Airalo or Instabridge for Japan?
2 brands checked on 27/10/2026 · published by Mocom SAS (Sirocco)
Brands compared: Sirocco, Airalo, Holafly, Orange Travel, Instabridge, Roamless, aloSIM, Kolet, Sim Local, Eskimo, eSIM.me and Jetpac
As of 27/10/2026, out of 12 trips compared in Japan: Airalo ranked higher on 9, Instabridge on 3; average gap 34%.
Airalo
Ranked higher on 9 of the 12 trips compared★ 4.6 · 47,735 reviewsOfficial website › Airalo (new tab)Instabridge
Ranked higher on 3 of the 12 trips compared★ 4.5 · 1,003 reviewsOfficial website › Instabridge (new tab)The verdict, by type of trip
- Short stay3 days, 5 GBAiralo€9.50 for 5 GB against €19.00 for 10 GB with Instabridge (33% more per GB)
- One week7 days, 5 GBAiralo€9.50 for 5 GB against €19.00 for 10 GB with Instabridge (33% more per GB)
- Unlimited7 days, unlimitedAiraloThe only one offering this trip (€24.50); Instabridge: no unlimited plan long enough
- Family of 44 travellers, 7 days, 5 GB eachAiralo€38.00 for 5 GB each against €76.00 for 10 GB each with Instabridge (33% more per GB)
A written rule, the same for every pair: for each type of trip, the better ranked of the two on price per GB (for unlimited, on price), at the prices we checked. Nothing is picked by hand; customer ratings don't count.
Prices, trip by trip
For each trip, each brand's cheapest plan that covers the duration and the data. In green, the better ranked of the two: price per GB, not counting GB beyond one and a half times the data requested (for unlimited, price). "+x%", how much more the other one costs, per GB when the data differs.
| Trip | Airalo | Instabridge |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days | ||
| 1 GB, 3 days | €4.00that's €1.33/day33% more expensive | €3.00that's €1.00/dayRanked higher |
| 5 GB, 3 days | €9.505 GBthat's €3.17/dayRanked higher | €19.0010 GBthat's €6.33/day33% more expensive per GB |
| 10 GB, 3 days | €16.00that's €5.33/dayRanked higher | €19.00that's €6.33/day19% more expensive |
| Unlimited, 3 days | €11.00that's €3.67/day | no unlimited plan long enough |
| 7 days | ||
| 1 GB, 7 days | €7.503 GBthat's €1.07/day67% more expensive per GB | €3.001 GBthat's €0.43/dayRanked higher |
| 5 GB, 7 days | €9.505 GBthat's €1.36/dayRanked higher | €19.0010 GBthat's €2.71/day33% more expensive per GB |
| 10 GB, 7 days | €16.00that's €2.29/dayRanked higher | €19.00that's €2.71/day19% more expensive |
| Unlimited, 7 days | €24.50that's €3.50/day | no unlimited plan long enough |
| 15 days | ||
| 1 GB, 15 days | €10.00that's €0.67/day54% more expensive | €6.50that's €0.43/dayRanked higher |
| 5 GB, 15 days | €10.005 GBthat's €0.67/dayRanked higher | €19.0010 GBthat's €1.27/day27% more expensive per GB |
| 10 GB, 15 days | €16.50that's €1.10/dayRanked higher | €19.00that's €1.27/day15% more expensive |
| Unlimited, 15 days | €44.50that's €2.97/day | no unlimited plan long enough |
| 30 days | ||
| 1 GB, 30 days | €10.50that's €0.35/dayRanked higher | €19.00that's €0.63/day81% more expensive |
| 5 GB, 30 days | €10.505 GBthat's €0.35/dayRanked higher | €19.0010 GBthat's €0.63/day21% more expensive per GB |
| 10 GB, 30 days | €17.00that's €0.57/dayRanked higher | €19.00that's €0.63/day12% more expensive |
| Unlimited, 30 days | €63.50that's €2.12/day | no unlimited plan long enough |
12 brands compared, not an exhaustive listWhy this ranking?
Compared on price per GB: for each trip, each brand's cheapest plan that covers the duration and the data, at the public price we checked, divided by its GB (at most one and a half times the data requested); for unlimited, the price. Average gap: the mean, over the trips compared, of the difference between the two brands relative to the better ranked one.
Not an exhaustive comparison: 12 brands out of the dozens that sell eSIMs. The list of brands compared is in our Methodology.
eSIMeter is published by Mocom SAS, which sells Sirocco: the site is funded by those sales. No other brand pays us.
Customer ratings
App Store United Kingdom, checked on 27/10/2026. Ratings don't count in the verdict.
- Airalo★ 4.6 · 47,735 reviews
- Instabridge★ 4.5 · 1,003 reviews
Going further
- Every brand we compare for Japan: the full ranking ›
- Airalo or Instabridge, all destinations ›
- Other head-to-heads for Japan: Sirocco vs Airalo · Sirocco vs Instabridge · Airalo vs Holafly · Airalo vs Orange Travel · Airalo vs Roamless · Airalo vs aloSIM · Airalo vs Kolet · Airalo vs Sim Local · Airalo vs Eskimo · Airalo vs eSIM.me · Airalo vs Jetpac · Orange Travel vs Instabridge · Instabridge vs Roamless · Instabridge vs aloSIM · Instabridge vs Kolet · Instabridge vs Sim Local · Instabridge vs Eskimo · Instabridge vs eSIM.me · Instabridge vs Jetpac
A page per destination is only published if both brands have a price for at least 4 of the 16 trips, and if the better ranked one changes with the trip or the average gap reaches 5%. Otherwise they are still compared in the destination's ranking. Methodology