For anyone who travels abroad a lot, buying an eSIM is a good way to stay online without any problems. After extensively comparing different providers on my trips to the USA, Thailand, Tunisia, Laos and China, I often chose MobiMatter*. This provider was almost always the cheapest and most reputable in my comparisons and stood out with a slightly different principle than most of its competitors. Here is some feedback on my experiences.
The Idea
MobiMatter stands out because it acts as a marketplace where you can purchase eSIMs from various local mobile phone providers. Processing takes place via the app or website. Once the eSIM is stored in the account, it can be “installed” in the app directly in the cell phone.
Many other providers that offer such an easy-to-use solution for tourists were often priced significantly higher. Although local SIMs can be even cheaper if purchased directly from a kiosk in the country, for example, it often requires dealing with the respective providers, their apps and ID verification in each country. With MobiMatter, on the other hand, you only need to register once and can then buy and activate an eSIM for one or more countries in just a few clicks.
My experience
This option proved to be particularly advantageous on my travels. I was able to purchase the SIM cards in Germany and activate them when I arrived at my destination. This gave me immediate access to the internet without having to look for a SIM card on site. A significant advantage, as I could immediately use Google Maps or services such as Uber or Grab.
The eSIMs can also be added via a QR code from the app, so I could easily buy a SIM for fellow travelers, which they then scanned from my phone in the country using a QR code. If necessary, you could also print out these QR codes and take them with you in case you lose your device.
I only encountered a small problem in Qatar when the SIM card activation did not work for a short time. But after several attempts, this obstacle was quickly overcome. Overall, I was very satisfied with the reliability of the service and I never had to manually set APN settings or anything similar on my cell phone (iPhone 15). After activating the SIM in MobiMatter, I had Internet straight away.
The only important thing is that you need a short internet connection for activation. As 99% of airports have free Wi-Fi, I have never had any problems here. In very remote areas, however, you should perhaps activate the SIM in Germany or accept paying a few cents or euros for the data volume of the German provider before the SIM is activated.
In summary, I can highly recommend MobiMatter to any traveler. It’s affordable, convenient and allows you to purchase and immediately use your eSIM before you leave. Include MobiMatter in your price comparison when planning your trip and let me know if you find a better provider.
Current offers from Mobimatter
Promocode or promotional code or voucher “SHOPP31275” for 50% cashback on your first order.
M.Sc. in Business Informatics and IT Consultant
I am Pascal, IT developer and consultant from Cologne, specialized in cloud infrastructure and DevOps. In my free time I like to travel, do sports or deal with technology, SmartHome or other nerd topics 🙂
