Saudi Arabia is an exciting country to visit. So if you are traveling there, don’t forget to share your adventures with your family or friends through social media or other apps. If you don’t know how to stay connected or how to keep in touch with your friends, Roaming will show you one of the alternatives to get mobile internet. Which is the new eSIM card for Saudi Arabia, with these, you will get the best internet connection.
We’ll be telling you everything you need to know about International eSIM, international operators, local eSIM, its features, requirements, rates. This way, you can save money, time and contribute to the environment. Also, note that this type of service is much more economical than the international roaming offered by your operator, so you will be saving the expensive roaming fees in Saudi Arabia.
Buy a Saudi Arabia eSIM online
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What you need to know about the Saudi Arabia eSIM card:
The most important thing to make a successful and problem-free purchase is to know the requirements that must be considered before buying an eSIM card for Saudi Arabia, since, being a recent technology, there are cell phones that are still incompatible with this technology. Therefore, we encourage you to review the following list.
- You must have an eSIM-compatible cellphone: in addition to that, check that the operator or eSIM card provider supports your phone. We know currently that the iPhone XR or more recent versions are preferred by virtual SIM providers. Also, many android phones have been adapting to this new technology.
- It’s essential to have an email address to register and receive your eSIM.
- You must have an internet connection: your eSIM profile will be downloaded from the operator’s servers after scanning the QR code or installation code.
- Some providers will require you to install their App to download the eSIM.
In case your device does not support eSIMs, you can always opt for a prepaid SIM card from a local carrier in Saudi Arabia.
eSIM card providers for Saudi Arabia travel
A common question you must have right now is where to buy the eSIM in Saudi Arabia. To find out where you can buy your eSIM after considering the main requirements, we have prepared a list of the main providers that offer eSIM cards in Saudi Arabia, so you can easily compare the rates and purchase the eSIM according to your needs.
Rates and data plans of eSIM providers for travel to Saudi Arabia
Below we show you the different rates and features from the providers listed above. This way, you can choose the one that best suits your budget, and gives you the most benefits.
Holafly
Let’s start with Holafly, this is an online store that has been positioning itself very well for the great benefits it offers to tourists with its eSIMs. Holafly offers eSIMs for more than 100 countries around the world, and the best of all is that you don’t have to sign any contract to purchase one of their services, you just have to go through the purchase process, which is quite simple.
To purchase a Holafly eSIM for Saudi Arabia you will have to visit their official website, search for your travel destination and choose the plan you prefer. For this country, Holafly offers two different plans, one with 3GB for 7 days, and another with 6GB for 15 days. After choosing the plan of your preference you will have to check out, where you will have to enter your personal information and make the payment. This company currently accepts different payment methods such as credit cards, Paypal, and GooglePay. After payment, the eSIM will arrive immediately to your email, and you will be able to start using it whenever you want on your trip.
Pros of Holafly’s eSIM for Saudi Arabia:
- High-speed and stable connection in Saudi Arabia.
- You’ll be able to share data with other devices.
- Set up your data plan by scanning a simple QR code.
- 24/7 customer support.
Cons of Holafly’s eSIM for Saudi Arabia:
- You won’t be able to make or receive calls.
- No messages included.
GigSky
GigSky is another international provider from which you can get an eSIM for your trip. The are based in Palo Alto, California. The eSIM, however, will be available for purchase through their mobile app. This means that in order to buy and use the eSIM, you must download the application. Which is a disadvantage, as you will have to spend more time downloading the app, getting to know it and going through the whole process.
As for the plans, GigSky offers three different plans for its eSIM for Saudi Arabia, which are 100MB for 7 days, 400 MB for 15 days and 700MB for 30 days. And while the prices are very economical, as you can see the amount of data offered is low, so you will most likely have to top up or buy more plans.
Pros of GigSky eSIM:
- Economically accessible.
- Easy installation process.
- You can make top ups through their app.
Cons of GigSky eSIM:
- You must download their phone App to buy an eSIM.
- Some cell phones from Asia are incompatible.
