Best eSIM for South Korea (2024)
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Inga Valiaugaitė
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Embedded directly into your device, eSIMs eliminate the need for physical SIM cards, offering convenience and flexibility to travelers exploring South Korea. They allow you to stay connected at all times. Plus, you can easily switch between local carriers to get a better signal, all without fiddling with physical SIM cards.
However, the growing number of eSIM providers makes it challenging to choose the right one. I've conducted tests to help you pick the perfect eSIM card for upcoming adventures. Read on to find the best eSIMs for South Korea.
Top 5 eSIMs for traveling in South Korea
- Saily – best eSIM for South Korea in 2024
- Airalo – renowned eSIM for South Korea
- Nomad – user-friendly South Korea eSIM with wide coverage
- JetPac – fantastic eSIM for traveling to South Korea
- aloSIM – flexible South Korea eSIM for calling and texting
What to consider when choosing eSIM for South Korea?
When choosing an eSIM for South Korea, consider your needs carefully. Here are a few pointers to help you pick the right eSIM:
- Destination coverage: Ensure your preferred eSIM has coverage across South Korea — in big cities and rural areas. If you’re traveling across the region, pick an eSIM that doesn’t only have coverage in South Korea but also in neighboring countries like Japan, China, and more.
- Communication needs: Decide if you want only data or also to make calls and send messages. Some eSIM providers offer data-only plans, while others include a phone number for making calls and sending SMS.
- Data requirements: Estimate how much data you’ll need during your South Korea trip and select an appropriate eSIM plan. Some eSIMs offer fixed plans, while others have pay-as-you-go packages. If you opt for a fixed plan, ensure there’s an option to top-up your data.
- Travel duration: Ensure the eSIM's validity period aligns with your travel plans to avoid prematurely losing access to eSIM services.
- Tethering capability: Check if the eSIM provider allows tethering, i.e., letting you share your device's data connection as a mobile hotspot.
- Price: Compare eSIM prices to find the most affordable option that matches your budget.
The best eSIMs for South Korea – detailed list
To find the best eSIM providers for South Korea, I worked with the Cybernews team to test many eSIM providers and narrowed the list to the top providers. I evaluated each provider’s network coverage in South Korea, speeds, prices, data plans, and more. Here are my top picks below:
1. Saily – best South Korea eSIM in 2024
| Supported network: | LTE, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Calls/SMS: | No |
| Starting price: | $4.49 (1GB for 7 days) |
Developed by the founders of the renowned NordVPN, Saily is the overall best eSIM for South Korea. It offers flexible eSIM plans for the Republic of Korea.
Regional plans: Saily doesn’t offer regional or global plans yet. However, it has local plans for over 150 countries, including South Korea and neighboring countries like Japan and China.
Plan options: This eSIM provider has 5 plans for South Korea: 1GB for 7 days and 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, or 20GB for 30 days. Saily is a data-only eSIM; it doesn’t support calling and texting.
South Korea plans pricing: Saily’s 1GB plan (valid for 7 days) costs $4.49, while its other plans, valid for 30 days, cost $8.99 (3GB), $11.99 (5GB), $19.99 (10GB), and $36.99 (20GB).
Network coverage: Saily partners with local mobile service providers in South Korea to guarantee comprehensive data coverage. The eSIM service doesn’t disclose which local carriers it works with.
Activation process: Activating this eSIM is straightforward; download the Saily app, register, and select the plan. You’ll need internet access to activate your eSIM, so I recommend doing this the day before your trip. Saily doesn’t perform any eKYC verification.
Customer support: Saily offers a comprehensive help center and has a 24/7 live chat operated by a responsive customer service team.
2. Airalo – renowned eSIM for South Korea
| Supported network: | LTE, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Calls/SMS: | Yes, only on Discover+ plan |
| Starting price: | $32 (unlimited for 10 days) |
Airalo is an excellent eSIM for South Korea. It offers affordable prepaid plans with unlimited data and has excellent coverage throughout South Korea.
