Getting an Airalo eSIM for Indonesia? This Australian-Owned eSIM Startup Is Cheaper

Part of its popularity, of course, stems from the favourable exchange rate, which gives Aussies welcome relief from the relentless cost-of-living crunch back home.

To make your budget stretch even further, you can skip sky-high roaming fees in favour of an eSIM. But which travel eSIM offers the best value? Should you go with a big-name brand like Airalo, or would a low-cost competitor like ZenSim be a better deal?

We’re comparing the two in this comprehensive ZenSim vs Airalo eSIM Indonesia review.

WHAT IS AN ESIM?

For the uninitiated, an eSIM is a digital profile of a SIM card. Instead of opening the SIM tray and inserting a tiny card, you download the eSIM from a website or app. Think of it as a modern-day, virtual alternative to the old-school plastic SIM.

Installing the eSIM is quick and easy, and it activates automatically when you arrive in Indonesia. Getting set up is just as effortless as global roaming, but without the hefty price tag.

WHY GET A PRE-PAID ESIM IN INDONESIA?

We’ve all heard horror stories of Aussies arriving home from holiday to an extortionate phone bill. Even if you don’t get stung by excess data charges, global roaming isn’t that cheap, especially on a longer trip.

The thrifty solution is to grab a local SIM card. But have you seen the prices at Denpasar Airport? They’re priced for holiday-mode bule with deep pockets.

Sure, you can find cheaper SIMs at local shops. But that means queuing for service, providing your passport, juggling tiny plastic cards (have fun getting that bloody tray open), and waiting around while someone somewhere in Java activates your SIM. All the while, you’re battling the language barrier and sweating like a pig in the stinking-hot sun.

Having run through the process myself, I can promise it’s just not worth it. An eSIM only costs a few bucks more, and getting set up online takes under five minutes.

ZENSIM VS. AIRALO: AN INDONESIA ESIM REVIEW

Based in Singapore, Airalo is a major player in the eSIM space, serving 20+ million customers visiting 201+ locations worldwide. Its app has been translated into 53 languages and accepts numerous currencies, allowing Airalo to reach a global market.

ZenSim is an up-and-coming start-up from Australia competing vigorously on price. Although we have customers worldwide, our eSIMs primarily cater to Aussies, many of whom prefer supporting local underdogs over big multinationals.

PRICE

ZenSim is one of the cheapest eSIMs for Indonesia.

As you can see, our 10GB and 20GB data-capped plans cost 10-15% less than the Airalo eSIM for Bali and Indonesia, a saving of A$4 ($2.70 USD) and A$6.50 ($4.50 USD), respectively. While that might not sound like much, it’s enough to get a big bintang or nasi goreng at a decent local warung.

Airalo is pretty competitive, though still dearer, for a 30-day unlimited plan. If you look at the 15-day unlimited plans, ZenSim costs A$60 ($39 USD) and Airalo A$72 ($49 USD).

• Winner: ZenSim

SALES & DISCOUNTS

Airalo periodically offers promo codes via email marketing and its website. Referring a friend gets you and them A$5 in Airmoney, which you can use towards any future purchases. Airalo also has an Airmoney loyalty program offering 5-10% cashback, depending on the cost of the eSIM.

ZenSim keeps things simple with a guaranteed 10% discount for all returning customers, multiple eSIM purchases, and top-ups. Like Airalo, we also offer a A$5 per-person referral bonus through our ‘Squad Savings’ program.

• Winner: ZenSim

AVERAGE FEEDBACK SCORE

Airalo has a 4.0/5 Trustpilot score, which is somewhat mediocre compared to other eSIMs. Most complaints revolve around connection issues in regional areas.

ZenSim currently boasts an industry-leading 4.9/5 stars on ProductReview. Happy travellers praise our user-friendly app, reliable connections, and responsive support. We also hear a lot of people saying we offer better value than other eSIMs they’ve tried.

• Winner: ZenSim

UNLIMITED PLANS

ZenSim offers unlimited plans for 5/15/30 days, while Airalo has a bit more choice, with unlimited plans at 3/5/7/10/15/30 days.

Both eSIMs have a transparent daily use cap of 3GB/day. Once you hit that limit, your speed will be throttled to 1 Mbps. That’s okay for basic browsing, but you will struggle with streaming high-res videos or downloading large files.

• Winner: Tie

TETHERING

ZenSim and Airalo both offer unlimited hotspotting. Tethering is essential for travellers sharing a connection and digital nomads working on a laptop (you’ll see plenty in Ubud and Canggu).

Standard eSIM data restrictions apply. Keep an eye on your consumption as it's easy to blow through data when tethering.

• Winner: Tie

IN-APP TOP UPS

The best eSIMs for Indonesia offer in-app top-ups so you can stay connected after you run out of data.

With Airalo, you can add a wide range of packages in the app, including short, low-data plans. Users can also top up through the ZenSim mobile app with a 10% discount on our already low prices.

ZenSim takes top-ups a step further by letting you add new destinations. Say you’re travelling to Europe with a stopover in Indonesia. Instead of purchasing two separate eSIMs, you simply add Indonesia to your Europe eSIM.

Travellers exploring multiple regional countries should check out our ZenSim Asia eSIM.

• Winner: ZenSim

EASE OF INSTALLATION

eSIMs are meant to be easy. Both ZenSim and Airalo make the installation process as simple as possible through three different methods.

1. Direct installs are done through the app and only require one tap to complete.
2. QR code installs have you scan a QR code on a separate screen to initiate installation.
3. If neither of those works, you can do a manual install by copy-pasting a code into your phone's eSIM settings.

The ZenSim help centre has stacks of step-by-step guides for different phone types.

• Winner: Tie

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Online support is ideal, as you don’t want to track down a regular telephone for international calls while inside Indonesia.

As we know, Airalo is a large tech brand catering to a global audience. The company offers 24/7 support via email and live chat in the app.

ZenSim, as a smaller brand, offers near-24/7 support via WhatsApp from helpful Australian agents. If you don’t hear back from us straight away, you will soon.

• Winner: Case dependent (Airalo for hours, ZenSim for Australian support)

REFUNDS

I had a little dig through the Airalo T&Cs to suss out their refund policy.

The company provides pre-departure refunds for customers who have changed plans or purchased the wrong eSIM. ‘Wrong purchase’ and ‘plans changed’ refunds are not available after you’ve activated your eSIM (you’ve arrived at the destination and started using data), and can only be issued in Airmoney, an in-app Airalo currency you can use to purchase new plans.

After activating the eSIM, Airalo may offer partial refunds for customers with installation or connection issues.

ZenSim is a bit more relaxed with its refund policy. We offer a 100% cash refund for any pre-departure reason, including itinerary changes, incompatible smartphones, incorrect purchases, and more.

If you’ve started using your eSIM, we might be able to issue a partial refund, depending on the issue. Get in touch with the ZenSim support team ASAP via WhatsApp.

• Winner: ZenSim

ZENSIM VS AIRALO INDONESIA ESIM: WHICH IS THE BEST OPTION FOR YOU?

Boasting lower prices, higher customer ratings, and superior refunds and support, ZenSim is the go-to choice for travellers in Indonesia and Bali.

Repeat and double eSIM customers also get an additional 10% off our already low prices.

Before you buy an Airalo Indonesia eSIM, check out ZenSim. Our Indonesia eSIMs will save you a stack of rupiah to spend on mee goreng and massages.