- The internet connection may vary in some locations.
TravelSIM
Finally, let’s talk about TravelSIM, this is a company based in Estonia, which also offers internet connectivity services. Among their services they mainly offer physical SIM cards. However, they also offer eSIMs for a large number of countries. However, it should be noted that if you want to purchase an eSIM for Saudi Arabia, you will have to buy an International or Asian plan. They do not sell country specific plans.
With the International plan you will be able to enjoy internet in different countries, for Saudi Arabia you will have to choose zone B, and it has plans from 250MB to 5GB, all plans are for 30 days, except the 250MB which is for 14 days. On the other hand, as these plans are international, they are usually more expensive. Also, keep in mind that TravelSIM charges a $6 fee for its eSIM, and you will have to pay for the amount of the plan you choose.
Pros of TravelSIM eSIM for Saudi Arabia:
- You can make top-ups.
- You can share data with other devices.
- Reach over 200 countries around the world.
Cons of TravelSIM eSIM for Saudi Arabia:
- It does not offer an exclusive eSIM for Saudi Arabia, so the service cost is higher.
- Low variety of prices.
eSIM Provider Comparison for Saudi Arabia
| Supplier | Data | Days | Price (USD) | Support | Sales channels |
| Holafly | 3GB | 7 | $34 | Spanish, English, German, and French | Web |
| Holafly | 6GB | 15 | $49 | Spanish, English, German, and French | Web |
| Gigsky | 100MB | 7 | $7.99 | English | App Store, Google Play |
| Gigsky | 400MB | 15 | $29.99 | English | App Store, Google Play |
| Gigsky | 700MB | 30 | $49.99 | English | App Store, Google Play |
| TravelSIM | 250MB | 14 | $25 | Spanish | Web |
| TravelSIM | 500MB | 30 | $45 | Spanish | Web |
| TravelSIM | 1GB | 30 | $69 | Spanish | Web |
| TravelSIM | 2GB | 30 | $99 | Spanish | Web |
| TravelSIM | 3GB | 30 | $150 | Spanish | Web |
| TravelSIM | 5GB | 30 | $175 | Spanish | Web |
Details of eSIMs for traveling to Saudi Arabia
We need to know the features provided by both the eSIMs and the regular SIMS to be able to know the difference between the two and decide which one is our best option!
- Most eSIM cards do not offer analog calls, only data. For voice communication, you can use Apps like Skype or WhatsApp.
- They can only be installed once, so if you are experiencing problems with your eSIM card; do not delete it from your cellphone and contact your eSIM provider instead.
- Some eSIMs set up the APN automatically.
- You can add multiple data plans to your iPhone, depending on available memory, although only one can be used at a time.
- Some eSIMs allow you to share data.
- Back to your dual SIM iPhone, you can keep your local SIM when you travel to Saudi Arabia. Remember to set up your iPhone to avoid surprise bills.
If you are passionate about traveling, we recommend you take a look at our articles eSIM Maldives and eSIM card India.
Mobile internet coverage map for travel to Saudi Arabia
The coverage provided by your eSIM is critical to know, as this is what determines the best Internet connection you can get. Also, you might find a cheap eSIM card, but it might not provide you with good coverage in Saudi Arabia. As the eSIM cards that will offer you the best network coverage on your trip to Saudi Arabia are those that have the most roaming agreements with the main operators such as Zain, Mobily, GO Telecom, or STC.
See below the coverage maps of the main operators.
Map of 3G Zain coverage in Saudi Arabia
Mobily’s 3G network coverage in Saudi Arabia
STC’s 3G coverage map in Saudi Arabia
Domestic cellular operators offering eSIM in Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, eSIM technology began to be implemented in April 2020, the operator Zain was one of the pioneers in supporting smartphones, including the latest iPhone, in addition to the latest devices from Samsung and Huawei.
The eSIM arrived in this country to replace the traditional physical card, some operators encourage you to download their application to activate the eSIM card, or you can do it from their website, something that you should keep in mind is that the QR code cannot be reused because if it is activated on one device, it cannot be installed on another.