Regional plans: Airalo offers local, regional, and global plans covering South Korea. Its regional Asia plan covers South Korea and other East Asian countries.
Plan options: Airalo has 2 data-only plans for South Korea. Both plans come with unlimited data — one is only valid for 10 days, and the other is valid for 30 days. Airalo is one of the few providers that offers unlimited data in South Korea. While this eSIM supports calling and texting, you can only access these services on its Discover+ global plan.
South Korea plans pricing: Airalo’s 10-day plan for South Korea costs $32, and its 30-day plan is going for $62.
Network coverage: Airalo works with LG U+, a local mobile service carrier, to provide reliable data coverage in South Korea. It supports LTE in the country.
Activation process: Activating an Airalo eSIM is simple. You can scan a QR code or activate the eSIM via the Airalo app. However, you need to verify your identity before you can use this eSIM.
Customer support: Airalo provides customer support via a help center, 24/7 live chat, and email.
3. Nomad – user-friendly eSIM for South Korea with wide coverage
| Supported network: | 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Calls/SMS: | No |
| Starting price: | $5 (1GB for 7 days) |
Nomad is another versatile eSIM for South Korea. It has affordable local, regional, and global plans for travelers visiting the country.
Regional plans: Nomad offers a regional package for China, Japan, and South Korea. There are 5 plans to choose from, starting from $4 for 7 days (1GB).
Plan options: This eSIM has over 10 data-only plans for South Korea. It has Day Plans that give you either 500MB or 1GB daily. But you can continue browsing at a throttled speed of 512kps after your data runs out. Nomad also has Regular Plans offering 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 1OGB, 15GB, or 20GB of data, valid for 7 to 45 days.
South Korea plans pricing: Nomad plans are priced competitively. Its Day Plans for South Korea start at $2.5 for 500MB per day, while its Regular Plans start at $5 for $1GB for 7 days.
Network coverage: Nomad works with KT in South Korea and supports 4G speeds in the country.
Activation process: To install your Nomad eSIM, scan the QR code provided by the company. Once the eSIM is installed on your phone, follow the on-screen instructions to activate it. No identity verification is required to use this eSIM.
Customer support: Nomad doesn’t have a live chat option. However, Nomad’s customer service team responds quickly to email queries, and you can find answers to most questions on its FAQ and help center.
4. JetPac – fantastic eSIM for traveling in South Korea
| Supported network: | LTE, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Calls/SMS: | No |
| Starting price: | $1 (1GB of data for 4 days) |
JetPac offers affordable eSIM plans for over 100 countries, including South Korea. Besides local plans, it also has regional and global plans.
Regional plans: JetPac’s Asia-Pacific plan covers 15 countries, including South Korea.
Plan options: Jetpac doesn’t have local plans for South Korea, but its Asia-Pacific plan covers the country. You can choose from 8 local eSIM plans, offering 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 15GB, 20GB, 30GB, and 40GB of data and valid for 4, 7, and 30 days.
South Korea plans pricing: JetPac is one of the most affordable eSIM providers on the market. Its Asia-Pacific plans start at only $1 for 4 days (1GB) and go up to $65 for its 40GB (30 days) plan.
Network coverage: JetPac works with two local network carriers in South Korea, KT and SK Telecom. It supports 3G and 4G in the country.
Activation process: Installing JetPac is easy. Pick your plan, scan a QR code to install the eSIM on your device, and turn on the mobile data when you arrive in South Korea.
Customer support: JetPac offers 24/7 customer support via live chat. You can also reach its customer support team via email.
5. aloSIM – flexible South Korea eSIM for calling and texting
| Supported network: | 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Calls/SMS: | Yes |
| Starting price: | $5 (1GB for 7 days) |
aloSIM is one of the best eSIMs to pick if you’d like to make calls and send SMS while traveling in South Korea. It has various local plans covering the country, as well as regional and global plans.
