Compare 4 top-rated eSIM providers as alternatives to Firsty. Find better pricing, features, and coverage.
Firsty covers 182 countries and maintains a solid 4.2 rating, but travelers in 2025 have plenty of reasons to explore other options—whether it's finding better prices, stronger customer reviews, or plan features that better match their specific needs. We've compared four leading alternatives: Airalo, Saily, UBIGI, and Roamless. UBIGI stands out with the highest ratings among the group, while Roamless offers the most budget-friendly pricing for cost-conscious globetrotters.
Firsty's massive catalog of 10,711 plans across 182 countries makes it a solid choice for travelers who want options, but that sheer volume can also feel overwhelming. Sifting through thousands of plans to find the right fit takes time, and the interface isn't always intuitive. Firsty shines when you're visiting multiple destinations or need specific data amounts that other providers don't offer, but for straightforward trips where you just need reliable connectivity without the decision fatigue, the alternatives might serve you better.
Price-conscious travelers should know that Roamless consistently undercuts Firsty on daily costs and data rates. While Firsty averages $1.60 per day and $0.68 per GB, Roamless comes in cheaper across both metrics. The trade-off? You're working with a smaller plan selection and fewer country options than Firsty's extensive coverage. For a week-long trip to a single popular destination, that sacrifice barely matters. For a multi-country journey through less-traveled regions, Firsty's broader reach justifies the extra cost.
The number of plans available tells an interesting story about each provider's approach. Firsty's 10,711 plans suggest a marketplace model that aggregates options from multiple carriers, which explains both the variety and the inconsistency in user experience. Airalo and UBIGI take a more curated approach with fewer plans but tighter quality control. Saily sits somewhere in the middle, focusing on tourist-heavy routes rather than trying to cover every possible itinerary.
UBIGI earns the highest customer ratings among these providers, likely because it operates its own network agreements rather than reselling third-party services. This direct relationship with carriers typically means better technical support when things go wrong and more predictable connection quality. Firsty's 4.2 TrustPilot rating isn't bad, but it reflects the reality of managing thousands of plans from different sources—some work flawlessly, others disappoint. UBIGI's premium positioning costs more upfront but delivers fewer surprises.
Matching your travel style to the right provider comes down to priorities. Frequent travelers bouncing between obscure destinations benefit from Firsty's 182-country coverage and plan diversity. Budget backpackers stretching every dollar should start with Roamless and only upgrade if coverage gaps emerge. Business travelers who can't afford connectivity issues will appreciate UBIGI's reliability premium, while casual vacationers heading to major cities will find any of these options adequate.
Airalo stands out as a budget-conscious alternative to Firsty, delivering $1.07 cheaper per day on average while maintaining similar coverage across 178 countries. While Firsty offers a massive library of 10,711 plans compared to Airalo's 1,260 options, travelers rarely need that many choices—what matters more is finding a reliable, affordable plan for your destination. Airalo's 4.0 TrustPilot rating sits just below Firsty's 4.2, a negligible difference in practice, and the significant daily savings add up quickly on trips lasting a week or more.
Budget travelers and digital nomads moving between multiple countries will find Airalo particularly valuable. The combination of competitive pricing and broad geographic reach makes it ideal for backpackers touring Southeast Asia or remote workers island-hopping in the Caribbean, where every dollar saved on connectivity can fund an extra meal or activity. Firsty's advantage lies in its sheer variety—travelers visiting niche destinations or needing very specific data allowances might find a perfect-fit plan in Firsty's extensive catalog that Airalo doesn't offer. But for straightforward connectivity needs across popular and emerging travel destinations, Airalo delivers excellent value without sacrificing reliability.
Choose Airalo when daily costs matter more than having endless options, especially for trips longer than a few days where the price difference becomes substantial. The platform's strength is its focus on essential, well-priced plans rather than overwhelming variety, making it faster to compare and book without sorting through thousands of alternatives.
Saily delivers meaningful savings without sacrificing coverage, making it a practical choice for travelers watching their budget. At $0.53 per day on average, it undercuts Firsty by $1.07 daily—a difference that adds up quickly on longer trips. Saily also covers 195 countries, giving access to 13 more destinations than Firsty's network. While its 4.0 Trustpilot rating trails slightly behind Firsty's 4.2, the difference is marginal, and the cost savings often outweigh this small gap in user reviews.
