on year.

Changi Recommends, too, has seen demand for its eSIMs grow steadily over the last few years. It recorded a 40 per cent increase in sales between 2023 and 2024, and forecasts a 45 per cent increase between 2024 and 2025.

Ms Alicia Chen, general manager of Changi Travel Services (CTS), says the brand's top eSIM destinations by sales generally mirror the popular destinations for outbound travel from Singapore, which include Europe, Australia and Asian countries like Japan, China and Indonesia.