Regional plans: aloSIM has multiple regional plans covering South Korea. Depending on the countries in the region you're visiting, you can opt for its Asia Five Pack (5 countries) or Asia Pack (13 countries).
Plan options: aloSIM has 5 local plans for South Korea, offering 1GB for 7 days, 2GB for 15 days, or 3GB, 5GB, and 10GB for 30 days.
South Korea plans pricing: aloSIM’s local plans for South Korea start at $5 (1GB for 7 days) and go up to $27 (10GB for 30 days). Generally, aloSIM offers great value for money.
Network coverage: aloSIM collaborates with local partners – SK Telecom and KT Corporation II — to offer LTE and 5G in South Korea. Each aloSIM data plan includes a free international phone number from Hushed that you can use to make calls and send SMS.
Activation process: You can activate aloSIM via the app. All you need to do is choose a data plan and provide the activation code as required. aloSIM doesn’t perform any identity verification.
Customer support: aloSIM has a blog, a 24/7 live chat, and helpful troubleshooting guides, but it’s generally not as user-friendly as Saily or Airalo.
6. Instabridge – fast and affordable eSIM service for South Korea
| Supported network: | 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Calls/SMS: | No |
| Starting price: | $2.50 (1GB for 7 days) |
InstaBridge is the cheapest eSIM provider in South Korea. It offers affordable plans and excellent speeds. In addition to regular prepaid plans, Instabridge also offers pay-as-you-go plans.
Regional plans: Instabridge’s global plans and regional plans cover South Korea.
Plan options: Instabridge offers four prepaid data plans for South Korea: 1GB for 7 days, 20GB for 7 days, 3GB for 15 days, and 10GB for 30 days. It also has pay-as-you-go plans.
South Korea plans pricing: Instabridge’s prepaid South Korea plans start at only $2.5 for 1GB (7 days) and goes up to $6.5 for 3GB (15 days), $17 for 10GB (30 days), and $27 for 20GB (7 days). Its pay-as-you-go plan for South Korea starts at $4 per GB.
Network coverage: Instabridge collaborates with KT South Korea to guarantee extensive data coverage. It supports 4G or LTE in the country.
Activation process: Activating an Instabridge eSIM is easy. You need to install the Instabridge app, purchase a data plan, and activate it on your phone. Instabridge doesn’t perform any KYC verifications.
Customer support: Instabridge has an extensive help center and email support. However, we wish it also had a 24/7 customer service option available.
Comparison of the best eSIM providers for South Korea
The table below shows the key features of the South Korea eSIMs above, allowing you to compare them at a glance:
| Saily | Airalo | Nomad | JetPac | aloSIM | |
| Plan options: | 7 and 30 days | 7, 15, 30, 60, 180, 365 days | 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 30. 45 and 60 days | 4, 7, and 30 days | 7, 15, 30 |
| Compatibility: | All iPhone and Android devices that support eSIM | All iPhone and Android devices that support eSIM | All iPhone and Android devices that support eSIM | All iPhone and Android devices that support eSIM | All iPhone and Android devices that support eSIM |
| Networks: | 3G, 4G, and 5G | LTE, 3G, 4G, and 5G | LTE, 3G, 4G, and 5G | LTE, 3G, 4G, and 5G | LTE, 3G, 4G and 5G |
| Calls: | No | Yes (only on Discover+ global plan) | No | No | Yes |
| Texts: | No | Yes (only on Discover+ Global plan) | No | No | Yes |
| Price from: | $4.49 | $32.00 | $5.00 | $1.00 | $5.00 |
Before choosing an eSIM for South Korea, ensure the provider meets all your requirements. For example, confirm that the eSIM is compatible with your device, and has eSIM plans that align with your travel duration and data needs.
