Simify eSIMs – The Ultimate Travel Connectivity Solution

Founded in 2018 by two Australian friends in Sydney, Simify began as a classic startup story of risk and resilience. According to their company history, these two best mates turned entrepreneurs started with a simple mission: providing affordable travel connectivity to fellow Australians exploring the world.

In a pivotal moment, they decided to launch their own travel SIM card business despite having minimal experience. Their first promotion was surprisingly successful, revealing a genuine market need for affordable international data solutions that avoided the “big nope” of major carriers’ roaming fees. With near extinction in 2020 due to COVID which hit the travel industry hard Simify rebounded in 2022 with their business exploding through positive reviews and loyal customers.

While Simify offers both unlimited and data capped eSIM packages to multiple global destinations, we put their “Unlimited South East Asia eSIM” package to the test during our recent trip to Thailand transiting through Singapore.

What is an eSIM and Why Consider It?

Before diving into this specific product, let’s clarify what eSIMs are for those unfamiliar. Unlike physical SIM cards that you insert into your device, eSIMs (embedded SIMs) are built directly into your phone. They allow you to digitally activate a cellular plan without needing to swap physical cards—perfect for international travel.

As shown in the promotional materials, eSIMs offer three key advantages:

• Hassle-Free Travel: Keep your home number for calls and texts while using local data
• Affordable Connectivity: Avoid excessive roaming charges from your home carrier
• Instant Activation: Get connected within minutes of purchasing—no need to find a local shop

Device Compatibility

Before purchasing any eSIM, compatibility is crucial. The Simify eSIMs work with most modern Apple and Android devices, but check your manufacture’s specifications to ensure eSIM is supported before proceeding with a purchase.

My tests were performed on a Google Pixel 7 however the steps are pretty much similar for Apple devices as well. Simify do offer comprehensive guides on both platforms on how to get going.

It should be noted that Simify eSIM packages are data sims and if you wanted a local number this is not the option for you.

Setup Process

The setup experience was remarkably straightforward:

1. Check Compatibility – My Google Pixel 7 was confirmed to support eSIMs.
2. Purchase: Selected and bought the 30-day unlimited plan
3. Activation: Received a QR code via email, scanned it in my Phone settings, and enabled data roaming

Thing to note here is that you shouldn’t enable the newly installed eSIM until after landing at your destination. In my case, while I installed the eSIM onto my phone, I didn’t enable the eSIM until after landing in Singapore, our first transit point.

The entire process took less than 5 minutes—true to their “activate within 5 mins” promise. No physical store visits, no waiting in line with passport copies, and no language barriers to navigate.

Plans and Pricing

Simify offer a range of eSIM packages and depending on the destination their pricing varies. Taking the Unlimited South East Asia eSIM package at the time of writing offers the following pricing options.

While not the cheapest option available, the convenience factor and truly unlimited data make it worthwhile for anyone spending significant time overseas. They also frequently run promotions; during my purchase, they offered 25% off a second eSIM sitewide.

Coverage & Performance

Here’s where this eSIM truly shines. Throughout my two-week journey across Thailand, I experienced:

• Consistent 4G connectivity: 5G connectivity did work, however I found my phone getting too hot on 5G most likely due to lack of coverage. Hence I switched to 4G which worked better. This was further confirmed with the speed tests performed.
• Genuinely unlimited data: I streamed video, used Google Maps constantly, uploaded photos to cloud storage, and never encountered throttling
• Reliable speeds: Averaged 45-65 Mbps in urban areas, sufficient for video calls and streaming

Our holiday consisted of travels between Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket and throughout our journey the Simify eSIM worked flawlessly.

The freedom of not hunting for WiFi or worrying about data usage transformed my travel experience. One thing I did not anticipate and something to keep in mind is that the connectivity seems to be going through Hong Kong as noted below. Before my travels I configured my home router VPN to accept connections from Thailand, however given the Simify connection was routing via Hong Kong I was not able to connect to my home VPN to connect to some of my home services.

This is a minor quirk, but something to keep in mind and certainly not a concern for majority of users out there.

Transiting through Singapore, upon landing I turned on the eSIM and within a minute or so connectivity was established. It was all so seamless making it perfect for travelling.

5G connectivity in Singapore was better overall, at least within the Airport.

Standout Features

Several aspects of this service impressed me:

• Advance Purchase Option: You can buy up to 6 months ahead and activate upon arrival
• Instant Delivery: No waiting for physical mail or delivery
• Long Validity: 60 or 90 days covers even extended vacations or work trips

What Could Be Better

No product is perfect, and there are a few considerations:

• Price Point: At approximately AU$2.77-2.98 per day, it’s more expensive than buying a local SIM which will however have limited data caps.
• 5G Coverage: As per my experience 5G coverage could improve.

Conclusion

The Unlimited Simify eSIMs are ideal for:

• Business travelers who need reliable connectivity without hassle or worries about data usage.
• Digital nomads spending extended times overseas
• Tourists who value convenience over finding the absolute cheapest option

The Unlimited Simify eSIMs deliver exactly what it promises: hassle-free, instant, and reliable connectivity throughout your holiday destination. While not the cheapest option available, the convenience factor, genuinely unlimited data, and reliable performance make it worth the premium for most travelers.

For anyone going overseas and values staying connected without the headache of finding and setting up a local SIM, this solution is nearly perfect. The ability to purchase in advance, instant activation, and extended validity period make it a perfect combination for travelers.