The pricing advantage makes Saily particularly effective for multi-week journeys or travelers bouncing between several countries in one trip. Someone spending three weeks across Southeast Asia or backpacking through Europe will notice real savings compared to Firsty's higher daily rate, while still getting reliable connectivity across a broader range of destinations. Firsty does offer 10,711 plans compared to Saily's 816, which means travelers hunting for highly specific data packages or niche regional options might find more granular choices with Firsty. But for most standard travel scenarios—city breaks, regional tours, or business trips spanning a few countries—Saily's 816 plans provide plenty of flexibility without the premium price tag.
Saily makes the most sense for budget-conscious travelers who prioritize cost efficiency and wide geographic reach over having thousands of plan variations. Firsty remains the better pick if you need highly specialized data packages or prefer a slightly higher-rated platform, but Saily's combination of lower daily costs and broader country access delivers strong value for typical international travel.
UBIGI presents a compelling case for travelers who want to stretch their budget further without sacrificing connectivity. At $0.87 cheaper per day than Firsty, the savings add up quickly on longer trips—a two-week journey could save you more than $12, which pays for a decent meal in most destinations. Beyond price, UBIGI covers 18 more countries than Firsty's already robust 182-nation footprint, reaching 200 destinations worldwide. The provider maintains a solid 4.1 TrustPilot rating and offers 923 plans, giving travelers plenty of options even if that's fewer configurations than Firsty's 10,711 plans. For budget-conscious travelers heading to less common destinations, UBIGI's combination of lower daily costs and broader geographic reach makes it the smarter pick.
Where UBIGI really shines is for multi-country trips across diverse regions and extended stays where daily rates matter more than niche plan features. A backpacker island-hopping through Southeast Asia and then continuing to Eastern Europe will appreciate both the geographic flexibility and the cost savings that compound over weeks. Firsty still holds an edge in sheer plan variety, which can matter for travelers with very specific data needs or those visiting destinations where Firsty has negotiated particularly strong local partnerships. The trade-off is straightforward: UBIGI delivers better value and wider reach, while Firsty offers more specialized options for travelers who need them.
Travelers should choose UBIGI when they prioritize:
Firsty remains the better choice mainly for those who require its specific plan configurations or have had excellent prior experiences with its service in particular markets.
Roamless delivers strong value for travelers who want broad destination coverage without paying a premium. While maintaining similar pricing to Firsty at around $0.68 per GB, Roamless extends its network across 194 countries—12 more than Firsty's already substantial reach. That extra coverage matters most for travelers heading to less common destinations or piecing together multi-country itineraries across emerging markets. The 4,367 plans available give plenty of room to find something tailored to specific trip lengths and data needs, though Firsty's significantly larger catalog of 10,711 plans does offer more granular options for niche routing or very short stays.
Roamless shines brightest for multi-destination trips where those additional countries make the difference between one eSIM and two. A traveler bouncing between Southeast Asia and Central Asia, for instance, benefits from the wider net without hunting down regional add-ons or switching providers mid-journey. The 3.5 TrustPilot rating trails Firsty's 4.2, reflecting some user complaints around activation delays and customer support response times. Frequent travelers who prioritize seamless setup and immediate troubleshooting assistance may find Firsty's higher rating worth the lack of those extra dozen countries, especially when sticking to well-traveled routes in Europe or North America.
Choose Roamless when:
After comparing Firsty with Airalo, Saily, UBIGI, and Roamless in 2025, most travelers will find better value and service by switching. UBIGI stands out with the strongest user ratings and reliability track record, making it the go-to choice when dependability matters most. For budget-conscious travelers, Roamless consistently delivers the lowest prices without sacrificing essential features—a rare combination that's hard to beat when you're watching your spending.
Different priorities point to different winners:
Firsty still works if you're already locked into their ecosystem or have unused credit, but switching to one of these four alternatives will likely save you money, improve your connectivity experience, or both. The right choice comes down to whether you prioritize rock-bottom pricing (Roamless) or proven reliability (UBIGI)—either way, you're getting a stronger option than sticking with Firsty by default.