How we tested and ranked these eSIMs for South Korea
I conducted extensive research to find the best eSIMs for South Korea. I also worked with the Cybernews team to run tests on different eSIMs, assessing their coverage, network speeds, data plans, price, customer support options, and more. Here’s a quick look at the criteria I used to pick the best South Korea eSIMs:
- Coverage in South Korea: My first requirement for selecting the best eSIM for South Korea is extensive coverage in the country. I checked which local carriers each eSIM works with and picked providers with coverage across the country. I also included eSIMs with coverage in neighboring countries to ensure seamless connectivity if you’re traveling across the region.
- Network: The type of network your eSIM supports determines the speed of your connection, so I picked eSIMs that support 5G, 4G, 3G, and LTE. This guarantees relatively good speeds in South Korea.
- Data plans: The ideal data plan for each traveler differs depending on the duration of your trip and your data consumption needs. I assessed the data plans each eSIM offers and picked providers with the widest array of plans. I made sure to include eSIMs that have different types of plans, both prepaid and pay-as-you-go options.
- Compatibility: eSIMs are generally compatible with newer smartphones. However, some eSIMs may not work with particular devices. I chose eSIMs that work with a variety of different devices to ensure easy installation.
- User-friendliness: I assessed the user-friendliness of different eSIMs, paying particular attention to their apps and activation process. All the eSIMs I picked are easy to install and have user-friendly apps.
- Price: I looked at the prices of different eSIMs and compared the features they offer. I picked the eSIMs that offer the best prices and have an array of useful features.
- Customer support: I looked at each eSIM's customer service channels and selected those that responded quickly via email and live chat.
Does my phone support eSIM?
Many newer iPhones and Android devices support eSIMs, but it's best to confirm if your specific device is compatible with eSIMs. Read on to find out how to check if your phone supports eSIM.
eSIM compatibility on iPhone
iPhone models, including iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, SE (2nd generation), 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max, work with eSIMs.
You can activate eSIMs through the cellular settings menu. If you’re still unsure if your iPhone supports eSIMs, consult your iPhone’s specifications or contact the eSIM provider.
eSIM compatibility on Android phone
eSIM compatibility on Android phones varies by model and manufacturer. Many newer Android devices, such as Google Pixel phones, Samsung Galaxy series (S20, S21, and above), and select devices from other manufacturers, support eSIM technology. You can typically activate your eSIM through the Network & Internet or Connections menu on your Android phone settings.
How to activate the eSIM data plan on your phone
Activating an eSIM is generally straightforward. Depending on the eSIM provider you’ve chosen, you may have one or more methods available to install and activate your eSIM.
eSIM providers usually have detailed instructions to guide users through the installation and activation process. Here are the main ways you can activate an eSIM on your phone:
- QR code activation: This is arguably the most popular eSIM activation method. It involves scanning a QR code the eSIM provider shares with you. You’ll be asked to tweak your device settings, like making the eSIM your primary SIM and turning on data roaming.
- App activation: Some eSIM providers allow you to install and activate your eSIM by clicking a button on their app. The process is mostly automated, but you may still need to set the eSIM as your main SIM card and turn on data roaming before it will start working.
- Manual activation: This activation method is more technical than the others above. To activate an eSIM manually, you must input the eSIM details, like the activation code and SM+DP address, directly into your device’s settings.
Where to buy a prepaid eSIM card for South Korea?
You can buy an eSIM for South Korea from the website or app of your preferred eSIM provider. The process isn’t different from buying other items online. Simply scan through the eSIM provider’s site or app and pick your preferred eSIM plan for South Korea. Then, click to buy.
eSIM providers usually have multiple payment options, including debit/credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and more. However, you may be required to create an account before you can buy an eSIM.
When to order/activate an eSIM card for South Korea?
While you can purchase and activate your eSIM at any time, I recommend setting it up just a day before you travel to South Korea. This is important as you may need internet access to install your eSIM. Also, if you activate your eSIM too early before you travel, it could expire before your trip ends, leaving you without access to the internet.
Keep in mind that some eSIMs are activated once you install the provider’s app, but others need to be connected to a local network before they start working. Generally, waiting until a day before you travel to activate your eSIM ensures you can get internet access as soon as you arrive in South Korea.