The great thing about local eSIMs is that some providers allow users to have all their existing services and tariffs from their previous SIM on their new eSIM. Here is a brief list of domestic cellular operators, but please note that this list of operators is intended mainly for permanent residents and not for travelers, although there are exceptions.
eSIM Zain for Saudi Arabia.
Zain is one of the best established local operators in the country, it offers prepaid eSIM available to all its local and tourist customers. Currently they have three data only plans, two of them with data packages of 100GB and 200GB to be consumed in 4 weeks for costs of $48 and $94 respectively and a last option of unlimited data for 4 weeks for a cost of $102. It is worth mentioning that in their catalog there are data plans with minutes or costumizables for costs within the mentioned range.
Benefits of Zain eSIM in Saudi Arabia.
As we have mentioned the company has extensive coverage around the country also ensuring 5G connection speeds in almost all the territory. also with the hiring of a prepaid plan you will be enjoying an eSIM with these benefits:
- Easy to activate an eSIM.
- Multiple numbers on the same device.
- Keep Work at Work.
- Customize your experience.
How to activate a Zain eSIM in Saudi Arabia.
The company has made the activation process quite simple for almost any customer. As they explain on their website, it is as simple as scan a QR-Code, and customize your experience based on your needs (Business, Personal, Data Only, Data, and Voice). It is worth mentioning that an internet connection is required for the activation process, and you will need to install the zain application to manage your eSIM.
Once you have decided which plan suits you, you can purchase it through their website or at any stores in Saudi Arabia and at major airports. After the purchase, you will be able to activate your eSIM, as explained above.
eSIM STC for Saudi Arabia.
In the case of STC and their eSIMs they offer a variety of ways to purchase their eSIM cards. Not only can you do it through their website and in physical stores, you can also order them through their android or iphone APP. In any of the ways you decide to use the eSIM will have a flat rate of 1.5$ for prepaid customers and 3$ for postpaid customers, of course to enjoy data, calls or minutes you must hire or have an active plan.
Benefits of STC eSIM in Saudi Arabia.
Versatility and fast setup are not the only advantages you will be enjoying with STC eSIM for Saudi Arabia. You have the possibility to exchange your SIM card for an eSIM if you are an existing customer or purchase the eSIM directly. Once you are an STC customer you will also enjoy these benefits:
- In any of the available plans you will have minutes for local numbers and in some of them streaming applications with no data limit.
- Use one number for work and another one for personal calls.
- Have two or more numbers on the same device.
How to activate a STC eSIM in Saudi Arabia.
First of all, it is important to mention that STC only supports eSIM with Apple, so the compatible devices will be iPhone starting from XR model and iPad starting from Pro 11 (2018) model. We also invite you to confirm if your phone is compatible with the operator’s eSIM.
After this, the process is quite simple and STC even offers an instructive on its website to make it easier. The steps to follow after acquiring your eSIM are to generate your QR code through a link that will be shared after the purchase. You will also receive an SMS with the link to the generated QR code in case you need to use it later. Once you have the QR and verify your internet connection, go to “settings” on your phone, then tap “cellular”, once there go to “add cellular plan” scan the QR code and you are ready to enjoy your service with STC.
Frequently asked questions about eSIM in Saudi Arabia
We answer the most common questions you may have before purchasing your eSIM to travel to Saudi Arabia below.
The eSIM, also known as virtual SIM, is an evolution of the SIM card that integrates the SIM card chip into the phone hardware itself, so it does not require physical installation. With it, people can enjoy the same services as a SIM card.
You do not need a passport, some providers do require your address.
Yes, the eSIM for Saudi Arabia will allow you to share your data with other devices. However, we recommend that you check with the provider’s customer service.
After installing the virtual SIM profile you need to choose it as your default cellular data medium, turn on data and roaming and your virtual SIM should be working.
Yes, just like physical cards, virtual SIM cards also have an expiry date.
eSIM for other destinations
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