Benefits of using an eSIM in South Korea
Using an eSIM in South Korea has many advantages, including:
- Instant data access: You can get seamless internet access from the minute you land in South Korea.
- Effortless activation: With an eSIM, you can avoid the fuss of going to a physical store and activate your eSIM easily with a few clicks.
- Keep your number: You can keep your current phone number while using the eSIM, avoiding the hassle of changing numbers or carrying multiple devices.
- No physical SIM required: Using an eSIM eliminates the need to purchase and install a physical SIM card, reducing the possibility of misplacing or ruining your physical SIM cards.
- Affordable connectivity: You can avoid the hefty roaming charges and sluggish data speeds commonly associated with traditional SIM cards, saving money while enjoying uninterrupted internet connection throughout South Korea.
- Convenient top-ups: Most eSIM providers allow you to top-up your data as needed and maintain uninterrupted access without having to go to a physical shop.
Things to know about using an eSIM card in South Korea
South Korea is one of the Asian countries with the most expensive mobile internet charges. Hence, an eSIM is a great way to avoid hefty prices. Here are a few things to know about using an eSIM in South Korea:
- Make sure your phone is unlocked: Locked phones are tied to specific mobile service providers, and you can’t use an eSIM on them.
- Make sure your phone supports an eSIM: Check if your phone supports eSIM technology. Not all mobile devices are compatible with eSIMs.
- Calling and phone number: Most eSIM plans don’t support calling or come with a phone number. While some eSIM providers offer phone numbers, they’re for receiving calls and SMS only.
- Activation timing: The validity of some eSIM cards begins after installation, while others start upon connecting to a supported network. Ensure you activate your eSIM card within the specified time frame.
- Activation process: Check which activation methods your eSIM supports. The most common eSIM activation methods are QR code scanning, app-based activation, or manual activation.
How to make calls with an eSIM in South Korea
Would you like to make calls and send SMS in South Korea using your eSIM? Here are the options available to you:
- Select a provider with a calling option: Look for an eSIM provider that offers a phone number you can use to make calls. Airalo and aloSIM both support calling and texting.
- Use a domestic SIM card: Use your existing physical SIM card for making calls while reserving the eSIM solely for data. Remember that international calls are more expensive.
- Use VoIP apps: Explore Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) apps such as WhatsApp, FaceTime, or Google Voice. These apps use data to make calls over the Internet, providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional cellular networks.
Final thoughts on the best eSIMs for South Korea
Getting an eSIM for South Korea allows you to stay connected and avoid the hassle of having to purchase a physical SIM card in the country.
Saily is the best eSIM for South Korea, in my opinion. It offers flexible data plans, competitive prices, and easy activation. Plus, Saily has coverage across South Korea and other countries in the region, so you can stay connected throughout your trip without breaking the bank.
Also read:
Best eSIM's for Japan: check out best eSIM's for Japan travel.
Best eSIM's for Vietnam: travel Vietnam hassle-free.
Best eSIM's for Philippines: explore Philippines with travel eSIM.
FAQ
What is the cheapest eSIM card for South Korea?
Instabridge has the cheapest eSIM for South Korea, with plans starting at $2.5 for 1GB of data (7 days). Saily offers a similar plan — 1GB for 7 days — at a slightly higher price of $4.49.
Which eSIM is best for South Korea?
Saily is the overaall best eSIM for South Korea. It offers reliable network signal with prices starting at only $4.49. Saily is activated as soon as the eSIM connects to a supported network.
Does eSIM give you a Korean number?
Yes, some eSIMs, like Airalo and aloSIM, give you a South Korean number that you can use to make calls and send SMS.
Which eSIM in Korea provides unlimited data?
Airalo is the best South Korea eSIM if you want unlimited data. It is one of the few eSIMs that offer unlimited data packages in the country, ensuring you can enjoy an uninterrupted connection without worrying about data caps.
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